Four years ago a promise was made within the Douglas County School District: Years of conflict were over because voters chose new faces to sit on the school board. Unfortunately, the school board has not met its commitments to support teachers and advance student learning in many critical areas. 

For teachers, the school board pledged to make salaries competitive with neighboring districts. This was the board’s biggest promise. Board members made a convincing case to the community and in return voters passed a $40 million mill levy increase. Yet only $14 million was allocated for salary increases of teachers and staff.  

On average teachers received 2.76% pay raises, a far cry from their peers. Teachers who campaigned for the measure were rightfully disappointed and complained at board meetings. 

After years of fighting previous school boards, teachers believed it was going to be different. There began, however, an unsettling realization the new school board was not capable of delivering on promises. The struggle played out in real-time on social media and in teachers lounges. As an unfortunate result we continue to see good teachers and several principals leaving the district because of their dissatisfaction. 

Students have been similarly let down by Douglas County’s school board as we’ve witnessed a decline in key academic outcomes.

Over the past few years high school graduation rates have declined and nearly twice as many students fail to graduate. College entrance exam scores are lower according to Colorado Department of Education data and college enrollment is dropping. In addition, minority students continue to struggle more than their peers in each of these areas as well as in measures of math and suspension rates.  

Instead of adequately addressing these trends, board members have focused on writing a new Strategic Plan. It’s the No. 1 success they point to this election. However, what’s been created over the past year are several high-level talking points with little actionable direction for teachers. 

While strategic planning is critical for a large organization, the opportunity cost of the board’s sole focus on crafting policy outlines has meant problems of bullying and sexual misconduct haven’t been prioritized. The board stayed silent and assured the public the cases are minor personnel issues. Meanwhile the list of students abused and bullied on their watch grows. News reports document numerous coaches and teachers caught endangering students, including an athletic director, math teacher, another math teacher, cheer coach, art teacher, a third math teacher, English teacher, and another coach.

Victims know there’s a problem in the district. They live with the consequences daily. They’re begging to be defended, to be heard, and to be taken seriously. It’s why recently several students protested a school board meeting and called media to draw attention to the problem.

They want leaders who recognize the disturbing trend and who have the resolve to find solutions. If the elected school board members speak up, they’ll find the community is behind them.

The bottom line is the Douglas County School District has suffered from weak leadership in several areas. These are just a few.

We were promised transformation. Instead teacher dissatisfaction grows, student performance is declining, and we’re witnessing a troubling trend of victimization. These are the basic measures that matter in the daily lives of our community, not the number of polices written. 

Aaron Johnson is a Castle Rock parent who speaks for an ad hoc group of school-choice families.