Our little school district has been popping up in the news all over the place for the past couple years. If you’re new to all this though, I wanted to highlight some of the online articles that provide a more in-depth look into what’s going on here:
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Supreme court hears Woodland Park Public Schools arguments | Pikes Peak Courier | gazette.com
The Colorado Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday concerning Woodland Park RE-2’s board of education’s efforts to “cure” an open meetings violation in 2022 on Tuesday. A parent of district students who filed the complaint is asking the court to reject a judicially created ‘cure’ doctrine and that the district should be held liable and subject to pay the attorney’s fees since they were ultimately found to have violated a meeting.
— Read on gazette.com/pikespeakcourier/supreme-court-hears-oral-arguments-for-woodland-park-public-schools-case/article_2d8b8c7b-523b-4ab1-a175-a46b24263813.html
The Push to Bypass Local Control in Colorado Public Education | by Autumn Leopold | Apr, 2025 | Medium
Bypassing local control and handing over the reins of charter school approvals solely to the governor-appointed Colorado Charter School Institute (CSI) could stir up a host of concerns — think transparency, accountability, and political or ideological biases.
— Read on medium.com/@AutumnforCOPublicEd/the-push-to-bypass-local-control-in-colorado-public-education-6662443a18b2
More legal challenges in Woodland Park
The Woodland Park School District board continues to waste taxpayer money, with a second lawsuit against the City of Woodland Park. The first lawsuit is an accusation of opens meetings law violation in regards to the meeting where we saw the sales tax revoked. This new lawsuit is attacking that decision itself and seeks to have the tax restored.
The board had a choice. They could have acknowledged and apologized for their reckless actions that led to that decision, and come to the voters with a new tax proposal to help the schools. Instead they chose to enrich the lawyers working for the district and drag out this issue in court instead.
Board meeting tonight if you want to speak your mind on this issue. We know that there’s one board member who does like to hear from the voters.
The Real Agenda Behind Parental Rights Campaigns | Medium
Parental rights groups claim to protect children, but their silence on special education violations and focus on culture wars reveal a deeper political agenda. This strategy isn’t about kids—it’s about turnout.
— Read on rob-subterra-insights.medium.com/how-fear-is-being-weaponized-to-undermine-public-education-and-whos-paying-the-price-bea87c3882fe
ACLU Takes Action Against School District’s Book Ban
Elizabeth isn’t the only public school district in Colorado which has been promoting far-right ideologies under the guidance of Brad Miller. The most prominent example lies in Woodland Park, outside of Colorado Springs. Woodland Park has become one of the most conservative school districts in the state, introducing measures like the American Birthright social studies standards – a set of curriculum aimed at promoting traditionally conservative social and political values – and canceling teachers’ union contracts.
— Read on coloradotimesrecorder.com/2025/03/aclu-takes-action-against-school-districts-book-ban/68509/
Woodland Park school board halts charter school sale talks | Pikes Peak Courier | gazette.com
Following a City Council decision that lost Woodland Park’s school district over $3 million in annual funding, talks to sell district property to Merit Academy are now being reconsidered. Woodland Park RE-2 Interim Superintendent Aaron Salt began his tenure by addressing public fervor and beginning efforts to navigate a budget shortfall during the Board of Education’s regular meeting Wednesday night. Salt was announced as the interim superintendent in a statement released March 7 announcing former Superintendent Ken Witt’s resignation.
Woodland Park city council kills school funding sales tax | Pikes Peak Courier | gazette.com
Woodland Park City Council voted to repeal the sales tax for its public schools. The action came on the heels of a vote during a meeting that suspended the ordinance indefinitely to repeal a 1.09% local sales tax earmarked for public schools. The emergency ordinance and special meeting Monday came after a leaked agenda item for this week’s Woodland Park RE-2 upcoming school board meeting.
— Read on gazette.com/pikespeakcourier/in-reversal-woodland-park-city-council-kills-sales-tax-for-public-schools/article_94ebbfaa-fe1b-11ef-9c39-033fa0b6a539.html
Woodland Park School District files lawsuit against city over open meetings law
The Woodland Park School District filed a lawsuit against the City of Woodland Park, claiming the city council did not follow the state’s Open Meetings Law during a council meeting this month.
— Read on www.koaa.com/news/covering-colorado/woodland-park-school-district-claims-city-council-violated-states-open-meetings-law-in-new-lawsuit
The Ending Education Deserts Act: A Closer Look | by Autumn Leopold | Mar, 2025 | Medium
Given the simultaneous push for Initiative 22 to give taxpayer money to private institutions, the possible creation of Innovation Schools that could be managed by outside nonprofits, Coloradans must carefully evaluate and question these efforts before deciding whether to support the “Ending Education Deserts Act.”
— Read on medium.com/@AutumnforCOPublicEd/the-ending-education-deserts-act-a-closer-look-804945886216