Utah’s State Constitution is crystal clear on education, Article X, Section 1 states, “The legislature shall provide for the establishment and maintenance of the state’s education system including a public education system which shall be open to all children of the state, and higher education. Both systems shall be free from sectarian control.” In other words, our public schools must serve every child — without any religious or ideological agenda.

Yet, despite this commitment, there appears to be efforts by some state legislators to harm public education by passing HB 215 last year; where some eligible students can receive up to $8,000 for private education or homeschooling. Meanwhile, the current Weighted Public Unit (WPU) for Utah is $4,443. This legislation directs more money to private institutions than the public schools meant to serve all Utah children, and worse, it lacks any meaningful accountability for how that money is spent in private or homeschool settings.

We need legislators who not only understand public education and its funding for ALL students but are open and willing to listen to all sides of legislative issues. We need legislators that listen and openly communicate with their constituents, this is often a trait lacking in many legislators.

But this isn’t just about school funding. Too many state legislators also targeted Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs. DEI programs were efforts to help students of color and those belonging to marginalized groups to succeed in post secondary education environments. There has been no data provided to support the claim that DEI is harmful to students of any background.

This is why we need a legislator like Stacy Bernal to represent Utah Senate District 3. Stacy understands the value of public education and believes in creating opportunities for all students to succeed. She will fight for transparency, accountability and inclusivity in our schools. Let’s elect someone who will put our children and our future first.

Joyce Wilson

President, Ogden Board of Education