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Show Viewpoints The A-11 Park Record. Wed/Thurs/Fri, November 6-8, 2019 editorial Park City unites, once again, in support of a treasured tradition t is a day both Parkites and the nonprofits they support have had circled on their calendars for months. Eight years after the Park City Community Foundation created Live PC Give PC to benefit the dozens of nonprofits throughout the area, the annual 24-hour day of giving has grown into one of the most anticipated events of the year. On Friday, it returns. We will rally once again under the Live PC Give PC banner and attempt to reach a remarkable goal: 5,000 individual donors contributing to the cause. Getting there will be a tall order, but when it comes to this event, we’ve never let that stop us. Parkites, no doubt, will rise to the challenge because we know what is at stake. The nonprofits we’ll support on Friday are a pillar of our community, and many are aiming to tackle vital issues that affect us all. And they can’t do it without our help. Regardless of how many donors pitch in or how much money is raised, though, this much is certain: Those who participate will share an experience that will leave them inspired to do even more to make our community a special place. That’s particularly meaningful in times like this, when I Continued from A-10 Letters to the editor er, safer and happier. Right here. Right now. On behalf of the People’s Health Clinic, our dedicated volunteer health care professionals, and most importantly our patients ... thank you efor your generous partnership and -support. o yBeth Armstrong -People’s Health Clinic executive director Leave politics out of it Our country’s founding principles are rooted in individual freedoms and liberties as well as equal opportunity for all. Unfortunately, imperfect humans have not perfectly implemented these ideals. Americans should be grateful to those who sacrificed to protect and ensure a more equitable application of these principles. Unfortunately, many are not. To end slavery, those labeled Republican put their lives on the line. For LGBTQ rights, those labeled Democrat led the fight. All groups contain good and bad people. Yes, historically Republicans opposed LGBTQ equality. However, the hood-wearing Klansmen Andrew Caplan invoked who opposed blacks’ civil liberties were Democrats. Every modern-day U.S. president, even Barack Obama, stated unequivocally: “Marriage is between one man and one woman.” Both political parties supported positions now considered against our founding principles. Some faulted my recent guest editorial because I didn’t mention their favored oppressor or oppressed group. The point is, we have all been the oppressed or oppressors, some intentionally, others unwittingly. We all have crosses we bear. We pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and move on; hopefully, as better people as a result of the challenges we overcame. Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes has implemented a suicide prevention program, which is available to anyone from any group who feels the need to reach out for help. The suicide prevention specialists do not know what the person looks like, with whom they sleep, how they identify, or their political affiliation when they answer that call or text. Yet, the program has been tremendously successful and suicide 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 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 Fedorowich Director of Digital Marketing .. Tina Wismer Production Director ..................Ben Olson Production ......................... Louise Mohorn rates in Utah have begun to fall. Bullying affects everyone. Time to stop choosing sides based on labels and identity politics! Some wrongly suggested that I support the exclusion of LGBTQ families from an anti-bullying agenda. While the Human Rights Campaign has done important work for the LGBTQ community, its Welcoming Schools program is too partisan. My opposition is to a political group training our teachers; not to this group nor its advocacy. This affiliation politicizes an issue that should be galvanizing our community, not dividing it. Politics must be left out. Myriad apolitical anti-bullying programs exist. Let’s implement one! guest editorial Dissenting opinions are fine, but actions of some in our community have crossed a line Allison Cook Park City Welcoming Schools dispute is unsurprising I would like to know more about the decision by the Park City School administrators to select the Welcoming Schools program ostensibly to deal with bullying in the Trailside Elementary School. There are lots of anti-bullying programs available for schools to choose from, many of which have a much broader scope than the Welcoming Schools program, which to a great extent focuses on gender and LGBTQ inclusiveness. I would like to know what other programs were considered, what costs are involved and what factors led to the choice of Welcoming Schools over the other programs. How much time will be taken away from regular instruction for this program? How are the Park City schools cooperating with state and federal efforts to deal with bullying? The Utah Anti-Bullying Coalition has a wide range of programs that qualify for funding, and the federal government has programs available under its stopbullying.gov website which is managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Over the years a lot of anti-bullying programs have been tried and have failed. One of the most successful is a research-based anti-bullying program called KiVa, which is now Finland’s national anti-bullying program. That might be a good program to study. I am not surprised that the selection of the Welcoming Schools program has been met with resistance. Every time in the past that I’ve seen a new program introduced in the schools that borders on, or deals with sex education, it has resulted in a noisy dispute. I can’t think of a better way to divide the community and undermine support for education than to introduce a new and potentially controversial program without explaining the alternatives and seeking public comment prior to making a choice. That is what experienced and competent school administrators do. In instances where an aspect of sex education is involved, Utah law requires prior written parental consent and prohibits reprisals against children who do not participate in sex education instruction. See Utah Code section 53G-10-403. The Utah courts will probably require such consents for the Welcoming Schools program to proceed. F. Joseph Feely III Park City all it takes is a glance at social media to get caught up in the things that divide us. Nationally, the political rancor is suffocating and will only worsen as the impeachment inquiry unfolds and the 2020 election nears. In Park City, we are not immune to the venom, an unfortunate fact illustrated most recently by the ongoing debate about the Welcoming Schools program at Trailside Elementary School, a dispute that has spurred vitriol and caused a rift in the community. Live PC Give PC, in contrast, is an opportunity to showcase the best of who we are. An event like this proves that, when it comes down to it, our differences only matter if we let them. More important than party affiliation or our views on the local controversy of the day is our collective willingness to sacrifice for the betterment of our community. In short, Live PC Give PC is evidence of our commitment to being good neighbors. On Friday, Parkites have an opportunity to make good on that pledge once again, as we have every fall since the inaugural event in 2011. Most of us, we’re betting, will seize it. For more information about Live PC Give PC, including a list of the participating nonprofits, visit livepcgivepc.org. ANDREW CAPLAN, ERIN GRADY, WENDY CROSSLAND, KARA HENDRICKSON AND ANNE PETERS Park City Board of Education In regards to current community discussions involving Park City School District, the Board of Education wants to remind the community of the mission and vision for the district created in 2017 through community input and shared collective values and aspirations of our learning organization. Our mission is to inspire and support all students equitably to achieve their academic and social potential. Our vision is student-centered with a focus and emphasis on the whole child — our students are safe, supported, engaged and healthy. When we say “all students” we literally mean all students regardless of their socioeconomic status, their religious beliefs, their immigration status, their sexual preference, their learning ability or any other factors with which students may identify. There has been recent discussion around a professional development module that was presented to teachers at Trailside Elementary in August by the equity officer from the Utah State Board of Education. The program, called “Welcoming Schools,” focuses on anti-bullying and was in a direct response to two forces: specific bullying that our teachers witnessed at that school and state law that mandates anti-bullying programs be adopted at all districts. Given this program is state approved and administered, we did not anticipate the criticism that we have received via anonymous letters, social media posts and threats of legal action. We welcome feedback from parents and community members but ask that this discourse remain civil and that threats of legal action or harassment against specific members of district staff stop immediately. PCSD employees are our friends, neighbors and community members and deserve our respect regardless of differences in opinions. We would also like to address recent criticism and ha- rassment around repairs being done to the district-owned property where the Superintendent and her family live. In response to the community’s desire for the superintendent to live within the district boundaries, the board purchased a residence in Jeremy Ranch. The board decided that purchasing a property was a more efficient use of resources then providing a rent stipend that we would have no equity benefit. Given the superintendent’s residence is 25 years old, repairs were included in the budget for much-needed safety and structural improvements. So far a total budget allocation of $67,000 has been spent. Unfortunately, we are now seeing complaints on social media and in the press that both mischaracterize the maintenance being done and directly attacking the superintendent. These repairs are benefiting the same neighbors who are complaining about the work being done. Please remember that online abuse, including inciting people to go to the house and threaten and harass the superintendent, is not only potentially illegal but also morally wrong. It feels inappropriate in this case, where a parent of the family residing in this residence is working for the children of this community. Most troubling is that this district property was attacked last week when a rock was thrown through one of the windows in response to the vitriol that certain “neighbors” have been posting on a popular social media site. We are embarrassed and ashamed that this is how some members of the neighborhood have welcomed the superintendent and her family to Park City. We value dissenting opinion and comments at all times, but we will not tolerate verbal, written or physical harassment of district employees. This behavior is not only dangerous and illegal but sets a terrible example for the children of Park City. We believe these actions and words belong to a vocal minority and we appeal to the rest of the community, families and individuals who make up the Park City community that we know and love. Please stand up for what is right and push back against those who feel that threats, intimidation and physical violence are better avenues of expression that traditional conversation and discourse. The Park record Pulse Here’s a sampling of the conversation readers are having on our Facebook page. To visit the page, go to Facebook.com/parkrecord/. Be great if they used them and only them. But come on, Lyft and Uber park anywhere they want. Usually double parked.” Scott Moulton, on “Main Street supports Park City taxi, shuttle parking trial, but with concerns” First we have to change the mindset of our society on public transportation. If people are not using the bus why would they use a gondola. This works great in Europe and South America as they are used to public transportation.” Helena Leitner Tummers, on “Park City talks of fighting traffic by constructing gondolas across community” I was at Basin Rec this morning and they had Christmas music on. I put in my earbuds!” Mark Gonnerman, on “For the Record: When is it okay to start listening to Christmas music?” The Park Record attained permission to publish these comments. Some comments may have been lightly edited for clarity. |