WPSD enrollment decline
Regarding recent news reports on the dramatic enrollment decline in the Woodland park School District this year, district leaders reacted with bafflement and accusations and sought to understand families’ decision-making. My husband and I are one such family: we pulled our preschooler from WPSD this summer and have no plans to return.
Our decision was entirely due to the school board’s short-sighted, opaque decisions that can be defended with neither data nor results. Four things would make us consider returning:
• Fire Ken Witt, Aaron Salt, and Brad Miller. These underqualified, overpaid, out-of-town grifters have no place here. Perhaps on his way out Mr. Witt can apologize to Woodland Park’s teachers for publicly accusing them of “hating America.”
• Replace the American Birthright academic standard with a mainstream, proven standard with demonstrated success. My kids aren’t guinea pigs for niche experiments.
• Open the district’s books for a full financial audit by a reputable, independent auditing firm. Make the findings public in their entirety.
• Refuse to accept money from Andrew Wommack Ministries for anything related to the school district, including school board elections. I’m tired of watching a special interest group try to buy our town. Keep their dark money away from our schools.
I urge the school board once again to listen to parents instead of Ken Witt. Listen to Teller County’s families instead of its special interest groups. You already know why we are pulling our kids from WPSD and what it will take for us to return.
Sarah Voget, Woodland Park
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Saving democracy
Read your recent article and found it quite amusing. As a former Pennsylvanian, I’m glad the voters decided it was time for Bob Casey to leave. Until recently, I lived in PA for 69 years and cannot tell you what that man has done while in office. He’s done nothing but collect a federal paycheck, lived off his father’s ( former governor) reputation, and has been a rubber stamp for the DNC for many years.
It is time for him to leave. He’s a perfect example why there should be term limits.
Dominic Boyle, Colorado Springs
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Many thanks
It was an honor earlier today (Nov. 20) to join several members of American Legion Post 1980 and the American Legion Auxiliary to thank several local businesses for their support of our Teller County Veterans during this year’s Teller County Veterans Dinner. We will do presentations at Walmart once we get that coordinated.
As always, we never take for granted, and are deeply appreciative, of our local and small business owners who reach out and ask how they can support our Veteran Community. We encourage our Veteran Population and all Teller County residents to support our small and local business owners.
A special thank you to Frank Connors for handcrafting these plaques. To Roy at Roy’s BBQ and Joe at Grandmas Kitchen thank you for helping build and maintain a sense of community here and for always supporting the nearly 5,000 Veterans that call Teller County home. To Aaron Degani, Genieca and Skyler at Walmart a heartfelt thank you and we will be over to see you very soon.
Dan Williams, Teller County
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Quiet, random kindness? — PART 4
Lastly, the author of “Quiet, random, acts of kindness” states part of Biden’s policy is to “allow our southern border to be overrun by 10+ million illegal immigrants”. This kind on political rhetoric is counter-productive.
First of all, Congress, not the President, is responsible for making and modifying immigration law. But Congress has spent decades attempting and failing to pass bipartisan legislation on immigration and border security.
Take the latest (2024) bill for example. Even after conservatives got everything they wanted, Trump told the GOP led House to let it die because his re-election campaign is based on immigration issues and letting it pass now would undermine his support and make Biden look good. That’s truly pathetic.
In order to get comprehensive immigration reform, Congress needs to put aside their political shenanigans and forge a compromise under the watchful eyes of a well informed public. To that extent, my contribution will be a 500-word essay to Gazette/Courier outlining the REAL issues on illegal immigration.
The scenario is complex with many influential factors. For example, research has shown most of the increase in illegal immigration correlates with strength of our labor market rather than any administration’s tinkering with border enforcement policies. From the Labor Department to Homeland Security, facts need to be separated from fiction.
Like the author, I too am not a Marxist. However, I do believe in the power of evidence based reasoning, which will help avoid having my “head in the sand”.
Mark Jurik, Divide
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LETTERS POLICY: Letters are published on a space-available basis. Letters must be 250 words or less. Guest columns will be published, space allowing, with a firm limit of 500 words. Both must be received by noon Friday for publication the following Wednesday. Please email your submissions to Courier Editor Doug Fitzgerald at doug.fitzgerald@pikespeaknewspapers.com. The Courier reserves the right to edit or reject submissions, which should have the author’s name, address and phone number, for verification purposes.
