These are only a few of the descriptions residents gave of the Granite School Board.

At the request of Superintendent Stephen Ronnenkamp, Dan Jones and Associates conducted four study groups across the district to find out how patrons feel about the board and district.

"Frankly, this is not a good report card," said Pat Jones, co-owner of the polling company and a legislator. "There is a lack of connectedness and a lack of responsiveness."

Recent school closures were the cause of most of the acrimony, Jones said. Many of the 36 people polled demanded an apology from board members for missteps taken during the closures.

Parents want more two-way communication and transparency.

"Parents are frustrated and angry," Jones said. "Respondents say they pay more and more and see fewer and fewer improvements in schools."

Jones has polled several school districts, and she says the Granite focus groups were angrier and more negative than at other districts.

Many respondents called Interstate 15 the Mason-Dixon Line of the district, with east-siders saying they are underrepresented on the board and west-siders saying their children who are bused to the east side are less respected.

"Part of why we're doing this is to look at these recommendations and do better," said Patricia Sandstrom, board president. "It doesn't matter if these are concerns from the east side or the west side because we represent children from the entire district."

The district administration and staff came under similar criticism.

Focus group respondents said the district is out-of-touch, lacks leadership, is a poor communicator and apathetic.

"We needed to have this qualitative information to have something to get our hands around," Ronnenkamp said. "These are issues we need to face and then move forward."

The board intends to plan a study session in the near future to look at recommendations about better communication with district residents.

"I hope we take this and really work on what's been pointed out," said board member Connie Burgess.

Jones hopes so, too.

"This is a wake-up call for all of us that we all need to work together," Jones said. "Hopefully for the board and the school district, they realize there is some bridge-building to do."

smcfarland@sltrib.com