This is not an endorsement.
For transparency, I am providing my answers to a survey from Black Lives Matter Utah Chapter – Education in Utah Survey so that my positions on these questions can be shared with constituents. I want to make note that some of the survey questions are hypothetical/situational, would not be fully covered under legislative action, and would need to include state board, local board, district, administrative and educator supports.
Q1: Email
ggreen.hd44@gmail.com
Q2: First and last name
Greg Green
Q3: Which office are you running for?
Utah House District 44 (South Jordan)
Q4: If elected, would you support efforts to repeal HB11, which bans transgender girls from participating in school sports that match their gender identity? (respond Yes/No)
Yes
Q5: Please explain your answer to the above question regarding HB11.
Legislators should not be legislating gender identity. For reference, policy was updated in the Utah High School Athletics Association handbook in 2020-2021 and going forward (https://uhsaa.org/Publications/Handbook/Handbook.pdf). Equality Utah supports this policy as equal treatment. See https://www.equalityutah.org/youth-laws.
Q6: What do you believe is the best way to keep students safe in school? Rank the following options with 1 being best and 6 being worst. You can only use each rank once. (Rank 1-6)
- Implement early-intervention systems to identify at-risk students and connect them with resources (1)
- School Resource Officers (SROs)/School Police Officers (SPOs) (2)
- Parent/community volunteers (3)
- Ensure schools have proper physical security measures (e.g., sturdy locks on interior doors) (4)
- Hold regular lockdown drills in schools (5)
- Arm teachers (NO)
Comment (not possible in the survey): This is not a good list. The first thing we need is to support broad implementation of SEL programs at schools. We need to support annual DEI training for all teachers. SROs and SPOs need to be trained in CIT, practice de-escalation techniques, and pass background checks that include past disciplinary notes and actions. We need availability of counsellors, we need responsive, supporting administration who will pursue discrimination, hate acts, threats or violence. We need demands for accountability from the community. Volunteers need to be registered with the district, and must have completed background checks.
Q7: An ACLU report found that 54% of Utah students attend schools with a school police officer but no psychologist, nurse, social worker, and/or counselor. If you are elected, what will you do to address this disparity?
The short answer here is that we need to pay teachers and get out of their way. We need to fund nurses, counselors in every school and lower support ratios. We need better access to psychologists and social workers. Pay is poor, school funding is poor, and the politicization of educational roles makes work environs unattractive. Demographically Utah has some of the youngest counties in the nation (https://www.axios.com/local/salt-lake-city/2023/06/26/utah-young-us-median-age-county-cache), so it’s not appropriate by any means that our state spends so little, with Utah spending the LAST per pupil in the nation. Education funding is constantly under attack. We need to tackle the rhetoric in the legislature and work with the Governor’s office to grow funding, remove politics from Education Boards, and return curriculums and text books back to educators.
Q8: Which of the following school personnel should be responsible for responding to the following situations? You can select more than one. (multi-select from: SRO/SPO, Nurse, Guidance Counselor, Social Worker, Principal or Other Administrator, Teacher)
- Physical/verbal altercations between students (any present)
- Bullying by a student against another student (any present)
- Bullying by a staff member against a student (any present)
- Students experiencing mental health issues (Teacher, Administrator, Counselor, Social Worker)
- Students’ physical well-being (Teacher, Administrator, Counselor, Social Worker)
- Students struggling with schoolwork (Teacher, Counselor, Social Worker)
- Students lacking basic necessities or struggling with issues from outside school (Teacher, Counselor, Social Worker)
- Reports of alleged criminal activity by students or staff (Administrator, Counselor, Social Worker, SRO/SPO)
- Students breaking school rules (e.g., using a cell phone during class; dress code violations) (Teacher, Parents)
Comment (not possible in the survey): This isn’t necessarily a point of state legislation. The current “who responds” will be based on who is available and present, and in most cases the appropriate staff is not there. It should also be noted that students should be able to raise concerns or to call out discriminatory behaviors. Parents or Guardians should be involved. Regarding dress code violations, we really should be removing policies that set cultural standards on hair and clothing. Criminal activity may be minor (stealing a lunch) or major (physical violence or damaging property) and the commensurate action should be based on context.
Q9: What is the appropriate consequence for a teacher or administrator who: (select only one from the following: Receive a verbal or written warning, Pay a fine, Suspension without pay, Employment terminated, Banned from employment in other schools)
- Uses a racial or identity-based slur (Employment terminated)
- Targets a student because of the color of their skin or another aspect of their identity (Banned from employment in other schools)
- Fails to escalate a report of bullying or discrimination (Employment terminated)
- Physically disciplines a student (Banned from employment in other schools)
Comment (not possible in the survey): I don’t believe in nickel jars, so “pay a fine” is not on the table. There should be evidence of slurs or targeting to terminate employment. Banning from employment would need a system of tracking because this may not come up in a background check or from employment history (typically you will see “not recommended for rehire” or something to that effect). Failure to escalate a report may be addressed through training. Corporal punishment in schools is assault. See https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title53G/Chapter8/53G-8-S302.html
Q10: If one student calls another student a racial or identity-based slur, and a verbal or physical altercation results, which student(s) should be disciplined? (select one)
- The student who used the slur (x)
- The student who was called the slur
- Both students
Q11: Please explain your answer regarding which student(s) should be disciplined. If you selected “both students”, do you believe the consequences should be the same for both students?
In the hypothetical, the student who used the slur should be disciplined. However it may be both students, depending on context and drivers leading up to the altercation. Provocations, taunting, bullying, discriminatory behavior, violence need to be considered beyond acts of defense. Assault should always be reported to law enforcement. Destruction of property may include legal recourse. Repeated outbursts or violence require additional actions.
Q12: Define Critical Race Theory. Please be as detailed as possible.
CRT is Critical Race Theory, which argues that historical patterns of racism are ingrained in law and other modern institutions. It is generally understood that CRT is not taught in K-12 settings, rather is part of higher education programs. “CRT” has been used recently for a word-soup of acronyms, with the intent to get the public thinking that all are the same, and that all are bad. This is broadly an attack against diversity and equity in our public schools.
Q13: Do you think the role of racism in American history and present-day society should be taught in our classrooms? Please explain your answer.
Yes. History matters. We need to stop the re-writing of history for our students. I would also recommend that we offer civics and history classes on African-American studies, Latinx, Disability legislation, and the Pride movement
Q14: Here (https://www.utah.gov/pmn/files/831761.pdf) is an example of the Utah State Board of Education’s Library Materials Model Policy. If elected, what elements of this policy would you keep in place? What elements would you change?
This is a quick review. I have concern about Section III, “local school board’s adopted selection criteria and procedures” being too restrictive. I would base the procedure and selection on recommendations of Professional Library Associations (i.e. American Association of School Librarians (AASL)). Under Section V, a review process should exist but should not qualify removal simply based on objectional material. Review processes should not be burdensome to staff (perhaps included the regular examination of a library collection), possibly annually?. The “Library Media Review Committee” should have accountability to defend first amendment access to materials, and be barred from decisions based solely on objectionable material. Appendix B, Section 5a definitions from Utah Criminal Code 76-10-1201 (Offenses Against Public Health, Safety, Welfare, and Morals) for its inclusion here, particularly of 5(a) “Harmful to Minors”, 5(a)(i) on “prurient interest”, and 5(a)(ii) “patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community”. I would support the definition from “Court Cases: Island Trees v. Pico 102 S.Ct. 2799 (1982)”.
Q15: On June 29, the Utah Education Association wrote a letter (BROKEN LINK – https://n2d4q8s9.rocketcdn.me/wp-content/uploads/UEA-Letter-Library-Model-Policy-6.29.22.pdf) to the USBE with recommendations for the Library Materials Model Policy. Which of the UEA’s recommendations do you agree with? Which do you disagree with?
Note that the letter in reference is not accessible.
Q16: Do you agree with Alpine School District’s since-reversed decision to remove 52 books from its library shelves before completing the review process? (respond Yes/No)
No
Q17: Which of the following do you think are appropriate reasons for removing a book from a school’s library or curricula? You can select more than one.
- “Harmful to Minors” as defined in Utah Code 76-10-1201
- Offensive language and/or content
- Content related to suicide, including suicide awareness
- Violent content
- Parent complained
- Student complained
- None of the above (x)
- Other: (specify) (x) The librarian removes the book from circulation based on condition, the overall catalog of books, and for out-of-date references. A good article on procuring and retention of school library books is at https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/how-school-libraries-buy-books-struggle-for-funds-and-confront-book-bans-an-explainer/2023/02 and in particular this quote: “I believe that decisions are most effectively made closest to the point of consequence,” said Jordan Ely, chief financial officer for the Gresham-Barlow district in Oregon. “The media specialist and the principals in those schools, they know what students are struggling with, what life looks like for them. And frankly, what the kids want to read.”
Q18: Who should have the authority to remove a book from a school’s library or curricula? You can select more than one.
- Principal
- Local Education Agency (LEA)
- District Superintendent
- Parent-Teacher Association (PTA)
- District School Board
- Other: (specify) (x) The school Librarian (who is typically a teacher, with a degree in library science or school library media), and the Principal. A review process should exist but should not qualify removal simply based on objectional material. Review processes should not be burdensome to staff (perhaps included the regular examination of a library collection).
Q19: Do you believe students should be able to exercise their right to peacefully assemble during school hours? (respond Yes/No)
Yes.
Q20: Do Black lives matter? (radio select)
- Yes (x)
- Absolutely!
- Of course!
- Black lives matter every single day
Note: all of the answers above are correct.