Video here:
Category Archives: Media
January 25, 2023 board meeting
This board meeting was more of the boards usual shitshow. You can read KRDO’s coverage here, or watch it for yourself at the link below.
The budget discussion seemed to have some good news about revenue, but we’ll need to dive into that more later.
The board approved Witt’s proposed policy changes that would allow the district to bring on new charter schools at any time of year, instead of following the state schedule around fall applications. They skipped the (legally required?) second reading of the policy and just jumped to the vote, eager to get on to interviews for the board seat vacancy!
Out of the list of applicants, the board selected three candidates and interviewed them one at a time in this meeting. Each was asked the same questions. The candidate they chose, Mick Bates, had some polarizing answers to the questions. Watch it for yourself below (he’s the second candidate to be interviewed). And stay tuned here as we explore his words and background further.
Response to Jan. 4 letter to the editor by Curt Grina | Guest Column (Gazette, 1/17)
The follow letter was written by Rodney Noel Saunders (link)
It is sadly pathetic that Curt Grina believes it is acceptable to demean and discredit other U.S. citizens the way he does without evidence or proof.
Ken Witt was “pushed out” (his words) of Jeffco schools not by communists (no proof whatsoever), but by concerned parents whose students staged several walkouts because he wanted teachers to teach what was not and is not authentic American history, and Witt lost that recall vote 64.25% to 35.75%. Surely you are not suggesting all of that overwhelming percentage of good American citizens are communists! And also because he reportedly publicly tried to humiliate a student to the point it was evaluated as bullying. And the student had not engaged in racist comments as Witt claimed. Just because you don’t like what others believe and practice, Curt, doesn’t mean they are communists or that you should call them communists.
Continue reading →Opinions vs. facts and the school board (Gazette, 1/18)
The following letter to the editor is written by former board director Carol Greenstreet (link)
A strong public school system is one of the things that sets our country apart. It is certainly where we invest in our future as a nation. All of us invest tax dollars, some of us invest volunteer time and others choose it as a career.
In the past year, many have spoken out against the actions and decisions of the current Woodland Park Board of Education. There have also been many letters to the editor in support of this current board. It seems impossible to miss the extreme contention that has arisen over the governance of our schools in the past year, yet I have discovered many that are happily unaware.
Continue reading →More on the board, and the Wommack/Charis connection
The Thompson School District Reform Facebook account has a great writeup, with lots of links, summarizing where we’re at, and how we got here. Check it out below.
Woodland Park School District’s curriculum in question after board passes new teaching standard (KRDO)
KRDO’s coverage…read the article here, and watch the video segment below.
Woodland Park School District adopts conservative American Birthright social studies standards after the state board rejected them (cpr.org)
Check out this very well-written article about yesterday’s board meeting. Goes into a lot of detail…you’ll be hearing much more about this in the coming weeks!
Letters to the Editor (Gazette, 1/10 and 1/11)
I thought I’d repost a few letters to the editor here, from the Gazette.
First up is What are we trying to accomplish? by Melissa Clark
It’s a common refrain: “Radical Socialist Democrats” are ruining our country. Red-faced, angry pundits, community leaders and everyday citizens, foaming at the mouth, screech scorching rhetoric primarily designed to fire up those that agree with them. This behavior is heartily embraced by conservative leaning members of our community, particularly in regard to the WPSD.
A Jan. 4 letter to the editor by Curt Grina is an excellent example. Breathlessly wailing about the “Invasion of LGBTQ Zealots,” he calls critics of the current school board and interim superintendent a “cabal,” “socialist bullies,” questions the integrity of anyone who dare have the audacity disagree with him, then ends his letter with a demand that those who don’t agree with him shut up.
Continue reading →
Letter to the Editor by Curt Grina
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:
Continue reading →The Gazette covers the Ken Witt hiring
The Gazette has a pretty extensive article covering the hiring of Ken Witt. A sad day, to see the board take an action so many opposed. It’s going to be an interesting 2023.