This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2008, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Whether they supported the breakup of the Jordan School District or not, constituents clearly care about the future of the two new districts being formed, school board election filings show.
By Monday's filing deadline, 101 candidates had filed for a seat on one of the two boards being created to represent the new east-side district and what will remain of the Jordan School District after the split. As many as 16 candidates filed for a single seat; many seats had eight or more candidates.
"I don't recall a time when we had this many people file for a school board election," Salt Lake County Clerk Sherrie Swensen said, attributing the unprecedented filings to "the interest people have in making sure they maintain the quality in their district."
Some of those candidates still don't know, however, whether they'll really be able to run.
Swensen said her office still is waiting for attorneys to determine whether existing Jordan School Board members will serve entire terms of seats on the new boards or will see those terms expire based on their terms on the current Jordan board. The two new boards and the existing board will serve simultaneously until July 2009, when the existing board will dissolve.
A law passed by the 2008 Legislature awarded existing board members comparable positions on one of the two new boards, but confusion still exists about how long they have the right to those seats.
If attorneys decide they will serve full terms on the new boards regardless of when they were elected to the existing board, other candidates will not be able to run for those seats on the new boards this year.
That doesn't sit well with Don Betenson.
"I think that anyone should be able to run. I don't think anyone should be grandfathered," said the candidate for Precinct 3 on the board that will represent what will remain of Jordan. Current board member J. Dale Christensen is the incumbent for the seat he seeks.
Betenson said he opposed splitting the district, but now wants to make sure the dissolution goes smoothly. ''I have a financial background and I think my expertise will help them," he said.
Shawna Baird isn't surprised there's confusion over who can run because she believes splitting the district has been wrought with problems.
"There has been a lot of uproar in education this past year and I think a lot of people are dissatisfied and are hoping to make some changes," said Baird, who is seeking the Precinct 5 seat on the new district board. "We have a lot parents who care in this area."
Jordan Superintendent Barry Newbold said the multitude of people who filed is a pleasant surprise. "There have been election years when there have been very few candidates," he said. "Public education is high on people's list and they want to participate in the decision-making process."
Both Swensen and Newbold said they hope to see the interest carry over to the June 24 election with a high voter turnout.
Unlike in other school board races, the two Jordan boards will have no primary. Candidates voters choose in June will assume their new positions on July 15.