Residents in Juab and nearby counties who received a postcard from the Informed Voter Project, the pro-voucher PAC formed by some state legislators, might have the opposite impression.

Hathaway says she was asked to speak in opposition to Referendum 1 at an informational meeting at Mona Elementary School Oct. 25. She was told an administrator from a private school in Utah County would be the speaker in favor of vouchers.

A few days after she consented, she was told the pro-voucher speaker actually would be Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert. Then she received a postcard advertising the event from the Informed Voter Project that encouraged people to attend to learn why they should vote in favor of the referendum. It did not indicate both sides would be heard, but listed her and her title as a speaker.

Turned out that Herbert was joined on the pro-voucher side by Sen. Darin Peterson, R-Nephi; Sen. Curtis Bramble, R-Provo; Rep. Patrick Painter, R-Nephi, and Rep. Becky Lockhart, R-Provo.

Hathaway was joined by Rep. Kay McIff, R-Richfield, on the anti-voucher side.

Slow on the trigger? It recently was revealed that a group of business leaders sent letters extolling the virtues of vouchers to their employees, raising the question of undue pressure. There also are accusations the Utah Education Association exerts too much control over teachers in pushing the anti-voucher agenda.

The Utah Constitution addresses this issue.

Article XVI, Section 3 (3) prohibits the "political and commercial control of employees." An excerpt from the debate among the Constitution's framers in 1898 shows their intent was to stop employers from interfering in their employees' liberty by wielding undue influence over them in political affairs. Section 7 of the same article directs the Legislature to pass a law providing for the enforcement of the provision.

That was 109 years ago and the Legislature has yet to act.

Any hanging chads? Students at the Granite Peaks High School, formerly known as Granite Alternative and Central High, were given a lesson in democracy this year when they were given an opportunity to vote for a new school name.

Instead, they got a lesson in oligarchy.

The overwhelming choice of the student body in what they were told was a non-binding survey, was Central High, the name by which the alternative high school was known for most of the past 20 years.

However, the Granite School Board, which held off on an official name until school started and students could weigh in, went with Granite Peaks anyway.

Hyper enough: Bill Zinke of Salt Lake City says the manager at a local coffee house deals with customers who continue talking on the phone while placing their order by giving them decaf, no matter what they order.

prolly@sltrib.com