SALT LAKE CITY — A district court judge has ruled that the Salt Lake City School District's sole reliance on virtual learning does not violate students' constitutional rights.
Third District Judge Adam Mow denied a motion for preliminary injunction seeking the reopening of Salt Lake schools for an in-person learning option four days a week, noting that the group of parents who filed the lawsuit failed to meet their heightened burden for a mandatory preliminary injunction that would alter the status quo.
With a nod to local control of schools, Mow wrote, "Under Utah law and Utah State Board of Education guidelines, elected local district school boards have the authority to make that decision for their respective students. Clearly, some students in Salt Lake City School District have struggled with online instruction, which has resulted in academic, emotional, financial and other issues. But this court's task is not to determine whether the board made the best decision or to substitute its judgment for that of the board."