Utah’s state school board distanced itself — again — from one of its most outspoken members Thursday, condemning her latest accusation on social media that schools are “complicit in the grooming of children for sex trafficking.”
In a sharp rebuke, leadership of the Utah State Board of Education said it “strongly disapproves” of the recent Facebook post from far-right firebrandNatalie Cline that also accused educators of “brainwashing” students.
“Such an allegation against schools generally is inflammatory, divisive and unfair to Utah’s teachers, who put Utah’s students first every day, and interfere[s] with efforts to provide thoughtful solutions to difficult issues,” wrote the board’s three leaders, Jim Moss, Molly Hart and Jennie Earl.
They don’t directly name Cline in their statement, though it’s clear to whom they are referring. Cline has consistently attracted controversy since she took her seat a little more than two years ago on the 15-member board overseeing public K-12 education in the state.
This now marks the third time that the board has formally spoken out about her online rhetoric, with each statement echoing the same concerns. And KSL NewsRadio reported Thursday that Cline is also being investigated for comments she made during a public presentation last month about a school board staff member’s gender identity; the station reports that’s one of 87 complaints made against Cline in the past two years.
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This article is published through the Utah News Collaborative, a partnership of news organizations in Utah that aims to inform readers across the state.
By Courtney Tanner | Salt Lake Tribune