This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

There is much talk among Utah Republicans about the federal government trying to usurp control of functions that rightly belong to states. The health-care reform law is called "a government takeover of health care"; Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's intention to let the Bureau of Land Management do its job in protecting federal public land is a "Washington land grab."

But the real government takeover is unfolding on Utah's Capitol Hill, and it's the Utah Legislature trying to grab control of functions in the Beehive State that belong to local boards and state agencies.

The most blatant example of the legislative branch overreaching its authority is a constitutional amendment proposed by Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan. Putting the virtues of local control aside, he wants the education system, specifically set up as a separate entity in the Utah Constitution, to be put under direct control of the Legislature.

Forget that legislators — Buttars and his colleague Sen. Howard Stephenson among others — have demonstrated repeatedly that they do not understand education or how Utah schools work. Buttars, nevertheless, believes lawmakers are qualified to make decisions about curriculum and pedagogical methods for schools in Utah.

Buttars says some local boards of education represent "special interests." It's difficult to ignore the irony in that, when Buttars and Gayle Ruzicka, the leader of one of the most influential special-interest groups in the state, the Eagle Forum, are so closely aligned. In any case, school board members, just like Buttars and his colleagues, are elected. If their constituents are displeased, they can make a change.

When it comes to the State Board of Education, legislators have devised an undemocratic nominating system that already gives them more say-so over the board makeup than voters.

Seats on the state board are filled according to a system created by the Legislature. Members are chosen by a board appointed by the governor to represent specific interests, which, in turn, sends names to the chief executive who selects the final candidates to go on the ballot.

Gov. Gary Herbert, to his credit, is "not too excited about the Legislature becoming the school board." Herbert rightly characterizes the resolution as a move to create "... a super school board of 104 personalities."

Fortunately, it's unlikely Buttars' resolution will pass both the House and Senate by a two-thirds vote. If it does, Utahns, who have repeatedly shown their loyalty to public schools, would get their chance to reject it.