Jordan School District will be mum no longer on efforts to cut it into three separate school districts.

District officials are scrambling to put the word out on how sectioning off into an east-side district, a West Jordan district and the remaining west side, or combinations thereof, might affect the south valley's people, pocketbooks and programs.

"We feel it is a responsibility to identify critical issues and simply try and address them in an honest and objective way so people know what they are voting for," board president J. Dale Christensen said Wednesday.

Within the past week, the Utah Legislature, east-side cities and West Jordan city bosses have acted to put the school district split question to voters. Those living within proposed new school districts' boundaries will be able to go to the ballot box — a matter that could be challenged in court.

The Jordan Board of Education has taken a neutral position in the controversial issue. But, Christensen said, that doesn't mean they must remain silent.

The board wants to get voters unbiased information to help them make the best decision on election day, whatever it may be.

District staff are starting work on a four-page question-and-answer installment of its "Windows" newsletter, to be mailed to district employees and about 124,000 homes, spokeswoman Melinda Colton said. It also will be posted on the district's Web site, www.jordandistrict.org, in mid- to late October, she said.

Topics may include why cities want to create their own school districts — answers could come from the cities' feasibility studies — what the law says on who gets to vote, and how student services from special education to gifted magnet programs, the district's bond rating, property taxes and assets will be affected.

Some answers to questions might be, "We don't know," Colton said.

"We're covering territory that's never been covered before," Christensen said. "When we're looking at dividing, now this is just me speaking, when most districts across the country are looking at consolidating, then we don't have a lot to go on."

Still, the district and board members already are receiving questions from concerned residents, and want to be able to give solid answers.

"This is one of the most significant topics (to come) before the Jordan School District in 100 years," Christensen said. "It is not taken lightly."

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