'Identity" concerns who we are, not necessarily what we do or what we have.

Likewise, our "education identity" must focus on who we are. Perhaps a big part of the political contention over education policies like vouchers is because we have lost our identity and now only focus on what we do or what we have. We fight over stuff and turf and money.

A wonderful story is told of Frances R. Burke, who gave her life for her faith in the godforsaken regions of Toquerville, Utah, circa 1881. She was inspired to come to Utah as a school teacher in one of the Presbyterian Church's mission schools to help convert the Mormons. She suffered tremendous hardships. But she loved her work. She never faded in her identity. And, in the end, she found herself respected as the giving and loving human being she was.

Burke's story is perhaps illustrative of how we can reclaim Utah's education identity and how we can overcome politics as usual to answer urgent and important questions of education policy today.

Burke was in the middle of the education wars of those days. There were few more contentious spots than standing as an educator in rural Utah publicly proclaiming your intent to use "anti-Mormon" schools to convert Latter-day Saints.

But upon her death, she was not remembered for any contentions in which she was involved, but for who she was. She was well respected not because she defended a system of education or a preference of faith; she was well respected because she saw her neighbors as herself, a valued human being.

This is no matter of naïve sentimentality. This is the core of what might be missing in today's education reform debate: recognition of the worth of a human soul.

Utah's education identity has been revealed at several places in the historical record: First, we are all lovers of learning. We value education. Our social presumption is that Utahns will seek knowledge and understanding to make their way constructively through life.

Second, we are no respecter of people; we want all people to have an opportunity to learn and make something of themselves.

Third, while education means different things to different people, we know that a good education must be uplifting and beneficial to the human spirit.

Fourth, we are cooperative. We know the value of trusting and loving our neighbors, and what happens when we don't.

Fifth, we yearn to be free. So much of the struggle in the history of education in Utah was over real or perceived denials of freedom.

Sixth, we are an efficient people; we are a people of "best practices."

Seventh, we are generous and charitable. We seek earnestly for the welfare of our neighbors, especially as it pertains to the education of their children.

And, finally, we are a family people. We respect the autonomy of our families. We honor stable families and call upon them to help struggling ones.

No honest person who has studied the historical record on education prior to statehood could conclude anything other than that our forefathers would have embraced what we now call vouchers. This policy meets all of the reasonable tests of a prior, but progressive, time:

a community fund to assist families to pay for the services of teachers of their choosing;

encouragement for families to seek the best education;

respect of parental authority and the presumption that parents will make the best decisions;

local control in making education decisions;

competition for teaching services;

no bureaucratic middle-men to plunder part of the education funds;

the direct application of pluralism thereby strengthening the community against any single influence or power;

the opportunity for moral and civic instruction not offered in some stridently secular schools; and,

a true reflection of the diversity of effective educational processes -- a sincere acknowledgment that learning is unique to every child and that every child is unique.

Frances Burke would be pleased to know that Utah is once again acknowledging the deep importance of a good education to free human potential for those most in need. She would support vouchers.

Paul T. Mero is president of the Sutherland Institute, a conservative public policy think tank in Salt Lake City.