Updates from Utah Gov - Organizations

SENATOR JACKSON RESIGNS FROM THE UTAH SENATE

Jackson family moves to Virginia to be closer to family and work

SALT LAKE CITY – Senator Al Jackson (R - Highland) resigned from the Utah State Senate this afternoon. He presented the following letter to the Senate President Wayne Niederhauser.

Today, I officially resign as a Utah State Senator for Senate District 14.  My family and I have decided it would be best for us to move east where we can be closer to my aging parents, closer to the location of my business in Washington DC, and have the opportunity to be a part of my son, Frank’s, experience as a student athlete at Duke University. Being able to watch him play basketball at Duke University is a dad's dream, which I will now be able to realize.

I have truly appreciated my time in the Utah Senate. I am fortunate to have worked with so many exceptional people, on projects that will help ensure a strong economy and good, limited government.

Thank you to all who have worked with me during my time as a public servant.  It has truly been an honor.  I have loved representing the conscientious and civically responsible people of Senate District 14.  Thank you for your ideas, feedback and your passion for this state. I also wish to thank my colleagues in the legislature for their variety of opinion, good hearts, insight, and kindness. 

Utah has a bright future and I wish everyone the best. 

Senator Jackson was appointed to the Utah Senate in 2014, replacing outgoing Senator John Valentine. His legislative work included transforming how the state collects gasoline tax, helping to ensure a healthy transportation infrastructure and economy, partisan school board elections, a resolution calling for repeal of the 17th amendment, and child welfare revisions.

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Utah State Board of Education and Staff to Use One Name   The Utah State Board of Education and its office staff will formally discontinue the use of the name “Utah State Office of Education” on July 1, 2016.  

The State Board voted in April to sunset the use of “Utah State Office of Education” to eliminate confusion that there are two entities with potentially competing policy positions. Effective immediately, elected officials of the Board and their staff will be referred to as the Utah State Board of Education.  

The adjustment will not lead to changes in operations and services offered by the approximate 330 staff members working for the Utah State Board of Education. 

“This change unifies us not just in purpose but in name and formalizes work done over the past few years to create one team and one voice,” said State Superintendent Sydnee Dickson.  

Minor changes to building signage and office documents are in process. Additionally, new and existing contracts will be adjusted if needed, and website changes are moving forward. 

“Unifying in name will eliminate confusion that has likely weakened our ability to effectively communicate and advocate for students,” said State Board Chair David Crandall. 

The State Board in 1979 voted to create the pseudo-separate entity of the USOE, although office staff continued to carry out the will of the Board. The alteration was never followed by any formal change in state statute, although conflicting language was added over the years. State Rep. Bruce Cutler’s House Bill 147 from this year’s Legislative General Session deletes all mention of USOE in code. This change allows for a return to the constitutionally recognized name in all cases.   

The Utah State Board of Education requests that media outlets discontinue use of “Utah State Office of Education” or “USOE,” and that stakeholder groups change language in correspondence and formal documents accordingly. 

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LGBTQ Students Face Unfair School Discipline, Pushing Many Out of School

Hostile School Climates as a Result of Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination Contribute to Pushing LGBTQ Youth Out of School, According to New GLSEN Report

NEW YORK (June 29, 2016) – Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) students face high rates of school discipline, including detention, suspension and expulsion from school, according to a report released today by GLSEN, the leading national education organization focused on ensuring safe and affirming schools for all students. Compared to non-LGBTQ students, LGBTQ students were much more likely to have experienced each kind of discipline, often due to the harassment and discrimination that LGBTQ students face in school.

The report, Educational Exclusion: Drop Out, Push Out, and the School-to-Prison Pipeline among LGBTQ Youth, also found:

• Two in five LGBTQ students reported receiving detention, in-school or out-of-school suspension and/or expulsion from school. LGBTQ Black/African American, LGBTQ Hispanic/Latino, and LGBTQ Multiracial students; LGBTQ students experiencing homelessness; and LGBTQ students with disabilities experienced higher rates than others.
   
• Compared to cisgender LGBQ students, transgender students were more likely to receive school discipline and over three times as likely to report that they might not complete high school. Among LGBTQ students, the most common reason cited for not planning to graduate high school or being unsure if they would graduate was an unsupportive or hostile school environment.
   
• Bullying, harassment and absenteeism may contribute to high rates of discipline. Among LGBTQ students, higher levels of victimization were associated with higher rates of school discipline, potentially because bullying incidents put LGBTQ students in greater contact with school authorities. Lack of safety resulted in many LGBTQ students missing school, putting them at risk for disciplinary sanctions for truancy. Students who had missed school because of feeling unsafe or uncomfortable were more likely to have been disciplined at school than those who had not (54 percent vs. 34 percent).
   
• Anti-LGBTQ discriminatory policies and practices may also contribute to high rates of discipline. Over half (56 percent) of LGBTQ students experienced some form of anti-LGBTQ discrimination at school, and these students were more likely to have received school discipline than those who did not experience discrimination (48 percent vs. 32 percent). Almost one in ten students (9 percent) even reported being disciplined specifically because they were LGBTQ.
   
• Victimization, absenteeism and discrimination may also increase LGBTQ students’ risk of contact with the justice system. LGBTQ students who reported high levels of victimization, absenteeism or discrimination were more likely to have been involved with the justice system as a result of school discipline. The likelihood of this involvement was five times higher for LGBTQ students experiencing homelessness than for those who lived with a parent or guardian. Transgender students and LGBTQ students with disabilities were also more likely to have been involved with the justice system due to school discipline. 

“It is abundantly clear that LGBTQ students face disproportionately high levels of school discipline due to hostile school climates that ultimately deprive many of them, not only of their education, but also the success in life that education affords,” said Dr. Joseph Kosciw, GLSEN’s Chief Research & Strategy Officer. “Given the findings of Educational Exclusion, we must redouble our efforts to create supportive schools for LGBTQ students, particularly transgender and gender nonconforming students, students experiencing homelessness, students with disabilities and students of color.”

In light of the report’s findings, GLSEN put forth a number of recommendations to keep LGBTQ students in school and out of the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Some of these recommendations are:

• At the school, district, state and federal levels, laws and policies should specifically protect LGBTQ students from harassment and discrimination.
• Rather than zero-tolerance policies, schools should employ graduated approaches to discipline, ensuring that disciplined students still have access to learning opportunities.
• Teachers should employ culturally responsive teaching and incorporate positive representations of LGBTQ people and topics into their curriculum.
• If School Resource/Safety Officers are used in schools, they must be trained to appropriately respond to anti-LGBTQ bias and not discriminate against LGBTQ students.
• Alternative paths to high school completion, such as GED programs, alternative schools, and education in juvenile detention centers, should be available, safe and affirming for LGBTQ youth.
• All staff should intervene when bullying occurs, in ways that do not blame the victims of bullying incidents, and consider using restorative practices rather than only punitive discipline measures.

The full Educational Exclusion report can be found at www.glsen.org/educationalexclusion.

About GLSEN
GLSEN champions safe and affirming schools for all students. We envision a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. Each year, GLSEN programs and resources reach tens of thousands of K-12 schools across the United States, and our network of chapters brings GLSEN’s expertise to their local communities. GLSEN's progress and impact have won support for our work at all levels of education in the United States and sparked an international movement to ensure equality for LGBTQ students and respect for all in schools. For more information on GLSEN’s policy advocacy, student leadership initiatives, public education, research and educator training programs, please visit glsen.org. 

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GLSEN to Release Report on Educational Exclusion Among LGBTQ Youth
Report Will Explore Discipline, Dropout and Involvement with Justice System

What: GLSEN will release Educational Exclusion: Dropout, Pushout, and the School-to-Prison Pipeline among LGBTQ Youth, a report on the conditions that effectively push lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) youth out of school and potentially into the criminal justice system. The report will address:

• The rates of school discipline among LGBTQ youth and the factors that contribute to their school discipline experiences;
• School dropout rates among LGBTQ youth and the factors that may play a role in pushing youth out of schools;
• How school disciplinary actions increase LGBTQ youth’s involvement with the juvenile and criminal justice systems;
• Differences in LGBTQ youth’s experiences based on race/ethnicity, gender identity/expression, housing status, and ability; and
• How to address hostile school climates and damaging school policies and practices that contribute to pushing LGBTQ youth out of school.

When: Wednesday, June 29, 2016. A free webinar discussing the findings of the report will be held from 4-5 p.m. EDT. Click here to register.

Who: GLSEN’s Executive Director Dr. Eliza Byard and members of the GLSEN research team are available for interviews.

About GLSEN
GLSEN champions safe and affirming schools for all students. We envision a world in which every child learns to respect and accept all people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. Each year, GLSEN programs and resources reach tens of thousands of K-12 schools across the United States, and our network of chapters brings GLSEN’s expertise to their local communities. GLSEN's progress and impact have won support for our work at all levels of education in the United States and sparked an international movement to ensure equality for LGBTQ students and respect for all in schools. For more information on GLSEN’s policy advocacy, student leadership initiatives, public education, research and educator training programs, please visit glsen.org. 
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June 27, 2016
 

Positive Solutions versus Political Distractions
Rep. Mia Love not interested in media spectacle in political season
 

Rep. Mia Love:  "When I was elected to Utah’s 4th District I promised I would raise Utah’s voice and vote Utah’s values in Washington.  I also committed to engaging in meaningful dialogue with anyone and everyone who is proposing positive solutions.  That continues to be my focus. I am not interested in media spectacles that convince Americans that we are too divided to solve the challenges of our time."
 
"Today I hosted, in Utah, a round table discussion with my Democratic colleague Emmanuel Cleaver from Missouri.  We met with business, civic and religious leaders in our community who are truly making a difference in lifting individuals and families out of poverty.  These aren’t left vs right issues – these are American issues and I look forward to showcasing what Utah is doing to create real opportunity for all."
 
"The principles and policies that unite us, promote freedom and gives a voice to every American are what I am interested in sharing, discussing and promoting.  If the opportunity arises where I can raise Utah’s voice or engage in meaningful dialogue on issues that matter - I will be there." 

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Department of Labor Commissioner Steps Down

SALT LAKE CITY (June 27, 2016) – After serving for10 years as a member of the governor’s cabinet, Commissioner Sherrie Hayashi is stepping down to accept a position as the director of the University of Utah Office of Equal Opportunity.

“I am deeply grateful to Gov. Herbert for his support and providing me with this opportunity,” Hayashi said. “This is a bittersweet moment, as I will miss the many hardworking, dedicated and talented professionals of the commission and the State of Utah.”

Commissioner Hayashi previously served as director of the Antidiscrimination and Labor Division, and as associate general counsel for the Labor Commission. As commissioner, she oversaw the agency responsible for assuring safety in Utah’s workplaces and fairness in employment and housing.

“Sherrie has been an incredibly dedicated and valued member of my cabinet,” Gov. Herbert said. “I have appreciated her leadership and wish her well on this new endeavor.”

Gov. Herbert has appointed Jaceson Maughan to serve as Interim Commissioner. Maughan is currently the deputy commissioner and general counsel for the Labor Commission. Prior to this service, Maughan worked as legal counsel for the Department of Workforce Services and as an Assistant Attorney General with the Attorney General’s Office.

“Commissioner Hayashi’s dedication to workplace safety and fairness as well as her leadership will be missed,” Maughan said. “I am humbled by the opportunity to serve as interim commissioner and intend to continue the good work done by Commissioner Hayashi and the Labor Commission.”

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Utah shines in bipartisan dialogue on poverty spearheaded by Reps. Love and Cleaver

SALT LAKE CITY—Utah’s effective anti-poverty efforts took center stage today during a bipartisan gathering of local and national elected officials and advocates. Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah, invited her colleague Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, D-Missouri, to come to Utah for this critical dialogue and asked Sutherland Institute president Boyd Matheson to facilitate the discussion at the South City Campus of Salt Lake Community College.

“Utah, once again, is showing the nation how to tackle tough issues like poverty,” Matheson said. “The state Legislature’s work on intergenerational poverty, combined with the private-sector and nonprofit work of groups like The Other Side Academy, are just two examples of the great team of advocates working to end poverty and create upward mobility in the state. These and many other principles and policies can and should be exported nationwide.”

During this morning’s roundtable, Reps. Love and Cleaver stated their commitment to showing that when it comes to poverty, they prioritize actual solutions over party politics. Their message to those in attendance was simple: This is not a left or right issue; this is an American issue.

Rep. Cleaver shared his belief that a key component of reducing poverty will be to end the unnecessary duplication of government services and government agency turf battles, a concept similar to one outlined in a Sutherland post here.

The meeting was a first step in discovering and sharing solutions that end both short-term and intergenerational poverty through a combination of public and private sector efforts.

Many Utahns deeply involved in helping our neighbors most in need spoke with the two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams, Bill Tibbetts (Crossroads Urban Center), Dave Durocher (The Other Side Academy), Stuart Reid (former state senator), and Pamela Atkinson (community advocate), among the three dozen in attendance.

Sutherland Institute is a Utah-based thought leader and advocate for empowering principles, elevated dialogue and enlightened public policy.