Provo Daily Herald editorial

Voucher Backers Must Step Up

September 30, 2007

http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/239049/

It's time for voucher supporters to realize that passing Referendum 1 depends on them, not on their leaders.

As the debate over school vouchers heads into its final weeks, Utah's top leader has loitered on the sidelines.

Gov. Jon Huntsman claims he has never denied his support of vouchers. Well, the Nixon White House created the non-denial denial; Huntsman seems to favor the denial non-denial.

At Thursday's Utah Valley Executive Summit at Sundance, Huntsman spoke with energy and enthusiasm about everything from soup to nuts. He rhapsodized about Babylonia, the Dew Tour, "Napoleon Dynamite" and the Utah economy.

But when the subject turned to vouchers, his candle flickered. His charisma dimmed. His voice grew quieter. He slouched.

He said he would vote for Referendum 1 himself, but he didn't urge voters to do so. He looked reluctant. Unhappy. Resigned. Even embarrassed. Then he hurried to another topic.

He seemed like a little boy saying that of course he liked school.

Because he once campaigned for vouchers, Huntsman's lack of enthusiasm is worse than an outright reversal of his previous support. His failure to lead on this issue can only drag down the voucher movement and distract supporters from their work.

Voucher advocates, however, should not be deterred by the fact that the governor, for all practical purposes, has dropped out. Lukewarm support will only hamper this vital effort.

Referendum 1 can win, but its backers will have to explain its advantages in clear terms. They have the philosophical high ground, with better arguments across the board than the public school lobby. But the opposition, heavily funded by organized labor, has been at work muddying the water with dubious claims and unsupported scare tactics. A strong turnout by special interests could be enough to kill vouchers.

Would vouchers really drain the best students out of public schools, leaving only the most difficult cases, as opponents charge? Or would vouchers help students achieve their greatest potential? Do parents have a right to decide what is best for their children?

From today until the vote on Nov. 6, the Daily Herald will focus on answering such questions.

We believe that if voters will take a small amount of time to look at the issues, they will agree that vouchers are a terrific idea that will help individual students and the public school system alike. Rather than draining resources from the public system, vouchers will draw students out of overcrowded classrooms while leaving money behind to make things better. Vouchers will spark genuine free-market competition that will inspire public schools to improve.

Perhaps most important, vouchers offer Utahns a no-lose proposition. If private schools perform as expected, the state will benefit. If the schools fail, they won't last, and any problems will disappear with them.

We hope you'll explore this issue with us and that you'll be encouraged to go out and teach your friends and neighbors why they, too, should vote "Yes" on Referendum 1.
Focus on Vouchers

Beginning Monday and extending through October, the Daily Herald will look at the details of Referendum 1, the voucher initiative. Look for "Focus on Vouchers" on this page.