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Drake Middle School removed “America, Reloading.” Then another poem fight started.
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Local, Top Stories

Drake Middle School removed “America, Reloading.” Then another poem fight started.

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Drake Middle School parents were told last year that students could write spoken-word poems about politics or divisive issues if they personally chose those topics. This spring, one DMS student wrote a pro-life poem about abortion. School officials told the student she could turn the poem in for credit, but could not read it aloud in class. Parents had already spent more than a year warning DMS and Jeffco leaders about the school’s SLAM poetry unit before the story spread nationally. Parents objected to SLAM poetry unit in 2025 Parents began emailing DMS leadership in 2025 after students watched “America, Reloading” and “The Star Spanglish Banner” in class. One email sent to teacher Tanisha Lee and DMS principal Jill Kline des...
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Federal civil rights office finds Jeffco schools violated Title IX, gives district 10 days to comply
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Local, Top Stories

Federal civil rights office finds Jeffco schools violated Title IX, gives district 10 days to comply

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice Girls in Jefferson County Public Schools have been sharing bathrooms, locker rooms, overnight accommodations and sports rosters with male students—and the federal government just said that has to stop. The feds ruled Friday that Jeffco violated Title IX. Colorado’s second-largest school district, serving 74,200 students, has 10 days to comply or face enforcement action—including potential loss of federal funding.  OCR received athletic rosters directly from Jeffco confirming that male students occupy 61 positions on girls' sports teams across the district. Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said the investigation found the district violated Title IX protections for female students. "Today's findings reveal sweeping ...
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Jeffco Teachers Union Retracts Endorsement After Candidate’s History Emerges
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Complete Colorado, Approved, Local

Jeffco Teachers Union Retracts Endorsement After Candidate’s History Emerges

By Savana Kascak | Complete Colorado LAKEWOOD–The Jefferson County teachers’ union has withdrawn an endorsement for a highly favored school board candidate after a sexual offense committed as a juvenile came to light. Michael Yocum is running for Jefferson County School Board in District 1, originally as part of a teachers’ union-backed slate, along with fellow candidates, Peter Gibbins and Tina Moeinian. The Jefferson County Education Association (JCEA) referred to the trio as “the cleanup crew.” The JCEA endorsed the slate on Aug 8, presumably without knowledge of Yokum’s criminal history (his name has since been removed from the endorsement). Both the JCEA and the Colorado Education Association (the state teacher’s union) are his top campaign contributors. Juvenile adjudicat...
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What schools won’t say: The furry behavior Colorado families keep reporting
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, State, Top Stories

What schools won’t say: The furry behavior Colorado families keep reporting

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Rumors about students dressing as animals and disrupting classrooms have circulated throughout Colorado for years, sparking political fights, school board blowback and media denials. Some say the “furries in schools” narrative is a hoax pushed by conservative figures. But school records, parent testimony and disciplinary documents tell a more complicated story. First signs: When parents spoke up and were ignored The saga gained momentum in 2022 when more than two dozen parents in Jefferson County bombarded school officials with concerns. Darlene Edwards, a mother whose 14-year-old autistic son attended a local middle school, told CBS Colorado her son returned home upset, describing classmates in animal costumes scratching,...
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Jeffco Kids First: Court sides with defamer, silences truth in heartbreaking reversal
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Jeffco Kids First, Approved, Commentary, Local

Jeffco Kids First: Court sides with defamer, silences truth in heartbreaking reversal

Lindsay Datko | Commentary, Jeffco Kids First The sharp sting of brutal injustice cuts deep, searing the soul. Your time spent reading this is my measure of justice, and for that, I am profoundly grateful. “In reviewing the record, the Court identifies instances of Defendants’ conduct that a trier of fact could find as clear and convincing evidence of their anger and hostility toward Plaintiffs to sufficiently show actual malice.” Judge Loewer On the afternoon of October 7, 2022, my phone lit up with text messages: “You need an attorney ASAP.”  “Be prepared, there’s an article that just came out.”  Everything went silent except the ringing in my ears as I read the article, the world spinning around me. I remember the exact square-footage of my kitchen I was standing in. With m...
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Jeffco Kids First report reveals 33 staff misconduct cases in Jefferson County Schools
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Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, Local, Top Stories

Jeffco Kids First report reveals 33 staff misconduct cases in Jefferson County Schools

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice An alarming report released by Jeffco Kids First, a grassroots advocacy group led by teacher turned activist Lindsay Datko, has exposed 33 cases of sexual abuse and misconduct by staff in Jefferson County Public Schools since 2022. The article “33 Documented Sexual Abuse and Misconduct Cases in Jeffco Schools” presents a disturbing image of a district with systemic failures.  The data reveals a pattern of misconduct going unreported to the Colorado Department of Education. The scope of abuse: 33 cases and counting Superintendent Tracy Dorland has received pushback regarding the handling of these incidents, with critics citing inadequate communication and insufficient safety protocols. The report documents six ar...
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“Not one mention of sexual abuse”: Parents slam Jeffco union as Title IX storm builds
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Approved, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

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

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 ...
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How Jeffco Kids First exposed a school cover-up that made international headlines
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Approved, Rocky Mountain Voice, State

How Jeffco Kids First exposed a school cover-up that made international headlines

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice A Jefferson County teacher lost her license after an alleged grooming scandal involving a student at Columbine High School. The more disturbing revelation? School officials allegedly not only failed to stop it, but facilitated a fraudulent federal declaration to help the student move in with another teacher — all without notifying her parents. Leann Kearney, a social studies teacher at Columbine, allegedly engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old student, according to state investigators. The student’s mother discovered thousands of alleged calls and text messages between the two, including a letter detailing a kiss.  But rather than stepping in to protect the student, Jeffco school staff active...
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