By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice
“Flags do not harm kids. Hateful words and hateful people harm children.”
This was the message delivered by Terry Kopack, a local parent, during the Jan. 28 Durango 9-R School Board meeting, where school board members voted unanimously to approve two resolutions supporting LGBTQIA2S+ and IBPOC (Indigenous, Black, and People of Color) students, staff and community members.
A public comment session preceded the board’s vote, with all speakers voicing support for the proposed resolutions. The board limited public comments to 10 speakers, before moving into discussion and voting on the resolutions.
Among those who spoke, one mother took direct aim at the Colorado GOP.
“I want the Colorado Republican Party to open their Bibles,” Lisa Williams said, addressing recent GOP-led legal challenges to DEI policies in schools. “Jesus spoke of love, of lifting up those who have been cast aside. What this board is doing is exactly that — ensuring that all kids feel seen and valued.”
The Colorado GOP warned that passing these resolutions could result in legal action, arguing that allowing only certain ideological symbols, such as Pride flags and BLM signage, could constitute government-endorsed speech and potentially violate federal neutrality standards.
A local faith leader urged the board to recognize the moral and spiritual significance the flags carry.
“As a person of faith, I believe in the inherent worth and dignity of every human being. And, I celebrate the diverse expressions of human identity as wonderfully made, as sacred and holy,” said Rev. Jamie Boyce of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Durango.
Boyce also argued that the Pride and Black Lives Matter flags are life-saving affirmations of belonging: “There are people of faith in Durango who love, value and celebrate trans and gender expansive people. And there are people of faith who celebrate Black lives.”
Boyce urged the board to uphold these symbols as a reflection of the community’s shared commitment to honoring and protecting all students.
The turnout at the board meeting suggests widespread support for these resolutions, but does it reflect the views of all Durango residents whose tax dollars fund the district?
Durango parent Dan Thompson emailed his thoughts to the Rocky Mountain Voice: “Why is it that when those on the left are offended, everyone yields to their demands. But when the conservative side is offended, their voices are left unheard and they are trodden upon?”
His opposition to the Pride flag stems from the belief that it functions as religious propaganda, arguing that “it goes directly contrary to Judeo-Christian values” and that its presence in schools forces young children to engage with discussions on sexuality at an inappropriate age. “Why should my 7- and 9-year-old be forced into having to think about sexuality at their age?” he said, questioning the priorities of the district’s inclusivity policies.
David Murray, posting on the La Plata County Republicans Facebook page, expressed frustration over the limited access.
Michaela Dasteel had a similar experience, arriving at the same time and being placed on an alternate list, after landing 15th in line. She said the rules were strict — attendees could not leave the line, bags were not allowed and no substitutions were permitted — which resulted in at least one person losing their spot. While board members initially indicated they might allow more speakers if turnout was large, they never did.
“I think I was the only one of the 15 in opposition to the resolution[s],” Dasteel said. “But I was never given a chance to speak.”
Board Vice President Erika Brown framed the resolutions as a measure of student safety, rather than politics.
“We’re not pushing an agenda. We’re ensuring that every child in our schools feels safe, valued and free to be who they are. That should not be controversial,” she said.
Board Member Andrea Parmenter dismissed legal threats against the district, stating that community support far outweighed the opposition.
“Based on my own analysis of the emails and comments submitted, I estimate that about 78% of respondents support these policies,” she said. “We’re not going to let baseless legal threats dictate how we take care of our students.”
The school board’s decision comes just days after President Trump’s Jan. 21 executive order, titled “Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity.”
The order directs all federally-funded institutions to eliminate DEI-based preferences, including affirmative action, race-based hiring initiatives and gender-identity accommodations that override existing civil rights laws.
Recent actions by the Trump Administration prompted questions about whether Durango will be forced to disband its own DEI initiatives, including the Inclusive Excellence Guiding Coalition.
Established to guide the district’s DEI policies, the Inclusive Excellence Guiding Coalition is tasked with implementing diversity and inclusion strategies in Durango’s schools. Its future remains uncertain as federal agencies begin enforcing Trump’s directive. This concern was voiced in public commentary.
“Today, I also speak at a critical moment for our schools and students, as the new administration is threatening us — specifically our youth of color and LGBT youth and all of their families,” said Xander Hughes, executive director of the Four Corners Rainbow Youth Center. Addressing the Durango school board, Hughes warned, “Political actors are now attempting to use legal threats to sway our local school board’s decisions.”
This latest board decision also comes after months of DEI-related controversy in Durango schools. In October 2024, the board paused enforcement of a policy banning Pride and BLM flags following a public outcry.
Additionally, the district recently faced another major controversy when a band teacher at Escalante Middle School was indicted on 48 counts related to sexual predation. Some parents worry that the district’s focus on inclusivity is diverting attention from urgent student safety concerns, such as this incident.
For Amber Morris, the debate over Durango schools isn’t just about policy — it’s about protecting kids.
“What I care about are my children and my children’s schools that, obviously, have not been very adamant,” she said. She questioned the district’s promotion of classroom “safe spaces,” noting that “Mr. Smith was one of those that had the pride flag hanging proudly as a safe space. And that’s what I have a problem with — schools promoting these safe spaces with people that should not be in control of any kind of a safe space.”
In 2022, a charter school option gained ground to offer more parental choice. However, the Durango 9-R School Board turned down a plan to start a classical charter school. Kim Gilmartin, who led the initiative, said that more than 600 families sent letters of intent to enroll.
According to Gilmartin, the board’s reasoning for denial went beyond logistical concerns.
“They said things like, ‘This isn’t a good fit for Durango. It’s just different,’ ” she recalled. “I don’t even know what that meant. Doesn’t every child learn differently?”
The rejection came despite the fact that nearly 65% of interested families were currently homeschooling or sending their children to private schools, meaning the charter would have brought students back into the public system. Yet, Gilmartin said, the board and district leadership were unmoved. “They knew that, and they didn’t care.”
Beyond procedural roadblocks, Gilmartin believes the same ideological influences that led to the passage of the DEI resolutions were also at play in the board’s decision to deny the charter school. “Throughout our application process, board members accused us of planning to discriminate against LGBTQ and minority students, which is absolutely not true,” she said. “It was clear they had an ideological bent.”
President Trump’s latest executive order, signed just Wednesday, adds further pressure on school districts like Durango 9-R that have embraced DEI initiatives. The order, titled “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling,” directs the Department of Education to cut off federal funding to schools that promote “discriminatory equity ideology” or policies that support gender identity transitions without parental consent.
With Durango receiving approximately $7.5 million in federal funds, the district may soon face difficult choices about whether to maintain its DEI commitments or comply with the shifting federal landscape.