October 9, 2014 FREE
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School board approves controversial review Amended proposal changes makeup of curriculum committee By Crystal Anderson
canderson@colorado communitymedia.com Jefferson County Board of Education’s board majority — John Newkirk, Julie Williams and Ken Witt — voted to revamp the district’s current curriculum review practices Thursday, Oct. 2. “I’m delighted we were able to come up with a compromise,” Board President Ken Witt said. “The district brought forth the processes they had in place for district curriculum review, but was able to also bring in the feedback we’ve heard from the community.” Williams had proposed a new curriculum review committee resolution on Sept. 18 to review the AP U.S. History (APUSH) course to emphasize positive aspects of American history and “should not encourage or condone” civil disobedience, social strife or disregard of the law. Instead, the board voted to amend existing district policies, IJ and IJ-R, which reference the processes and structure for district’s current content and resource review committees. The changes add students, parents and
community members to the two review committees, and names the Chief Academic Officer as committee facilitator. The two committees, which already include teachers and content specialists, will now report directly to the school board. The committee meetings are required to be open to the public. Seen as a “compromise” between the board and the district, the changes were made to address student, board and community concerns, and moved away from Williams original language about not presenting “objectionable” material. “I think it’s a great compromise,” Williams said. “My goal of having citizen input and taxpayer input into what they’re actually paying for — our children’s education — it’s great; it was a great compromise. All of my goals were achieved.” It’s unclear if the reconfigured committees will review the AP U.S. History curriculum. “I think there’s potential either way (with the committees). The problem with this board though is it lost a lot of respect in the community that they can actually act in an open and transparent manner,” said Michael Clark, a community member who voted for the majority last November. “People would rather trust Mr. (Dan) McMinimee and even the district staff because of how much respect they lost in the board.” The lack of compromise and collaboration among the board was mentioned by
Immediately before the Oct. 2 school board meeting, students, parents and teachers gathered for a rally outside the district office, protesting recent board majority decisions, including the proposed curriculum review committee. Photo by Glenn Wallace both minority members, Jill Fellman and Lesley Dahlkemper, who saw McMinimee’s proposal as a stepping stone to collaboration, but ultimately voted against it, noting it was received on Thursday morning, less than 12 hours prior to the meeting. “Once again, we’re breaking board policy,” Dahlkemper said. “It’s simple, this is yet another example of when an issue has come to the board — what’s the rush?” Since Sept. 18, the district has seen the
absence of more than 128 teachers resulting in the closure of four district high schools, and a six-day streak of Jeffco students protests — the largest and longest protest in Jeffco history, according to district staff. “I appreciate the fact that they were able to discuss and collaborate somewhat Board continues on Page 4
Golden honors its greats Annual mayor’s community event spotlights Cornett By Amy Woodward
Buyer Activity Keeping Inventory of Homes for Sale Low in Jeffco
awoodward@colorado communitymedia.com Golden Mayor Marjorie Sloan’s annual Mayor’s Community Event honored some of Golden’s most generous and most involved residents on Thursday, Oct. 2, at the American Mountaineering Center. It also featured the event’s special guest and keynote speaker, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett and his nationally recognized declaration to put his city on a diet. When Men’s Fitness magazine ranked Oklahoma City No. 8 on its “Fattest City” list in 2007, Mayor
Nationally recognized Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett speaks about the history of Oklahoma City and his initiative to put the city on a diet during the 2014 Mayor’s Community Event on Thursday, Oct. 2 at the American Mountaineering Center. Photo by Amy Woodward
Greats continues on Page 9
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Colorado to issue gay marriage licenses County clerks to be notified when temporary stays are lifted By Amy Woodward
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awoodward@colorado communitymedia.com The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear all appeals on gay marriage bans from seven states on Monday, paving the way for couples in some states to legally wed – including Colorado. Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision, Attorney General John Suthers announced the state’s gay marriage ban to be unconstitutional, and filed motions which will lift stays in the federal and state courts that
will eventually advise clerks to issue licenses to same-sex couples. “The United States Supreme Court this morning denied review of all seven of the petitions from the lower Federal Circuit Courts that arose from challenges to state bans on samesex marriage. Because the 10th Circuit Court, which has jurisdiction over Colorado, struck down Utah and Oklahoma’s ban, today’s decision by the high court clears the way for samesex couples to legally wed in Colorado once stay orders have been lifted,” Suthers said in a statement. Jeffco Clerk and Recorder Pam Anderson released a statement saying, “I am thrilled this will finally be adjudicated for the citizens of Colorado. I believe strongly in individual rights and I personally support marriage equality, and look forward to the day when that right is
available to all.” In July, the U.S. District Court for Colorado issued a temporary stay on issue same-sex marriage licenses pending the state’s appeal to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. Boulder and Denver counties decided to go forward with the issuing of marriage licenses for same-sex couples, but Anderson did not, stating she had taken an oath to uphold the laws of the U.S. and the Colorado Constitution. “What makes this issue so challenging is that we are currently in the process of resolving potential conflicts between our state and federal constitutions,” Anderson said in a statement back in June. “I look forward to the approaching day, when the courts finally adjudicate this issue for Colorado citizens; however, there has not yet been issued a binding legal decision for Jeffco to follow.”