Next week, the November election ballots will be distributed and Denver Public Schools finds itself at a critical juncture with three vacant seats on its school board amidst significant polarization.
The school board debate in Colorado is being co-hosted by CBS News Colorado, Regis University, Chalkbeat Colorado, and Educate Denver.
During the at-large race, two candidates were questioned about their stance on expelling students who have been accused of serious crimes but have not yet been convicted.
According to At Large Candidate Kwame Spearman, the issue revolves around whether students dealing with conflicts should be permitted in our conventional schools. In his opinion, the answer is negative. This highlights the necessity for alternative learning environments that can provide these students with the education they deserve, while also catering to their specific needs.
In the At Large race, John Youngquist responded, saying that whether students who have committed serious crimes should be expelled or not depends on the specific situation. However, he believes that they should not be allowed in our schools until we have a clear understanding of the circumstances. If a student is facing serious felony charges, denying their admission could be an appropriate response.
Marlene De la Rosa, Charmaine Lindsay, and Adam Slutzker are the candidates participating in the debate for the two open district seats in Northwest Denver District 5.
Scott Baldermann and Kimberlee Sia are the candidates running for the southeast Denver representation in District 1.
Tonight, on October 12th at 7PM, don’t miss the opportunity to watch the complete debate on the CBS News Colorado stream.
