Utah's changing faces

In a growing number of counties nationwide, minorities are becoming the majority. These include Los Angeles County, which has the nation's largest minority population. In recent years, Denver County, Colo., became majority-minority.

In Utah, minority populations are increasing, too. In three school districts, minorities are the majority. But economists say Utah, with its high fertility rate among white women, won't be a minority-majority any time soon. Only San Juan County is considered minority-majority in Utah.

Changes in Utah's demographics will come eventually. Utah policymakers and agencies should embark on efforts to enable minority adults and children to fully participate in Utah life. That may mean more opportunities for English language instruction or translators to assist people in their interactions with schools, health-care providers, government agencies or law enforcement. It is also a time for minority communities to strive to close Utah's achievement gap by setting higher academic expectations. More minority students need to graduate high school prepared for higher education because they will be the leaders of a society that will be more diverse than ever. For that matter, more minority students need to graduate from high school.

Some individuals and educators have devoted their life's work to reversing old trends. But in Utah, minority populations have long been such a small percentage of the overall population that these issues have not topped the public-policy agenda. As the population of minority groups, which have historically had alarming high school drop-out rates or have lagged behind their white peers on standardized tests, continues to grow, academic success of all students must be a higher priority.

The good news is that Utah is, perhaps, better equipped to interact with an increasingly diverse population. Many Utahns are bilingual due to their church missionary service. Such experiences expose thousands of young men and women to people of various backgrounds, languages and religions. Those skills should be a boon in a more diverse Utah.

Creating a dynamic tapestry of differing ethnicities, beliefs and cultures is a far better social goal than the misunderstanding and distrust that can fester when communities live in isolation. Utah should take this opportunity to embrace its changing demographics.