CEDAR CITY — Both candidates on the November ballot for Utah State Board of Education’s District 14 live in Iron County, meaning the county is assured of being represented on the state school board regardless of the winner. And in a somewhat unusual twist, one of the candidates is endorsing the other.
Republican Emily Green of Cedar City and Libertarian Richard “Jax” Jensen of Enoch are each vying for the seat, which is occupied by Mark Huntsman of Fillmore. Huntsman did not seek reelection this year after having served two four-year terms.
Although Cedar City is currently located within District 15 boundaries, it will be in District 14 as of January 2023, according to the census-based map realignments that were approved by the Utah Legislature earlier this year (see map).
Cedar City News recently spoke to both Green and Jensen by phone and asked each of them about their respective candidacies. Following are excerpts and summaries of their responses, which have been edited for length and clarity.
Green said she favors adhering to the disciplines of academics that have “stood against time.”
“I think we’re able to sift through all of the noise of the latest and greatest, if we understand what those are,” she said. “The foundation really comes down to what I have said over and over, which is academic excellence.”
Green also said she believes that a strong parent-child relationship is crucial to student success and that schools shouldn’t be promoting anything that undermines that.
“My belief is that if it is weakening the relationship between parents and children, if it is weakening academic rigor and academic disciplines, away from doing what they should be doing, then we need to have some way to have checks and balances through that process,” she said.
Green added that the management of data and technology has become more important than ever.
“I do think we need to start really understanding data, and how data is utilized,” she said.
As an example, she cited current concerns about social emotional learning and related programs.
“SEL is a big thing. I do think that it’s another area that we have to watch so closely, because the data that is acquired through those programs is very sensitive material,” Green said. “I mean, if it’s being used correctly, fine. But again, there’s a bit of ethics that comes into play around the acquisition of social emotional learning data that they can acquire through the programs. And so that begs the question, ‘Why do you need this? What are you doing with it? How are we implementing it?’”
“It just comes down to the ethics of data and using data responsibly,” she added. “That just requires us to have a full understanding of how all of that works in this age of technology.”
Green said that if elected, she’s looking forward to being a voice for rural school districts at the state level.
“I’m so happy about that,” she said, adding, “There are so many ways that we can fortify and represent rural schools.”
For example, she said, many school districts have developed strong partnerships with local universities, such as Southern Utah University and Snow College. Even in communities that don’t have a college campus, many students are learning trades and earning certificates, which can allow them to stay in their hometowns and find employment.
Green said that as a board member, she would strive toward ensuring that the State Board of Education focuses on “academic excellence and creating and maintaining the desire and the belief that parents are important in their children’s lives.”
“We can create policies that keep those doors open and those relationships strong between the parents and the child,” Green added. “We can also make sure that teachers have a working environment that allows them the art of teaching and being able to foster that rigor, passion and ability to teach these future generations.”
Meanwhile, Green’s opponent Jensen said that not only would he not mind if Green gets elected, he counts himself as one of her staunchest supporters.
“I am not going to try to beat her,” Jensen told Cedar City News. “She is going to be a wonderful candidate, and a wonderful school board representative. I’m thrilled that she will represent me, because I know she shares my values. I think we share 98% of all of our values.”
“We’re good friends,” Jensen added. “I convinced her to run. She had begged me to do it instead.”
But Jensen, who was elected to Enoch City Council in last year’s municipal elections, said he wasn’t feeling quite ready yet for another campaign.
“But I ran on the off chance that if she didn’t make it through the Republican primaries, then I would try to win,” he explained. “That way, at least people had an option of somebody who shared our values. But because she won (the primary), I’m not trying to win.”
Jensen said he, like Green, also strongly believes in fortifying and supporting the role of parents in their children’s education.
“Our state constitution says the parents are primarily responsible for the education of their children,” he said. “Any efforts by the state or the local school boards to take education out of the hands of parents, or to put parents to the periphery of that education and have them be less involved, are contrary to the state constitution and contrary to the values that I believe the vast majority of Utahns hold and that most parents believe in.”
“That is something that needs to be countered at every level,” Jensen added.
Jensen said that although he will happily serve on the state school board if elected, he fully supports Green and believes she will win the race.
“I think she’s going to do an excellent job,” he said.
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