Re: “,” June 7 guest commentary.
I read the guest commentary by Douglas County school board member Jim Geddes — head cheerleader for superintendent Elizabeth Fagen — over my morning Cheerios with much disgust. As a parent of two elementary schoolchildren in the district, let me give you a less rosy picture.
Our school has had five principals in four years, one lasting only one semester. Many of our best teachers have left, which reflects a near doubling of the turnover rate we had before Fagen. Teachers are overburdened with district paperwork, justifying they are effective instead of spending time being effective in the classroom.
If high school graduation rates are up, great, but the gutting of the elementary schools by salary bands implemented by Fagen will not be realized for another four to six years. While I have my own concerns with the teachers union, the quality of our kids’ education has suffered under Fagen’s rule.
Tim Hickisch, Highlands Ranch
This letter was published in the June 9 edition.
Douglas County school board member Jim Geddes provided a classic insight into what is wrong with so many of our elected officials — they don’t listen. He fails to recognize that the voters in the district overwhelming disapprove of the board’s direction the last few years and thus removed his colleagues who were up for re-election. Instead of heeding the obvious discontent and disappointment of Douglas County residents and attempting to represent their views, he doubles down on his own political agenda and even defends the departing superintendent who weakened the district by shamefully forcing out many qualified teachers. The voters recognize the folly and wastefulness of spending of our education dollars on legal efforts to rebrand one of the leading school districts in the country to meet the political agenda of a clear minority.
Geddes was not elected to impose his personal agenda on the residents and students in Douglas County. He should accept that or expect to join his fellow ousted members after the next election.
Richard Taylor, Castle Rock
This letter was published in the June 9 edition.
Submit a letter to the editor via or check out our for how to submit by e-mail or mail.
