MURRAY, Utah, Feb. 14, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Meeting in special session Tuesday evening, the Murray City Council joined the chorus of voices calling for the resignation of Utah State Board of Education member Natalie Cline.
The Murray council unanimously passed a resolution condemning the “cyberbullying” by Cline last week on social media when she questioned the gender of a student athlete.
Cline later deleted the post but not before the Granite School District said it had to take steps to ensure the student’s safety after the virulent response to the post, a response which included naming the student and her school.
The Murray resolution called for Cline’s “immediate resignation” saying of the student’s family “Their daughter is our daughter.”
The action Tuesday follows a similar resolution Monday from the Millcreek City Council and a statement posted online Monday by the Salt Lake City Council, both calling for Cline’s resignation.
“Utah State Board of Education member Natalie Cline’s reported actions of bullying a high school student are deeply troubling and unequivocally condemned by the Salt Lake City Council.”
The Utah State Board of Education has announced it will meet with Cline in closed session Wednesday, according to media reports, and the Utah Legislature is reportedly considering taking action. The Canyons School District and the Jordan School District were to meet to consider a response to the Cline controversy Tuesday as was the Murray School District on Thursday.
Last week on Friday the Midvale City Council issued a public letter calling for Cline to resign, the same day the Granite School District Board of Education meeting in special session passed a resolution demanding her resignation.
Two days earlier Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson issued a joint statement condemning Cline’s comments as an embarrassment to the entire state, asking the Utah State Board of Education to “hold her accountable.”
The same day Cline issued a statement on her Facebook page, where her original comments were published, saying, “I previously shared a public advertisement for a school basketball game that was sent to me by multiple concerned parents, and it created a firestorm around one of the players pictured.
“Personal information as well as derogatory comments about the player were made by several commenters. To protect the player, I have removed the post.
“My deepest apologies for the negative attention my post drew to innocent students and their families.” She has since limited her Facebook comments to several memes trumpeting free speech.
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