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1/17/24 Letters to the Editor

From the 1/17/2024 Courier:

The election IS over but the circus continues

As seen at the January 10 school board meeting, nothing has changed. During that meeting, public commenters pleaded with the board for transparency and responsive communication with ALL stakeholders. The board discussed the superintendent contract and the revised budget that didn’t include the loss of 104 students with potential for a continuing decline in enrollment.

When discussing the superintendent contract, the audience grew frustrated. Bates, Kimbrell, Patterson, and Rusterholtz spoke to the contract, with Witt’s potential requests as the focus of discussion. They said a search would cost $11,000. However, Keegan Barkley volunteered to do a passive search at no cost to the district.

During Keegan‘s remarks, I was alarmed that on numerous occasions she was left out of board correspondence, hearing things for the first time like an audience member. Keegan’s contributions were thoughtful and professional, while the rest of the board looked confused and befuddled, even by rudimentary procedural rules.

With funding reliant on enrollment numbers, you’d think more time would be spent on why we lost 104 students. Instead, it was glossed over, no transparency or communications. If the school board has made positive change, why is staff turnover continuing? Why are we losing students? Why are stakeholders asking for transparency and communication even after Bates and Kimbrell promised it? The election is over, but no meaningful change in board operation happened. The majority of the community are still dissatisfied and will not be silenced. The election is over, but the circus is not.

Bridget Curran, Florissant

Yes, the election is over but the WPSB dysfunction is not

At the December 13, 2023 school board meeting out-going President David Rusterholtz said he hoped the Board would improve communication and transparency. On December 15, 2023 Superintendent Witt fired WPHS Principal Kevin Burr. Witt notified Board members except for David Rusterholtz and new member Keegan Barkley. Instead they learned of the firing when the email was sent to the public.

At the January 10, 2023 WPSB meeting a constituent asked about the representative vacancy for the January BOCES meeting. President Mick Bates replied to this public comment saying “I spoke with the Board members” and it was decided Cassie Kimbrell would be the new representative. Keegan Barkley then reported she had never been contacted. Mr. Bates replied, “You’re a hard lady to get ahold of”. Really? During the campaign Keegan answered messages quickly and efficiently. Once again she was excluded.

Also during this Board meeting approval was required for the minutes and the list of employees joining or leaving the District. Keegan Barkley received information that an employee was fired but listed as resigned. Superintendent Ken Witt then stated he couldn’t give details but that person’s status changed from fired to resigned “after a settlement”. What? Is our school district doing settlements to avoid more lawsuits?

I’m sorry Mr. Logan but you are going to continue to get news items about this dysfunctional Superintendent and Board because over forty-nine percent of voters in this county need to be informed of Board actions as they work to dismantle our public schools.

Gail Gerig, Woodland Park

Letters to the Editor – 12/27/2023

From the 12/27/23 Courier:

Against American Birthright Standard

After listening to a recent televised interview with WPSD board member Mick Bates promoting the American Birthright Standards, I can see why the Colorado State Board of Education has rejected that manifesto.

While promoting the ABS, Bates said; “We’re going to look at the true history of this country.” Continuing he said, “One simple example is, yes, we had slavery, but we were the first to get rid of it. It’s a long story but it’s a good story. It’s a positive story because we ended slavery and I want our children to get the real history and education about America, this great country.”

Yes, we are a great Country, but the United States was far from being the “first” to end slavery. In fact, we were one of the last. And it took the deaths of 620,000 soldiers to abolish it. Enslavement ended here only with pro-slavery forces going down kicking and screaming the whole way.

As a former student of WPHS over 55 years ago, I can only hope that our children are not indoctrinated by what I feel is a John Birch type of system that is promoted by some who subscribe to a fairy-tale time where White Anglo-Saxon Protestants were the dominant force in America. That faction, in my opinion, has one thing in mind, take America back to 1950, where some are kept in the back of the bus and others in the closet. And those cantankerous females of today, back in the kitchen.

Steve Plutt, Lake George

Gaslighting the new normal?

In January’s school board meeting, Rusterholz spoke about transparency going forward, healing the divide. Already, however, named board roles, policies and money spent outside the county were decisions moved forward without Barkley or parents. A key school leader was fired without explanation. I’d like to know how Barkley was included in that decision made a full two weeks after she took her oath?

How is this transparent? Is Gaslighting the New Normal?

No incumbents stood up for parents or students during the campaign. Instead, calling students parents’ puppets, teachers the enemy, and candidates were mislabeled union puppets. Barkley was called a lame duck the day after she was elected.

None countered media that misrepresented challengers, all accepted Republican party money, aligning at public events despite boards being apolitical.

Illingworth harassed parents by name online, calling them liars with no evidence.

Before the election, Bates called a locked-out board crowd rabble-rousers instead of addressing the community of parents and teachers displaced by religious folks instructed to line up early. When I talked with strangers standing near me if they had children or grandchildren in the schools, the occasional Merit parent said yes. I asked others why they were there – “I was told to be here.”

Meanwhile, inside, religious people prayed from the microphone and scolded the heathens in the room, depriving actual parents their monthly 3-minute voice.

How is this transparent, humane, or anything but gaslighting? I remind this board that nearly 50% of citizens voted against this behavior.

Trina Hoefling, Florissant

Thank you to Kevin Burr

On December 15th, Woodland Park School District Central Office released Kevin Burr from his position as Principal of Woodland Park High School. In their announcement, no reason was given, nor was Kevin’s name even mentioned. As a parent of a junior at WPHS who has felt supported by Mr. Burr, I was left feeling very disoriented and disappointed. I would like to take an opportunity to thank Kevin for his accomplishments at WPHS since 2018. Some highlights include:

An increase in WPHS SAT scores every year for the last five years

Expanding our course offerings with a cybersecurity series and criminology series (supporting a law enforcement track)

Significant growth in college opportunities at WPHS. Kevin wrote a grant that allowed four of our teachers to get their Masters degrees so that they could teach college level courses at WPHS in math, science, english and social studies. He built partnerships with UCCS and Pikes Peak State College which allow for concurrent enrollment opportunities

Increasing career opportunities where students are graduating with industry certificates in culinary arts, welding, graphic design, and computer science

Keeping students in school and accountable through the COVID 19 pandemic

US News and World Report recognizing WPHS as one of the Best High Schools in Colorado in 2022/23

WPHS receiving a Level 1 Certification from Marzano High Reliability Schools for a Safe, Supportive and Collaborative culture

Thank you, Kevin, for supporting academics and also our athletics and arts programs. Thank you for making WPHS stronger.

Khurshid Rogers, Woodland Park

Garfield Re-2 Board President steps down over ‘political climate’ | PostIndependent.com

There has been a whirlwind of responses after ABS was proposed for Garfield Re-2, including a local effort to recall May from the board. The recall effort comes amid emails obtained through open records requests revealing Fletchall and May requested ABS guidance from the Woodland Park District. Woodland Park, northwest of Colorado Springs, voted to incorporate ABS and has since then seen 40% of its teachers resign in protest. 

New Castle resident Steve Beaulieu said during public comment that Woodland Park’s ABS incorporation has turned into a “dumpster fire” that has become a “flaming disaster.”
— Read on www.postindependent.com/news/re-2-board-president-steps-down-over-political-climate/

Conservative LGBTQ+ group supports book removal from El Paso County schools | FOX21 News Colorado

(EL PASO COUNTY, Colo.) — Conservative groups have submitted a petition urging a criminal investigation into the El Paso and Teller County schools over the possession and promotion of what they term “obscene books.” This move has sparked a response from members of the LGBTQ+ community who advocate for the removal of these books from […]
— Read on www.fox21news.com/news/conservative-lgbtq-group-supports-book-removal-from-el-paso-county-schools/

Woodland Park School Board sees change as elected members are sworn in

The three members were sworn in during a ceremony at the District Administration Building Thursday afternoon. Barkley said her goal as a new member is to promote more board transparency.

“My biggest hope is to be able to make sure that the conversations are happening out in the open now. A lot of the feedback we were getting as I was campaigning was that so much of the decision-making was happening behind closed doors,” she said.

— Read on www.koaa.com/news/covering-colorado/woodland-park-school-board-sees-change-as-elected-members-are-sworn-in

Letters to the Editor – 11/15/2023

From the 11/15/2023 Courier:

Close race should be a message

We were so proud to be a part of the campaign for Keegan, Mike and Seth. They ran a clean, honest campaign without negative false attacks on their opponents. We personally know them. They are good people of this community whose only concern is for a strong public school system that offers a valid academic curriculum with appropriate support structures in place.

Of course, the election did not completely go in the direction we had hoped. However, there is an important outcome that needs to be stated. The election results were close. Very close, which means almost 50% of the voters selected the above candidates. That 50% of voters included many traditional conservative voters who disregarded the false accusations against the candidates.

This election should never have been about politics. It should only have been about education. If the new board listens carefully to all of the voters, all the parents, all the taxpayers, they may be much more in line with the values of the whole community.

True leadership includes compromise, compassion and commitment to open conversation. It does not include bullying and closed-door deals or stacking meetings with young people who have no connection to the community other than the courses taken at the local bible school and being bused to the voter polls. The 50% of the community that voted against the present board are here to stay and are watching.

Michael Stewart and Darlene Schmurr-Stewart, Woodland Park

Outside influencers

As a fascinated outsider looking in, I believe that the two incumbents who won re-election surely must realize that their razor thin victories were due exclusively to Andrew Wommack and his Christian nationalist group known as the Truth and Liberty Coalition.

This should be a frightening wakeup call to the residents of Woodland Park and Teller County. Unless of course, in the not-too-distant future, you are at ease of living in a hierocracy with a religious autocrat in control.

Steve Plutt, Lake George

Can We Stop Pretending that Religious Conservatives Care About Parental Rights?

In a document in which she endorses Evanson, Darcy Schoening of Smart Choice Colorado makes clear that her aim is not to respect the rights and choices of all other parents. Rather, her aim is to “move school policy towards the Right, rather than further left.” she writes to those who share her views, “We must take control of our children’s education.” Even if that means taking control of the education of other parents’ children too.
— Read on coloradotimesrecorder.com/2023/11/can-we-stop-pretending-that-religious-conservatives-care-about-parental-rights/57910/