Denver’s traditional school populations of 40 percent Hispanic, 50 percent Anglo, 10 percent African-American may have met their Nemesis.
According to DPS Communication staff, more than a dozen DPS middle schools have been closed, sold, become charter schools or found other alternatives over the past few years.
Rishel Middle School, currently in its last year as a DPS school, provides an example of what is happening in Denver. Rishel’s student population is 94 percent minorities, nearly a quarter English Language Learners. More than 90 percent are on free or reduced lunch—an indicator of poverty.
In 2006-07 Rishel, with “one of the highest suspension and expulsion rates in the city,” was experiencing disciplinary problems (J. Meyer, The Denver Post, 1-1/21/08). According to student advisor Allen Potter, “Classrooms were in crisis. Kids were breaking things and lighting fires. We had to let students know this was going to be a school, not a crazy place.” After expelling troublemakers, disciplinary reports were cut in half. Special programs resulted in higher performance on the CSAP tests, but Rishel’s enrollment declined by 45 percent, or 400 students. Gradually, students chose to attend other schools.
When a DPS psychologist commented recently that she had not expected to see such poverty in America, she was told she is not teaching in America, she is teaching in Mexico.
Business owners who used to pay a living wage to American workers hire cheap-labor, mostly undocumented workers. The difference is increased profit for the employer. For the Colorado taxpayer, the annual cost of illegal immigration (Federation for Immigration Reform) has risen to $1.1 Billion, and maybe our children’s futures.
Kathleen Faller lives in Littleton. EDITOR’S NOTE: This online-only guest commentary has not been edited. Guest commentary submissions of up to 650 words may be sent to columns@denverpost.com.
