My Head Hurts

In the last couple of years I have made the effort to really know all sides of any referrendum I am asked to vote on. YES, I vote, I believe everyone should, just ask my husband - a man I physically manhandled to get into the voting booth. Even though I know my vote will most likely not count here in Utah because I am primarily democratic in my views compared to most of my republican neighbors (and husband), I still feel it's important to get out and be part of the democratic process. We have the right to vote; so many people would give their left arm to be able to vote for their leaders and the laws they are asked to obey.

With all of that being said, I decided to read up on an issue that has made multiple headlines here in Utah as well as across the nation. The Utah School Voucher Program. I have always been aware of the debate and I have my opinion but wanted to make sure my opinion was in line with the facts. I found that this program is the most extensive voucher program being put to the public vote in history,,, in the entire nation. I've also found that people and associations are extremely motivated by money, which makes me ill. And to top it off, I think it's crazy that this is actually such a discussion topic in Utah because it's not like we have the best public education system in the country,,, actually, it's one of the worst in the amount of money spent per child in the school system. The last sentence, by no means, is saying the education is bad, I'm a product of the public education system and feel I turned out pretty darn well, I just feel it's horrible that we spend so little on our childrens' education in this state,,, especially since we have sooo many children to educate. Sad, so sad.

I know how I will vote on this referrendum when it's my turn to enter the ballot box. I just hope many people will be in line with my way of thinking and echo my vote. (No, I'm not going to tell you how I'm going to vote, a girl never tells.)

Comments

[Lins]

Explain the school voucher system please, to those of us in Blighty!

[Lins]

Oh - and I like your blog's new look!

[Jen]

Lins,,, the School Voucher Program is a program that would provide parents with school age children a voucher of a certain dollar value to be put towards private education. In the US there is public education and private education,,, private education is obviously quite expensive and mostly only attended by children whose parents can afford to send them to that type of schooling. Public education is funded by the state and private education is primarily funded by the parents of children who go to that school. With vouchers it would give everyone the opportunity to attend private school if the parent can afford the remaining tuition not paid by the voucher. Students would get a voucher amount depending on their parents income level. Obviously, the wealthier the parents the less the voucher would be. This program is said to be the most extensive in US history because in previous attempts to push voucher programs through they were primarily targeted towards the poor communities, to give the poor a chance to get a private education. With this program, all students would be able to get a voucher with the dollar amount based on the parents income level. There are positives and negatives to both sides,,, it's just up to the voters to figure out which side they support.

[Sus]

I say put the money into the public education system to improve it.... rather than into vouchers.

And if I even knew what state I had residency in at the moment, I'd be able to vote!

[Melinda]

Hey, Jen -- This is a real hot-button issue for me. I'm a big believer in neighborhood schools and the democratic ideal they represent. The voucher program seems like a really expensive way to make parents feel better about the education their children are getting, especially when studies show that any "gains" parents see or might see from a private school are pretty illusory. I'm also bothered that a lot of outside money from organizations like the Walton Foundation (of WalMart fame)is coming in to sway Utahns and to make Utah the bellwether in what some "movers and shakers" see as a national battle. I would much rather see the money and effort go into shoring up and improving our local public schools and teachers. And, as Forrest Gump would say, that's all I want to say about that!

[Jen]

First off, Sus, you poor thing, I love that you have no idea where you're registered to vote. That made me laugh outloud. And Lindsay, as you can see from Melinda's and Sus' comments this is a huge issue in Utah at the moment because of the exact point Melinda made. Our public education system is extremely underfunded and there are so many ways we could improve it, how it will be done is just a matter of taking action on many different issues.