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Show ommunity lews A2 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2007 - N E W S- SpanishFork 280 North M^in St. Spanish Fork, UT 84660 Line Henderson. . . i .• Publisher Namon Bills. . , . . : . ' . . . Editor The Spanish Fork News is published each Wednesday for S37.50 per year in area and $4 1.50 out of area byJ-Mart, 280 North Main St., Spanish Fork Utah 84660. Email stories to editor@spforknews.com Email ads to ads@spforknews.com Call us at 794-4964 POSTMASTER Send address changes to Spanish Fork News 280 Nonh Main St. Spanish Fork, Utah 84660 The entire content of this newspaper is Copyright© 2007 Spanish Fork News. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the editor or publisher. DEADLINES Weddings, anniversaries, missionaries, 1st birthdays, articles, photos, letters to the editor Friday, 12 p.m. Display advertising and classified advertising Friday, 12 p.m. Letters to the Editor do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Spanish Fork News. Covering what matters most School Vouchers: For and Against Editor's note: In light of the upcoming vote on Referendum I, I invited Michael Morris and Rita Bills to write guest editorials to represent the two sides of the school voucher issue. Michael Morris serves on the Board of Trustees of American Heritage School of Spanish Fork, a pritvate school with an LDS-based curriculum. Rita Bills is my mother; she's done extensive research on the history and results of vouchers in other states. Vouchers restore agency Make your voice heard Rita Bills Michael Morris American Heritage School of Spanish Fork, for example, average in the 81 st Ironically, in a state that prides itself percentile in standardized testing.) You don't need to be a straighton its pioneer heritage, many Utahns are running away from vouchers the A student to figure out that despite way a cricket runs from a seagull. But all the propaganda by public school knowing how vouchers would affect apologists, there's really only one thing Utah is as simple as examining the at stake with vouchers — the power data from seven separate studies on of bureaucrats and unions to control the funding. To paraphrase J. R. R. voucher programs. In all seven studies — from Tolkien's Gandalf the Grey: "There is Milwaukee to Cleveland and from only one lord of the purse'strings, and Florida to New York — students who he does not share power." received vouchers and opted out of If public school monopolists really public schools posted significantly believed in government schools and higher test scores than students in wanted what is best for children, they public schools. In addition, the test would accept competition, embrace scores of students in public schools parental involvement, and welcome that faced competition from vouchers the prospect of smaller classrooms. also rose. Instead, fearful for their fiefdom, Utah lawmakers have crafted they cower behind their monopoly, legislation by which parents would contriving frightful scenarios to scare receive a voucher ranging from $500 parents. to $3,000 to educate their children in Rather than fear the restoration private schools. Utah spends around of parental agency, we should fear $7,500 per year per student in the the status quo, with its unchecked government schools; the difference secularization and growing between the voucher and the $7,500 centralization. And rather than would stay with the schools. demonize parents who support The legislation would protect vouchers, let's praise them as government schools even further by pioneers who want to do more for setting aside $9.2 million from the their children's education than bake general fund to offset any negative cookies for the PTA. impact schools might experience for We can vote "yes" on vouchers and five years after a student opts out. blaze a trail through an educational Under Utah's voucher law, there desert that is increasingly barren (both are few risks to students or schools. academically and spiritually), or we And given the superior test scores can vote "no" and get ready for more of students attending Utah's private tax increases, crowded classrooms, schools, there is little risk to parents mediocre test scores and whining for who take their children out of money. government schools. (Students in It's a clear choice. Let's consider a few of the issues surrounding school vouchers; and due to limits on space, I will be able to touch only lightly on some of the more troubling questions. First, parent choice in education. Some parents feel they have the right to decide what their students learn, yet state funding of public education was established to further a compelling state interest in a welleducated populace, not to meet all the wishes of individual parents. Note that there are ample opportunities for parents to help shape education policy — here are some in which I have participated, and these are just a few opportunities that are available to all parents: working with students and teachers to craft individual Student Education Plans (through which my children received personalized instruction); participation in PTA and school and district strategic planning committees; and requesting and receiving specific help from teachers, counselors, and administrators on elementary and secondary levels. Examine some choices of parents in Milwaukee, site of the nation's oldest tax-funded voucher. A convicted rapist ran a voucher school for two years, despite parent complaints that teachers were using drugs on campus. The school closed only because the owner didn't pay the rent. In one year, 17 new voucher schools opened in old storefronts with few, if any, books or school supplies; but they all had students. Morals: infusion of tax dollars interferes with the operation of free-market principles, hampering the closure of failing schools. And while parents should become experts on their children's needs, that does not necessarily make them experts on education. Bottom line: if you pay for it, you are welcome to send your children to any school you like; but if I foot any part of the tab, I want total financial transparency and full accountability, which this law does not require. Not just individual parents, but the entire tax-paying community have a vested interest in the quality of education children receive. Second, were vouchers designed to help the poor? According to Springville representative Aaron Tikon (Oct. 4 debate), more assistance to the poor was an afterthought added to the bill to secure enough votes for passage. How many poor families do you know who are lining up for the privilege of bearing a disproportionate share of the education budget? As a way to cut taxes, vouchers are a farce. In terms of free-market forces, they're a fraud. In terms of stimulating academic improvements, they're a no-show. Roughly 60 percent of Utah citizens oppose vouchers, but that will make no difference, and they will be forced on us by the minority if we fail to vote. Cast your ballots; you can be sure the opposition will! Letters to the Editor Candidate's response I'm writing in response to Rosemary Jarmon's rebuttal in the Oct. 24 issue of the Spanish Fork News. She was suggesting that the library as a whole was more important than the golf course. She's right. The education of our children and community is vastly more important than the golf course. Thank goodness we have great schools and educators in this city. They help educate our future leaders and keep us informed of the growing technology that we face. I'm grateful for the schools in Spanish Fork and for the educators that not only taught me and my children, but they were some of the greatest leaders in our community. I can think of two wonderful mayors and many city councilmen who were educators. I know for a fact that many large companies do look at the educated workforce and our school system before deciding to locate their businesses here. But the fact still remains that they look at our transportation system and our recreational facilities also. What would Spanish Fork be without our golf course, sports parks, swimming pool, senior citizen activities. Fiesta Days celebration and rodeo, Christmas light parade, Festival of Lights, airport, and our new SFCN Network? What would our city be like without all these services that add to our quality of life, contributes to our "small home town" atmosphere, bring us together to enjoy and serve one another, and makes us the town of "Pride and Progress"? Some have suggested that we shouldn't compete with the private sector - that SFCN should be sold because it competes with Comcast. Why should we? It's a great service and a future resource for helping us keep informed on what's happening in our community, and will one day help us monitor our utilities. SFCN is now making money and 52% of the citizens have it. If we sell SFCN, we may as well sell our electrical department because it competes with Strawberry Water Users and Rocky Mountain Power. But that wouldn't be very smart. Our electrical department keeps our utility bills down and helps to subsidize our other services, such as the library and senior citizens center. I love Spanish Fork with all my heart. I love our library and what it means and stands for, but I also love all of our other services. Not everyone uses the library or the golf course or the other services provided by the city, but they're there if they choose to use them and they're truly great commodities and services to the citizens and city of Spanish Fork. ''• Sincerely, ; Richard Davis P.S, I was just wondering where the Rotary Club would hold their fundraiser if we sell the golf course. Our precious right to vote A free press is a vital institution not only for our country but also for our small community. Being informed is an essential element to a vibrant community. On Nov. 6, 2007 we will have the opportunity to participate in another vital institution of our government: the right to vote. In our form of city government, business is transacted by aligning the votes of three council persons. This general election is particularly important since three of the five seats for city council are being contested by six candidates. The mayor only votes to break a tie vote. Thus the outcome of the coining election can legitimately change the course of our city. The six candidates competing for three city council positions have different viewpoints. Some candidates may represent your own views, and some may not. With so much at stake, I encourage you to study the issues and candidates very carefully. Local newspapers have graciously given coverage to the candidates. Several candidates have already started distributing materials and we can undoubtedly look forward to more flyers. Please take the time to read their material and feel free to contact the candidates directly. Many of our residents have picked up their phones for direct conversations with the city council candidates. Most importantly, please exercise your responsibility as citizens by voting during this election. We are have talented people running for office. In their literature, they have identified many of the important issues that our city faces and some offer possible solutions. Most of the major problems are complex and will need much discussion, citizen feedback, and compromise. I hope you will look for candidates who represent the entire community, that can bring energy and insight to our council meetings, and who have the time to give the job everything it requires. After the election we hope you will stay involved in the issues. Your attendance at city council meetings is encouraged, and we need your input during many of those meetings. Also on the ballot is a referendum relating to school vouchers. Make sure your voice is heard on this important issue. Remember voting takes place from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 6. Our polling location is Foothills Elementary, 412 South 810 East in Salem. Toby Harding Mayor, Woodland Hills Vouchers Every year, many special Why is it then, that when a viinterest groups,] such as the able plan, such as Referendum 1, teacher's unions,and other public is within our grasp to accomplish education adyocacy groups, all three of these vitally important lobby the state legislature with objectives, as well as empower requests for more.money for class parents with options for the edusize reduction, greater per pupil cation of their children, it is met spending and hjgher wages for with such strong opposition from teachers. -,, these groups? These demands resurface year The passage of Referendum after year, because the citizens of 1 will only create a win/win Utah, with the lowest per pupil situation for all the parties spending in the nation, the largest involved. Utah families win class sizes ancl low teacher because the children receive an salaries, are justifiably passionate education that the parents have about their children's education. chosen in their best interest, whether it be public or private. Utah school districts win because only a portion of the allocated funds per student leave the district when a parent chooses the private school option and class sizes are reduced! The residual funds left in the system can be reallocated to increase the spending per pupil and/or increase teacher's pay. Utah communities wins because the burden of constructing new schools to accommodate See VOUCHERS•A3 |