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    Letter of Reprimand

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    Courtney
    The leaders of the Utah Board of Education has written a letter of reprimand against member Natalie Cline.

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    Letter of Reprimand

    Uploaded by

    Courtney
    22K views2 pages
    The leaders of the Utah Board of Education has written a letter of reprimand against member Natalie Cline.

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    Letter of reprimand

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    The leaders of the Utah Board of Education has written a letter of reprimand against member Natalie Cline.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    22K views2 pages

    Letter of Reprimand

    Uploaded by

    Courtney
    The leaders of the Utah Board of Education has written a letter of reprimand against member Natalie Cline.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    August 24, 2021

    Natalie Cline
    USBE Board Member
    [email protected]

    RE: Letter of Reprimand

    Dear Member Cline,

    The Board’s Bylaws allow Board leadership to reprimand a member of the Utah State
    Board of Education for “conduct which tends to injure the good name of the Board.” Bylaws,
    Article IV(12). We take this authority to reprimand a Board member seriously and are unaware
    of any such action being previously taken against a Board member until now.

    Since being sworn in as a Board member approximately eight months ago, you have
    engendered controversy, frustration, and anger toward the Board, certain schools, certain
    educators, and certain student populations with statements you have posted on your social media
    regarding our LGBTQIA+ community. This happened again yesterday when you posted a
    picture of a slide depicting the LGBTQIA+ flag (which welcomed these students to seminary).
    You identified the location of this image (Layton High) and stated, “The world is too much with
    us.” Your rhetoric incited hate speech, as evidenced by the response from Gregory Smith: “Time
    to get out our muskets.” Superintendent Newey and his staff at Davis School District were so
    concerned at your post and those who commented on it that they hired additional security to
    patrol campus today to discourage potential violence. This happened because of your post.

    This is not the first time your social media posts have incited threats toward educators
    and students. Nor is it the first time your comments have caused LEA administrators, educators,
    and parents to criticize the Board.

    The message suggested in your controversial posts, including this most recent one about
    Layton High, is contrary to the Board’s previously stated position. For example, in the Board’s
    Resolution 2021-01, Denouncing Racism and Embracing Equity in Utah Schools, the Board
    called on people everywhere – including all of us Board members – to “abandon attitudes of
    prejudice against any group, to take action to create and maintain an environment of dignity and
    respect for all, and to strive for understanding.” The Board also stated in this resolution that
    schools “should be a place where all students feel safe,” that “education should create hope and
    inclusion,” and that the Board’s activities and policies “shall promote unity and civility among
    diverse groups.”

    250 East 500 South P.O. Box 144200 Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4200 Phone: (801) 538-7500
    Instead, your divisive rhetoric has repeatedly marginalized the LGBTQIA+ community –
    students, faculty, and parents. Instead of sending messages of dignity, respect, safety, hope and
    inclusion regarding a marginalized community, your social media posts convey an attitude of
    prejudice, exclusion, and scorn for a population of students that suffers disproportionally with
    incidents of bullying, depression, and suicide.

    Besides injuring our LGBTQIA+ community, your social media posts have also brought
    injury upon the Board. That is why we have taken this unprecedent action of sending you a letter
    of reprimand. We hope that in the future you would be more circumspect and mindful of all of
    Utah’s students when posting about sensitive issues.

    Sincerely,

    Chair Mark Huntsman Vice Chair Laura Belnap Vice Chair Cindy Davis

    250 East 500 South P.O. Box 144200 Salt Lake City, UT 84114-4200 Phone: (801) 538-7500

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