
Laurel Fetzer
Utah State School Board
District 5

Questions from Jordan Miller- SL Tribune
Latino students are the second largest demographic in Utah Schools. What would it mean to you
to represent one of the state’s most Latino Districts?
The Latino community is a diverse group. The term Latino covers many people from
many countries and many cultures. They have the same academic needs as all their classmates.
Any improvements that I would support as a State School Board member would support the
overall academic standards and expectations in Utah schools for all students. We need to
support each and every student.
To the extent that there are any language barriers present between the parents and teachers,
Utah schools must provide staff that is fluent in the home spoken language to ensure that every
parent has all the information they need to support their child’s education. This is the
requirement for all languages not just Spanish. I am a strong supporter of parents and
improving the communication between schools and parents and teachers and improving the
opportunities for parents to be involved in their child’s education.
What do you hope to do, if elected, to help bridge the educational gaps for the Latino student
community?
I care very much about all the Latino kids in my district- as well as all the other nationalities in
my district. In my household, 5 out of the 6 of us speak Spanish. As a State School Board
Member, I would support policy that improves student outcomes across the board. Improving
students’ literacy, math and science skills will improve the educational gaps that are found in all
demographics. As a state, we need to focus more on our student’s academic opportunities.
Questions from Connor Sanders from The SL Tribune
1. Why are you running?
I am running because I am concerned at the direction of the current State school board leadership
when it comes to the academic focus of our schools. I think that many parents and citizens share
my concerns and are looking for leaders who will support policy to improve the academic
outcomes in Utah. I am a parent of four children who have attended Murray School District
Schools. I have been involved in all of their elementary school classrooms and many secondary
school events and PTA leadership, and community council. I have a good understanding of the
issues that are pertaining to schools.
2. Are there cultural issues in schools that concern you, such as critical
race theory or the teaching of similar topics, social and emotional
learning programs, or the environment for LGBTQ students, and
why?
The academic elites in the federal government and other academic institutions are promoting
cultural change in our schools. This includes teaching inaccurate history, sexual identity and
social ideologies that are divisive. This is concerning to many parents who want their children to
learn academic content at school (reading, writing, math, etc.) and let the culture be taught at
home.
3. Post-pandemic, what do you think the state Board of Education’s
main focus (or focuses) should be in regards to supporting student
learning?
Post-pandemic, the State School Board of Education’s main focus should be to establish high
academic standards and create the environment and necessary scaffolding to help student achieve
those standards. I would help create policy that improves classroom instruction and hands-on
learning with more paper, pencils, and textbooks. I would also support policy that decreases the
dependance on computers.