After the Woodland Park School District accused a local teachers’ union of trying to foster “hatred of America” among students, both supporters and critics of recent school board policies came out in force during its regular meeting Wednesday evening.

Last week, 81 district teachers and staff – a portion of whom are affiliated with the Woodland Park Education Association – publicly condemned recent decisions by the board to adopt the markedly conservative social studies curriculum standard American Birthright; to govern teachers’ ability to post on social media or speak with the press; and to refuse $1.5 million in grants to retain its social and behavioral health workers.

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Superintendent Ken Witt responded forcefully in a statement released later that day, calling the gathering a “union tactic to again dredge up” previously addressed issues.

Much of the division among parents and residents in Woodland Park centers on implementation of the American Birthright standard, which was created by the Civics Alliance, a conservative coalition with the stated mission of combating a “new civics” approach of the progressive left that it says prioritizes activism over the responsibilities of American citizenship. The Colorado State Board of Education shot down a proposal in 2022 that would have adopted American Birthright as the state’s standard.

Those opposing the standard say it fails to prepare students to navigate the world and critically consider different viewpoints and that the district has not confirmed with teachers that the standard is an accredited standard recognized by certain collegiate organizations, like the NCAA.

The district added to its pushback on Monday, calling the concerns “patently false,” according to an email shared with The Gazette.

“The addition of the American Birthright standard to supplement the Colorado Academic standards has improved the depth and breadth of WPSD civics and social studies instruction, to the irritation of those teachers’ union affiliates bent on fostering a hatred of America in our youth,” the email said.

Well over 100 people were lined up outside the district administration building 45 minutes before the meeting began Wednesday, with 33 casting their name into a basket in hopes of being one of 15 allowed to address the board during the public comment segment.

In multiple instances during the meeting, critics and supporters of the board shouted over each other while calling for each other to be removed from the room.

Logan Ruths, a critic of the board’s leadership, was removed from a June meeting after a 3-second comment.

Lindsay Orellana, a teacher of 20 years with the district, told Witt that the district’s statement “deeply attacked” her and her husband, who she said immigrated to the U.S. and became a citizen after enduring constant threats and attacks from gang activity as a child in El Salvador.

“We have raised our children to know what it means to grow up in a place where you can say what you think … I love my country,” Orellana said. “Because of my husband’s experience, I know what life can look like without these freedoms and it is my responsibility to protect them.”

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Kim Morris said her family feels “survivors’ guilt” after transferring her two children from Woodland Park to the Manitou Springs School District this school year.

“As longtime district parents, my husband and I could no longer allow our children to be used by this board as educational guinea pigs and political pawns,” Morris said. 

“You sound petulant, petty and perverse,” Morris said about the district’s email. “Let’s be honest, that horse is dead, and you are fools.”

Woodland Park Education Association President Nate Owen, a registered Republican, said the issue is nuanced and that the board has continued to lump the local union with recent controversial views on capitalism held by the Colorado Education Association, despite the WPEA publicly breaking from the state union on such views.

Others backed American Birthright and other board decisions, thanking the board for better reflecting the conservative values held by most Woodland Park residents than previous boards.

“I am very proud of the new school board that we have in place that upholds the rule of law and the protection of education for our children (by) protecting their minds from wrong ideology,” resident Cynthia Behr said.

Aaron Helstrom, a district parent representative on the 2022-2023 School District Accountability Committee, backed the board’s defense of “traditional” civics and encouraged the board to fully listen to take teachers’ grievances seriously.

“What you’re doing with the American Birthright is the right move, our students need to know what it means to be an American,” Helstrom said. “Know that we support you, but now it’s time to step up and start taking the dissenting voices.”

Though the grievances were not heard as agenda items, board president David Rusterholtz asked frustrated teachers to meet with him in coming weeks.

“I’m serving another two years on the school board, and I want to make up for deficiencies that I personally have had and would really like to hear from you,” Rusterholtz said. “Thank you for your service to our kids, our community and ultimately to our nation. You’re doing a good job and I appreciate it.”

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