After Natalie Cline’s reelection bid was squashed when she failed to secure delegates’ approval at the Salt Lake County Republican Nominating Convention in April, the Utah state school board’s District 9 seat will see a fresh face following November’s election.
Republican Amanda Bollinger will take on Democrat Will Shiflett for Cline’s current seat. District 9 covers southern Salt Lake County and northern Utah County.
Cline lost the delegate vote after she questioned a high school athlete’s gender in a since-deleted Facebook post. The post caused a social media frenzy and prompted formal condemnation from state lawmakers and local leaders alike. The Utah State Board of Education in February voted to censure Cline and demanded her immediate resignation. Cline ignored the request.
Bollinger is a longtime administrator in the Jordan School District. She previously worked as a special education teacher and coached soccer and basketball in the Granite School District.
Shiflett oversees a business program at Salt Lake Community College.
To better understand the candidates’ positions on issues readers told The Salt Lake Tribune were important in this general election, a reporter reached out to Bollinger and Shiflett with the same set of questions, on topics from the now-voided income tax amendment to book bans.
Bollinger shared her answers with The Tribune, while Shiflett did not respond to the questions. The questions and Bollinger’s answers that appear below may have been edited slightly for length, style or grammar.
Amendment A is now void. But as written, it would have removed the current constitutional requirement that Utah’s income tax revenue be used only for 1) public education, 2) services for children and 3) people with disabilities, allowing lawmakers to direct some of those funds toward a broader range of “state needs.”
Do you support removing that constitutional spending restriction? (Yes or no).
Bollinger: No.
[Shiflett did not respond to Tribune questions]
In 100 words or less, please explain why you do or do not support removing that constitutional spending restriction.
Bollinger: I see the value in diversifying funding, but I oppose Amendment A for three reasons. First, the amendment process missed the timeline for public notice. Second, it combines separate issues — income tax and sales tax — into one amendment, confusing voters. These should be distinct issues. Third, Utah’s education funding is among the lowest nationally. Although funding has increased over the past decade, education laws often pass without sufficient funding, forcing districts to raise property taxes. The Legislature should fully fund educational mandates before reallocating funds to other expenses.
[Shiflett did not respond to Tribune questions]
This year, 13 books were banned from all Utah public schools under a new law requiring a book’s statewide removal if at least three school districts (or at least two school districts and five charter schools) determine it amounts to “objective sensitive material.”
The law grants USBE members the opportunity to overturn statewide bans if at least three members move to hold a vote.
If elected, would you exercise this option for future bans? If so, under what circumstances? Please explain in 100 words or less.
Bollinger: I firmly believe that pornography and sensitive materials are inappropriate for K-12 schools. However, I also support local control. If a statewide ban doesn’t align with the “objective sensitive material” law, or if local districts deem it inappropriate for a specific book, I might consider overturning the ban. This would enable local districts to decide. Given the new law’s complexities, decisions must be made case-by-case, involving parents, teachers, librarians, schools, districts and policymakers. Collaboration is essential to ensure decisions are appropriate and consider all relevant factors.
[Shiflett did not respond to Tribune questions]
Do you support the use of state-funded vouchers to cover private school tuition and homeschooling expenses in Utah? (Yes or no)
Bollinger: No.
[Shiflett did not respond to Tribune questions]
In 100 words or less, please explain why you do or do not support the use of state-funded vouchers to cover private school tuition and homeschooling expenses in Utah.
Bollinger: I support school choice and believe parents should choose the best educational setting for their children. However, education is a public service, and taxpayer dollars should benefit the state’s common good. To remain fiscally conservative, public funds should stay in public schools, as private and homeschool programs lack equivalent accountability of taxpayer dollars. Existing scholarships cater to special needs students, ensuring transparency and support. Any additional funding should first address Utah’s low per-pupil spending to enhance public education for all students, rather than vouchers for only a small percentage of Utah students. This approach ensures improvements in public education quality.
[Shiflett did not respond to Tribune questions]
