“Not one mention of sexual abuse”: Parents slam Jeffco union as Title IX storm builds

By / / Rocky Mountain Voice, Local, Top Stories

By Heidi Ganahl, Rocky Mountain Voice

Jeffco Public Schools is at the center of a storm as teachers and parents clash with Superintendent Tracy Dorland over leadership, transparency, and the district’s handling of cultural and safety concerns. 

Tensions hit a breaking point on May 29, when the Jefferson County Education Association (JCEA)—representing roughly a quarter of Jeffco’s 5,000 teachers—declared a vote of no confidence in Superintendent Tracy Dorland. The move came just days before news broke of a federal Title IX investigation into the district.

Union leaders accused her of top-down leadership, fostering instability, and eroding trust. They highlighted high turnover in central office staff, the rejection of a board-approved policy on ICE protocols, and the rollback of diversity initiatives as evidence that Dorland has become disconnected from the district’s needs.

“Instead of partnering with educators to find solutions, Superintendent Dorland has dismissed or delayed action,” the union charged during a school board meeting.

Parents and advocacy groups are also raising alarms. 

Under Dorland’s leadership, new rules on pronoun use and transgender student accommodations have stirred backlash from parents and advocacy groups. An out-of-state school trip in December 2023 sparked controversy after an 11-year-old girl was assigned to share a bed with a transgender classmate. Her parents, backed by the Alliance Defending Freedom, said they were never told and called the district’s handling of the situation misleading.

Jeffco said the student’s gender identity was unknown when assignments were made, and changes were made when staff learned of it.

That incident triggered a federal investigation. On June 2, the U.S. Department of Education opened a Title IX investigation into Jeffco’s handling of overnight accommodations for transgender students. The district said its policies follow state anti-discrimination law and reminded families they can opt out of such trips.

Parent advocate Lindsay Datko and her group successfully pushed for revisions to district policy—including removing hidden gender identity surveys and aligning bathroom rules with neighboring districts. “Does the union want deception back?” Datko asked in a recent Twitter/X post.

The union also criticized changes to the district’s “Growing and Changing” sex education program, which Datko’s group helped revise. Their changes replaced gender-neutral terms like “pregnant person” with “woman,” and removed a component allowing 10-year-olds to discuss sexual topics with any “trusted adult.” 

Datko argued this was dangerous given the district’s ongoing sexual abuse crisis—a point notably absent from the union’s letter.

“Not one mention of sexual abuse,” Datko wrote. Since 2022, her group, Jeffco Kids First, has identified 26 cases of sexual abuse, misconduct, or grooming involving the district.

Former Jeffco board member Paula Reed weighed in last year with historical context, recalling that sex education in the 1970s ignored sexual orientation entirely—a silence she believes led to bullying and even a student suicide. Reed has supported more inclusive curricula but emphasized that parents should always retain opt-out rights.

The backlash against Dorland prompted the school board to hold a closed-door executive session on June 3 to discuss her contract, fueling speculation about her possible removal. But that same day, the district announced Dorland would stay.

The board said it would work with Dorland to address the challenges ahead, thanking her for boosting educator pay, launching a strategic plan, and improving student outcomes. 

Even as they stood by Dorland, board members admitted the district needs a new direction. “We’re committed to working with Superintendent Dorland to meet the needs of students, staff, and the broader community,” the board said in a statement.

Some parents weren’t convinced. Jeffco parent Rebecca Peters called the union’s action a “mob” tactic. “…With money and political weight they’re able to command the district,” she posted on Twitter/X, questioning whether the no-confidence vote truly reflects the will of the broader teacher community.

Now under federal scrutiny, grappling with a fractured relationship between educators and leadership, and facing fallout from overlapping policy battles, Jeffco finds itself in a defining moment. The outcome could shape not just the district’s direction, but the broader public education debate across Colorado.