Beyond "dirty tricks"

The "dirty tricks" in the Utah voucher campaign have really had me steamed. As you can tell. And, I intend to keep an eye out and continue investigating when these things happen. But, there also is a point, I guess, where these things get turned over to appropriate folks who deal with campaign finance enforcement and/or damages.

So I want to focus the false notions being foisted on us from the other side.

Take Sutherland for example (PLEASE take them).

One of the press releases they cranked out this week, as a part of their PR machine worked up for the pro-voucher side (and, they are a 501(c)3 organization, with IRS limitations on their "advocacy" activities - but that's another story) claimed in the thinnest of veils that private schools are "accountable."

No they are not. And, as several folks have pointed out, that really is kind of the point - from THEIR perspective.

BUT you really can't have it both ways - if we are going to be called upon to spend the tax dollars everyone pays into the state on a whole other education system - the private system - then we should expect they will meet the same standards that the public schools meet.

Under HB 148, private schools do NOT have to hire teachers who meet state standards -- or even have a college degree, they do NOT have to give the SAME tests that public school kids take, they do NOT have to account for money the SAME way (public schools must report budgets every year), they do NOT have to have the same coursework that public schools have, and they do NOT have to even have attendance standards.

THEREFORE, under a private school voucher sytstem, tax dollars would go to private schools that are unaccountable to the PUBLIC.

Sigh. I am just venting here. What is fair is fair. If it is fair for public schools to meet standards, then private schools should have to meet those same standards if they are going to take public money.

Amazingly, the "father" of private school vouchers, the late Milton Friedman, agreed with this assumption, as you can see from Dan Liljenquist's guest editorial today here:

"In the context of the voucher referendum vote this fall, it is important to consider the following:

* Friedman expected governmental oversight of educational curriculum to ensure common, appropriate content.

* Friedman expected extensive financial oversight by government agencies to ensure proper use of funds, citing the possibility of a greater abuse.

* Friedman does not address what forms of education have the greatest social advantage and how much educational funding is appropriate, except to say that these are questions to be decided "by the judgment of the community through its accepted political channels."

House Bill 148 represents a clear departure from the voucher program envisioned by Milton Friedman. First, the bill does not establish curriculum oversight to ensure appropriate use of government funds; this is contrary to Friedman's approach."

Friedman wrote that even under a fully privatized education system, schools should meet agreed upon standards. So here we are in the throes of a bitter fight that even the "father" of vouchers probably wouldn't have waged.

Go figure.

More on voucher spam

(Thisi s a re-post. On the kind advice of some readers, I am editing the address of the probable spammer.)

In yesterday's post I speculated that Mark Towner of "The Political Spyglass" blog might have been the person who sent the deceptive e-mail (SPAM) from Utahns for Public School (singular). The public education coalition opposing private school vouchers is Utahns for Public Schools (plural).

I noted that the spam e-mail redirected to a site that Towner was accused of using before to send unauthorized and unsolicited spam to thousands of Utahns. (Thanks to Jesse for documenting this spam.)

Seems to have stirred some folks, particularly Towner.

Despite his fairly incriminating history, Towner huffily protested his innocence in his blog:

“No email was sent by http://www.thespyglass.us/ The site is parked and has been inactive for weeks.” - The Political Spyglass here.

Eh? Inactive for WEEKS?!? Hmmm.

Well, here is a copy below wherein Utahns for Public School (singular) is linked to The Spyglass:

Index of /thespyglass
Name Last modified Size Description
________________________________________

Parent Directory 03-Oct-2007 18:44 -
prepare_removal.php 13-Sep-2007 00:38 2k
________________________________________
Apache/1.3.37 Server at www.utahnsforpublicschool.com Port 80

Note that the last modification of the parent directory happens to occur on the same day the Deseret News broke the "deceptive e-mail" story. Hmmm. Coincidence?

(Check it out here.)

Towner also takes offense that we didn't KNOW he was the poster at "vouchernews" blog (under the juvenile pseudonym "Jason Bourne"). HUH? I've been reading the Spyglass for quite some time now. I didn't know.

"...I indicated that I created the site some time ago to focus on the voucher battle, so the spyglass can continue posting about other events..." - The Political Spyglass 10/5/07.

So, this morning I went back as far as June and July. Never read ANY mention from Towner that he also was behind vouchernews blog! (Unless he backtracked and added that somewhere this morning).

Oh, wait. Now Towner posts on Utah Amicus that he is NOT "Jason Bourne" yet in his own blog Towner admits to running the vouchernews blog? Whew.

Following a hunch, I also went back to the Parents for Choice in Education PIC filing with the Lt. Governor's office, just to see who the group had paid for what services.

Well, well. Here's a link (pdf format) to the report.

Wonder what entity is "SG Consulting" at 1**1 G***n St. that received $5,000 from the PCE PIC on September 4? Hmmm.

SG Consulting - could that be Spy Glass? 1**1 G***n St.? Could that be Mark Towner's home address?

Was Mark Towner paid to spam?