If any person was going to design and construct a public education system for students aged 5-18 how would that person start? Since it is well established and known the ways most human persons learn, a person wisely would start with the professional educators who have learned and internalized those ways, the teachers and administrators willing to care for the students to enable and empower them to learn what they need and want to be able to think for themselves, and advance in higher education should they choose to do so.

In my opinion, ever since the last Woodland Park School Board election students have been forced to cope with a board more concerned with their own control and rule than authentic education. The current board completely ignores the students who speak out against their decisions at meetings, including ignoring their pleas for retaining a dearly beloved and compassionate teacher who has significantly helped more students than can be counted over many years. The current board ignores the parents of these students and many others who speak out against their policies. The current board claims they were elected to do what they are doing and that they have the support of the parents, but over 1,200 signed onto a Concerned Parents of Teller County Facebook page.

The current board hired an interim superintendent who was reportedly recalled from another CO school district because of his similar pattern of ignoring the deeply concerned complaints as he made decisions without appearing to listen or care, and he was reportedly by those present as the only candidate interviewed and hired, dismissing public discussion. The current board adopted American Birthright as a curriculum or standard — it has been called both — that has been described as dangerous by several who have reviewed it, because it has been evaluated as religiously, politically, and racially biased, meaning it cannot possibly be appropriate for public schools. It has even been reported nationally that this curriculum/standard would cause students not to be admitted to many colleges and universities.

The current board has removed all social learning classes or curriculum from the district which likely means, according to education experts, students will receive no specific education in caring for others, social interaction, role modeling of good behavior, rare if any help and comfort when needed, likely worse grades, likely more bullying, likely more depression, likely more suicidal thoughts, thus likely even more suicide which is grotesquely horrible. The current board banned a book, with two of its most public supporters claiming it was not banning, though admitting it was removed from the classroom when The First Amendment Encyclopedia defines: “Book banning, a form of censorship, occurs when private individuals, government officials, or organizations remove books from libraries, school reading lists, or bookstore shelves…”

The summary, though, in my opinion, this is not nearly enough to state all the problems of the current board, is that this board treats too many students and parents with disdain, and even hostility, as many have reported feeling, and is so concerned about controlling and ruling the school district with what can be demonstrated to be “christian nationalist” (a movement hugely funded by mega donation totals around the country seeking to take over and control all public education) ways, means, and methods than any decisions made to enable and empower the authentic education students need and want.

Strongly and deeply concerned about students and their parents.

Rodney Noel Saunders is a retired United Methodist pastor. He resides in Florissant.

Rodney Noel Saunders