Daniel Schlett/Photo provided
Spending discussions earlier this year said the district was at risk of running into a budget deficit as early as the 2025-26 school year. How can I avoid this?
I comb through my budget to figure out where my money is going. We received a large amount of emergency aid for elementary and junior high schools in response to the new coronavirus infection. Most of that money has been spent or budgeted for. This was extra money that should have been spent on reconstruction, such as hiring tutors and funding summer school. It wasn’t. I do not believe that the district does not have sufficient funds to operate effectively. I think the money is not being managed properly and is not being used effectively. The amount of money spent on public education has continued to increase over the years, and there are several subsidies available for schools.
I intend to cut all unnecessary spending and avoid running into a deficit in 2025-2026. Some difficult decisions will be made, but if they do not directly support the educational needs of teachers and students, they should not be a budgeting priority. We need to start spending our money as if it were our own, rather than indulging in new age ideas that don’t work. Please return to the basics of education. Our spending, like our education goals, needs to be targeted and focused.
How do you plan to improve your students’ test scores?
It’s a matter of priorities. First and foremost, districts must prioritize academics. I will attend the school board meeting. That’s not a priority at the moment. Ideological focus has consumed our school boards. There’s no need to say, “We’re more than just test scores.” Of course, test scores are not the only important thing for children. This is an attempt to escape a very dire situation. It is unacceptable that around 60% of children are not proficient in reading and 75% are not proficient in mathematics.
We hear from district leaders that many teachers don’t know the standards for the test. So how can students achieve good grades? I will mandate standards-focused professional development training and ensure teachers are prepared accordingly. We also offer summer school and a highly structured tutoring program. Four of her schools in Colorado received the National Blue Ribbon Award, according to the Colorado Department of Education’s website. I visited these schools’ websites and reviewed their missions and values. Almost everyone’s description included the words “high expectations” and “excellence.” That’s what is expected at these schools. Mediocrity is not an option. We need to cultivate this attitude in the Summit School District.
Do you support or oppose district equity policies that identify patterns of systemic inequality within the district and commit to supporting student and staff identity expression?
This is the district’s primary focus, not academics. Parents and community members opposed this policy. They wanted a serious discussion before a decision was made, but were ignored as usual. Instead of equality of opportunity (which I fully support), equity policies focus on disparities in outcomes. If any disparity exists, it is because of systemic racism. Equity politics is actually critical race theory that looks at everything through the lens of race. It creates an oppressor/oppressed mentality.
The equity policy states, “Institutionalized racism and systemic oppression stemming from language proficiency continue to have the greatest impact on student achievement…and more.” “These inequalities are not due to differences in innate ability, and are therefore indicative of unfair policies, practices, and procedures.” I disagree with this worldview. I think it’s toxic, divisive, and inaccurate. Anyone who understands human nature knows that there are many factors that contribute to an individual’s success. There is a real reason why students are suffering, and it is not systemic racism. The more we continue to focus on this being the cause, the more students will be left behind. The equity policy was passed in 2021, but nothing has improved. Hispanic students remain in the bottom 2% of Colorado academically.
What decisions have you made by the school district or board that you support and why?
Some of the decisions I agree with the board are changes to the reading curriculum and free lunch and breakfast for students. Unfortunately, there were many years when students were taught to read by the Painting Society. This method did not work and was clearly the student’s failure. I still worry about the many students who learned this way and were promoted to the next grade even though they had not learned to read. I think they should get the necessary interventions because they are still struggling. I’m glad they finally decided to listen to their many constituents and introduce a new, proven reading curriculum that will hopefully get students reading at grade level.
Another positive decision was to provide breakfast and lunch to all students. All students should come to school with a full stomach and ready to learn. I never want my children to go hungry, and I think it’s a great service to provide meals for students. I want all students to be successful in their studies. Proper nutrition is necessary to ensure children are healthy, happy, and ready to learn.
What decision has the district or board made that you disagree with and why?
One big decision I disagree with is the passing of a resolution to teach LGBTQ in K-12 classrooms. These discussions are the responsibility of the parents, not the teachers. Introducing this to 5 year olds is confusing and takes away their innocence. There is plenty of time to have these conversations. Elementary school is not like that. Children this age aren’t thinking about sexuality and shouldn’t be. There is no requirement for teachers to present this information at all, and it is not the school’s job to decide when it occurs.
Please tell us that everyone is different and unique in their own way. We teach all students kindness, respect, and tolerance. This school, without going into unnecessary details, is perfectly possible to say that people are different. Tolerance means the ability to tolerate differing opinions, not force them to conform. Some people see this as their own personal movement, and nothing else matters except imposing their views on others, especially young children. It completely goes beyond the student-teacher relationship. The district, and by extension the state, is overstepping its bounds.
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