FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 25, 2007
Contact:
Camden Hubbard, Communications Director
(801) 557-5271
UNION ONLY WANTS THEIR SIDE OF VOUCHER STORY DELIVERED AT UEA CONFERENCE
SALT LAKE - A representative of the Utah Education Association admitted that
the union is only interested in sharing anti-voucher issues with teachers.
Included in the workshops offered at their annual conference is one titled,
"Understanding the 'Ouch' in Vouchers," that is so obviously oriented to
their political agenda that the State Office of Education refused to give
teachers credit for attending the workshop.
Spokesperson Mark Mickelsen was quoted by the Deseret Morning News yesterday
as saying, "We assumed people would be expecting to have an opportunity to
learn more about Referendum 1 and why we think people should be against
Referendum 1."
"An important component of learning, which our children must be taught,
includes schooling them on how to be objective and to examine all sides of
an issue when forming their conclusions and taking a position. It is ironic
and also very disappointing that educators who attend the UEA Conference
will not be given the opportunity to fully educate themselves on an issue of
such great importance," said Parents for Choice in Education Spokesperson,
Richard Eyre.
Eyre's offer to present at the UEA Conference that will be held before the
November 6 Election Day was rejected. Instead, he was told there might be a
possibility that he could present at the Spring 2008 conference. Eyre, a
passionate school choice advocate who is featured in the famed "Oreo cookie
voucher ad," and regularly participates in voucher debates says that his
offer to present at the October Conference still stands. Eyre is available
for further comment. To schedule an interview, please contact Robyn Bagley
at (801) 913-1644.
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