It's been less than two months since the board defied the Legislature and the state attorney general by refusing to establish a school voucher program based on a bill designed to augment the original voucher bill, which was being contested. And the board's decision not to implement the questionable law has been vindicated by the Utah Supreme Court, which, in light of a successful petition drive to give voters a chance to repeal the original bill, wisely ruled that the Nov. 6 referendum would decide the fate of both bills.

But that may not stop the control freaks with the bruised egos in the Legislature from trying to exert their authority over the school board, and exact a measure of revenge next year. Already, a move is afoot to prepare bills that would strip the board of its power by allowing the governor to appoint the state superintendent of public schools, and to politicize the board by allowing political parties to choose state school board candidates.

Similar bills died in the House after approval in the Senate in the last session. But Republican legislators, speaking during and after a House Republican Caucus meeting in May, said the bills may resurface again next year. And the voucher foot-dragging by the state board may well provide the impetus for them to be introduced, and the traction for them to pass.

Paybacks are a banal business, a sad part of the political process, especially in cases like this, where education could be tainted by politics in a misguided attempt to punish the board, and fix what isn't broken.

Here's how state school board elections work now, with a high degree of success. The governor appoints nonpartisan selection committees composed of businesspersons, educators, labor interests and government representatives in each of 15 geographic districts. And the selection committees, using background and experience as their criteria, choose the candidates, who run as independents, without party affiliation.

It's an attempt to keep politics out of the classroom and the boardroom, and to keep special interests from dominating the state school board. And it works. The Legislature should lick its wounds, and leave well enough alone.