KQED'S Bay Window Deliberates California'sProp 38 On School Vouchers With `Initiative OnTrial'.

Business Editors/Government & Education Writers

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 17, 2000

Hour-Long Co-Production with BayTV

Looks at the Upcoming Ballot Initiative;

Sheds Light on Democratic Process and Controversial Proposal

On November

7, California voters will decide the fate of Proposition 38, a ballot initiative that could potentially allocate a $4,000 school voucher upon demand to each pupil -- in both public and private schools -- throughout the state. These vouchers, in turn, would be used by students to put toward the cost of enrolling in the private school of their choice. Spearheaded by Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper, the ballot measure embodies the national debate on school vouchers and our education system, and is being watched by citizens across the country -- including the presidential candidates.

Bay Window, the KQED television series that examines national issues from a Bay Area perspective and is hosted by Evelyn Cisneros, will give supporters on both sides of Proposition 38 their day in court on the upcoming episode, "Initiative on Trial: The Verdict on Vouchers." Counsel for both proponents and opponents to Proposition 38 will argue before a judge and jury to help Bay Area viewers arrive at their own conclusion on the complex issue of school vouchers. In addition to debating Proposition 38, "Initiative on Trial: The Verdict on Vouchers" will also look at the history of California Initiative Process, and how the Initiative process works. "Initiative on Trial: The Verdict on Vouchers" is produced in association with BayTV and will be broadcast on Friday, October 27 at 9:30 p.m. on KQED TV9, with a subsequent broadcast on Wednesday, November 1 at 7 p.m. on BayTV.

"Initiative on Trial: The Verdict on Vouchers" begins by highlighting how the Initiative process has dramatically changed the face of public policy in California, one of 24 states that utilizes the Initiative process. In 1911, an amendment to the California Constitution established the California Initiative process, giving voters, in essence, the power to becomes legislators and enact legislation. This movement toward direct democracy in the late 1800s was part of an increasing popular demand for social and political reform. Since its inception, 1,108 initiatives have been approved for circulation and 281 qualified for the ballot (26%). Eighty-nine initiatives were approved by voters (32%), 33 of those being constitutional amendments, 52 being statutory initiatives and four containing both constitutional and statutory provision.

During the mock trial portion of "Initiative on Trial: The Verdict on Vouchers," former United States District Judge Barbara A. Caulfield presides over arguments by Brian Bennett, JD, (a former Catholic school principal and teacher who is counsel for "Yes on 38") and Beverly Tucker (a lawyer for the California Teachers Association who is counsel for "No on 38"), who will present evidence for and against Proposition 38 to a jury of eight Bay Area citizens. Each member of counsel will call witnesses and experts to make their case for or against the controversial California ballot initiative. (Counsel were selected by KQED with input from each campaign; they represent the views of their respective campaigns but do not represent the views of KQED, Inc., or BayTV.)

At the end of "Initiative on Trial," the verdict will not be read -- it will be announced following the November 7th poll results, via the companion Web site at www.kqed.org/baywindow. The site will provide an online voter's poll and a discussion arena for viewers to voice their opinions about and cast their vote on Proposition 38. Using the extensive research of the Public Policy Institute of California, Web site visitors will also find a timeline displaying the controversial history of initiatives, examine the effects of recent initiatives that have been enacted, see the results of the television jury's vote, and find the tools to write their own initiative and research issues on the current ballot. Teachers and students will find out how to use the program to foster discussion about the initiative process in the classroom.