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SALT LAKE CITY -- A Utah lawmaker has an idea he says would save schools a lot of needed money. He wants to have parents pay for their child's school supplies, if they can afford it.
The sponsor, Rep. Kraig Powell, R-Heber, says when he lived in other states, his children got a list of school supplies they must buy before each school year. He hasn't seen that happen much here. His bill would have parents instead of schools pay for supplies.
"The constitutional amendment would also include a provision that those families and students in poverty would receive a waiver of that requirement for supplies," he explains.
Powell says it is a constitutional amendment because Utah's constitution says public education will be free.
"There is some question in Utah whether parents and students can be required at all to pay for certain things in schools. There have been constitutional questions about whether fees and supplies can be required," he says.
Powell says teachers often say they have to pay for supplies out of their own pocket. He says the bill may not go anywhere this year, but he at least wants to start the discussion.
E-mail: mrichards@ksl.com
