In Utah, some lawmakers, despite the strong support for public schools, push for bills that could hurt them. One major concern is the attempt to take away collective bargaining rights from public employee groups. This is often seen as a step toward privatizing education.
Recently, anger over non-issues like critical race theory has led to a push for “school choice.” This strategy has already helped pass a voucher bill that voters had previously rejected. Some senators also tried to pass Amendment A, which aimed to remove protections for education funding from the state constitution, even though polls show most voters want more money for schools.
The Utah Education Association stands strong against these harmful actions. Their fight for better working conditions directly translates to better learning environments for students. Weakening unions by taking away their bargaining rights is an unfair way to make their resistance easier.
Many voters don’t realize how bad legislation directly affects their schools. Class sizes, teacher retention, and school safety issues are all connected to these choices. The idea of privatization is often presented as a fix, claiming it will enhance education and allow public funds to be used for private projects, but this is misleading.
As someone invested in education, I want to know who will truly support a strong public education system. In business, private companies look for profit, which doesn’t necessarily align with the needs of students. Education should be about nurturing future generations, not making money. We’ve seen troubling examples of this in other areas, like the privatization of prisons, where profit motives often lead to negative outcomes.
The result of these shifts? Many students in public schools may end up undereducated and unsupported.
Brittinie Gleave, Murray
