Jackson and Heyn made two other primary assertions in their letter. They said the board's decision would lead to the "unreasonable result" of busing Canyon Rim students "past two neighboring schools" to Morningside Elementary.

"The bizarre result of this move illustrates why the options procedures entrust the Options Committee to study such option for months and then make careful recommendations, rather than leave the board to reach such ad hoc decisions at the midnight hour in a single board meeting," the women wrote.

In his statement, Ronnenkamp said, "We disagree that there was anything wrong with the way the board decided to bus the students from Canyon Rim to Morningside Elementary."

The women also said the board "muddied" the district's feeder system by placing Canyon Rim students, who go on to attend Wasatch Junior High, with Morningside students, who will attend Churchill Junior High.

"This decision was not studied, not subject to public input and not in the best interests of the Canyon Rim students," the women wrote. "The only alternative that avoids busing across noncontiguous boundaries would be to combine Canyon Rim's population with Upland Terrace or Eastwood students."

The school board's examination of possible school closures was initiated last spring by a report showing the district had 8,700 empty seats that were costing the district $3 million to maintain.

---

E-mail: zman@desnews.com