I had a short conversation with a friend following my last post—one where she said, quite honestly, that she had no idea the battles we were facing in the public school setting. She was genuinely appalled at the situation and promised to pray for those of us on the “front lines.”
I appreciate feedback! It totally gets lonely when you are trying to speak truth into a corrupt culture. It’s easier to look away and pretend it doesn’t affect us.
But it does. Think of the children in your own life, their future spouses and their children yet to be born. It’s a pretty good chance that the public school kids of today—even if you don’t have skin in the game now—will be in their world tomorrow as partners, parents, friends, co-workers, leaders. Let’s give them every advantage while we can, protecting them from evil times and allowing them to grow up without unnecessary harm. “Snatching them from the fire”—I always think of this beautiful phrase in Jude—it isn’t metaphorical. We’ve been commissioned to go into the fire (Mark 16:15).
In the meanwhile, over the semester we were dealing with our teenager’s experience in modern day health class, pushing back on things like the hyper-focus on depression and suicidal behavior, advocacy for people with extreme mental illness, recognizing and correcting transgender bias. I guess I was just innocently hoping they’d cover the basics for early drivers—work on that 30-hour safety skills unit that ends with a permit. Nope.
Several emails translated to an in-person meeting. We prayed for about a week and then calmly and gratefully took the opportunity to explain our concerns, along with a quick lesson on opposing thought reform (now that would finally be a worthy professional development course!).
The health teacher, kind as can be, was stunned, I think. We did not come with a stick to beat her over the head. We came with prayers that she would listen and be curious. We prayed that we would be salty in a way that made her thirst to know Jesus.
I talked about the spiritual side of mental illness. We talked about what real advocacy looks like. Joe spoke of our belief in God-assigned gender, and pointed out the interesting fact that kids who want to be fluid are more likely to deal with suicide ideation. Isn’t that awful? We love kids; we don’t want this anywhere near our kids. I told her that because of some biased teaching and curriculum, some of our friends refused to put their kids in the public school system.
Isn’t that sad? I said. Christians like us don’t feel like schools are neutral, but agenda-driven. Good people who support teachers are leaving. Our kids are coming home saying “I wish we could just learn something instead of being asked how we feel all the time!”
She was wide-eyed—and still, kind. I wonder if she’d expected us to hate her. We didn’t. In fact, I was struck by what a warm, wonderful person she was. I would’ve loved to talk to her more.
The administrator encouraged us to speak up at the board meetings—“There’s plenty of people on the other side, but folks like you, we need you to speak up too.”
I told him if the other side wasn’t so intimidating with their masks and signage, if I could feel safe walking back to my car in the parking lot at night, if I wasn’t home feeding and putting kids to bed, if my husband didn’t travel for work—I might.
We all got up from the table and shook hands.
It was a wonderful conversation—maybe because educators love kids, just like us, and see the freedom in letting kids remain kids. Maybe it was wonderful because we had a desire to truly listen, and they did, too.
It made me feel brave, because for once I spoke aloud the words of reason, and reason was heard.
So, what about you? Is there something you need to say—is there a place you need to go and tell the truth? Let me encourage you: be brave.
The following are three emails I have sent to our district’s school board. Please read and take what you need to form your own emails. Speak up. Encourage right thinking and right action. Your kids and mine—they matter.
January 2025
Hello Board,
I just wanted to send another little note before your meeting tonight. I have sent emails in the past asking you to please kindly reconsider and desist writing new policy that is, in fact, contrary to the Colorado State constitution’s direction to remain free of sectarian tenants and doctrines (Article 9, Section 2).
I do not write on behalf of the Colorado Republicans, nor do I wish to be associated with them or any political leaning. I am frustrated that our concerns are not being heard or validly addressed—only a weak, understated argument that this potential policy would mollify LGBTQ activists.
I write to remind you Karen Cheser (superintendent) addressed this in an email this fall, saying:
“Our goal is to maintain a neutral environment in our schools that is inclusive for all students and families. To ensure neutrality, we are removing these two symbols from employee workspaces and classrooms.”
Obviously this is not about flags; flags were just a foot in the door, a strawman argument for one side to demand unnecessary and salacious attention—which you readily give.
This side lays claim to “existential” rights that stretch beyond leveling the playing field—they are the things that aren’t even listed on Maslow’s pyramid—entitlement that has the audacity to suggest you are limiting my happiness by erecting safe boundaries and maintaining neutral learning spaces for all children.
What is worse, you say what is inappropriate and grossly sexual is good for all children, and that it creates safe spaces.
I was especially glad I was not able to be at the meeting with my young children when a creepy “polyamorous”-identifying individual discussed his own needs and safety concerns.
At the time when I am training my own children to use discernment and good judgment to make wise choices, I know my efforts to raise excellent kids will be thwarted by a school culture that demands a spotlight on sexual and gender-bending ideology.
Parents with the precious task of raising kids should not have to be in a position of fighting the school board to keep our schools child-safe, child-appropriate, child-based, and academically excellent.
Pearl
December 2024
Dear Board:
I regret not being able to attend Tuesday meetings as my husband is frequently out of town for work and I have four children to look after.
I have been—after personal meetings with school employees and even admin—encouraged by them to speak up, as it seems that a certain ideological platform threatens to drown out many parents and voices of reason—people that pay taxes and are intensely interested in public education as academic institutions.
Perhaps employees aren’t speaking up against your proposed policy for fear of potential discrimination leading to job termination?
I have been following closely the news and push for DEI policy to prevail. I want to remind you, as a constituent, that your responsibility is to “establish and maintain a system of education in the district, as prescribed by the constitution and laws of the state.”
The Colorado state constitution states that “no sectarian tenants or doctrines shall be taught in the public school” (CO const. Article 9 Section 2).
Sectarianism is represented in narrow mindedness and the unwillingness to consider other points of view.
This is the very foundation of discrimination, and as it has no place in schools, there is no room for it in the policy.
In the Supreme Court case Engle v. Vitale (1962) it was determined that school-sponsored prayer was unconstitutional as it violated the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause. As the school has not been established for religious or ideological pursuit, its buildings and classrooms and teachers ought not display these unavoidable ideological flags.
There is already propaganda pressuring students to align themselves with a gendered ideology, as seen in the classroom at the beginning of the year when teachers ask students to express their “preferred” pronouns. This is not terminology; it is ideology. Yet there is no opting out of this exercise, and students risk discrimination and social ostracization if they do not comply.
Please consider these things as you move forward with your plan to draft new policy.
Thank you,Pearl
November 2024
Dear School Board,
I understand your board is under pressure to respond to a group of people who want to erect flags within the school district, because it represents an ideology to which they align.
Under the 9-R DEIB policy, Durango schools prioritize inclusivity for all students. This inclusivity refers to the equity in access to a standards-based education and activities. Your equity resolution says that 9-R “strives to be an equitable, inclusive educational system and community–a place where all students, staff, and family members feel valued, safe, and welcome…”
Inclusion refers to minorities and the disadvantaged as it pertains to their basic rights, and removing barriers that prevent them from learning.Freedom from that which is unvalued, unsafe, unwelcome–this is what your goal is when you make decisions as a school board looking at inclusion.
Inclusivity, then, does not refer to one’s specific ideology or expression to be made inherent in our district as a backdrop for learning! In fact, it is the opposite of “inclusion” to erect flags that only represent the values of a certain population.
As constituents who pay taxes and parents and students finding community in our school, we want to have safe, secure, and peaceful schools. Your duty is to ensure school is a neutral, safe ground where all may enter and all may learn, even students whose values are not aligned with flag-represented agendas.DHS clubs and extracurricular activities of all kinds occur during lunch hour or before/after school, where they do not interrupt or interfere with standard learning hours. I suggest this is where and when flags and meetings ought to be displayed and held.
We want our kids to be safe in school. We want them to learn and be successful. Let’s not get distracted.
Pearl
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