Katharine Biele

1 day ago | cityweekly.net | Katharine Biele

Hit: Getting SchooledIt's not over till it's over. But for now, education in Utah can bask in a win or two. First, let's talk about vouchers. A judge ruled that the Utah First All Scholarship is unconstitutional because it doesn't "fit all." Of course, the ruling will be appealed, as legislative leadership thinks it takes away parents' ability to seek the best outcomes for their kids. Voucher advocates say students have already had transformative experiences—although there is no data to prove it.

1 week ago | cityweekly.net | Katharine Biele

Miss: College TrySometimes you have to lose to win. But when money's involved, humanity gives way to institutions. We are seeing this now more than ever as the president wields his tariff gun, as he threatens law firms with stripping their access and, of course, as he bleeds universities of their very essence. The lobotomizing of education may be the most serious peril we face.

2 weeks ago | cityweekly.net | Katharine Biele

Miss: Freedom of AssemblyIn Utah, it's a matter of church and state—and the dichotomy was evident last weekend. The semiannual LDS General Conference saw throngs of modest followers converge on the Salt Lake Temple, while thousands of sign-toting protesters marched to the Capitol. While the Mormons called for charity and even "reverence for sacred things in an irreverent world," protesters were showing irreverence to call attention to the Trump administration's scorched-earth policies.

3 weeks ago | cityweekly.net | Katharine Biele

Miss: Final ScenesNow that the Legislature has wrapped up, citizens are processing the damage with just one word—embarrassing. The damage done to Utah, once a model of good sense, is incalculable. Where to start? Gov. Spencer Cox signed a bill that will ultimately end vote-by-mail, not because there was anything wrong with it. Instead, it was a nod to conspiracy theorists.

4 weeks ago | cityweekly.net | Katharine Biele

Miss: Tesla TerrorismAs governor, Spencer Cox has a unique opportunity to speak out for the people he serves. We have yet to see it. Instead, he appears to get his marching orders from a higher authority—and it's not God. Most recently, he's been excoriating protesters—sort of. "People should protest to their heart's content—and they should be imprisoned for any property damage or breaking of any laws," Cox was quoted in the Deseret News.