Oct. 4, 2000
Education is a big political issue in Salt Lake City this week.
Thousands of teachers are in town for their annual convention.
And the candidates for
Utah Governor are trying to find ways to appeal to them.
Political Specialist Richard Piatt has the latest from the campaign trail.
All these teachers have strong feelings about education in Utah.
But there will be no gubanatorial debate in front of those teachers, even though one candidate keeps pushing for one.
Bill Orton presented an education plan at the Salt Palace, where the U.E.A. convention will be held.
His goals are familiar to Governor Leavitt: reducing classroom size, boosting teacher salaries, funding technology.
Bill Orton/(D) Candidate For Governor: "I THINK THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OUR PLAN AND THE GOVERNOR'S IS THAT WE'LL ACTUALLY DO IT. HE'S HAD EIGHT YEARS."
But Mike Leavitt's campaign says education has improved every year since the Governor took office.
Class sizes were reduced, teacher salaries increased, investments made in technology, Leavitt staffers insist.
But Utah teachers still need more money and even smaller classes, making for a hot campaign issue.
Debating education, and nothing else, at this week's convention was an idea Orton pushed at the first candidate debate.
Bill Orton: " I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A DEBATE IN FRONT OF EDUCATORS, ON EDUCATION." "IT DESERVES AIRING FOR A FULL HOUR, LET'S DO IT."
Governor Leavitt: "BILL, WE'LL DO IT!"
But Leavitt's campaign refuses to add to the list of 12 debates already scheduled.
Michael Mower/Leavitt Campaign Spokesman: "WHAT THE GOVERNOR AGREED TO, LET'S DEVOTE AN HOUR TO DISCUSSING EDUCATION. AND FROM THAT, THE ORTON CAMP INTERPRETED ONE THING, AND WHAT WE'RE SAYING IS LET'S TAKE ONE OF THE REMAINING HOURS AND DEVOTE IT EXCLUSIVELY TO EDUCATION."
Further debates on the debates is not something Leavitt's campaign is likely to engage in, but something Orton's campaign is.
It's turning out to be one of the sharp differences between incumbant and challenger in this race.
In fact, Orton is challenging the Governor to debate him at the American Federation of Teachers conference tonight.
But Leavitt is not planning on being there: he instead will attend a drug court graduation.
