SOUTH SALT LAKE, Utah — Calling her actions "cowardly, harmful and unacceptable," the Granite School District Board of Education passed a resolution Friday condemning state board of education member Natalie Cline for targeting a student with false comments earlier this week.
The student’s parents said this is an important step forward.
"Not only for our daughter but for so many children that are going through life just figuring out who they are, and don’t know how to express it, and are already just tormenting themselves,” said her father, Al van der Beek. “And then to throw into the mix, adults that are supposed to be in a position of protection and support in our system, that are the very ones that are harming our children even more and victimizing them."
During a meeting of the board, no public comment was allowed before the members voted to pass the resolution by a 6-1 vote as well as demand Cline's resignation.
Following the vote, those in attendance gave the board a standing ovation.
It was a full room with people showing their support for all students and educators by wearing red.
"I wanted to help say the student has support with all the people that showed up, I hope this gets to the student who’s been affected that from the board on down, there’s support,” said Kerry Bishop, an English teacher at Hunter Junior High.
In voting against the resolution, district board member Kim Chandler said she did not believe it would be helpful and that Cline should have due process.
"This resolution is in short asking all of us to take a stance to convict and condemn someone without due process,” added Chandler. “Due process is always important and should be guaranteed to everyone regardless of their views or the actions they are accused of taking.”
The meeting comes days after Cline posted comments on Facebook that insinuated a girl's basketball player in the district was transgender, when she is not. Although Cline later deleted the post and apologized to the family in another, she has been widely criticized and faces possible impeachment through the Utah State Legislature.
“I immediately was brought to tears because I grew up playing basketball in Utah, I’m a very masculine woman, and I was a very masculine girl. I had parents saying out loud, why is there a boy on the court? Why are we going to let that boy play? And I grew up hearing that, I know what it feels like,” said Amanda Darrow, executive director of IncludEd United.
In the district's resolution, the board wrote, "we condemn anyone who would bully or target any student for any reason, but especially those in positions of power who are specifically elected to represent and protect our children."
The resolution contains only four lines, but ended with a terse demand that Cline resign.
"That such behavior is cowardly, harmful and unacceptable. We call on our colleagues from school boards throughout the state and other elected officials to join us in demanding Boardmember Cline’s immediate resignation from the State Board of Education," the board wrote.
"This is just a show of support for the family,” said Kava Tukuafu, an elementary school teacher. “Board member Cline is elected by the public and so it is ultimately the public that will hold board member Cline accountable, in the way that they choose, when it comes election day."
Following the hearing, none of the board members would speak, saying they "don’t want to detract from the message of the resolution."
