From Boardhawk columnist Dr. Aaron Massey: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has become a trite phrase, used so often that it has lost its meaning and original purpose. Hot take: that’s intentional.
Despite being historically under-compensated, teachers are often the first to be asked to carry the burden of responsibilities that traditionally have not belonged to them. Alone, each of these issues carries massive weight. Together, they represent a charge that we cannot ask our educators to carry alone.
In this episode, Alan Gottlieb and Alexis Menocal Harrigan discuss what they’ll be watching as the Denver Public Schools choice window opens. They also touch briefly on DPS’ vow to protect migrant students, as well as the latest developments in the flap over DPS board member John Youngquist’s objections to possibly illegal executive sessions.
In many ways we have remained in a perpetual cycle of grief, generation after generation, soothed by the very gradualism that Dr. King warned us not to be tranquilized by.
READ Act funds allocate $26 million to help 49,000 K-3 students, and virtually nothing to help 51,000 students in grades 4-12 struggling to read at grade level.
The Denver school board “blatantly violated” the Colorado Open Meetings law on Dec. 12 by not specifically publishing in its official meeting notice that the executive session discussion focused on board member John Youngquist’s request for reimbursement for penalties levied against him by the state pension fund, Colorado’s top media lawyer Steve Zansberg said Sunday. The notice language was far more general, depriving the public of information it was entitled to know, Zansberg said.
In this episode, Alan Gottlieb and Alexis Menocal-Harrigan discuss the controversy over board member John Youngquist’s accusations of an illegal executive session and the upcoming attempt to reprimand or even censure him by three board members. We also discuss the revamped evaluation criteria for Superintendent Alex Marrero.
Students in FaithBridge’s SHIFT Fellowship reflect on their first semester, and on the validity of school ratings.
Boardhawk is launching a biweekly podcast in January. Here is an introductory episode, where we introduce ourselves and describe what our listeners can expect
The SHIFT Chronicles is a new monthly feature dedicated to amplifying student voices, where those most impacted by the public education system share their thoughts, reflections, and experiences. In collaboration with FaithBridge SHIFT fellows, these commentaries offer a genuine glimpse into the challenges students are facing within our city’s schools. In this month’s entries, students discuss how to improve learning environments, and how they practice self-care during breaks from school.
Denver voters have approved mill levy overrides before. DPS collected $369.6 million last year from seven voter-approved overrides dating to 1988. That history is exactly why voters deserve specifics. A district that has been trusted this many times should be able to say what the next dollars will do.
Three eventful years into his tenure on the Denver Public Schools Board of Education, board member John Youngquist discusses where the board’s focus should be as it emerges (we hope) from a period of tumult, in-fighting and dysfunction.
A rural school outside of Lamar converted to a charter almost 30 years ago. Alta Vista’s conversion history may be bordering on ancient, but it now holds potential relevance for communities across Colorado.
We asked Denver Classroom Teachers Association President Rob Gould, and Vernon Jones, a community advocate and executive director of FaithBridge, onto the show to discuss the mill levy, reasons voters should approve it, and to answer some questions about why maybe some voters should be skeptical that it’s a good idea. We also discussed board and district leadership and whether there need to be changes.
It is time for the board to call for new leadership of the body. A new officer election would give members an opportunity to reconsider that leadership and publicly articulate the expectations they have of those serving as president, vice president, and other offices.
Recently, I’ve heard people question whether Denver should make another investment in our schools because of the disagreements and challenges happening among adults in the district. As a student, that is hard for me to understand. Whatever concerns adults have about leadership, governance, or accountability, taking investment away from students because of adult behavior feels like punishing us for decisions we did not make.
The Denver school board on Thursday, October 8, censured Director Monica Hunter for allegedly making anti-Semitic statements about a fellow board member. The censure followed a quick investigation by an outside party, and while the findings of the investigation were inconclusive, the board decided on a 4-2 vote that there was enough evidence to merit the censure. Potential conflicts of interest with Hunter’s employment also contributed to the decision to censure her. In this episode, co-hosts Alexis Menocal Harrigan and Alan Gottlieb discuss the fallout.
Maybe it is time for all of us to say NO to the board’s request for a $44 million mill levy tax increase. I am torn. Denver’s teachers need to be paid more. But I do not see how Denver will ever do better by most of its students without a clear plan, transparency, honest discussion of progress, and real accountability for student success — none of which this board has offered.
News broke midday Thursday that DJ Torres, who has served on the Denver Public Schools Board of Education, had resigned, effective immediately. So what happens now? And how will this affect the problematic board dynamics? We invited to the podcast to discuss this Parker Baxter, Scholar in Residence and Director of the Center for Education Policy Analysis at the School of Pubic Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver. Baxter is also a lawyer, and spent 20 years working on education policy, including a stint in the central office of Denver Public Schools during the Tom Boasberg era.
Alleged antisemitic statements by Denver school board member Monica Hunter aimed at her colleague Amy Klein Molk are problematic. Equally troubling, however, is why the superintendent and board president sat on them for nine months until it became politically expedient to release them. In this episode, co-hosts Alexis Menocal Harrigan and Alan Gottlieb discuss whether board relationships and trust in board President Xóchitl Gaytán and Superintendent Alex Marrero are irreparably damaged, and if so, what should happen as a result.
Before voters approve a $44 million DPS tax hike, tell us what will change
Denver voters have approved mill levy overrides before. DPS collected $369.6 million last year from seven voter-approved overrides dating to 1988. That history is exactly why voters deserve specifics. A district that has been trusted this many times should be able to say what the next dollars will do.