Some parents organizing to oppose district splits

Posted: 12:51 PM- Often to their surprise, some parents in the Alpine and Murray school districts are learning efforts to possibly split the Jordan and Granite districts may affect Alpine and Murray schools as well.

Increasingly, they're organizing to make sure their concerns are addressed before the efforts move forward.

If the Jordan district splits, children living in Draper could all end up in a new east-side school district being considered by Draper, Sandy, Cottonwood Heights, Midvale, Alta and a portion of Salt Lake County. A 2006 Utah law allows cities to unite to form new school districts if residents in their cities approve deconsolidation.

Draper children now are in two districts because the boundary between Utah and Salt Lake counties divides the city. The majority of children on the Utah County side go to Alpine schools, while children on the Salt Lake County side primarily attend Jordan schools.

Most upset by a potential Jordan split are the parents of several hundred children living in Draper's SunCrest subdivision who currently attend Alpine schools. Their numbers could increase dramatically as the massive development grows over the years.

And at least some parents want nothing to do with a new east-side district.

"I thought, wait a minute, how can they legally do that?" asked DeLaina Tonks, who has two children in the Alpine district. She is leading an effort to maintain boundaries so her children can continue to attend Alpine schools.

Sen. Carlene Walker, R-Cottonwood Heights, a proponent of Utah law enabling districts to split, thinks the situation is likely solvable.

"I believe in statute Draper has the authority to draw the line so that they can stay in Alpine," she said.

Splitting school districts has been a parent-driven issue and these residents have a "sound case," she said.

"If there's a simple way to draw that line so those people can continue to go to Alpine that would be my desire," Walker said.

Tonks founded BetterBoundaries.org to voice her concerns and rally parents to her cause. Being forced to attend a new school would mean a significantly longer bus trips for SunCrest children, not to mention different classrooms, parents say.

"We chose to live on the Utah County side specifically to attend Utah County schools," Tonks said.

A similar effort is under way in Murray, where that city has been invited to join Holladay, South Salt Lake and a portion of Salt Lake County to form a new district by paring off the east side of Granite district.

Most affected in Murray are residents annexed into the city several years ago. Three schools - Cottonwood High School and Woodstock and Twin Peaks elementary schools - fell within Murray boundaries after the annexation, but remained in the Granite district even though Murray has its own school district.

Now, some parents whose children attend those schools have organized to urge Murray City to decline the invitation to join neighbors considering forming a new district.

"It would not save the taxpayers any money or improve anything," said Bill Finch, who is leading the effort. "It won't make a difference in the education and taxes will go up with a lot more administration costs."

Murray has until July 26 to decide how it will proceed.

If it decides to participate and the effort to form a new district survives a public vote, students who were annexed into Murray would become part of the new district.

If Murray decides not to participate and the deconsolidation effort succeeds, the three schools within Murray City boundaries that are now part of the Granite district would become part of the Murray district.

That could create a difficult scenario for Murray district, particularly in the case of Cottonwood High, Superintendent Richard Tranter said.

If his district were to inherit Cottonwood, it would get the school without many of the students currently enrolled there because many live on the west-side of the Granite district and therefore would remain with that district if a split occurs.

Murray district would not have the enrollment to support two high schools, raising the possibility that one may have to close.

Woodstock and Twin Peaks likely would not be similarly affected because their school populations would move with the schools, he said.

Murray district has taken no position because information gathering is ongoing, Tranter said. "There are longer arms to this than people realize," he said.

Stacey Sturt, who lives in Murray neighborhood where schools are part of Granite district, said many of her neighbors don't want Murray City to join the effort to form a new district.

She joined about 70 others who attended a meeting at Woodstock this week in saying more discussion is needed and urging community leaders not to rush into any decisions.

Murray City Council wants to hear all residents' concerns before it decides whether to join neighbors in their effort to form a new district, council Chairwoman Krista Dunn said.

It plans at least one more community meeting that will be well-publicized.