The board didn't, and the schools will remained closed.

Three board members - Connie Burgess, Carole Cannon and Judy Weeks - requested reopening the decision at Tuesday's meeting. A two-thirds majority, or five of the seven board members, was needed to do so. Along with the three members requesting the reopening, president Patricia Sandstrom voted to reconsider, but the four were not enough. The voting was met with shouts of "coward," and threats of breaking off from the district and filing lawsuits.

Sherri Candland, a parent at Meadow Moor, didn't shout, but was "disappointed" in the board's decision to close the school and send students to Hill View Elementary School.

"I'm not going to take my children to a substandard school. I'll take the time to every day drive my child to a different school," said Candland, who added that many in the community are considering private or charter schools.

Erik Olson, a Canyon Rim parent and an attorney, says parents in the community may pursue legal action. The community plans to meet this week to decide future action. he said.

Fellow Canyon Rim parent Allison Peterson was "angry."

"The board went against its own goals of contiguous boundaries and clean feeders," Peterson said.

The board originally closed the schools Nov. 29 in an attempt to solve the district-wide problem of 8,700 empty seats, which were costing $3.4 million a year to keep. The district is expecting a budget shortfall, and its Nov. 29 decision to close Canyon Rim and Meadow Moor elementaries and restructure Granite High School is projected to save about $2 million a year.

smcfarland@sltrib.com