Proposal to make State Board race partisan draws ire

Candidates for the State Board of Education should run under a party affiliation, some lawmakers said during heated debate in committee Friday.

While discussing a bill that would make changes to the State Board's election process, Rep. Ken Sumsion, R-American Fork, tossed in a substitute bill that would make the State Board race partisan.

Sumsion's substitute bill was voted down by the House Education Standing Committee.

The original bill up for discussion, HB150, pitched by Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Salt Lake, passed the committee unanimously.

Sumsion's substitute bill elicited emotional reactions from lawmakers on both sides.

"We're a partisan body," pointed out Rep. Greg Hughes, R-Draper.

Rep. Marie Poulson, D-Salt Lake, strongly urged the committee to reject Sumsion's substitute bill. "The advocacy of our children is not a partisan issue," she said.

Other opponents pointed out that people with religious or military affiliations aren't allowed to run in partisan races.

Elder John C. Pingree, an Area Seventy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, told the committee he served on the State Board years ago – and wouldn't have been able to under a partisan rule.

Sumsion pointed out that party affiliation gives voters an idea of a candidate's leanings on issues such as sex education and gay rights.

Larry Shumway, Deputy Superintendent for State Office of Education, said the State Board unanimously "vigorously opposes" making the board races partisan. Party agendas would be the driving element for policies – rather than good governance, Shumway added.

Sumsion's bill was squashed, 7 to 4.

Moss' bill calls for eliminating the governor's nominating selection committee. Under her proposal, the State Board's non-partisan elections would follow the pattern of local school board elections, with a primary election that allows the voters – not a committee — to weed out the candidates.

"This is fundamental to our democratic process," Moss said, calling the committee process "manipulative" and "contrived."

A similar bill, HB293, is being proposed by Rep. Ronda Menlove, R-Garland. It is headed for committee soon.