Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2018 7:43 AM
To: Jeffco Schools Board of Education <board@jeffco.k12.co.us>; Glass Jason <Jason.Glass@jeffco.k12.co.us>
Cc: Hess Craig <Craig.Hess@jeffco.k12.co.us>
Subject: The Difference between DPS and Jeffco: DPS supports 1st Amendment Rights
Good morning:
This past week at a DPS meeting to discuss the search for a new Superintendent, an activist named Brandon Pryor called the School Board president a racist and white supremacist. While certainly unpleasant, DPS nonetheless supported that individual’s freedom of speech:
“DPS Chief Legal and External Affairs Officer Terrance Carroll said Pryor is protected by the first amendment but is disappointed he chose to call the board president names.” (Source: https://www.9news.com/article/news/education/assault-claim-filed-against-dps-board-of-education-president/73-592170460)
Yet, Jason Glass and the Jeffco Board hide behind a hypocritical and very questionable interpretation of Jeffco policy BEDH in an apparent effort to protect the fragile reputations of people associated with Jeffco schools. They allowed Wendy McCord, a Board supporter, to finish her brutal takedown of Dan McMinimee in February 2017. Yet I, a known activist, was shut down for providing examples of why I think Glass has a reputation for saying one thing and acting completely differently, and for likening Ron Mitchell to Don Corleone because of his actions towards me – relatively benign comments that pale compared to Pryor’s accusation of racism and white supremacism.
DPS allowed Pryor to speak and supported his First Amendment right to do it. It was a good example for the students of Denver of how a government agency treats its constituents, even those who disagree with its policies.
But in Jeffco, my Freedom of Speech was restricted. Aren’t Glass’s and Mitchell’s actions exactly what the 1stAmendment was designed to protect against? The Bill of Rights and DPS certainly would think so.
And tell me, how exactly is anyone to disagree about ANYTHING in the District, since by your interpretation of BEDH, that would almost certainly reflect poorly on the reputation of Glass and his Cabinet members? It seems that you can’t tolerate any contrary opinions whatsoever.
DPS has it right. Just because Jeffco hides behind some policy to prevent freedom of speech doesn’t make it right, or even legal, to bully, intimidate, threaten and effectively ban people, whose opinions you don’t want to hear.
I would expect that in the future Jeffco follows DPS’s lead and allows ALL constituents their First Amendment rights to express their opinions, whether you agree with them or not.