The Utah Legislature voted Thursday to censure a conservative state school board member after she questioned a high school basketball player’s gender on a Facebook post earlier this month, eliciting threats against the girl and calls for the board member’s resignation.
Both legislative chambers passed a resolution condemning and censuring Utah State Board of Education member Natalie Cline. The resolution states that Cline’s actions “violate the moral and ethical standards expected of an elected official, particularly one charged with the duty to support our children in public education.”
The measure received unanimous support in the Senate after passing the House earlier Thursday. It was later signed by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who along with Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson denounced Cline’s actions last week saying she had “embarrassed the state.”
The decision comes a day after the state school board approved its own resolution to censure Cline.
The board said Cline will be stripped of her committee assignments, and be prohibited from attending meetings and placing items on the board’s agenda. The board has also asked Cline to resign by Feb. 19.