02-08-2025
Gov. Cox appoints Erin Longacre to Utah State Board of Education vacancy
SALT LAKE CITY () — Governor Cox filled the vacant seat on the state board of education this week by appointing Erin Longacre to represent District 7, which covers the southeast portion of Salt Lake County, the seat left vacant when Dr. Molly Hart was chosen as the state superintendent.
Longacre was appointed on Tuesday, July 29, the Governor's office told and they said that they typically do not announce when they fill a vacancy.
Longacre was one of three finalists chosen by the Republican Party's State Central Committee (SCC) over a month ago, on June 21, and submitted to the Governor for him to appoint. Since outgoing member Dr. Hart was a Republican, state law outlines that the SCC — the party's governing body — submit three names to the Governor.
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'She brings experience in education and a focus on student outcomes and parent engagement,' said Rob Caroll, Communications Director for Governor Spencer Cox. 'Two areas that continue to be priorities for the Governor.'
Longacre, along with her two fellow Republican candidates, Kris Kimball and Glen Burton, were all backed by Natalie Cline and her organization, Higher Ground, which she co-runs with Monica Wilbur. Cline is the former highly controversial school board member who was censured by both the legislature and the governor and stripped of her school board duties by USBE after she falsely and publicly accused a student of being transgender.
Higher Ground labeled Longacre, Kimball, and Burton as their 'three top picks' and 'solidly conservative.' They listed their support for Longacre because they say she has extensive experience in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in schools — two issues that Cline and Wilbur rallied against having in Utah's schools.
'It takes extraordinary courage for anybody going into the USBE's Great and Spacious Building to resist the pressure and deceptions that its entire transformative Global Education agenda depends on,' Wilbur wrote on social media. 'Pray for Erin very hard, she will need all the help she can get.'
In 2022, Longacre also ran against Incumbent Amanda Oaks in the general election for Canyons School District, District 6 in November 2022, but lost that year.
Longacre will serve the remainder of Hart's term until 2026, when voters will weigh in during that year's election.
has reached out to Longacre for comment and is waiting to hear back.
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