In an ideal democratic society, public education should be the means to provide everyone with opportunities to receive a quality education that prepares them to be productive, competent adults. For the last decade, issues of equality and quality have become more questionable, particularly in large urban areas. During the 2000 election, a Michigan state-wide ballot issue to support school vouchers in failing school districts became the focus of media attention. The intent of school vouchers was to provide equal access to private and parochial schools, particularly for families who could not afford this privilege. This controversial issue divided the public based on their view of public education and the role of the state in supporting private and religious schools. A study explored how journalists working for the two largest newspapers in the Detroit (Michigan) metropolitan area framed and interpreted the school voucher issue during the 2000 national U.S. presidential election to determine how their roles affected this issue. Specifically, the study sought to answer the question of whether journalists and newspaper editors act as objective observers or political activists. Data included articles and editorials that appeared between May 1, 2000 and November 30, 2000. Content analysis was used to determine the extent to which the two newspapers ("Detroit Free Press" and "Detroit News") differed in framing their reporting on issues surrounding the Michigan tuition voucher. Contains 14 references. (Author/BT)