A freshman state lawmaker has proposed overhauling the Utah Board of Education — the elected panel that oversees the state’s public schools — reducing the number of members from 15 to nine and requiring all seats be appointed by the governor.
It is a milder measure than in recent years, which saw a number of bills seeking to eliminate the board entirely (though none passed). Still, most board members are against the suggested restructuring.
“This is an area people take most personally. It’s about their children and their grandchildren,” said Carol Barlow Lear, who represents Salt Lake City.