Dixie High School student conducts survey in hopes for future human rights commission

Stock image | St. George News

ST. GEORGE — In hopes of creating a human rights commission in St. George, a high school student created a survey to discover how many minorities in the area feel that they experience discrimination.

Andrew Larkin, a senior at Dixie High School, said he thinks the way minorities are treated in St. George is different than other areas in Utah.

“Ever since I moved from Salt Lake City,” Larkin said, “I’ve noticed that minorities are treated differently here. And that doesn’t mean everybody does it. That would be unfair of me to say.”

At school, he said he’s witnessed LGBTQ students being “called names.”

A human rights commission is a body set up to protect and promote human rights, and in order to create one in St. George, Larkin has to prove it’s needed. He said it would be ideal for at least 100 people to take the survey, so he can compare those numbers to national numbers.

He then needs to present the data to Mayor Jon Pike. As a member of the St. George Youth City Council, Larkin said meeting with the mayor should be easy.

The survey includes three questions:

  • Have you experienced discrimination or prejudice regarding your race, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, class, housing situation, et cetera?
  • If yes to question one, please select the following group(s) you belong to: person of color, person over 40 years old, LGBTQ, immigrant (documented or undocumented), religious minority or other.
  • Please describe the event(s) of discrimination or prejudice to the extent that you’re comfortable.

In order to protect the survey’s participants, Larkin said the survey will be anonymous. He said he would like to have the survey completed by July 15.

Larkin’s survey may be taken at this link.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @STGnews | @markeekaenews

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

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4 Comments

  • mesaman June 17, 2018 at 9:35 pm

    I hate to torpedo his dream but a survey is the least reputable source of data you can use. Hiw are his deceptive questions pharased? How large is his data pool? Is it designed to be taken only by minority group members? Is his sampling stratified to represent propotionate group membership? Are his questions leading? Likert type? Open ended? T or F? Good luck on your venture.

  • Mike P June 18, 2018 at 10:18 am

    You think minorities are treated differently here? You should feel how were treated for moving here from California !!

    • comments June 18, 2018 at 2:26 pm

      If you want to fit it just join the LDS church/cult. Pay the 10%, smile a lot, drive like a cat outta hell, and you’ll fit right in. 😉

  • Craig June 19, 2018 at 9:01 am

    You can always find what you already decided you want to find.

    The outcome was decided before the questions.

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