Utah parents demand more education choices for students amid coronavirus
FARMINGTON, Utah (KUTV) — A group of Davis County parents have formed a new organization “Utah Parents United,” as an advocacy group for parents across the state.
The founder and president of the group, Corinne Johnson, said their main concerns are about a parents' choice in their child’s education.
“We’re running out of choices when it comes to our education. For example, digital learning, additional screen time, curriculum choices, as well as whether we send our children to school masked or unmasked, even with health conditions,” Johnson said.
The organization started as a group of vocal Davis County parents who are calling for the district to offer in-person learning five days a week. Johnson said the district has not put learning first.
Right now, there are children in our school district who don’t even have computers, they won’t be getting them until after Labor Day.”
Because of coronavirus concerns, students in the Davis School District have been split into two groups. Some are in school Mondays and Wednesdays, the others Tuesdays and Thursdays, with virtual learning the other days.
“What this does is it keeps putting our kids behind. They already have learning gaps from the spring, and now those learning gaps are just going to continue,” she said. “There are lots of other school districts who are doing more for their students, who are offering more choices, and that’s what we’re asking for.”
The district said this was the best solution so they could keep students socially distanced in classrooms, and protect students and staff.
Johnson thinks there are more concerns than just the coronavirus that schools need to consider.
“There are health concerns right now, but at what point do we decide that the mental, emotional, and physical health of our children, our students, the rising generation who need a chance to succeed, is more important than the health risks of COVID-19?"
Utah Parents United is supporting two parents as write-in candidates in the school board election in November, Emilie Daly in District 2, and Brittanie Flint in District 4.
We need to have parents sitting on the board. We want people who don’t have ties to any influences, or to any unions, or to any outside sources of information other than a parent’s voice.”
