The Utah Home Education Association asked Utah's gubernatorial candidates their opinions of home school. Here are excerpts from their responses, read at the UHEA convention Saturday.
"If parents choose to home school their children, they should be supported in their decision, not ridiculed. Obviously, the state has to assess the quality of the education experience and the achievement levels attained." - Merrill Cook, Independent"I believe that it is certainly possible for parents to provide an academic education for their children that is at least equivalent and often superior to that in a school . . . . I feel the role of the state should be a limited one." - Mike Stewart, Republican
"For those home-schoolers who seriously strive to teach quality courses to their children, some sort of assistance might well be worked out. But this kind of assistance must be tied to some kind of examination program to make sure students are progressing at an acceptable rate." - Richard Eyre, Republican
"I believe in limited, restricted government, and home school fits naturally with my personal philosophy. In my view, home educators are respected members of the education community, and they should not have to fear overregulation or reprisals." - Mike Leavitt, Republican
Democrat Byron Marchant said parents should have a choice and government should stay out of it.
Democrat Pat Shea declined to respond to the UHEA inquiry.