In the past, it’s been reform boards vs pro-public education. What does that mean, and what does it mean in the present day with Project 2025 coming for our education system? This episode provides the critical context for why the school board election on November 4 matters for our entire Douglas County community.

Contact me any time at [email protected].

The Community Choice candidates are pro-public education and supported by a grassroots effort. Kyrzia Parker, Tony Ryan, Clark Callahan and Kelly Denzler are on this slate.

Need to know the basics of school board? Go here.

Incumbents win. It’s a big deal that the current board majority isn’t running again.

Project 2025: public funds flow to private schools/entities, take away “woke language”

Former DCSD board of education 2017 opinion piece in the Denver Post that lists the damage done by reform boards and comes out in support of pro-public ed candidates.

Douglas County Collective’s piece on the anti-mask board.

Town of Larkspur homepage for audio recordings of meetings, go to the meeting on 5/1/25, Part 1 and go to 1:25:50 to hear Commissioner Kevin Van Winkle talk about home rule and schools.

Watch Education Inc on Tubi.

Christian Nationalism and the disdain for public education in Colorado.

How Free Market Logic Fails in Schooling

Douglas County Lantern recap of the candidate forum with all 8 candidates:

Thank you to Barry Peters for advising me on sound.

Thank you to Ben Suyat for the original music.

Many Douglas County students walked out today to protest gun violence. What do they want adults to know? I asked students who attend Chaparral High School in Parker.

Ceasefire Colorado

Moms Demand Action/Everytown for Gun Safety

Giffords for Gun Safety

Brady United

Being in-person with folks and taking action on issues that matter—this is the secret sauce to living as a left-leaning person in Douglas County. This series is about highlighting different local groups and causes who are getting sh*t done. Again, if you teach and/or express empathy as part of your job, if you are a teacher, a social worker/therapist, a healthcare worker, thank you. Activism is built into your job and everything else is gravy.

Today, Julie Ort from Moms Demand Action joins us on the podcast to talk about gun violence prevention and the fight for stronger gun laws.

Thanks for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share and subscribe in your favorite podcast app. If you have a few extra bucks, you can support this podcast by subscribing in substack for $5/month.

Email me at [email protected]

Text JOIN to 644-33 to connect with Moms Demand Action.

Go to https://momsdemandaction.org/events/ to find in-person and virtual events.

Research and data on the effectiveness of gun laws

@dougco4gunsense on instagram

Find your local gun sense candidates here

Next meeting for Moms Demand Action is Sept 16 at 6:30pm in Lone Tree, RSVP here.

Paid subscriptions are open! No paywalls, no membership levels, just one way to support the podcast. Subscribe on substack.

Do you feel confused or uninformed when it comes to school board and why it matters? This is your episode. We’re going to break it all down so we can be magnificently informed voters and citizens (the election is Nov 4!). This episode lays the foundation so that we all know the basics of the Douglas County Board of Education.

**I said at one point that the DCSD budget is $90 million, it’s $900 million.**

Email me at any time: [email protected]. Thanks for listening!

The Douglas County Citizenry (a local conservative group) is hosting a candidate forum for all 8 candidates on Sept 16 at North Star Academy in Parker, 16700 Keystone Blvd, Parker CO. Doors at 6pm, forum starts at 6:30pm.

DCSD Board of Education’s website

Colorado Dept of Education stats on Douglas County

I also got a lot of info from here: https://www.casb.org

Thanks to Brad Geiger who patiently explained some BOE things to me. If I got anything wrong, it’s 100% me, not him.

Check your voter registration to make sure it’s up to date!

If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or going through a difficult time and need support, call or text 988. If you’re part of the LGBTQ community, go to the Trevor Project’s hotline for immediate crisis support that is free and confidential.

So many of us in Douglas County have been touched in some way by suicide. The majority of all gun deaths in CO and nationwide are suicides, and that number is surging among Black and brown teenagers. Research and data tells us that interrupting access to a firearm plays a key role in prevention. My guest Virginia Mack, a psychiatric nurse practitioner in Fort Collins, presented her concerns—and a solution—to her state senator. Donna’s Law in Colorado allows a person to voluntarily put themselves on a do-not-sell list. This law needs to be fully funded to go into effect; listen to find out more.

Get more details, donate and/or get help planning a fundraising event at https://www.donnaslawforco.com

Contact Sen Cathy Kipp and Virginia Mack at [email protected]

The text of the bill that created Donna’s Law in CO

DougCo lawmakers that voted against Donna’s Law: Rep Anthony Hartsook, Rep Max Brooks, Rep Brandi Bradley, Sen Lisa Frizell and Sen John Carson. Not sure who represents you? Find out here.

Thank you to Rep Eliza Hamrick, Rep Bob Marshall, and Sen Tom Sullivan who voted for this bill.

Who are my representatives at the CO capitol?

Get involved with Moms Demand Action (not limited to moms, anyone can join)

Facts about suicide here and Colorado-specific here.

Today I’m joined by Carol Sorenson, one of the leaders of Lone Tree Votes, which is an Indivisible group in Douglas County.

About this series:Since the election of Trump in 2016, many of us have had to take a deep look at our friendships, change our political affiliations, or examine our religious beliefs. Maybe you’ve had to do all three. It can be lonely and disorienting. If you’re ready to take action and make new friends who don’t avoid politics, or if you just want a good dose of hope in Douglas County, this series is for you. I’ll be highlighting local groups that are moving the needle and building community for people who believe in science, social justice, the rule of law, and democracy. (Don’t worry, I’ll be covering the school board election next).

Email me, I’d love to hear from you: [email protected]

Get connected to Lone Tree Votes:

https://groups.indivisible.org/

Lone Tree Votes on Facebook

Email: [email protected]

Recommended: Kim Turnage’s piece on Doing It Scared

The Douglas County Commissioners continue to shut off all avenues for Douglas County citizens to ask questions or express concerns in any meaningful way. My friends Julie and Kim join me to talk about the brick wall nature of the county commission business meetings and exactly why this is bad governance that hurts everyone. What can we do about their “I’m the daddy and you’ll do what I say” energy? Listen to find out.

The home rule election cost taxpayers over $700k.

The county commissioners’ next meeting on September 2 at 1:30pm, in-person and virtual options available.

Rep Bob Marshall’s town hall is on August 18, 6:45pm-7:45pm at Lone Tree Library, 10055 Library Way, Lone Tree, CO 80124. Rep Marshall represents most of Highlands Ranch at the CO Capitol, anyone can attend.

Moms Demand Action meeting is on August 18 at 6:30pm in Lone Tree. RSVP for location. Learn about school safety and meet the pro-public education school board candidates that will be on the ballot this November.

This is an episode of odds and ends because Douglas County lawmakers have once again been in the news for being shady. Today covers gross behavior by our GOP representatives at the CO Capitol (Colorado Public Radio story, Kyle Clark chimes in too), more confusing statements on Zebulon (gift link to Denver Post article), and county commissioners further shutting down community voices. But also not-terrible: the Great Colorado Payback.

Email me: [email protected]

Who is my state representative? Find out here.

Email Rep Brandi Bradley: [email protected]

Email Rep Anthony Hartsook: [email protected]

July 12 county commission meeting agenda and details

Email county commissioners (only if you don’t want a response): [email protected]

Great Colorado Payback

The planned Zebulon mega sports complex is not a rec center with a pool and treadmills—it’s a huge project with facilities for basketball, baseball/softball, volleyball, football, soccer and hockey. The area will eventually be built out to include commercial development such as hotels, restaurants, and shopping. Kim Turnage and Barrett Rothe of the Douglas County Lantern return for Part 2 of our discussion on the Zebulon mega sports complex slated to break ground in Sterling Ranch in the fall. In this episode we talk about the potential impact on Douglas County School District (spoiler alert, it’s complex) and how our commissioners’ trust problem plays into all of this. Does this project have support in Sterling Ranch? It does, and I’ll address that too. Listen to Part 1 here.

Email me: [email protected]

Email the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC): [email protected]

Next Douglas County Commission business meeting: August 12 at 1:30pm, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock CO (link includes agenda, livestream, and info on public comment)

Subscribe to the Douglas County Lantern

Sources:

Douglas County 2025 Citizen Survey

Douglas County government’s page on Zebulon, the rendering/maps, and the promo video (idk what else to call it) on May 21, 2025

Sterling Ranch’s page on Zebulon

Douglas County Commissioners’ April 2025 Town Hall on Zebulon

CBS Colorado: 500 acre mega Colorado sports complex proposed in Sterling Ranch to be funded by Douglas County parks & open space fund

CBS Colorado: Colorado county approves $400,000 for controversial Zebulon mega sports complex

Kim Turnage and Barrett Rothe of the Douglas County Lantern join me to discuss the Zebulon mega sports complex slated to break ground in Sterling Ranch in the fall. Why does it matter? Douglas County taxpayers will join private developers in funding this 500 acre project. Our commissioners have justified this outlay of public money by claiming “this is what you asked for” and “it’ll pay for itself” without much evidence. It’s a little too close to home rule for comfort. We’re digging in to let you know what we do and don’t know so you can form your own opinion.

Email me: [email protected]

Email the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC): [email protected]

Next Douglas County Commission business meeting: August 12 at 1:30pm, 100 Third Street, Castle Rock CO (includes agenda, livestream, and info on public comment)

Subscribe to the Douglas County Lantern

Sources:

Douglas County government’s page on Zebulon, the rendering/maps, and the promo video (idk what else to call it) on May 21, 2025

Sterling Ranch’s page on Zebulon

Douglas County Commissioners’ April 2025 Town Hall on Zebulon

CBS Colorado: 500 acre mega Colorado sports complex proposed in Sterling Ranch to be funded by Douglas County parks & open space fund

CBS Colorado: Colorado county approves $400,000 for controversial Zebulon mega sports complex