Local resident and charter school supporter Curt Grina (he donated money to Merit via the Pikes Peak Regional Education and Health Association he’s a director on), submitted this letter to the Pikes Peak Courier…and surprisingly, the Courier actually published it, with its incendiary language:
My reply to letters criticizing our school board
- Pikes Peak Courier
- 4 Jan 2023
Twenty years of decline in RE-2, more drugs, more delinquency, more parents taking on the burden of home school or transporting their kids out of county, 50% utilization of expensive school buildings.
And now invasion of the LGBTQ zealots who have proven they can’t teach academics so now they resort to “teaching” their religion to our children
We are now viewed by professionals considering moving into our community as unacceptable for their children. Those that do come ALL send their kids to non-government schools. One example: Not one new doctor at our hospital sent their kids to RE-2 in the 10 years I was involved firsthand in recruiting and living with this problem. Not one.
So, five long-admired leaders and doers of our community stand up to try and fix this mess. Their only motivation is to improve our community and give our students the chance for excellence that many have had diluted for years. They demonstrate exceptional citizenship.
Their only reward is satisfaction of making a difference and making our community a LOT better for every one of us. Oh, and they also get a lot of stress, personal expenses, sleepless nights, threats of violence, vilification by the cabal of critics.
The new leaders apply their God-given exceptional wisdom and the extraordinary experience gained in their successful careers. And they make more progress in one year than the socialist bullies made in the previous 20.
They VERY clearly state their goals and their principles and values. They strive to be transparent and fair to all our citizens, including those who lie about them, condemn their goals and efforts, and vilify them solely because they don’t agree with the people who got us in this mess. Got integrity?
The selection of a Ken Witt is brilliant. And courageous. He is not hired to be a teacher, so why do you naysayers keep foolishly yelling about that? Superintendent is a challenging Management job and Ken Witt has a great resume’ that you could only hope to achieve.
He and the others were pushed out of Jeffco schools because the teacher Union and very well organized communists staged an expensive and dishonest campaign to get rid of the Americans they despise.
Being dismissed from Jeffco is a badge of honor!
You progressives have failed for 20 years and you have cost our community dearly. Can you possibly have the fairness and integrity to back off now and see if the new folks can do better than you have? That will take some humility and integrity on your part.
You are now seriously harming our community with your hate, lying about those you disagree with, disrupting public meetings, filing stupid lawsuits, manipulating young children to stage fake so-called “protests,”attacking our public servants who are doing their best but are dragged down by your incessant crowing, and feloniously assaulting our most upstanding citizens.
You know I can go on. And on.
Maybe. Just Maybe, it’s time for all of you to shut up? Give the new leaders a FAIR chance?
And start SUPPORTING the improvement of RE-2 (including Merit) instead of incessantly TEARING DOWN one of our most critical community assets.
Display some integrity. Start helping and stop destroying. And see if a new approach might be the breath of fresh air we need. Maybe they’re smarter than you? Honestly, isn’t that possibly the case?
Curt Grina, Woodland Park
https://daily.gazette.com/pikes-peak-courier/20230104/page/7
I’m not sure it’s really worth digging through this one and addressing each point, but there are some worth talking about. First, is our district on the decline? Recent test scores show we’re improving, not declining. “LGBTQ zealots…’teaching’ their religion to our children”…? WTF is he talking about? We cannot just let people say such things without challenging them and expecting some shred of evidence to be provided.
“50% utilization of expensive school buildings”…no, Curt, the actual data showed that the middle school utilization was at 66%.
“five long-admired leaders and doers of our community “? Another WTF moment. There are four board members, and I’m not sure what any of them have accomplished in our community up until now.
This sort of rhetoric is exactly what the Podcast ‘Have You Heard’ talked about in their recent episode, ‘The Big Reveal.’ It’s worth listening to if you have half an hour to spare (I listen to them on Apple Podcasts but they’re also on Soundcloud, Audible, etc).