House Education committee advances civics, flag and curriculum bills; holds directory-sharing measure

The Utah House Education Standing Committee on Feb. 11 heard public testimony and took formal action on a series of education bills, advancing several and holding one measure for further work. Committee members approved changes to secondary civics instruction, adopted a substitute and amendments restricting political flag displays in public buildings, approved limits on outside providers in school sex‑education, passed a bill protecting certain public‑employee speech, and amended the Utah Fits All scholarship program; they held a proposal on school directory sharing by a 7–6 vote.

The committee moved most measures with comparatively brief debate but extensive public testimony. Supporters and opponents routinely framed testimony around parental choice, student safety and privacy, and local control. Several items drew large public turnouts and prolonged public-comment periods that the committee limited to keep the agenda moving.

HB 381 — civics education: Representative Phil Walton presented HB 381 to expand required high‑school social‑studies credits from 3.0 to 3.5 and convert the half‑credit U.S. government course into a full 1.0‑credit course titled American Constitutional Government and Citizenship. Walton said the change is intended to give teachers more time to cover constitutional foundations, federalism, and state and local government, and to emphasize primary documents (Declaration of Independence, Federalist/Anti‑Federalist writings, Mayflower Compact, Iroquois material and Lincoln‑Douglas debates). Representative McPherson moved and the committee adopted House Amendment 1; the committee then voted unanimously to pass HB 381 as amended out of committee. Public comment included classroom teachers, policy advocates and several community members who spoke in favor of expanded civics instruction.

HB 303 — public‑school directory sharing amendments: Representative Acton presented a bill that would require limited, encrypted directory transfers of name/address/email/grade level among public LEAs to help charter schools reach families about educational opportunities. Sponsors and supporters said transfers would be governed by FERPA rules and parents could opt out; opponents — including the Utah PTA and school board representatives — urged…