KCPW

Legislators debate vouchers at Alta Club

October 10, 2007

by Julie Rose

http://www.kcpw.org/article/4585

(KCPW News) A debate about vouchers between two state lawmakers at the Alta Club this week centered on whether or not the Utah public school system is "broken enough" to merit a dramatic change.

"Is our system sufficiently broken that we're prepared to give up on the dream of a system that serves all students, is uniting and unifying and not bent towards fragmentation and splinterization?" asked Representative Kay McIff during his opening statement of the debate.

State Senator Curtis Bramble says the same public education concerns have persisted in Utah for decades:

"If you change the names and dates, you'll see the arguments, complaints and challenges about public education funding are the same," argues Bramble. "It occurs to me that one definition of insanity is continuing to do the same things and expecting different results. That's what we're dealing with in public education."

The debate between Bramble and McIff at the Alta Club this week is the latest in a string of such meetings being held by local community and civic groups in anticipation of the November 6th vote on vouchers.