Despite impassioned pleas from students at a Jordan district high school, the House Education Committee on Wednesday snuffed out a bill that would have allowed all residents of a school district to vote on a proposed split.
"I come here to ask you today why only half of the Jordan School District got to vote on a [ballot measure] that affected everybody?" said Copper Hills High Junior Class President Sean Lewis. "It’s terrible, really. We take away the voice of the people where America is founded on the voice of the people."
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In 2007, residents of the east side of Jordan School District voted to break away and form Canyons School District. By state law, residents of the remaining Jordan district did not participate in the vote.
Rep. Jim Bird, R-West Jordan, proposed changing the law so that everyone in a school district affected by a proposed split would be allowed to vote. He asked Copper Hills students to present his bill, HB212.
But most members of the House Education Committee could not be swayed to move the bill along to a floor vote.
"Do we want to end the prospect of splitting school districts?" asked Rep. Greg Hughes, R-Draper. "If the disaffected are a smaller number than the whole, there will be no compelling reason to vote to allow a split."
Hughes said the possibility of a split is healthy for school districts because it gives district leaders an incentive to "reach out" to meet the needs of all members of a district.
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