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6 Highlands Ranch Herald
November 14, 2013
Supporters reflect on defeat of candidates Tax vote, union talk seen as issues in school election By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com Community members who rallied for the four challenger candidates during the Nov. 5 school-board election are pondering what went wrong and what lies ahead. Some also are grieving — both their candidates’ defeat and the election of four board members likely to continue the reform efforts they believe are detrimental to Douglas County students. “People are incredibly depressed,” said Laura Mutton Mutton, president of the Strong Schools Coalition. Strong Schools was among several community-based groups concerned about the direction of the district, and supportive of candidates Barbra Chase, Bill Hodges, Julie Keim and Ronda Scholting. “Our side sacrificed a lot, which is why it hurts so much,” said Susan Meek, a board member with Douglas County Parents, another community group. “Our side needs some time to mourn and recover emotionally. “But I think people made the sacrifices because it was for their children, and they’ll continue to once they’ve had some time to re-energize.” Both Meek and Mutton believes Amendment 66, a proposed statewide income tax increase to fund education, hurt their candidates’ chances, drawing conservatives to the polls in higher numbers. They also fault supporters of successful candidates Doug Benevento, Jim Geddes, Judi Reynolds and Meghann Silverthorn for pointing to the teachers’ union as an issue in the campaign.
Susan Meek, left, a board member with Douglas County Parents, addresses the crowd at Stumpy’s Pizza in Castle Rock on Nov. 5 as school board election results became clear. Standing beside her is fellow board member Laura Welch. Photo by Jane Reuter “It was a distraction, and a deception,” Mutton said. “There were people who are concerned about the teachers leaving the district and transparency, but are so against unions that that trumped their decisionmaking.” “The candidates were classified as union, and that’s all people talked about,” Meek said. “We felt like that was a very successful marketing strategy on the side of the reform candidates. It’s a successful strategy that has been used in three school board elections now — and there isn’t even a recognized union in Douglas County. “Parents don’t care about the union. They care about their children having the
best education possible.” The teachers’ union’s collective bargaining agreement with the district expired in 2012. Meek also pointed to the deep pockets of outside supporters like Americans for Prosperity and the Independence Institute. “We thought teachers not speaking out — the fear — was a big problem,” Meek said. “Not having the media outside of Douglas County active in covering the race, I think was a big detriment to truly informing the public about the issues. Regardless of the outcome, Mutton believes far more community members now understand much more about the school
district. “I don’t think that process will stop,” she said. “I think that will continue.” Mutton hopes the board doesn’t dismiss the nearly 50 percent of voters who supported the challenger candidates, and concerns that parents expressed throughout the campaign. “What the public did say is they don’t want unions,” Mutton said. “They didn’t necessarily give approval for everything else that’s going on. We have serious problems that need to be addressed. I would like (the board) to acknowledge that, and offer a clear plan on how they’re going to address it and fix it.”
ThunderRidge students react to board election Teens’ boycott plans gain district’s attention By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com ThunderRidge High School students’ plans to boycott classes in objection to the Douglas County School Board election results were deterred when administration leaders offered to meet with them. “I guess that’s the goal — is to get recognition and get our voices heard,” senior Austin Stover said. “At least the teachers have votes; we don’t get anything.” Assistant superintendent of secondary education Dan McMinimee scheduled a Nov. 12 meeting with several of the students. The meeting occurred past Colorado Community Media’s weekly deadline. “The Douglas County School District honors critical thinking, the right of young adults to disagree, and handling those dis-
agreements in an appropriate and productive manner,” according to an email sent by district spokeswoman Michelle Yi. “Enabling delinquent behavior among students doesn’t resolve any disagreements. “Unfortunately, there is a great deal of misinformation that has been circulating about the District. Mr. McMinimee looks forward to meeting with these students to hear their concerns and provide any factual information they might need.” The students, discouraged by the election of Doug Benevento, Jim Geddes, Judi Reynolds and Meghann Silverthorn over the four candidates many teachers and parents supported, began tweeting Nov. 6 about taking some form of action to protest the results. One student included Superintendent Elizabeth Fagen in the exchange. Stover said he was “shocked” by the election results. “I knew what it meant,” he said. “I knew how many teachers would probably leave ThunderRidge, and would probably leave
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Douglas County.” ThunderRidge senior Chris Thompson felt similarly. “The day after the election, from my perspective, it seemed like all the teachers were heartbroken,” Thompson said. Students also were talking about the potential impact on them. “A bunch of teachers at our school are leaving, ones that have been there forever and are part of the school,” he said. The idea of boycotting classes “caught on really fast,” Stover said. “We started tweeting at about 1:30. At about 5 p.m., my parents got a call from the assistant principal.” The phone call included an offer for the students to meet with Johnson and McMinimee. “It definitely caught their attention,” Thompson said. “That was good because now we have a meeting with them. We really get to sit down and voice our opinion. Who knows? They really could take what they say to heart.”
Stover said the idea of a boycott was student led and not motivated by any adults. Thompson and Stover said the district policies prompted many teachers to leave the school in 2013. They now believe more will follow. “They don’t feel like they’re cared about,” said Stover, whose mother is a teacher. “Honestly, we as students don’t feel cared about either.” “A lot of the newer teachers just aren’t as good,” Thompson said. “My brother is a freshman and he’s noticing it. It just seems it’s going to be all new teachers and the school is going to go a little bit downhill.” Tim Stover, Austin’s father, said the students have legitimate concerns, and he credited the high school for giving them the opportunity to voice them. “Their message needs to be heard,” he said. “They’re trying to stand up for the teachers. They see something is really wrong with that many teachers leaving their school.”