The Millcreek City Council on Monday announced it would be wading into the pool of elected leaders denouncing a member of Utah’s Board of Education for a social media post that led to a student becoming a target for online bullying.
The council will be holding a meeting Monday, where the members “will be considering a Resolution … to call for the resignation of State School Board Member Natalie Cline,” according to a statement.
“We have kids in our city who go to school with the girl that was targeted, and we want to show our support,” Mike Winder, city manger for Millcreek said. “We’re a very inclusive community, and it really hurts when anyone, especially a child, is being bullied.”
Winder went on to say in his statement that they want to show that no matter who you are or what you look like, you should be proud to be in your own body to do what you want to do.
“Our Mayor and council want to make a strong statement tonight, and we call on Natalie Cline to resign,” Winder said.
The unsigned resolution continues below in full:
A RESOLUTION OF THE MILLCREEK COUNCIL ADDING MILLCREEK’S VOICE TO THE MANY OTHERS DEMANDING STATE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER NATALIE CLINE OWN UP TO HER ACTIONS BY IMMEDIATELY RESIGNING HER ELECTED POST.
WHEREAS, the Millcreek Council (“Council”) met in regular session on February 12, 2024 to consider, among other things, approving a resolution adding Millcreek’s voice to the many others demanding State School Board Member Natalie Cline own up to her actions by immediately resigning her elected post; and
WHEREAS, the Millcreek community deplores bullying of our children in any form, especially when done by an adult, and especially when that adult is an elected official who must be held to a higher standard; and
WHEREAS, State School Board Member Natalie Cline posted a photo of a girls high school basketball player on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, falsely implying that she is transgender, and through her reckless and cruel post encouraged online vitriol and threats in the comments that put that student, her team, her school, and her community in danger; and
WHEREAS, this is not the first time Board Member Cline has made false, inflammatory, divisive, and unfair social media posts about our public schools, students, and teachers; for which she has been formally reprimanded by the State School Board multiple times; and
WHEREAS, Millcreek students attend high schools in the Granite School District where this bullying was targeted and is damaging to our community; and
WHEREAS, on February 9, 2024, the Granite School District Board overwhelming voted calling on “colleagues from school boards throughout the state and other elected officials to join us in demanding Board member Cline’s immediate resignation from the State Board of Education”; and
WHEREAS, Millcreek desires to send a formal message of love and support to the targeted young woman athlete, her family, her team, her school, our school district, and any others who may feel hurt and shame from Board Member Cline’s online actions.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Council that Millcreek adds its voice to the many others demanding State School Board Member Natalie Cline own up to her actions by immediately resigning her elected post. This Resolution assigned No. 24-07, shall take effect immediately on passage.
PASSED AND APPROVED by the Millcreek Council this ____ day of February 2024.
MILLCREEK COUNCIL
By: ______________________________________
Bev Uipi, Mayor Pro Tempore
ATTEST:
________________________________
Alex Wendt, Deputy City Recorder
Midvale City Council also joined in asking for Cline’s resignation on Friday. In their statement, they said Cline was incapable of acting in the best interest of Midvale students and their families.
