Utah’s governor on Thursday put his signature to legislation censuring State Board of Education member Natalie Cline, who appeared to question a teenage girl’s sexual orientation.
Gov. Spencer Cox (R) signed the legislation—which passed Thursday with only two votes against it. The censure defied the girl’s parents’ request to impeach Cline, who appeared to suggest their high school-aged daughter was transgender on social media.
Cline posted a flyer of a Salt Lake City high school basketball team on Facebook on Feb. 6 with the suggestive caption: “Girls’ basketball...” It was later deleted and sparked fury from state officials.
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Cline has repeatedly made inflammatory comments about LGBTQ+ students. She later apologized after learning the girl in question was not transgender, but continued to back the sentiment of her statement, saying that due to the normalization of transgender people in American society that it was “normal to pause and wonder if people are what they say they are,” according to the Associated Press.
The resolution was quickly passed by both of the state’s legislative chambers Thursday. It said the “abhorrent” post, which identified the teenage girl, caused “emotional harm and exposed the student to relentless harassment and bullying, including threats of violence that created a need for additional security at the student’s school.”
“Board member Cline’s actions on February 6 violate the moral and ethical standards expected of an elected official, particularly one charged with the duty to support our children in public education,” it said.
The teenage girl’s father, Al van der Beeken, told the Salt Lake Tribune after the vote: “It’s not the resolution we were hoping for, but it’s a step in the right direction.” The parents wrote an op-ed for the outlet published Thursday morning pleading for impeachment.
The move came a day after the Utah State Board of Education approved a move to censure Board member Natalie Cline and called for her resignation, giving her a deadline of Feb. 19.
“Additionally, she will be removed from all committee assignments, not be allowed to place items on upcoming Board agendas, and prohibited from attending any Board advisory committee meetings,” a statement said.
Republican state Rep. Robert Spendlove, describing the censure as a “serious step” on the House floor Thursday, added impeachment proceedings were not raised because the State Board of Education had already removed Cline from most of her duties.
Cox said after the vote that he—along with “the vast majority of Utahns”— agree that Cline’s behavior was unacceptable.
“I’ve spoken with the student’s parents and I’m heartbroken for this family,” he said. “We agree with the actions of both the State Board of Education and Legislature, and we hope the voters will hold her equally accountable this fall.”
The censure, however, demands no real punishment. She is up for reelection in November, according to the Waco-Tribune Herald.
In a Facebook post Wednesday, Cline said the State Board was “moving so quickly that they are making it impossible for me to read through all the materials they have provided, gather evidence, draft a response, and prepare for a hearing.”
She added in another post that the board was not providing her due process, “which will affect my ability to represent the voice of my constituents.”
