Granite also has its share of angst, such as the controversy over where to put insurance money after Wasatch Junior High burned down in 2005. Some west-siders argued that nearby, undercapacity Churchill Junior High could absorb Wasatch students (they're there now temporarily, a school within a school), and insurance money should go to build needed west-side schools. However, the Granite Board of Education decided to rebuild Wasatch with the money.

East-side schools have better student-to-teacher ratios.

Jordan and Granite: Busted

In Jordan, both sides of the valley have class sizes that are virtually equal. In Granite, the west side actually has a slightly better overall student-to-teacher ratio.

In Granite, the west side has one teacher for every 23.1 students while the east has one for every 24.0 — a difference of about one student per teacher. The difference is fairly consistent among elementary, junior and senior high schools.

District officials say that, by design, they use local tax money to fund equal numbers of teachers per students in all schools. However, some schools receive extra money from grants or programs such as Title I funding for low-income-neighborhood schools. Most of that extra money went to Granite's west side, resulting in the somewhat smaller classes there.

In Jordan, the east side has a teacher for every 25.5 students, and the west has one for every 25.8, virtually equal. Ratios are also about equal among elementary schools. But east-side middle schools have about one less student per teacher than on the west side. And east-side high schools have about a half a student fewer than on the west.

That is according to Jordan data for the past school year. However, the district initially directed the Morning News to older data on state and federal Web sites. That older data showed significantly better ratios on the west side — one teacher for every 19 students there compared to 26 on the east, a whopping difference of seven students per teacher.

When Newbold saw those results he was surprised and, after learning the source, indicated those reports don't reflect all district hirings, so the district provided newer data.

East-side schools offer more and better advanced high school classes that can bring college credit.

Jordan and Granite: Mostly confirmed.

The myth is especially confirmed for advanced placement and international baccalaureate programs but less so for "concurrent enrollment" classes.