Alama Uluave doesn't need to remind himself that he's the only minority serving on the seven-member Salt Lake City Board of Education. He's reminded of that fact by people in his neighborhood all the time.

"People tell me a lot that just seeing my face on the Internet for the school district Web site has been an inspiration in and of itself," he said. "Just being on board - being the only Polynesian on the board. That is a statement in and of itself. You can't affect the game unless you're in the playing field."

Problem is, Uluave is one of the few minority voices on any Wasatch Front school board. Even as minority student populations swell, the ethnic makeup of most school boards remains overwhelmingly lacking in minority representation.

The status quo doesn't appear about to change either.

today is the last day to file for election in Salt Lake County, and as of Friday, minorities were not represented among those who have declared candidacy for school board seats.

The chronic lack of minority representation on school boards is a problem difficult to diagnose, observers say, but one that must be addressed all the same in light of school boards' power to allocate funds, direct school policy and solve problems such as the academic achievement gap between some minority groups and Caucasian students.

"Of course it matters," said Rep. Mark Wheatley, D-Murray, director of minority work force and career advancement programs at Salt Lake Community College. "If the predominant population had a dropout rate of 50 percent, it would be defined as a crisis. It's not that school boards aren't aware of it. They are, but it hasn't taken priority."

Davis, Jordan and Murray school districts have no minority representation among elected board members, despite the fact that 10 percent of their students are minorities.

Granite School District, with a Latino student population of 27 percent and other ethnic minorities that make up more than 10 percent of students, also has no minorities on its board.

When a school board boasts minority representation, as in the case of Christina Morales who serves on the seven-member Ogden City Board of Education, it's hardly representational of the student body. With a total student population slightly more than 46 percent Latino, one minority member on the Ogden board is just that - a minority.

Wheatley has heard many people boil the problem down to one of parental involvement or language barriers. He sees it as a simple issue of political involvement. Changing that, however, involves a difficult first step: finding and funding minority candidates.

Wheatley points to a survey showing that 65 percent of all Latinos say they would be more likely to participate in the political process if they knew of Latino candidates running for office.

"A lot of it is encouraging people in our families to get out and register to vote. It starts within the family - making sure your kids are registered and talking to them about the importance of getting involved."

Josie Valdez, Wheatley's wife and a member of the Utah Hispanic Legislative Task Force, was part of a nonpartisan effort to organize a slate of Latino candidates for elective offices years ago.

While some made respectable showings, none won office. "It was really, really discouraging. So the next election cycle we had just a handful running," she said. "It's critical for us in diverse groups to step forth so we can take a place at the table. But we have to step forth, register and run."

Latino parents care about their children's academic success, Wheatley said. That's been made clear by Latinos' presence on Capitol Hill when lawmakers discuss in-state tuition for children of undocumented immigrants. Still, too often Latino parents feel disconnected from the school system.

"Sometimes it's a communication process. I don't mean one of language, but of knowing what's available and how to get involved," he said. "They send their children to school, but a lot of times they don't see it as their school, or grasp the idea that it's their school just as much as anybody else's."

Uluave remembers the day he won his seat on the Salt Lake City School Board by one vote. "The excitement was more personal. I'm not out there for pomp, I want to see results," he said. "Somebody's got to be the guinea pig. Somebody's got to break the ice."

bfulton@sltrib.com

How to file

Through today, candidates wanting to run for a school board position can file at the Salt Lake County Clerk's Office, Elections Division, 2001 S. State St., Suite S1100. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. The filing fee is $25.

It's critical for us in diverse groups to step forth so we can take a place at the table. But we have to step forth, register and run.

-Josie Valdez, a member of the Utah Hispanic Legislative Task Force.