1
October 24, 2014 VOLU M E 1 2 | I SS UE 51
ParkerChronicle.net D O U G L A S C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
A publication of
AP history drawing scrutiny
FALL INTO FUN Hundreds of families enjoyed a dose of fall at Flat Acres Farm in Parker the weekend of Oct. 18 and 19, taking hayrides, winding through a corn maze, picking out pumpkins and getting the most out of the weather before it turns cold. It was a warm day Oct. 18, providing ideal conditions for playing in water features or reaching new heights on a swing. Flat Acres Farm, on Twenty Mile Road across from SuperTarget, has become the go-to place for families in the fall for good reason.
Two school board members cite late rollout, political bias among issues with course
PHOTOS BY CHRIS MICHLEWICZ
By Jane Reuter
jreuter@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Ethan Perkins, 2, of Parker, flashes a grin for a photo by his dad, Jason, while his big sister, Ashley, looks on.
Talisa Gamboa, 5, of Highlands Ranch, hefts a pumpkin at Flat Acres Farm.
Aubrie Casias, 6, and her brother, Aidan, 9, run ahead of their dad in the corn maze at Flat Acres Farm.
Two Douglas County School Board members have expressed public concern about the new Advanced Placement U.S. History course that sparked a firestorm in Jefferson County. Jim Geddes and Judi Reynolds said their interest is not about promoting or quashing a particular viewpoint, but giving students a balanced perspective on the past. Geddes wants to provide a balanced political view he said the new course is lacking. He wants to not only request the College Board revise the course, but provide students with an alternative accredited U.S. History class. “I believe the course is heavily flawed,” Geddes said. Geddes “When I read the tests, I see a leftist liberal indoctrination; I don’t approve of that. We must have a responsible academia, particularly when it comes to these kinds of courses. “Our purpose is not to tell young people what to think about what happened. It’s to Reynolds lay out the facts and tell them maybe various people’s views about what happened in a balanced fashion. And that course doesn’t do that; I’m highly concerned about that.” Geddes said he is “not interested in jetting up the flames that have occurred in JeffCo,” and Reynolds said she has no interest in removing or immediately altering the course. But both are frank about their concerns. Geddes brought some of his up during an Oct. 7 board of education work session. Reynolds has blogged about hers. No one else on the all-Republican Douglas County School History continues on Page 28
Blind man shares perils of rec trail Parker resident describes angry confrontations By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz @coloradocommunitymedia.com Imagine walking blind and suddenly being approached by an angry stranger who launches into a tirade about your position on the sidewalk. It’s a possibility for Lorenzo Edwards nearly every day. The scenario has played out on the Cherry Creek Regional Trail approximately five times in the four years since Edwards moved from California to the Cottonwood subdivision on the north end of Parker. Edwards, who has macular degeneration and is almost completely blind, describes the fear and uncertainty in vivid detail. His sense of hearing and feel — more acute than the average person’s — go on high alert. “I had to start carrying this golf club with me,” he says, holding up a gleaming 6-iron. It’s all because he walks on the left side of
the path, against the normal grain of traffic. That’s what his guide dog, Taz, was trained to do. Edwards’s wife, Debra, said in one instance a large man on a bike approached her husband at a high rate of speed and slammed on his brakes, screeching his tires and stopping just in front of Edwards. He berated the 74-year-old over repeated explanations from Debra Edwards that her husband is blind. Other cyclists have zoomed within inches of Edwards and delivered sharp expletives. Things got so bad that Debra Edwards pleaded with the Town of Parker to place a sign along the trail that reads: “Blind person in area.” “It’s scary when he goes out by himself,” she said. “I worry about him.” Lorenzo Edwards uses the Cherry Creek trail 4-5 times per week. The vast majority of trail-users are friendly and have come to know Edwards, calling out a greeting as they pass each other. It’s those who lack the understanding of safety protocols for blind persons and Trail continues on Page 28
Parker resident Lorenzo Edwards and his guide dog, Taz, pass a sign warning of blind users on the Cherry Creek Regional Trail. Photo by Chris Michlewicz