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The transparency fight for public records despite private agendas in Durango 9-R
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Rocky Mountain Voice, State

The transparency fight for public records despite private agendas in Durango 9-R

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Access to public, governmental records ensures transparency, but in Durango School District 9-R, accessing them can come with hurdles. Parents say their Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) requests have been met with delayed responses and roadblocks. Brit Hanson, a Durango parent, started looking into the board’s decision-making processes after growing frustrated with its policies. Her concerns began during the COVID-19 pandemic. "My elementary son wore a mask for an entire year and developed an insane rash. He was on medication. Then he would go to violin class afterwards and still have to wear a mask," Hanson said. At one school forum, she recalled how officials dismissed parents’ concerns. "We had over a hundred par...
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Durango school board doubles down on DEI and keeps their LGBTQ+ and BLM flags raised
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Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Durango school board doubles down on DEI and keeps their LGBTQ+ and BLM flags raised

By Jen Schumann | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice "Flags do not harm kids. Hateful words and hateful people harm children." This was the message delivered by Terry Kopack, a local parent, during the Jan. 28 Durango 9-R School Board meeting, where school board members voted unanimously to approve two resolutions supporting LGBTQIA2S+ and IBPOC (Indigenous, Black, and People of Color) students, staff and community members. A public comment session preceded the board’s vote, with all speakers voicing support for the proposed resolutions. The board limited public comments to 10 speakers, before moving into discussion and voting on the resolutions. Among those who spoke, one mother took direct aim at the Colorado GOP.  “I want the Colorado Republican Party to open their...
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Ganahl: Say ‘NO’ to political flags in our classrooms!
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Commentary, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice

Ganahl: Say ‘NO’ to political flags in our classrooms!

By Heidi Ganahl | Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice The Durango 9-R School Board is poised to take an alarming step that undermines the values of neutrality and inclusivity our schools should uphold. On Tuesday, the school board plans to vote on a resolution that would officially designate certain political symbols — like the Black Lives Matter and Progress Pride flags — as the district’s own speech. This sleight of hand allows them to avoid the protections of the 1st Amendment, shutting the door on diverse perspectives while granting preferential treatment to one viewpoint. Let’s be clear: this is government-sanctioned discrimination. By rebranding these flags as “compatible with educational goals,” the board is imposing a specific political ideology on our classrooms. This is wro...
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