Douglas County Candidates Debate Safety, Fairness in Sports, and a Teachers’ Role

By: Olivia Young | CBS Colorado

In two weeks, Douglas County voters will weigh in on who will shape the next chapter of public education in their Colorado community. Eight candidates are vying for four open spots on the Douglas County School District RE-1 Board of Education.

While the race is nonpartisan, one slate of four candidates is more conservative, and another slate of four candidates is more progressive. The board is comprised of seven members in total.

Clark Callahan, a charter school administrator, former teacher and father of three DCSD students, is part of the progressive Community’s Voice, Community’s Choice slate, along with Kyrzia Parker, Tony Ryan and Kelly Denzler.

“I really want to help create a system that works for all kids,” Callahan told CBS Colorado.

Matt Smith, a veteran, former deputy and father of a DCSD student, is running as part of the conservative Common Sense DCSD slate, along with Keaton Gambill, Dede Kramer and Steve Vail.

“Things are going really, really well for both teachers and students here, and so we want to keep focus on academics,” Smith told CBS Colorado.

Smith said top priorities of his slate include academic excellence and protecting parents’ rights.

“Making sure that parents know what’s going on in the classroom and to make sure that they have the ability to opt their children into things,” Smith said. “Our belief is that parents have the right to dictate their child’s beliefs, their values and things like that. So we don’t want school to be a place where they’re surprised at what their children are being exposed to.”

When asked if he would support banning a book some parents were concerned about, Smith said he favors an opt-in process.

“We support a parent’s effort to opt their child in into that book,” Smith said. “When it comes to that kind of material, I know right now, at the start of every school year, I have to opt my child in for him to be able to watch certain movies inside of the school and things like that. So I see it as a very similar process to that.”

Protecting girls’ sports and privacy is the number two priority for the Common Sense slate.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE AT CBS COLORADO