SALT LAKE CITY – Four Utah legislators are concerned with the Board of Education’s quick process to select the new superintendent of public education.
Current superintendent Larry Shumway announced his resignation on Sept. 7. The board has opened the position to applicants and plans to make a decision next month.
The legislators issued a statement saying the process is far too quick and may miss some qualified candidates. They worry the board is too concerned about filling the position before the upcoming legislative session.
“I thought that the process worked well enough. It’s important enough long-term that for the short-term issue of the approaching session, we might be short-sided and we probably should have that process be as long as it needs to be much like it was three years ago,” said Rep. Greg Hughes, R-Draper.
With Hughes, Senators Howard Stephenson, R-Salt Lake, Utah Counties, Margaret Dayton, R-Utah County, and Representative Daniel McCay, R-Salt Lake County, published a statement on the matter.
Board Chair Debra Roberts says the time has nothing to do with the November elections. They want Shumway to have time to train his replacement for the legislative session.
