I live in West Jordan but bring my son to school in Salt Lake City's east side every day on my way to work at the University of Utah. Thanks to Utah's school choice law, I can easily volunteer in my son's classroom and have peace of mind in knowing that I can quickly reach him if there's ever any problem.
If Salt Lake City School District closes schools, it will eliminate options like this for me and other working parents. Three of the schools that appear to be most targeted — Beacon Heights, Wasatch and Lowell — are also the schools that are most convenient to workplaces at the university and downtown. Plus, they've filled their classrooms by offering excellent programs.
We're told we have school choice, but there's no protection for it if school districts are free to close excellent schools with high enrollments, just because not all of their students live within their boundaries. Why can't the Legislature and Salt Lake City School District understand that?
Belinda R. Taylor
West Jordan