September 30, 2014 To Whom It May Concern: I have felt compelled for a while now to speak out about the current course being taken by the school board in Jefferson County, Colorado. Elected by a small minority of voters in 2013 and funded by third party corporation-backed groups interested in pushing a particular ideology into our schools, I have watched in horror over the last nine months as the three newly-elected members of this school board have operated under a perceived mandate that does not exist. They have repeatedly operated in secret, wasting taxpayer dollars in the process. They have disrespected the teachers, the students, and the community. They have turned a once-proud district into a shameful national laughing stock. I am a very successful member of the Colorado community. I was born and raised in Colorado. I now make my living and my home here and I am raising my children in Colorado. I am also a proud alumnus of Jefferson County Public Schools. I grew up attending Sheridan Green Elementary, Mandalay Middle School, and I graduated proudly from Standley Lake High School (Go Gators!). I went on to achieve my Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Colorado, my Master’s Degree at Regis University, and I am now completing my second Master’s Degree with the Metropolitan State University of Denver. I have made my career in social work and I serve my community in multiple capacities. My father is a retired teacher from Jefferson County and I grew up watching him pour his lifeblood into his students over the course of his 40-year career in JeffCo Schools. I am proud of the success that my JeffCo education gave me. But, more than that, I am so grateful for the lifelong love of learning that my school experiences granted me. I have tried to instill this love of learning into my own family. I remember my fourth grade teacher, Mr. Carillo, teaching me about Japan and Roald Dahl and so many other things. I wonder now what he would say about the disrespect being shown to the teachers and students and parents in Jefferson County. There are many other teachers who have inspired me along the way, too many to name. The teachers in JeffCo gave me the foundations of learning that have prepared me for every success I have enjoyed over the course of my life. I am writing this letter in support of the teachers, the students, the parents, and the community in JeffCo as they stand up against the tyranny of this newly-elected school board. I plan to contribute in any way I can to ensure that the current course in JeffCo schools is corrected and that the teachers of this proud district can go back to doing what they do best: preparing students like me for lifelong success and a passion for learning. Thank you #standup4kids, #JeffcoStandUp, Jefferson County School Board Watch
Posted on: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 20:01:50 +0000
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