If Bramble's SB199 is passed into law this year, Utah will be the only state in the nation that prohibits the PTA from participating in school activities.
A spokesman for the national PTA office in Chicago said no other state has a provision that comes close to the Utah proposal, and to his knowledge, there has never been such a law targeting the PTA in that manner.
Bramble's bill passed out of the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday. It would ban schools from allowing organizations that collect dues to participate in activities at the school. The PTA, because of its national affiliation, requires $5 a year in dues from members.
The proposed legislation appears to be an act of vindictiveness on Bramble's part. His Democratic opponent for the Senate last year is the president of the Provo District PTA. And the organization helped get the voucher bill passed by the 2007 Legislature repealed in a referendum vote.
Plus, most of those who testified in favor of the bill at the committee hearing were members of the coalition that pushed vouchers through the Legislature in the first place. Representatives of Parents for Choice in Education, the Sutherland Institute, the Eagle Forum and the Charter Schools Association all spoke in favor of the bill.
On the surface, this is just stupid.
On the underbelly, I didn't realize that vindictiveness was a Utah Value.
-Bob
2 comments:
Believe it,
This bill is crazy
vindictiveness, bigotry, stupidity ... unfortunately, those seem to be lining up as the values of utah.
Post a Comment