WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — Vanguard Academy is addressing the elephant in the room, arguing that the public charter school is being punished and discriminated against for polygamy.
In 2022, Vanguard Academy promised to hire a new director and new board members without conflicts of interest. A FOX 13 News investigation in May discovered those statements were untrue; the school continued to defy the state’s orders by appointing family members.— Adam Herbets August 24, 2022 Some lawmakers questioned whether the SCSB was doing enough to hold Vanguard Academy accountable, hinting at the possibility of a legislative audit.
"You’re talking to the right people, and you’re asking so many good questions. They were questions that were overlooked." pic.twitter.com/ffPwKCxyNqFor more than a year, members of the SCSB have been tiptoeing around the topic of religion. “People who leave the group and publicly talk about it are automatically evil: ‘They’re enemies. They’re demons. They’re going to hell now. They’re turning away from God. They’re betraying us,’” DeRieux described. “For the school to have to replace their board members? I’m thrilled about that... Hopefully it forces them to be more transparent.”
According to the Davis County Cooperative Society website, membership in the cooperative is “no different than two individuals paying tithing to the same church... the DCCS strongly opposes this type of discrimination against our members.” The practice continues to this day, although the school’s incoming board will likely reexamine Vanguard Academy’s existing vendor contracts.