We are the parents of three amazing children. Our daughter was recently targeted in a public Facebook post by Natalie Cline, a member of the Utah State Board of Education. Ms. Cline violated our daughter’s privacy by using her image and identifying the school team on which she plays.
Our daughter is only 16. She is a minor. She is a biological female. She identifies as a female. She’s naturally strong and athletic and has worked really hard to be the lead scorer for her team this year. She is beautiful, happy, friendly, kind, smart and has the biggest heart. She is the type of person that lights up a room, and everyone wants to know who she is and be her friend.
You wouldn’t know any of these amazing qualities about our daughter because Ms. Cline’s post only used her physical appearance to make ignorant assumptions about whether or not she has the right to be on a girl’s basketball team.
Ms. Cline did the very thing we teach our children not to do in terms of bullying, mocking and spreading rumors and gossip about others. Ms. Cline did the very thing we teach our children not to do — she blasted social media without fact checking, which ultimately led to a barrage of hateful and despicable comments that were directed at our daughter that lasted for more than 16 hours.
It was one of the most painful things we’ve had to endure as we read comment after comment of unwarranted judgment, ignorance and hate by adults and parents who were hiding behind their computers bullying our child.
Many parents teach their children that there are consequences to their actions. Ms. Cline targeted a child, a student in the Utah school district. She blatantly harmed a member of the population she is supposed to support and protect.
All members of the Utah State Board of Education should be protectors of Utah’s students. They should safeguard their interests. It is a violation of these obligations to publicly criticize a child, directly or by implication, as Ms. Cline did. It is even worse when the implied message is completely false.
Ms. Cline’s post about our daughter was extremely damaging and exposed her to baseless and cruel public ridicule. It undermined student trust in government, in elected officials and even in adults in general. Ms. Cline’s subtle, but clear, message was an open attack on our daughter, degrading her self-worth. Ms. Cline’s conduct is inexcusable and would be unjustifiable even if it had factual basis — and it did not.
Ms. Clines continued presence on the Utah State Board of Education undermines the trust and respect that is afforded to such a position. It is imperative Ms. Cline takes responsibility for her actions. Her irresponsible post cannot be rectified by a half-hearted apology in which she excused her actions by stating we’re just living in “strange times.”
We hoped Ms. Cline would have already taken full accountability for the pain and immeasurable damage she has caused. This isn’t only about our daughter — this is about the many families who have reached out to us expressing their deepest gratitude for standing up for their children and loved ones who don’t have a voice. As of today, Ms. Cline has yet to resign.
In Utah, we are better than this. We must be better than this. We cannot brush aside such things by allowing those who perpetrate them to remain in office.
We have put our trust in each of you as our elected officials and urge you to do the right thing. It doesn’t matter who is right, it only matters what is right. Ultimately we know this is in God’s hands. We are asking that, following an adequate due process, we can move towards impeachment of Natalie Cline.
Al and Rachel van der Beek
Al and Rachel van der Beek have been married for 21 years and have three amazing children.
Editor’s note: On Feb. 14, Utah state school board leaders requested by unanimous vote that board member Natalie Cline immediately resign from her position.
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