Garfield Re-2 School Board unexpectedly adopted 2022 Adopted Colorado Social Studies Standards, with the majority of the community in support.

On Wednesday night, the Garfield Re-2 school board shocked the parents, community members, educators and students who were prepared for the board to ignore their voices and institute the controversial American Birthright Standards, according to a news release.

“A small minority in Re-2 wanted to stir up a political culture war in our schools by imposing the reactionary American Birthright social studies curriculum that our community opposes but our community showed up in force to say no,” said Teka Israel, a fifth grade math teacher and secretary of the West Garfield Education Association (WGEA), in the release.

Responding to the 120 residents who attended — and that 30 of 31 speakers on the social studies curriculum were against American Birthright Standards — Re-2 board members voted 3-1 to reinstate the previously removed social studies curriculum item from the agenda and later voted 3-1 to adopt the 2022 Colorado Board of Education adopted standards in accordance with the community social studies committee’s recommendations. 

“We were concerned that postponing the presentation of the committee recommendation and the vote meant they’d put their ideology over the will of our community,” Israel said in the release. “But WGEA members, fellow educators, parents, students and community members stood strong against politicizing our public schools. Now we can continue our focus on providing the opportunity for every student to succeed, no matter where they live or the color of their skin.”

A community social studies committee made up of teachers, parents and community members was established to review the social studies curriculum, study alternatives, survey the community on their preferences and make recommendations. 

“We don’t want our community to be torn apart like Woodland Park, where vocal ideologues took over the school board, causing chaos where there used to be peace,” Willow Brotzman, a parent with two students in the Re-2 District, said in the release. “They’ve bulldozed their community to institute American Birthright despite community opposition, opposed school mental health programs and bullied educators by barring them from speaking publicly on school matters and firing those that did.”

After considering the 2022 Colorado Board of Education adopted standards, the 2022 Colorado Board of Education revised standards and American Birthright, they recommended the 2022 Colorado Board of Education adopted standards.

“The Re-2 community is united in demanding an inspiring and age-appropriate curriculum for our students that is honest and includes topics like the Trail of Tears, the Holocaust and the Civil Rights Movement,” Brotzman said in the release. “I’m so grateful that we’ll implement the 2022 Colorado Board of Education adopted standards, but we need to remain vigilant to make sure our public schools reflect our community’s inclusive values.” 

The West Garfield Education Association is the voice of educators and support staff, working together to ensure all Garfield Re-2 students get the exceptional public schools they deserve, the release states.