The next superintendent of Denver Public Schools faces what some would give up as intractable challenges. As the three finalists introduce themselves to the public in a series of meetings this week, they should be prepared to offer specifics on several of these important issues:
What strategies would they pursue to close the achievement gap? The gap between Anglo students and African-American and Latino students is well documented. Candidates should offer more than platitudes about their high expectations and their commitment to closing this gap among Denver’s more than 72,000 students. They should offer specifics about how they intend to translate high expectations into high achievement. The achievement gap issue is not one that a finalist for the job learns on the job but one the superintendent must be prepared to tackle on day one.
How can the superintendent and the mayor eliminate duplicate services and collaborate on how they can work with the school board and City Council to ensure that we are using our tax resources to the benefit of our citizens? The $576.1 million budget for DPS already includes sizable and significant spending cuts. Each year, deeper cuts in services for students take place in the district. The city of Denver faces its own budget shortfalls.
A safe learning environment continues to top concerns among schools and parents. Can we achieve more savings on safety issues with better coordination between the city and DPS?
Would eliminating duplicate services shore them up or mire them in added layers of bureaucracy? Can we afford not to collaborate? Is merging the school district with the city and county of Denver a desirable or viable option?
The DPS board is pushing a ballot initiative in November called ProComp, intended to motivate and reward dedicated and effective teachers. The citizens of Denver will be asked to approve this mill levy to pay for ProComp. A good question for each candidate to answer is: “What other strategies would you pursue to ensure the district attracts and retains talented teachers?”
Tough questions and issues face the next superintendent of Denver Public Schools. It would be interesting to hear how their own personal experiences with public schools will help them formulate public policy to ensure the achievement gap is indeed closed.
Butch Montoya, Denver
The writer is former public safety director of Denver.
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Old Glory and the Pledge of Allegiance
Re: “Flag is a symbol, remember?” June 17 Reggie Rivers column.
I applaud Reggie Rivers for addressing this strangely sensitive issue. Rivers succinctly states several examples for not creating a constitutional amendment to protect the flag because, as he states, “the U.S. flag is merely a symbol of our ideals – it is not the actual embodiment of them.”
Every several years or so, politicians attempt to alter discourse on more pertinent and problematic issues by subverting substantive discussions on such issues as the war in Iraq, the economy, the environment, etc., by resurrecting the flag issue. Each time this has occurred I’ve asked: Why?
The flag is a wonderful symbol and I doff my cap when the national anthem is played. However, I, too, pledge allegiance to the Constitution, not the flag.
Jeff Martin, Denver
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I am 13 years old, and a few years ago, I decided that since religion causes many of the world’s problems, I would not take part in it. I was in elementary school, where we were required to say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning. I noticed that the words “under God” were in it, and I decided I would not say the Pledge because it went against my religious beliefs.
My teachers were firm in disallowing me to remain seated while the other students recited the salute to the flag.
Recently, I discovered that on June 14, 1943, the Supreme Court ruled that schoolchildren couldn’t be forced to salute the flag if doing so conflicted with their religious beliefs. I thought back to those days in elementary school when my teachers required that I do just that. What’s more, exactly 11 years after the Supreme court ruling, to the day, President Eisenhower signed an order adding “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance. Isn’t that ironic?
The First Amendment includes freedom of religion. I suggest that the words “under God” be removed from the Pledge of Allegiance. They weren’t there originally, and they shouldn’t be there now.
Heather Boronski, Glenwood Springs
Money and politics in the governor’s race
Re: “Holtzman, Bridges add to 2006 race,” June 19 editorial.
Marc Holtzman and Rutt Bridges will truly add something to the 2006 Colorado gubernatorial race. Unfortunately, what they will add is likely to be “more of the same.”
They continue to perpetuate the stereotype that only wealthy citizens belong in politics. How likely is it that these two millionaires will have the best interests of the state at heart? They are not using their own funds to pay for their campaigns, so we can continue to expect that their contact lists of big businesses and wealthy donors will make up the majority of their political contributions. As a result, we can expect that their policies will be driven by the interests of their wealthy friends and associates. We will continue to hear campaign promises from millionaires who pretend to understand what average citizens face on a daily basis and they will tell us how different they are from one another.
Unfortunately, at the end of the day, they will both answer to their powerful contacts who helped get them elected, and Coloradans will be left with politics as usual.
Dan Edstrom, Denver
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Therapist court-martial
Re: “Therapist opts to skip high court – for now,” June 20 news story.
When I was on active duty in the Air Force, courts-martial had no jurisdiction over civilians. The thing that has puzzled me the most since Air Force judge David Brash issued a warrant for the arrest of the Colorado Springs therapist – who refused to turn over counseling records in the rape case of Lt. Joseph Harding – is where the judge got or thought he got jurisdiction. That issue hasn’t been mentioned in any of the news reports I’ve seen.
I would appreciate a review of the case by an expert in military law. Obviously things have changed since I attended the commanders’ course quite a few years ago, and I’d appreciate an update.
William C. Bennett, Aurora
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Historical prediction
Re: “Chernobyl now a tourist attraction,” June 17 news story.
The Post’s article on Chernobyl included a phrase that instantly resonated with me. The article stated that the reactor exploded in April 1986, “exposing the Communist Party as an institution wormy with hypocrisy and lies.”
Surely any accurate history written two decades from now (should any vestige of free speech remain by then in this country) will record that the Bush war in Iraq was entirely unjustified and was a monumental waste of money, human lives and was a national disgrace, “exposing the Bush administration as an institution wormy with hypocrisy and lies.”
Bill Schwarz, Louisville
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Accountability for Iraq
Re: “5 Marines killed in bomb attack on vehicle near Ramadi,” June 16 news story.
Another day, another report of four or five more American soldiers and 25 or 30 more Iraqi soldiers or civilians killed. Who cares? Most Americans are too busy trying to keep our lives together or hanging out with reality TV to care about what is happening in Iraq. That’s just the way our leaders in Washington want it.
If more of us started paying attention to the tragedy unfolding there, the president, vice president, secretary of defense, secretary of state, etc., would have to start giving us the truth about their quixotic adventure in that poor country.
Tony Blair, leader of our primary “Coalition of the Willing” partner, already seems to realize he needs to start telling his people the truth. We need to start demanding answers from our leaders.
Marilyn Mattson, Denver
TO REACH
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