Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Public Schools

60% of Colorado Voters Say Public Schools Are Off Track Despite Record Spending
Colorado Politics, Approved, State

60% of Colorado Voters Say Public Schools Are Off Track Despite Record Spending

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics Most Coloradans believe the state’s public education system is in serious need of improvement, according to a recent Magellan Strategies survey . Meanwhile, the minority of respondents who view the state’s public educational system favorably praised teachers and noted improved outcomes. The survey, conducted by Magellan Strategies, collected responses from more than 1,000 voters across the political, economic, and demographic spectrum. Participants were asked questions about their views on the state’s public education system – from universal preschool to publicly funded colleges and universities. Nearly 60% of respondents said they believed the state’s public education system was headed in the wrong direction. W...
Incoming Progressive Douglas County School Board Sparks Backlash With Early Swearing In
The Denver Gazette, Approved, Local

Incoming Progressive Douglas County School Board Sparks Backlash With Early Swearing In

By Noah Festenstein | The Denver Gazette The new members of the Douglas County school board have already assumed their seats — in “secret,” according to the outgoing president. The move by incoming directors effectively kicked out the four outgoing members early, said the outgoing board president, who accused the new members of being less than transparent. Douglas County voters in November elected a group of progressive-leaning directors, flipping the once conservative Douglas County School District Board of Education.  Elected directors already started their positions before Tuesday’s special meeting, when the board is supposed to be formally sworn in, according to Christy Williams, the outgoing board president. “This action, conducted without transparency, appears to ...
Fort Collins event connects youth gender care concerns to upcoming Colorado ballot measures
Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Fort Collins event connects youth gender care concerns to upcoming Colorado ballot measures

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice “Is it really true that when a confused hurting kid goes to the doctor the doctor turns the knife around and puts it on them and profits from it,” Colorado physician Dr. Travis Morrell asked a Fort Collins audience on November 20. “It is true.” His remarks were part of From Heartbreak to Hope, an event hosted by Protect Kids Colorado at Dayspring Christian Church that brought together parents, detransitioners, attorneys and policy experts to examine what speakers called a growing collision between gender medicine and parental rights in Colorado. Speakers at the From Heartbreak to Hope event on November 20. Top row left to right: Dr. Travis Morrell and Dr. James Lindsay. Bottom row left to right: Antoinette De La Cruz, Erin Friday and ...
Colorado mom shows what courage and conviction looks like on the campaign trail
Daily Citizen, Approved, Commentary, Local

Colorado mom shows what courage and conviction looks like on the campaign trail

By Nicole Hunt | Commentary, Daily Citizen I recently ran and was elected to my local school board. Running for office was a learning experience in more ways than one, but there are three important lessons I learned on the campaign trail that will stay with me for life.   When I first felt the nudge to step forward, I took time to talk to my family and pray about it. As a mother with sincere convictions, but no interest in being a career politician, I wanted to make sure the timing was right for my family. My husband and I have four children — two in high school and two in middle school. My family is the first and most important priority in my life after my faith in Jesus Christ. As we began to discuss the idea, I was encouraged by my kids who said, “Mom, you are perfect for ...
Colorado Springs Districts Send Clear Message: Schools Exist to Educate, Not Indoctrinate
The Gazette, Approved, Commentary, Local

Colorado Springs Districts Send Clear Message: Schools Exist to Educate, Not Indoctrinate

By The Gazette Editorial Board | The Gazette A blue wave that saw conservatives nationwide lose governors’ races, ballot initiatives and even school board elections appeared to have affected Colorado, as well. It was a setback in our state for candidates running on student academic growth against the union machine. But there was a bright spot — El Paso County — where reform-minded candidates swept Academy District 20’s three seats, won two of three contested seats in the ultra-competitive Colorado Springs School District 11, and won at least one of two seats up for grabs in School District 49. The second race in D49 remains too close to call.  All three El Paso County districts preserved their pro-education reform majorities. These victories, hard-fought and locally grounded,...
Democratic Socialists Claim Local Victories in Colorado School Board Races
Complete Colorado, Approved, Local

Democratic Socialists Claim Local Victories in Colorado School Board Races

By: Sherrie Peif | Complete Colorado FORT COLLINS – An unusual twist on candidate support appears to have paid off for the Fort Collins chapter of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) – an overtly extreme left-wing organization. The socialism advocacy group officially “endorsed” just one candidate, Zoelle Lane in Fort Collins City Council District 5,  while “recommending” two dozen others in local races around northern Colorado the DSA said “represent our chapter’s best advice to voters,” including a pair of Republican school board candidates in Greeley. Although their lone endorsement lost her bid for city council, the group’s recommendations were successful in 15 out of 22 other races, including clean sweeps on both the Greeley Evans School District 6 and Poudre Schools b...
Durango’s School Board Debacle: Radical Rot, Predator Blind Spots, and a Herald Hug
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, Local, Top Stories

Durango’s School Board Debacle: Radical Rot, Predator Blind Spots, and a Herald Hug

By Heidi Ganahl | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice Durango used to be the kind of place where families felt good about sending their kids to school. But things shifted over the years —and not in a good way. With a critical school board election just days away, parents are speaking out. And what they’re saying is hard to ignore. What I learned from the families who helped shape the Durango Dirty Dozen series was both heartbreaking and hopeful. They painted a clear picture of a district losing touch with its mission—and of a community ready to fight back.  They told me about confusing bathroom rules, lavish DEI spending, and a media outlet more interested in enabling coverups than accountability. Their message was clear: kids are being left behind. Let’s start with bathrooms...
Faith and Free Speech Prevail in Colorado Student’s Parking Space Battle
Fox News, Approved, Local

Faith and Free Speech Prevail in Colorado Student’s Parking Space Battle

By: Kristine Parks | Fox News Sophia Shumaker's shepherd and sheep design initially rejected under religious imagery ban A Colorado high school student who challenged her school's ban on religious designs for senior parking spaces will now be allowed to repaint her space to reflect her Christian faith. In August, Sophia Shumaker, a senior at Rampart High School in Colorado Springs' Academy School District 20, requested permission to decorate her paid parking space with a design illustrating Jesus’ parable of the lost sheep. The school has a tradition of allowing seniors to reserve and pay for their own parking space and decorate it with school-approved artwork. Shumaker’s design featured a shepherd, a staff and sheep, along with a reference to the Bible verse 1 Cor...
The conservative candidates—Sheldon Kier and Adena Kreutz—are best for Delta Schools
Rocky Mountain Voice, Commentary, Local, Top Stories

The conservative candidates—Sheldon Kier and Adena Kreutz—are best for Delta Schools

By Angie Many | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice As Colorado mandates more and more laws affecting students and school districts, school board elections have become increasingly important. Unfortunately, despite the importance of electing members to guide school policies, such ‘off-year’ elections traditionally have poor voter turnout. ‘We the people’ need to start paying more attention and devoting a little time to learning more about the people who will have such an impact on the education – and the indoctrination – that our children receive. And then we need to vote. Delta County has five candidates in this year’s school board election. Two of them will, in my opinion, help to restore common sense and sanity to school policies and keep government influence at a minimum. ...
School District Faces Backlash After Banning Bible Verse in Student Artwork
BizPac Review, Approved, Local

School District Faces Backlash After Banning Bible Verse in Student Artwork

By: Chris Donaldson | BizPac Review A Colorado high school set off a free speech battle after it refused to allow a Christian senior to use religious imagery to decorate her personal parking spot in what she says is a violation of her First Amendment rights. Sophia Shumaker was only looking to express her faith when she submitted her original design depicting a shepherd, a sheep, and a Bible verse to Rampart High School, only to have it denied because the school’s guidelines prohibit anything that is “offensive, negative, rude, gang-related, political, or religious.” “The shepherd and the sheep, the 99 sheep basically represent the shepherd leaves the 99 sheep to go find the lost one,” she told Fox 21 News. https://twitter.com/FOX21News/status/1981405727550763392 ...