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Show Viewpoints The A-11 Park Record. Wed/Thurs/Fri, October 23-25, 2019 editorial District right to stand firm amid misleading attack on program he Park City School District, it seems, is not inclined to be intimidated. In the face of wide-ranging, misleading accusations from a group opposed to a program at Trailside Elementary School that teaches educators how to foster inclusivity and prevent bullying, the district is standing up for its values. The group, distorting some facts and ignoring others, claims the program is thinly disguised sex education for students and has gone as far as calling it “LGBTQ indoctrination.” In response to a cease-and-desist letter from the group’s attorneys, the district sent a letter of its own to parents reiterating its support for the program, called Welcoming Schools, as well as the vulnerable students it is ultimately meant to help. School officials are right to stand their ground. The district, as noted in its correspondence to parents, has a responsibility to provide a safe environment for all students. That includes ones who have LGBTQ parents or who are LGBTQ themselves — students who can be easy targets for bullying or exclusion. Welcoming Schools counters bias-based bullying by educating teachers about how to embrace diverse families and answer questions from students about family diversity in an age-appropriate way. The program does it well enough that it’s used by many other districts in Utah and throughout the country. In fact, the program at Trailside — consisting mostly at this point of a 2 ½-hour professional development session for teachers in August — was administered by an official with the Utah State Board of Education. Regardless of Welcoming Schools’ merits, though, any T Continued from A-10 Letters to the editor as a Planning Commissioner) provides her with expertise unmatched by others. Nann’s involvement in transit, mental and physical health, affordable housing and regional planning has significantly advanced our common goals shared between the City and the County. All of these are technically and financially complex issues, which we have made common strides on, and we need Nann’s continued involvement if we are to move these tasks to the finish line. Please reelect Nann! Douglas Clyde Summit County Council vice chair Stand together in November Editor: As we draw closer to Election Day, it is important to recognize the camaraderie of Live PC Give PC as a great pillar in how to treat one another during these trying times. With the contentious political climate infiltrating every aspect of our lives through the news, social media and in everyday conversations, I think about what Rodney King said just after the Los Angeles riots, “Can’t we all just get along?” Every November, Live PC Give PC is a great example of how we do just that, get along in a way where the best of who we are seeps out. This day of giving brings the community together for “24 hours of extreme generosity.” During Live PC Give PC I am humbled by two things: 1. being kind is not exclusive to one’s economic, political, ethnic or gender background. Whether you are a parent, restaurant owner, independent/Democrat/Republican, resort worker or company leader, people of all backgrounds give what they can on this special day to support the more than 100 Park City nonprofits that make this beautiful ski town an incredible place to live. 2. Park City nonprofits collaborate and go out of their way to assist each other through mentoring and sharing resources, by volunteering at the other’s events, and in partnering on programs that will help both to thrive. The individuals who make up these organizations are examples of their mission. They are not consumed by competition or rivalry. Let’s stand together and acknowledge the wonderful attitudes and deeds of all of our fellow community members. I will smile on Nov. 8 knowing we will strive to be an example of how we can not only get along but help each other succeed. Aimee Armer People’s Health Clinic development director The Park Record Staff PUBLISHER ....................... Andy Bernhard Editor ................................... Bubba Brown Staff Writers ......................Jay Hamburger Scott Iwasaki Alexander Cramer Ryan Kostecka Contributing ............................. Tom Clyde Writers Jay Meehan Teri Orr Amy Roberts Tom Kelly Joe Lair Copy Editor ............................ James Hoyt Three stand out Editor: We have a number of qualified candidates for the current Park City Council election, but three of the six stand out above the rest: Deanna Rhodes, Nann Worel and Max Doilney. I urge all my neighbors to vote for these three candidates. Moreover, Deanna Rhodes deserves extra special mention. Personally, I disagree with some of her platform but I feel she’ll make a great addition to City Council with her diversified background and openness to new ideas. Paul Zane Pilzer Park City Rhodes for Council Editor: She is a competent, and brave. She is graced with diplomacy, and leans into the power of coming together, not creating or supporting divides. She understands to succeed as a community, the win happens when we find the common ground and stand firmly in it. She is willing to be vulnerable enough to put herself out there. She shows up with compassion, and with mad capabilities. She is a staunch supporter of the LGBTQ+ populations, as evidenced by the official endorsement of Equality Utah (along with Councilmember Nann Worel). She was integral in the Women’s March in Park City — coordinating parking, transportation and volunteers. Think back to that one. Sundance in full swing, along with a raging snowstorm, and on approach were thousands of pink-hatted marchers driving in from near and far, for what would become front-page news in our state, the New York Times and other publications. She was able to wrangle it all, keeping the edges down for a historic event. Imagine what she could do in Council quarters. I am delighted to endorse and applaud Deanna Rhodes for Council. Ginger Tolman Old Town Civilized dialogue Editor: As a first year Masters student of social work, it would not be hard to guess what my position on “Welcoming Schools” might be. However, what is most disturbing to me around this particular fight is not the content of the argument, but the intent. Waging an anonymous argument under the moniker of “Stop Welcoming Schools” as a counter measure to a group of educators attempting to “create gender inclusive schools and prevent bias-based bullying” only underscores the problem. It is my view that beyond the surface goal of administering curriculum, schools are about human relationships. The integrity of a school and its core values can only be upheld if civilized dialogue remains front and center amongst its adults. Anonymity only creates an atmosphere of fear, distrust and divisiveness. Whatever the issue and whatever your position, sucker punching “Welcoming Schools” from the shadows will not only not be effective, it will ultimately be destructive and corrosive to your own community. So it would be my wish for those Trailside families that feel defiled by the “Welcoming Schools” program ... to come out, come out, whoever you are. Show your face, speak your piece and perhaps some understanding can be cultivated in that way. Sophie Elliott Park City Engagement Editor............. Jeff Dempsey Photographer .........................Tanzi Propst Circulation Manager ............. Lacy Brundy Accounting Manager ......... Jennifer Snow ADVERTISING Advertising Director ........... Valerie Spung Advertising Sales ................... Jodi Hecker Lindsay Lane Sharon Bush Emma Fedorwich Director of Digital Marketing .. Tina Wismer Production Director ..................Ben Olson Production ......................... Louise Mohorn Taxing problem for US Editor: Having just finished tax season. I work hard to have truthful, honest tax returns for the clients. As a CPA, a tax return reflects how a client operates. The tax return tells all the businesses and investments the individual has a vested interest therefore the sources of income. It is a problem when the leader of the United States is unwilling to disclose the tax returns. This unwillingness for disclosure points in the direction parent who has apprehension about the program has the right to speak up, just as they might question the math curriculum or a reading assignment or anything else that involves their child’s education. The problem — or one of them — is that the opposition group, which claims to represent parents of Trailside students, has gone about raising its concerns in a harmful way. The group has hid behind the veil of anonymity and sought to drum up support by sending out emails loaded with extravagant claims to parents and other community members under the moniker Stop Welcoming Schools Utah. We encourage the group to instead come out of the shadows and participate in an open community discussion in which the district can appropriately address any valid concerns about the program. That would doubtless be more productive than the cloak-and-dagger approach. It’s telling that the group has hitched its wagon to the Pacific Justice Institute, whose chief counsel is a signatory on the cease-and-desist letter sent to the district on the group’s behalf. The organization bills itself as a nonprofit dedicated to the legal defense of religious freedom and parental rights but has for years promoted an anti-LGBTQ agenda and has been labeled by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group. In one of the anonymous emails Stop Welcoming Schools sent to community members, it states that its members are not bigots and are instead merely interested in preserving their right to raise their children as they choose. That could be true. But as the saying goes, you can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep. And in this case, that says plenty. guest editorial We can have a debate about Welcoming Schools, but let’s do so with the facts LARA VALDES-POSTULA Park City What began as an innocent intention to do what’s best for our children turned into weeks of ugly back and forth emails from an anonymous group of mothers at Trailside Elementary school. This is a group some might say feel more comfortable dictating non-factual information than starting a mature open-minded debate. It’s a group some may consider bigots, or fearing diversity in a world that is ever changing. Here is how the Welcoming Schools nightmare began. Carolyn Synan, the Trailside principal, sent a welcomeback-to-school note to parents that included this paragraph. “I’m excited to announce the Trailside Staff will be going through professional development the next few years, called Welcoming Schools ... for more information please go to the following website: welcomingschools.org. I am also happy to answer any questions.” If you click on that, this is what you’ll see: “... The nation’s premier professional development program providing training and resources to elementary school educators to embrace family diversity, create LGBTQ and gender inclusive schools, prevent bias based bullying, and support transgender and non-binary students.” And this is what was sent out as spam by this anonymous group a few weeks later: “Are you aware of what our schools intend to teach our Pre-K through 5th grade students about sex? ... Welcoming Schools is a program that will teach our elementary-aged children subject matter that we feel is not age-appropriate and is anti-science. ... It’s an LGBTQ indoctrination program and sex education program funded by the Human Rights Campaign. ... One would be foolish to believe that this is a simple anti-bullying program that makes schools welcome to ‘all.’ This program ... teaches children as young as four years old about homosexual marriage and human sexuality, as well as gender fluidity.” and indicates that the POTUS is hiding something. The security of the U.S. could be at stake! Is Trump protecting his investments in foreign countries such as the two Trump towers located in Istanbul, Turkey? How did this affect the decision to pull out of Syria, giving Erdogan (a dictator) exactly what was wanted? Holly A. Carlin Park City Some things don’t change Editor: On behalf of the PCHS class of 1999 reunion committee, I would like to thank the Boneyard Saloon and Soaring Wings International Montessori School for hosting our reunion events. The weekend was a great success and it was amazing to see many of our PCHS friends come back to celebrate! Park City has changed a lot since we started kindergarten. In 1986 there was only one elementary school, Parley’s Park. For our small grade of about 90 kids that meant many of us from Deer Valley to Summit Park had to ride the bus. In those days we all experienced a two-lane S.R. 224 and if you rode the Old Town/Deer Valley bus you had to hang on for dear life as the bus maneuvered its way down Hillside Avenue during even the driest of days. Park City has definitely changed since 1986 and 1999, but what hasn’t changed is Huh? Ok, so wait... How did a Utah approved, anti-bullying campaign, geared towards training TEACHERS, somehow turn into sex education for elementary kids? Does anyone truly believe that the school district would allow one principal to implement this? Does anybody else feel that perhaps a few steps were skipped here? After more nasty emails were sent, I chose to speak out in support. Here is part of my email: “Everything that I have seen and read about Carolyns’ vision of WS, seems practical, logical. ... If this is an LGBTQ focused curriculum, and you are not a ‘bigot’ or you have a ‘live and let live’ attitude (your words) then your focus must be about ... what is deemed an appropriate teaching tool in the schools for educating (children) about a man loving another man, a woman loving another woman, a teenager feeling that they were born as the wrong gender etc. ... Why the angry emails hiding behind an anonymous signature? Why are you ‘blind CC’ing’ everyone so that it’s impossible to ‘Reply All’ and voice one’s opinion? Why is this not a group that simply wants to open up a dialogue in a public forum ... in a mature and intelligent fashion?” My letter was much longer, and yes I signed my name to it. Three days later, Carolyn Synan and Jill Gildea were served cease-and-esist letters supported by the Pacific Justice Institute. You’ll be shocked at what you’ll find if you dig deeper on that group. So much for opening up a mature conversation! Note: please visit stmarysparkcity.com to read a beautifully written statement regarding the church’s position on Welcoming Schools. They don’t have one! So here’s the Bottom line ... let’s talk about this. Let’s behave as educated, loving adults that want the best for our kids! We need to get the TRUTH out to our community about Welcoming Schools and what it actually encompasses, because at this point, it’s been portrayed with lies. Email letstalkwelcomingschools@gmail.com to get the full versions of all emails, and letters. We’ll answer any questions you have, with nothing but the facts! the generosity and hospitality of many locally owned businesses like Boneyard and Soaring Wings. These businesses are what continue to make Park City a wonderful place to raise kids and keep the small-town charm that so many of us cherish. The days of busing the Old Town kids to Parley’s are long gone, however not all is lost from those 1986 bus routes. The Old Town/Deer Valley bus still follows a similar route on the way to McPolin Elementary and it’s with immense gratitude that I have the opportunity to wait at the same bus stop as in 1986 and watch my nephew (sixth-generation Parkite) as he experiences what it’s like to be a Park City kid riding the bus! Tana Toly Old Town Create welcoming spaces Editor: I was sorry to read about the attempt to block LGBTQ+ diversity training for teachers. Studies have shown that knowing how to provide a safe space for our at-risk LGBTQ+ youth not only supports them, but benefits all of the youth in the school. If any educator in Summit County, or anywhere in the state of Utah, would like to get LGBTQ+ diversity training, they are all welcome to attend the Encircle Summit on Dec. 7 in Lehi. Encircle, a family and youth LGBTQ+ resource center based in Salt Lake City, Provo and St. George, is hosting a oneday LGBTQ+ Summit for youth, young adults, parents, educators and allies. The educator track will provide CE credits, a resource kit to take back to school and workshop sessions that will support educators’ efforts to create more inclusive educational spaces for LGBTQ+ youth. Workshop leaders include professors, researchers and individuals who are gender nonconforming and who will share their personal experiences. If you know of any youth or young adults who would like to come, let them know that it is a great day for them as well. Kalen Allen, Miles McKenna, Peppermint and Cammie Scott are just a few of the celebrities who are coming in to support them. Their parents are also welcome as there is a track for them as well. In total, we are expecting over 1,500 individuals to attend and we are still in need of volunteers so truly, there is a place for everyone at the Encircle Summit. All teachers should have training to support some of our most at-risk youth and know how to make our schools safe spaces. Please come join us at the Encircle Summit to learn how to make our schools welcoming spaces for all of our youth. For information about the Summit and to register, go to encirclesummit. org Karen Hammerman Park City |