The state is buzzing with reaction to the one-day teacher walkout. Here's what a few folks are saying:
Linda Hilton, Crossroads Urban Center, Salt Lake City: "It's going to be a very hard day for low-income parents. . . . And for the children who don't get their school breakfast and lunch, it could be a long, hungry day."
Christian Tucker, Highland High student: "I think that it's snowboarding time for me. But I think they should stay (in school) since I want to get my education. I'm paying for it."
North Salt Lake parent Lee Booth: "My opinion is (the job action) can do no good, only harm. It's a negative approach to it, and a negative approach tends to turn off the people who are paying the bills — that's you and I, who are paying property taxes."
Paul Henderson, American Federation of Teachers executive director: "It's not our strike. . . . I think the UEA is sincere in trying to generate funding for quality education in the state of Utah. Our teachers will just have to deal with it."
Granite Board of Education President Lynn Davidson: "The teachers' frustration is that Utah is dead last in student funding, and that is a Utah Republican Party phenomenon."
House Majority Leader Kevin Garn, R-Layton : "I think it's nothing but an orchestrated publicity stunt and will impact the lives of just about every Utahn next Tuesday."
Gov. Mike Leavitt: "I wish the UEA had chosen otherwise. I understand the message they want to send. The long-term challenges our system of education faces are legitimate concerns. There is a commitment in our state to providing a quality education for all of our children. Our commitment will be demonstrated with the governor's budget."
Senate Minority Whip-elect Ron Allen, D-Stansbury Park: "I hope that retribution (from the Legislature) wouldn't happen. We're dealing with some frustrated teachers here. . . . We need some original thinking (for school funding) here, not solve it stepping back to the same old methods."
Senate President-elect Al Mansell, R-Sandy: "(The strike) will definitely hurt them. I don't know what lawmakers will do. This is just a bad mistake."
Salt Lake City Board of Education President Kathy Black: "I'm disappointed, because I think it's untimely. I'd like to see them wait until the body of the Legislature has had an opportunity to address their concerns."
Jordan Superintendent Barry Newbold: "I support the notion, the concept, that we need more money in education. I question whether or not this is the most effective way to emphasize that."
Davis School District spokesman Chris Williams: "We're not taking any position on what the teachers have done. Our top priority is trying to communicate to our staff and parents that school will not be open."
Colleen Taylor, president of Utah PTA, which is remaining neutral: "It does create a real (child-care) problem. We want to make sure our kids are safe, and it's a difficult situation for everyone."
Granite Education Association Executive Director Pat Arakaki: "We don't want to put undue pressure on our parents, since we already did it once." (The GEA walked out last Legislature to protest school funding.)
Weber School District spokesman Nate Taggart: "Our hands are tied, and we're going to close."
Julianna Weight, Highland High student: "It's kind of nice to have a day to sleep in. We have to get up so early."
Jeff Taniguchi, president of Uintah UEA: In response to the school board, which has vowed to dock teachers' pay for walking out: "They feel this was a nonsanctioned activity, and a lot of the teachers have been talking. We are allowed personal days and, if they challenge our personal leave, we'll take it to the courts."
Carl Nielson, Nebo district superintendent: "I share some of their concerns about long-range planning and funding. I mean, when our district of 21,000 is told to expect 10,000 more students in the coming years we should know how we are going to deal with it."