Utah voters reject Republican-backed school voucher program

Great job, Utah! We need to keep telling the privatize-everything crowd to lay off public schools! :toast:

BTW, I'm sure Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne endeared himself to thousands of people by telling them they failed an "IQ Test" for voting against this measure. :eyes:

...........

Voters decisively rejected the will of the Utah Legislature and governor Tuesday, defeating what would have been the nation's most comprehensive education voucher program in a referendum blowout.

"Tonight, with the eyes of the nation upon us, Utah has rejected this flawed voucher law," said Kim Campbell, president of the Utah Education Association. "We believe this sends a clear message. It sends a message that Utahns believe in, and support, public schools."

More than 60 percent of voters were rejecting vouchers, with about 95 percent of the precincts reporting, according to unofficial results. The referendum failed in every county, including the conservative bastion of Utah County.

Voucher supporter Overstock.com chief executive Patrick Byrne - who bankrolled the voucher effort - called the referendum a "statewide IQ test" that Utahns failed.

* * * snip * * *

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_7392263

Ohio has that stupid system, and its results are terrible.

Well, to the extent that we can find out. See, those voucher-paid charter schools don't have to meet the same standards or report on progress that way public schools do.

If an ammendment like that lost in Utah, you can tell the tide is turning.

They keep insisting that the teacher's union is to "blame," but we already have an underfunded school system. Drawing money out of it for private schools would have killed it.

Well done, Utah!

because it looks like the Prophets are losing their stranglehold on forcing the public to vote for everything the GOP wants.

Salt Lake City now has one of the most progressive mayors in the country, and it looks like he's gaining popularity because of it, not losing it.

If the GOP loses Utah, they are vulnerable everywhere. Wake up, DLC!

Here in Utah, social services are BIG, and with the GOP slashing that, the only way our safety net here(small as it is) is still in place is because we have a budget surplus...and everyone here knows it.

The only reason the GOP does well here is because the church here wants its power expanded...and I doubt they like having their profit margin slashed by crony based economics.

Who knew Utah would lead the way in that???