A month before the recall of three Jefferson County school board members, activists show their support for the effort. (Andy Cross, Denver Post file)
Re: “Lessons from Jeffco school board recall,” Dec. 22 guest commentary.
It doesn’t appear to me that former Jefferson County school board member John Newkirk learned enough from his own recall. He and the two other individuals who were recalled often acted like tyrants, trying to shove their extreme right-wing ideologies down other people’s throats. They hired an outside lawyer, they forced forced a highly popular and respected superintendent to resign, and threatened to tamper with AP curricula, for no good reason.
Newkirk wants to blame leftist outsiders and Alinsky tactics for his defeat, instead of taking responsibility for some of the poor decisions that he and his two cohorts made.
Perhaps Newkirk would be better served if he remembered two important principles: 1) school board elections are supposed to be nonpartisan; and 2) absolute power corrupts absolutely.
Robert H. Moulton III, Commerce City
This letter was published in the Dec. 26 edition.I am a conservative with an abiding belief in the democratic process. Accordingly, I cannot dismiss as unfounded the recall election in Jefferson County; rather, I believe the election must serve as a strong message to all conservatives. If the conservative movement is to broaden public support on the issue of education, its leaders must reconsider the movementap present position on public schools and transform what is currently an adversarial relationship with public school educators.
Thus, though I may agree with the former Jeffco school board member about the need for educational reform, I am dismayed and disappointed by his response to his loss in the recall election. His rants and name-calling affirm his disdain for public schools and his disrespect for the employees he was to lead in the district. Moreover, he simply does not understand that an overwhelming number of citizens disagreed with his perspective and conduct.
Chris D. White, Loveland
This letter was published in the Dec. 26 edition.I was against John Newkirk’s recall based on policy differences, even though I do not share his vision on education. If eligible Jeffco voters choose to not take the time and effort to learn about the issues and vote on Election Day, then they must live with the results until the next election. Recall elections were not designed to be a consequence for a lack of voter accountability.
Bryant Kligerman, Denver
This letter was published in the Dec. 26 edition.
Submit a letter to the editor via this form or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail.
