A few Iowa democrats have reservations about moderate Joe Lieberman, Al Gore’s choice as a running mate. Iowa State Education Association President Jolene Franken, a delegate to the democratic convention, is among the nervous. Educators like Franken are opposed to “vouchers” — tax dollars given to parents who enroll their children in a private rather than public school. Franken’s “uncomfortable” with Lieberman’s vote to experiment with vouchers. She says that’s the only issue that concerns her, as Lieberman has a 90% record of voting with the National Education Association.Franken, who is from Denison, has been a schoolteacher for three decades.This is her first national party convention, and she plans to push education issues.The party’s platform calls for “revolutionary changes” in public schools, such as testing teachers and shutting down poor public schools, but it does not advocate shifting tax dollars to pay tuition in private schools. Franken and other teachers at this convention will meet this afternoon in L-A.
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