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TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2013
THE SOUTHWEST BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER SAYS ITS WORKING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO CUT DOWN ON SUICIDES IN SOUTHERN UTAH…ESPEICALLY SUICIDE AMONG THE YOUTH. MICHAEL DEAL IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER. IN 2012, UTAH LOST 23-YOUNG PEOPLE, AGES 10 TO 17, TO SUICIDE. OUR STATE RANKS 10TH IN THE NATION FOR SUICIDES AND 5TH IN THE NATION FOR YOUTH SUICIDES. DEAL SAYS THEY’RE WORKING WITH A GRANT FROM THE WASHINGTON COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT TO MAKE YOUTH THERAPISTS AVAILABLE IN DISTRICT SCHOOLS.
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UTAH SENATOR MIKE LEE HAS JOINED THE BATTLE OVER ‘COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS. HE’S SIGNED A LETTER ASKING SENATE BUDGET LEADERS TO ‘RESTORE STATE DECISION-MAKING AND ACCOUNTABILITY’. HE JOINS EIGHT OTHER REPUBLICAN SENATORS IN SENDING A LETTER TO THE CHAIRMAN AND RANKING MEMBER OF THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE. THAT COMMITTEE FUNDS EDUCATION. THE LETTER ASKS THAT ANY FUTURE EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS BILLS INCLUDE LANGUAGE THAT PROHIBITS THE SECRETARY OF EDUCATION, FROM USING THE MONEY TO IMPLEMENT OR REQUIRE THE STANDARDS, IN ANY WAY, IN HOPES OF ELIMINATING ‘FURTHER INTERFERENCE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WITH RESPECT TO STATE DECISIONS ON ACADEMIC STANDARDS. PROPONENTS OF THE STANDARDS HAVE LONG FOUGHT THE AGAINST ARGUMENTS THAT THEY ARE FEDERAL DEVELOPED OR IMPOSED. THE UTAH STATE SCHOOL BOARD ADOPTED THE STANDARDS IN 2010. THE STANDARDS OUTLINE THE CONCEPTS AND SKILLS STUDENTS SHOULD LEARN IN EACH GRADE, WHILE LEAVING CURRICULUM DECISIONS UP TO LOCAL TEACHERS AND DISTRICTS.
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SMOKING WILL SOON BE TABOO ON THE DIXIE STATE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS. TRUSTEES HAVE APPROVED A RESOLUTION BANNING TOBACCO USE ON CAMPUS WITH FULL IMPLEMENTATION TO BE IN PLACE FOR THE 2014-2015 SCHOOL YEAR. THE BAN FOLLOWS A THREE-YEAR STUDY BY FORMER NURSING STUDENTS. THE RESOLUTION DIRECTS THE SCHOOL’S BOARD TO ESTABLISH A FORMAL POLICY. IT WILL UNDERGO PEER REVIEW BEFORE RETURNING TO THE BOARD FOR A FINAL VOTE IN SEPTEMBER. THE GRADUAL ROLL-OUT OF THE SMOKING BAN BEGINS DURING THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR.
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WHEN UTAH DEMOCRATS MEET IN JUNE, THEY’LL DECIDE WHETHER TO JETTISON THE CAUCUS SYSTEM THAT’S BEEN USED TO NOMINATE CANDIDATES SINCE UTAH’S STATEHOOD. PARTY CHAIR JIM DABAKIS SAYS THE DECISION WILL BE IN THE HANDS OF DELEGATES TO THE STATE CONVENTION. THE MOVE COMES AS A GROUP OF PROMINENT REPUBLICANS, WHO CALL THEMSELVES ‘COUNT MY VOTE’, ARE CONSIDERING LAUNCHING A BALLOT INITIATIVE THAT WOULD GIVE CANDIDATES A WAY TO GET ON THE PRIMARY ELECTION BALLOT WITHOUT HAVING TO WIN SUPPORT FROM PARTY DELEGATES. DABAKIS SAYS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS REFUSED TO LET ITS MEMBERS VOTE UP OR DOWN ON THE PROPOSAL.
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