School-boundary study shaking Davis

FARMINGTON — A historic boundary study has been shaking things up in Davis County.

It has kicked up fears, tears, skepticism and rumors — and has put what leaders say is a tremendous amount of pressure on officials who are weighing the options.

Tuesday night's Davis School District board meeting's discussion on the elementary boundary study could be a mild preview of what will come when high school lines are on the table.

The board approved the first reading on boundaries for two new schools along with Eagle Bay, Sand Springs, Heritage, Bluff Ridge and Kaysville elementary schools.

"Your comments have been reasonable and certainly heartfelt," Marian Storey, board president, told around 100 community members who attended the meeting.

"But I want you to know that this is a first reading, it does not mean because we approved this we are approving the current map — we are only moving the process on, but will be reading and re-evaluating your comments and possibly making changes."

Many community members showed up to convey disapproval at the idea of their children being uprooted from their current school. Some felt the new walking routes were unsafe. And a few shed tears.

Some parents suggested the lines could be interpreted as "economic red-lining," taking low-income students out of Bluff Ridge and ignoring communities in older and low-income areas in the Clearfield area. Others were even concerned about sticking out in their church ward because their children would not be going to the same school as other children.

Board members will continue to field comments from community members over the next two weeks before final approval on the elementary study.

High school boundary open house nights are set for next week, and boundary officials say that process has been a huge project.

"This is historic — I've never seen anything discussed at this level and it's a lot to bite off," said Rick Call, Davis secondary-schools director.

This is the first time in more than three decades that a high school boundary study in the district will affect every high school in the district.