‹‹ Colorado Matters

Where school boards and politics meet

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12min 51sec
20230412-WOODLAND-PARK-HIGH-SCHOOL
Hart Van Denburg/CPR News
The speakers podium and a crowded meeting room before the Woodland Park School Board meets April 12, 2023.

A small school district in Colorado has implemented a gag order on teachers, dropped most mental health support for next year, and adopted social studies standards previously rejected by the state board of education. It’s all happened in the past three months, and it’s caused upheaval in the community. But school board and district leaders say the path they’re on will lead to better academic outcomes. It's an example of a somewhat new phenomenon in which politics and political issues become part of school boards. CPR education reporter Jenny Brundin takes a closer look.