Statement on Utah Voters’ Defeat of School Vouchers
by
Anne L. Bryant
Executive Director
National School Boards Association
Alexandria, Va. – November 7 – NSBA applauds the people of Utah who have joined a long line of voters before them in decisively rejecting private school vouchers. Once again voters have seen through the false promises and recognized the negative repercussions of vouchers, and stood squarely in support of public schools and students.
It is encouraging to see that despite rhetoric and propaganda, voters are still rejecting vouchers, seven years after the historic rejection of vouchers in California and Michigan. Voters still know a bad idea when they see it. No matter the state, no matter the specifics of the plan, school vouchers remain an unpopular and unproven policy.
Utah voters from across the political spectrum united in opposition of vouchers because the plan would have cost taxpayers millions of dollars with no accountability for private schools, while offering nothing in the way of improving public schools. Taxpayers, no matter their politics, see vouchers as poor public policy.
The Utah vote marks the 11th time in 11 referenda in recent decades that voters have decisively rejected school vouchers or tuition tax credits. Lawmakers nationwide should listen to the message being sent over and over by voters and not be swayed by the small, vocal lobby that continues to press for vouchers in states across the country. The public wants its elected representatives to avoid the distraction and diversion of vouchers and focus on supporting effective strategies for improving our public schools.
We applaud the diligent work of a broad array of education, civil rights and civic groups in Utah, including the Utah School Boards Association, who worked tirelessly to educate the public on this crucial issue.
For more information, visit NSBA’s Voucher Strategy Center or www.nsba.org/novouchers.
Founded in 1940, the National School Boards Association is a not-for profit federation of state associations of school boards across the United States. Its mission is to foster excellence and equity in public elementary and secondary education in the United States through local school board leadership.
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