Sounds like the out-of-state election manipulators got away with one. Oh well, they LOST at the polls this time, and a new law will be in place for the next time.

It was clear from the beginning that the voucher fight wasn't being fought by our local people.

We knew vouchers were a joke and showed it with the overwhelming vote.

Take your money and stay back east please.

Don't try to screw up one of the successful public education systems in the nation.

Utah's public schools are leading the way and will continue to do so thanks to good students, good parents, and very dedicated teachers.

Remind me again how much money came out of state from the NEA and other state education associations to fight vouchers?

Naturally he won't fight the ruling, because it fits with what he wanted all along. He supports those who were supporting vouchers, so, yes, he wants them to continue being able to use outside money without accountability for it.

$3 million from the NEA. I think most of the pro-voucher group's money came from residents of Utah.

Unfortunately I think that we will have to deal with this for the foreseeable future because there are so many people in our legislature that are pro-voucher inspite of any formality of a by their constituents.

Re: “Orem Parent”: The defeat of vouchers does not show that they were a joke. The value of an idea is not necessarily demonstrated by its popularity. I think the defeat shows that the opponents did a good job in convincing many people that vouchers are somehow a threat instead of a benefit. I was disappointed, but my hat is off to the UEA and NEA for an effective campaign. Vouchers were (and still are) a great idea, and they would do much to improve our public education system by introducing some sorely needed competition.

I am pro voucher! Why is the NEA, and it's arm in Utah the UEA, the organization that calls the shots with school books and curriculum? Wake up Utah! You just took choices away from yourselves and gave it back to the NEA. If this initiative failed here in Utah, with our supposed conservative values, it doesn't have a prayer of passing in other parts of the country. Thank you clueless Utah.

Vouchers do not foster 'new' competition unless Private schools are held accountable for the same tests and regulations as Charter and District schools.

NEA was only combatting the money from back east trying to shove vouchers down our throats.

No one group controlled it.

The public saw that vouchers "were a joke" and voted.

The whole fight for these vouchers revolved around a certain few people were on line to gain a huge profit if it passed. Evidence of this was the whiner CEO of Overstock.com who made a fool of himself on TV during the interview when he knew he had lost. He doesn't even live in this state and he forked out a few million in support of the vouchers. Why ?? Because a few like him were going to gain a huge profit somehow if this thing passed. The idea has some good to it, but when a few corrupted souls make money from it, then that's just plain wrong. Good job Utah voters seeing right through that smoke screen and voting NO !

Remember that the Lt. Gov, a voucher supporter, initiated this issue with a group who supported vouchers. The Lt. Gov decided that this group (national right to work) had come under utah's campaign finance laws.

Is the Lt. Gov somehow NOT doing his job, when he mandates that a group who supports him file their forms in accordance with the law?

People on this comment list have said that "of course he won't appeal, given his support of vouchers." Yet what that commentor fails to recognize is that the Lt.Gov. went out of his way to implore that group to file. He didn't shirk his responsibility in favor of his political views - he did his job.

And yet he gets beat-up on the comment-blog. Why? The people that should be beating him up are the voucher supporters who never wanted him to file this case in the first-place.

Gary Herbert is a true leader who puts politics aside when doing his job.

By the way I believe Utah has the lowest percent of teachers belonging to the NEA.

Of course people that don't have things go their way like to tout the NEA as the source of all things evil so they won't listen to that anyway.

Both conservatives and liberals were wrong on the vouchers. It's just another government program that requires taxation and redistribution, with the government saying who, where, when, why, and how the voucher is applied.

Keep with the original vourcher; a voucher that has proved itself time and again, and is available to anyone who will learn how to obtain and use it.

Money.

That is the utilmate voucher. If you want a voucher program have the right to back out of funding public schools. Then parents can use their own money to pay for better schooling. One form to fill out, less tax dollars to process the document, and folks have more freedom.

Then again, public education isn't about freedom anyway...

So why did Herbert waste our time in the first place?

NEA/UEA -- in favor of big money for educators.

NEA/UEA -- against vouchers.

Coincidence? Not likely.

As educators see it, every education nickel that goes into the pocket of someone other than them is stolen from them and misspent on "a certain few people [that] were online to gain a huge profit if it passed."

Like that's bad!

I'd be happy to assist those certain few people make a huge profit if it benefits my kids' education. And, I should have that choice.

But don't tell educators that. As far as they're concerned, we're too stupid to deserve a choice.

They've become way too accustomed to telling us to sit down and shut up. This issue will come back. When it does, we should stand up and speak up.

Even if we don't get a gold star from NEA/UEA.

To: bhparkman

OK, let's take your "freedom" idea one step further. I have no children. Let me take "my" tax money that goes to education and decide what school I want it to go to and what student I want it to support. I have a cute little nephew that entered kindergarten this year. I want my state income tax and the fortune I pay in property tax to go to him for his schooling. Why should it only be the parents who get to decide what to do with their money?

Wouldn't THAT be the "ultimate" voucher?

By all means; take it further!

You have no children, so why should you have to pay. And under a withdrawl clause, you can take your money and send it to whatsoever school your nephew chooses.

That's the beauty of it - it does apply and should apply to all.

To Vote No Again:

I happen to know Mr Byrne, the CEO of Overstock.com and he does live here in Utah so please do not speak when you have no clue of what you are talking about. I also have parents who were teachers, both for over 30 years. I have children and I am in favor of vouchers. It is my opinion and my opinion only that the teachers unions duped the citizens of Utah. The Teachers unions do not care about the students, they care about power and power only.

Voucher proponents supplied more out-of-state money than did the voucher opponents.

I wouldn't be surprised if Herbert filed the request to the courts in just such a way that they would rule in favor of the voucher people and thus protect them in the future.

Sounds like a good call to not waste any more money than necessary on an issue that's over with. Besides there's not really anybody to punish for being bad. We'd just punish ourselves by spending money we don't need to spend.

With regard to vouchers, GIVE IT UP! Vouchers are dead. Find another way. Nobody brainwashed anybody and everybody who had two brain cells to rub together studied and voted their conscience. Just so happens the thinking majority outvoted the thinking minority. Be grateful for a system where we get to do that! Let's hope we can keep it working. Those of you who would like to bring the vote on vouchers back again and again until we vote "right" should be ashamed of yourselves. Let it be. You made your case and it lost. Deal.

Vouchers hopefully are 'dead to us' in Utah. The people spoke dramatically against them, not because of fear or intimidation from teacher unions. It was because people here in this state are educated enough to know that the law as it was set up did not accomplish any of the objectives that is was being touted as fixing. Vouchers just didn't make sense.

To ensure that they remain dead, it is time to get 'our house in order'. I think that statement from President Monson is very aptly put when it comes to removing self-serving politicians who forced vouchers upon us. I am already voting against my representative because of her ardent support of money-giving vouchers. I encourage others to research theirs and vote accordingly. Let's get our State Legislature in order and actually get something accomplished for education this year.

I got a great idea! Instead of vouchers why not have private schools issue out MORE scholarships!!!

of his own money in support of vouchers and you complain the the NEA gave $3 million? Of course they gave the money, they fought the tons of national money in support of vouchers. Teachers added their own money. Because they're greedy? No, because they care about YOUR child's education. The voucher law was badly written and would not have given anything to anyone who did not already have it. Maybe when the Utah schools get all they need, they can start spreading the surplus around. However, when there are 30 first graders in a classroom, things are not all rosy and light. Teachers are advocates for your child's education and you continue to berate them for caring. Does anyone still wonder why teachers are leaving the profession?

It is too bad we will never know the extent of how much money those pushing Vouchers put money into Utah's economy. Byne at least filed, but what of all the other Voucher peddlers?

To Pro Voucher! As a member of one of Utah's local school boards we have never had UEA instruct, tell or influence which textbooks we chose nor have their influenced our curriculum.
Actually we select textbooks, district-wide, with extensive input from teachers and administrators. If those individuals happen to be members of UEA, it was in no way displayed during the book selection process.

To Steven Jarvis-
I appreciate your insight. I, too, agree that we need to get our "house" in order. As you suggested, I did the research. Found out that my senator also voted in favor of vouchers, year after year, even though her constituents opposed them 60+ percent. Looks like I, will be voting for her opponent, my current representative, who I found through the same research, voted against vouchers every single time that they came to a vote on the floor.