Parent group starts petition that calls for 7 Denver Public Schools board members to resign
A group of people in the community are demanding change following the latest shooting at East High School in Denver. They've created a petition calling on the seven Denver Public Schools Board of Education members to resign.
After speaking with that group, to replace the entire school board would be a complete overhaul of Denver's education system, but parents in support of this petition are willing to take that risk. They're saying enough is enough.
Parents say their hope is, if members do resign, community members would fill in until a special election is held for the school board.
They want people who will listen to their concerns as parents and make the necessary changes when needed, such as adding more security to schools and focusing on learning.
They're fed up, and this group of parents released this petition asking the school board to resign a day ago and already have over 1,000 signatures.
Danny Foster, one of the parents leading this effort, says it is time for change.
"Let's get some adults in the room, and let's take back our Denver Public Schools because the seven that are running the school board right now are running it into the ground," Foster said.
Danny Foster is a DPS alum and a father of three who also went through Denver schools. Now, he's part of the group of parents asking the school board to resign.
"They really have put their political ideology over practicality, and it has damaged these children, and we've seen it," Foster said. "Test scores have gone down. There is low enrollment. They're trying to figure out what schools to close."
All seven members of this school board received support from the Denver Classroom Teachers association when appointed.
The group was supposed to be unified, but in their time have raised their voices at each other, even calling each other names. That's on top of making huge changes, such as removing school resource officers and moving to close a number of schools because of low enrollment.
These have been decisions many parents like Foster did not agree with.
"When you've got principals, administrators, teachers and loads of loads of parents who want SRO's in schools, but you have the seven member tribunal saying, 'No, we are going to take them out,' it is arrogance, and it creates a real frustration," Foster said.
Out of the seven members on the board, three are not subject to recall, since elections are in November.
Auon'tai Anderson, the vice president of DPS school board, is one of them.
"I wish folks would focus on student outcomes and not playing into adult politics because that is what all this commotion is because individuals aren't happy that school board members were duly elected," Anderson said. "So they're looking for ways to strip power or trying to force them out of their seats, but we won't be fooled and will continue to do the work for the kids."
Parents are willing to do a recall for those school board members who don't voluntarily choose to step down from their position.
"I want seven adults on that board who are mature, who can work together, who can look for practical solutions and can put politics aside," Foster said.
