Public commenters urge support for mill levy override and call for better family engagement; critics raise policy and curriculum concerns

At the start of Tuesday’s meeting, members of the community used the public comment period to press the board on a mix of issues tied to the district’s upcoming policy and ballot decisions.

Several speakers, including parents and local civic leaders, urged the board to place a mill levy override on the ballot and said passing it would restore staff and programs cut during the prior fiscal year. “Let’s make sure that we vote yes for our future, yes for our kids, and vote yes on this initiative,” one speaker said, framing the proposal as an investment in long-term student success.

Other commenters pressed the board on family engagement and transparency. Erin Lofton, speaking as a long‑time parent and volunteer, asked the board to “create a vision for engaging and empowering its families and communities” and criticized experiences she described as “compliance, performativity or charity” rather than genuine partnership.

Public comment also included sharply worded critics of district policies around gender and student privacy. One speaker urged the board to rescind what he called a “gender bending policy,” asserting that it allowed boys to access girls’ restrooms, locker rooms and sleeping spaces on trips; the board did not provide a policy response during public comment.

A student from Thornton High School testified about classroom and support issues at that campus, asking the board for more attention and help for students who feel left behind. Another speaker, identifying as a queer survivor of family abuse, thanked the board for district efforts to support LGBTQ students.

The board heard a broad cross-section of viewpoints during public comment; presenters later acknowledged those concerns while urging community support for the mill levy override to restore staffing and programs that supporters said will benefit students across the district.