Educators and parents urge inclusion in decision-making; union calls out exclusion of educator input

Several members of the public used the community comment period at the Sept. 23 Poudre School District board meeting to urge greater educator inclusion in decision-making and to press the board to protect LGBTQ students under state and local law.

Nicole Alvarado, speaking on behalf of the Poudre Education Association executive board, said the union represents more than 1,200 licensed employees and accused district cabinet and some board members of —cutting out the voice of our union and our members.— She said educators were not asked to participate in a recently formed instructional-minutes action team and raised concerns that other committees have convened without licensed educators present.

—If there is a committee being formed, a licensed educator should be there,— Alvarado told trustees. —No decisions about us without us.—

Jamie Ridgeway, a parent of two PSD students, asked trustees to protect queer and transgender students and cited Colorado statutes and local code that she said provide protections. Ridgeway named Colorado Revised Statutes (Title 22, Article 1, sections 143, 145 and 147), the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act and Fort Collins city code, chapter 13 section 16 while urging the board to prioritize student safety and compliance with state and local law.

Ridgeway told the board: —Your job is to focus on the students in your charge, and they, these students, include queer and transgender students in all grades pre-K through 12.—

Board members acknowledged the comments during the meeting but did not take immediate action in response. The board will continue several policy and operational conversations in coming weeks, including instructional minutes, committee composition and other governance topics that commenters identified.