Commentary

Sia: As someone who has been the president of a teachers union and worked in charter schools, I have a unique perspective on both sides of the issue. 

At Cole Arts & Science Academy we are intentional about supporting our Hispanic students in a way that feels authentic to their educational experience and to the experiences of their families living in our communities.

Denver school board member Scott Baldermann, running for reelection in southeast Denver, favors taking away much of schools’ autonomy over how they spend their money and giving that responsibility back to the central office.

Educator Cesar Sanchez: My love for teaching started when I was a kid. When I came to the United States at 14 years old and faced challenges, I knew education was where I needed to be to fuel that passion.

Resign DPS Board’s primary survey takeaway is the following: The incumbents who seek to remain in office and the Denver community are further apart than ever in what they want from DPS. Community members across Denver want DPS to focus on two things: Ensuring our staff and students are safe and improving academic outcomes for all students.

I was deeply disappointed to learn that a time limit had been set for the DPS community to speak up because I knew that would limit me as a working mother from giving my perspective as a Hispanic/Latina/Mexican constituent. 

In 20 pages of glossy spin, it seems as if  the district is trying to convince us that DPS is a combination of Lake Wobegon and Barbie Land. Every day is perfect, the sun always shines, and all the children are, if not quite above average, trending in that direction.

Through intentional core social-emotional learning courses and access to mental health staff, we provide our students with the opportunity to access the skills, knowledge, self-awareness, self-efficacy and self-determination needed to succeed in life.

To ensure our democracy flourishes and captures the aspirations of all its citizens, we advocate an audacious yet informed step: Allow our 16 and 17-year-olds to cast their votes in Denver Public Schools elections.

It is sadly predictable that in the same week a bipartisan poll of likely voters showed widespread disaffection with the Denver school board, that same board decided to severely curtail the public’s one monthly opportunity to provide it with in-person feedback.