Education Reform Opponents Have Signatures

Organizers of a bid to dump education and union reforms that recently passed the 2011 Idaho Legislature say they've gathered enough signatures to put three repeal measures on the November 2012 ballot.  More than 48,000 people signed each of the three petitions to put the new Idaho laws to referendum votes next year.      Under the reforms backed by public schools chief Tom Luna and Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter, Idaho is due to restrict education union bargaining rights, introduce teacher merit pay and shift money from salaries to classroom technology.   Some teachers, parents and students have criticized the measures, prompting the referendum effort to repeal them. A separate push would recall Luna, too.      Referendum organizers said Wednesday they'll gather more signatures before turning them in to the state on June 6.