Parents should be involved in their children's educations, but the state shouldn't require charter schools to include elected parents on their boards, a legislative committee decided Friday.

The Administrative Rules Review Committee voted to recommend lawmakers end a state rule that requires charter school boards to include at least one elected parent representative. The State Board of Education passed the rule to ensure parents had a voice in charter schools.

Larry Shumway, state associate superintendent, said the state board passed the rule as a way to implement state law, which says charter schools exist in part to provide "opportunities for greater parental involvement, including involvement in management decisions."

Opponents, however, say the rule might limit charter schools' ability to innovate and it should be up to charter schools, not the state, on how to get parents involved. Some also said the rule creates problems for charter schools that were approved before it took effect.

"We're hoping this rule changes so we can move forward with our original, stable governing structure," said Carolyn Sharette of American Preparatory Academy.

Supporters of the rule, however, feared that getting rid of it might weaken parents' positions within charter schools.

"The strength of the charter schools is parental involvement," said Sen. Brent Goodfellow, D-West Valley City. "Now it seems like we're saying we want less parental involvement, and I'm not sure we're going in the right direction."

Goodfellow's comments drew applause from Monticello Academy charter school parents at the meeting. Some parents from the West Valley City school are frustrated by a separate issue involving possible conflicts of interest involving the school's director and board.

"There absolutely needs to be parental involvement in management issues," parent Chantelle Ray said.