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In a world where politics have infiltrated seemingly every aspect of daily life, what would be another dull School Board election in Durango this fall has instead entered the fray of culture wars plaguing the nation.

Across the country, local schools have become ground zero for battles over how children should be taught sensitive issues such as race and gender, and whether districts should mandate COVID protocols like masks or vaccines.

In many communities, these tensions have erupted into shouting matches at school board meetings, harassment of board members and staff, and in extreme cases, violent clashes that lead to arrests. Just this past month, the National School Board Association asked for the FBIs and DOJs help to address the increase in incidents of violence and intimidation against its members.

In a number of these incidents, the disrupters are part of a nationwide movement, mostly led by conservative groups, who view school boards as the new frontline in the culture war over social issues regarded by some as the Tea Party 2.0 movement. In recent weeks, conservative think-tanks have even released blueprints for ousting school board members they see as too progressive.

In Durango, tensions within the school district have not reached heights seen elsewhere, but thats not to say the friction isnt there. In August, for instance, a Durango School District 9-R meeting had to be shut down and police were called after an unruly crowd showed up and refused to wear masks and follow capacity restrictions. As a result, the meetings are now held online, yet angry people have called in to accuse the district of silencing free speech and threatened legal action.

Now, the upcoming Nov. 2 School Board election, which has seven candidates vying for three open seats, has put the spotlight on a slate of candidates accused of pushing this ultra conservative agenda.

Three newcomer candidates Donna Gulec, Richard Dean Hill and Kristine Paslay who have seemingly banded together to run as a three-piece ticket under the group name, Building Durangos Future, acknowledge they have conservative leanings. But, they are adamantly against the idea they are part of a larger national effort to take over school boards.

Being portrayed as extremists is absolutely unfair, Gulec said. Im just a normal person. I dont go around screaming and yelling my ideas, which are not extreme in any way. I dont know where they get that from.

Swirling hot mess

So how did school boards, previously a place for mundane budget talks and staffing issues, become the epicenter for political fervor and ideologies?

Generally speaking, tensions started flaring this spring and summer as schools started to plan reopening to in-person learning, sparking debates between those for and against COVID-19 protocols such as mask and vaccine mandates. Tensions further escalated once the concept of Critical Race Theory (CRT) splashed onto the scene, intensifying talks on how schools should teach race.

CRT is a concept from the 1970/80s, mostly taught in universities, examining the impacts of systemic racism on American institutions and laws. Opponents, however, see CRT as a way to negatively impress upon students that America is racist at its core, and to view the world as oppressors vs. the oppressed. 9-R, it should be noted, does not teach CRT.

As the 2021-22 school year approached, things got nasty as citizens would disrupt school board meetings across the country with protests and threats against district officials. As tensions heightened, people were arrested. In some instances, school board members (and sometimes entire boards) were recalled, which historically never happened. And these incidents werent limited to red or blue districts; it was happening across the country, with many efforts funded by national conservative organizations such as No Left Turn in Education.

In trying to understand why school boards were the new cultural war zones, Adam Laats, professor of education at Binghamton University, N.Y., wrote in a September column for The Washington Post that whenever America has taken a progressive turn (such as electing President Joe Biden), conservatives have consistently blamed public schools for indoctrinating youth with radical ideas. School boards, quite simply, are easy scapegoats.

Most meetings are open to the public, in local town halls or school-district offices; their members are local volunteers, who usually have no campaign war chests or partisan election support, Laats wrote. School boards are viewed as winnable battlegrounds that activists can turn into islands of the real America, in a rising sea of cultural change.

Though discord within 9-R hasnt reached the toxic levels of other American school districts, incidents such as the aforementioned August meeting have sown seeds of concern. Its very reflective of whats going on around the country, and its not just conservative groups, its progressive groups too, Stephanie Moran, who served on the 9-R school board from 2012-18, said. Thats why its so heated, these conflicting points of view. Its a swirling hot mess right now.

Candidates under fire

All three candidates with Building Durangos Future have children or grandchildren who are attending or have graduated 9-R schools. But Hill, who is now a pastor at Pine Valley Church, is the only one with previous experience in education, having worked as a teacher, dean of students and superintendent. Gulec is the vice president of Destinations Coupons, and Paslay has been a hair dresser for nearly four decades. For most of the election, they have called 9-R out for lack of transparency and said addressing poor student performance is atop their priorities if elected.

All three denied being part of any organized, nationwide movement to take over the 9-R School Board. But they did say they fall on the conservative side of certain topics and believe schools are not the place to teach children about race, sexuality and gender, or religion.

Its the parents right to teach their children (those issues), Gulec said. Its not the schools ability to do that.

The three candidates have also made public comments opposing any mask or vaccine mandates. (The current board voted unanimously in August to require masks indoors). People want to say, Its my body, my choice, with abortion, Hill said. Well its my body, my choice on whether to have a vaccination or wear a mask.

Hill in recent days has also received flak for a video posted in which hes seen giving a sermon where he says the Bible is the best guide to raise children and calls the idea of a separation of church and state a lie. Hill said in an interview with The Durango Telegraph this week the comments were taken out of context. Regardless, Hill said the criticism is hypocritical.

They dont want my worldview to come into my decision-making process, yet they feel comfortable for their worldview to be the filter for their decision-making process, Hill said.

Hills time as Bayfield School District superintendent has also come under scrutiny. Hill started the job in July 2009, but left abruptly in February 2011, in the middle of the school year. While he didnt want to go into the details, Hill did say his departure was the result of differences with the school board. It was my errors, and I take responsibility for those, he said.

On top of ideological differences, there have also been questions over the three candidates campaign finances. In financial reports to the state on Oct. 5, Gulec, Hill and Paslay reported they raised about $2,000 each from individual, private donors. Yet, the candidates did not disclose virtually any spending, despite the fact they have yard signs, flyers and a campaign website.

Gulec, for her part, said it was a clerical error. Paslay said it was her understanding the filing reports were in compliance. The three candidates have hired Marge Klein, Rep. Lauren Boeberts treasurer, as their filing agent. Klein on Monday said she was unaware of the problem.

9-R, we have a problem

During this campaign cycle, Gulec, Hill and Paslay have cited 9-Rs supposed falling test scores and student performance as one of the main reasons why they wanted to run for the School Board.

Breaking down some of the numbers the candidates point to, however, reveals some inaccuracies. The candidates say 9-R has a one in four dropout rate. But Julie Popp, 9-R spokeswoman, said Durango High Schools graduation rate is 92%. But the districts overall numbers are influenced by Big Picture High School, which serves students who have challenges with traditional education models and has a graduate rate of 50%, as well as Colorado Connections Academy statewide online schools 55% graduation rate.

But struggles do exist: an estimated 60% of K-8 students were below grade level for reading, and 55% of students in grades 9-12. On math, 67% of K-8 students were below grade level and 39% of 9-12 students. Though 9-R is working to improve student achievement, Popp said the scores are similar to state and national averages. Numbers were based on CMAS test scores from the end of the 2020-21 school year.

While having to hold classes online likely affected performance, Gulec and Hill said another reason the districts numbers are low is because the school focuses on talking to kids about gender and race, subjects better suited for conversations with parents at home, and as a result, instruction time is diverted from the core educational staples like reading and math.

How much time is being spent on fringe curriculum may be interfering with time that could be spent on true academic achievements in core areas, Hill said. We only have a small amount of time to be able to provide competency for those kids to move forward and be successful.

Paslay said because of COVID-19 protocols, parents arent allowed in the classroom, and its harder for them to know what their children are being taught. (Parents could previously sign up to be volunteers to support activities in the classroom). They need basic education, she said. But theyre not teaching math, reading and English.

Not being allowed or limited on school campuses are just other ways parents feel like 9-R is not being transparent, Paslay said. With board meetings online only, many parents feel like they are not being heard. And in some cases, the audio is so bad, they literally cant be heard.

Shutting parents out isnt going to resolve it, its just going to make the divide even wider, Paslay said. The best way to deal with people when theyre upset is hear them out. Who cares if theyre yelling at you? Youre a public servant.

Maintain the peace

School boards, its worth noting, dont set curriculum. But they do have sway over who is hired and can affect policy, which can affect curriculum. 9-Rs Board consists of five members. Erika Brown and Andrea Parmenter (running against Paslay and Gulec, respectively) are both incumbents. Catherine Mewmaw, a former teacher, is also running in Brown and Paslays district.

Brown said it used to be the district would have trouble finding candidates to run. During the last School Board election in 2019, just 37% of voters turned in a ballot. But now, given the current political fracas, more people are running and the tenor has changed.

Two years ago, no one ran in one of our districts, Brown said. But now its changed with the politicization of COVID and masks. And its happening all over the place.

Rick Petersen (challenging Hill) reiterated CRT is not a component of 9-Rs curriculum, but he believes history should be taught accurately and honestly, even if some parts of Americas history is dark and uncomfortable. And he has taken issue with the conservative candidates not being forthright with their stances on issues in previous public comments and on their website, which may have an impact on the casual voter.

That group of three is not being transparent in what they believe and what they stand for, Petersen said. I want voters to have the information they need to vote, but at this point, they just dont.

Building Durangos Future candidates, of course, disagree. Other than the hot topic issues, Gulec said its important to offer vocational training for kids who dont want to go to college. She also said the district could do away with social programs to better fund teachers.

And, there is some common ground. All candidates have voiced support for new superintendent Karen Cheser, who was hired this year, and acknowledge 9-Rs student performance must be addressed, as well as larger issues like teacher salaries. How we get there, it seems, is where the ideological differences come into play. Durango, so far, has avoided the toxic fever pitch, and many hope it stays that way.

One of the great things about Durango is our schools, Erica Max, who had two kids graduate from 9-R schools and is now involved in the district, said. And the School Board function is mostly budgeting and policy governance its boring as hell, which is why no one usually wants to run. But suddenly theres this activism thats rising up. The norms no longer exist.

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The new frontlines National culture wars take center stage in 9-R election - Durango Telegraph

John Lewis ads usually take centre stage at this time of year much speculation about its Christmas effort, will it be Adele? but its Home Insurance under the spotlight now with its recent effort accused by social media warriors of everything from sexism to gender bending to depicting ADHD.

Too woke or not woke enough? Better take a second look.

The sexism, apparently, is the little girl quietly painting being sensible and rational, that is while her brother acts like an idiot.

Strewth. Well they do say ads should be noticed.

Wonder if JL and adam&eveDDB are re-visiting their Christmas number? At this rate if it upsets anyone therell be questions in the House and Boris will intervene.

JL boss Sharon White must wish shed stayed at Ofcom where all she would have had to do was flog Channel 4.

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Woke or not woke enough? John Lewis ad caught up in the culture wars - More About Advertising

//= do_shortcode('[in-content-square]')?> Stephen Kinnock. Picture by Chris McAndrew (CC BY 3.0)

Labour should distance itself from cancel culture to win back seats in the so called Red Wall, a report has said.

The report on how to win back constituencies lost in the 2019 General Election was put together by a group of Labour MPs who have called themselves Renaissance. It is chaired by Stephen Kinnock, who represents Aberavon.

The study of its former voters said the party should err on the side of free speech to win the next election, and says it should focus on re-establishing its core identity as the party of working people instead of focusing on culture issues.

It is based on extended interviews with 60 former Labour voters in seats such as Wrexham, Don Valley, and Stoke Central, and says that Labour attacks on Tory austerity and the privatisation of NHS services have failed to cut through.

It suggested that instead of announcing specific policies, it should focus more on building a brand identity as the party of good jobs.

The report claimed that it was a mistake to caricature Labour voters in the Red Wall as racists, homophobes and misogynists.

It said: There were only a handful of criticisms of immigrants or foreigners in our conversations, and around half of these came from ethnic minority participants. There are of course pockets of racism in British society, but Britain is not a racist country.

Culture wars

It recommended that the partys leader in Westminster Keir Starmer avoid what it described as the distractions of the culture wars and focus on questions for the future rather than the past.

Err on the side of free speech and open debate and do not become associated with cancel culture,

According to Renaissance, Labour has become trapped in a cycle of cynicism where voters just dont believe its new policy announcements are credible.

Kinnock Shadow Minister for Asia and the Pacific told The Times: Labours core identity as the natural home for working people has not always been at the front of our communications . . . Keir is rightly addressing this issue by relentlessly emphasising that Labour is the party of work and good jobs.

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Labour should distance itself from 'cancel culture' to win back Red Wall, says report - Nation.Cymru

The trans employee resource group at Netflix has released a list of demands for the company ahead of Wednesdays walkout. We want the company to adopt measures in the areas of content investment, employee relations and safety, and harm reduction, all of which are necessary to avoid future instances of platforming transphobia and hate speech, employees wrote in a press release, which has not yet been made public but was supplied to The Verge.

The news comes after weeks of controversy due to Netflix executives continuing to support Dave Chappelle and his comedy special The Closer, which many LGBTQ people and allies have criticized as transphobic.

Last week, Netflix fired a leader of the trans ERG who was helping to organize the walkout. The company said this worker had leaked confidential information. Internally, that reasoning has been disputed.

While the conversation has become mired in a culture wars dispute over censorship and hate speech, none of the demands involve taking down the comedy special. Employees want Netflix to allow the trans ERG to take on a bigger role in internal conversations surrounding potentially harmful content, hire trans and nonbinary executives, and eliminate imagery of transphobic content in the office.

Read the full letter from Netflix employees below:

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Netflix trans employees and allies release a list of demands ahead of the walkout - The Verge

Limits to freedom during a pandemic

There are limits to freedom. Tonight I passed some people protesting the requirement to wear masks. They asserted it was their right to freedom but its known that not wearing a mask can make others sick if you happen to have Covid. And its known that you can have Covid without knowing it. Given the number of U.S. deaths from Covid its statistically certain that not wearing a mask has killed at least one person.

And in my opinion, that exceeds the limit of freedom. You do not have the freedom to kill others. In fact, in my opinion, you dont even have the right to make other people sick. The government should be allowed to arrest people for endangering public health. Of course arresting somebody infringes on their freedom but

its justified when a person commits a criminal act. Like infecting somebody with Covid.

Les Moscoso forCashmere School Board

Campaigns are expensive, time consuming, and stressful, but they dont need to divide communities.

Unfortunately, even expressly non-political campaigns are currently being pushed toward issues that seemingly need to be labeled with Rs and Ds.

or analog, too often spiral into doomsday scenarios

painting pictures full of fear for our future. Overall, I wish individuals could run for elected position without being painted as an invading force bent on conquest and revolution.

Such is the challenge facing Les Moscoso as he runs for Cashmere School Board. Les and his family have been knocking on doors introducing themselves, and more importantly, listening and learning from community members.

Les understands that the strength of our community and schools rest within

the stories of its families. Les character and values align word for word with the school districts stated core values. He is a father and active community member with the energy and commitment to help our Cashmere schools continue their tradition of success.

Yet, his mere candidacy versus an incumbent has resulted in him being labeled as a radical invader to be feared. This is a deeply unfortunate assumption, and a sad situation.

I support Les Moscoso for Cashmere School Board, not for any specific agenda, but because I know he will put in the time and effort necessary to be an informed member of a strong team that will continue to put the students needs first.

School candidates shouldntdrag schools into culture wars

More than a month has passed since I watched

the YouTube replay of the Aug. 24, 2021 Wenatchee School Board meeting where two Wenatchee School Board candidates, Katherine Thomas and Matt Van Bogart, partici-pated in an unruly, uncivil, disruptive Unmask Our Kids protest that effectively shut down a regularly scheduled school board public meeting because they and the other protesters refused to put on masks at the request of the superintendent, Paul Gordon, and all school board members except for Julie Norton who wanted to allowtheir presence unmasked.

As a retired 20-year veteran math teacher at Wenatchee High School I find many aspects of this particular Unmask Our Kids protest saddening. But what particularly disturbs me is the two candidates for school board mentioned above and one incumbent, Julie Norton, would choose to drag the Wenatchee School District (WSD) and its children into the culture wars and use our district students to fight Gov. Jay Inslee and his mandates.

I get some dont like masks, mandates, and Inslee but, really, do you want people on our school board who are willing to fight these battles placing our students and schools at the center of the storm?

If individuals have issues with mask mandates or Governor Inslee there are better places and waysto wage this war without involving Wenatchee School District and its kids.

As a former Wenatchee High School teacher and parent of a young woman who as a child attended Lewis and Clark Elementary, Pioneer Middle, and Wenatchee High schools I ask the voters of Wenatchee please continue to elect school board members who will put the education, safety, and health of our students first and not drag our students and schools into the messy political theater of the culture wars.

If you agree with me on this then please vote for Maria Iiguez, Dr. Michele Sandberg, and Miranda Skalisky for Wenatchee School Board.

Epidemic of homelessnessand drugs

We have a huge epidemic with homeless and drugs in our community and its going to get worse if we dont stop it now! It will be like the big cities.

Camping at Entiat in the beautiful PUD park we were exposed to disgusting drug addicts camped in there tent space which is next to playground. It was trash and needles everywhere.

Police were called they said: city park, contact them city said theyll deal with it Monday!!! Seriously should of been taken care of on 10/6 no one seems to be taken this seriously & Im disgusted

I took pictures of the wide open tent for anyone animals to walk inside and get stuck with bio hazard materials

Vote for Van Bogart, KatherineThomas and Julie Norton

I support Matt, Katherine and Julie because they believe the schools are for educating our kids not indoctrinating them. They also do not think Washington, D.C., Olympia and the teachers union should stand between you and your childrens education.

They believe the parents have a right to attend and voice there concerns and opinions without being tagged as domestic terrorists. What is happening is so

un-American. There are groups out there that are burning and destroying whole cities, killing police beating and harassing anyone that disagrees with them, and that seems OK with the left, but god forbid you want to voice your thoughts and opinions on your childrens education you run the risk of being tagged by some people on the school board, some teachers, the teachers union and your government a terrorist.

There is only one choice if you want to be the arbiter of your childrens education and not the Government and thats too vote for Matt van Bogart, Katherine Thomas and Julie Norton.

Educate not indoctrinate.

There are many candi-dates for Wenatchee School Board. One who has proven herself through what she has done and who she is: Maria Iiguez. Among other things Maria has come up from poverty to obtain a college degree. She has worked in administration at the WSD so shes familiar with that system and its strengths and weaknesses. She has served on the school board and has proved herself as a strong advocate for all students and their families as well as the teachers who work tirelessly for their students.

bi-cultural and bilingual. This allows her to communicate at a deeper level with many of our students and their families who are often marginalized. Maria is a parent of a student in elementary school. And most importantly she listens and balances needs and concerns with responsible actions.

I am a community activist, volunteer with AVID High School students, a parent of a bi-lingual teacher at the elementary school level, and a grand-parent of two WHS graduates. As a retired social worker I have had the privilege of observing Maria in action. We need her on the Wenatchee School Board. Please vote to retain Maria Iiguez. Position 2. Thank you.

Construction hurtsneighbors quality of life

As a former resident of Leavenworth, I am disap-pointed and dismayed by the mayor and the city councils blind eye to the elder abuse carried out on a daily basis during the construction of riverfront apartments at Garten Haus.

My elderly aunt has lived in the building for more than 15 years and her quality of life is severely impacted by the intrusive construction that begins as early as 6:45 a.m.

My aunt has reached out to members of the city council and to the hospital staff when access to the building was cut off earlier this summer and while the Spokane-based construction company met with residents to reassure them steps were being taken to ease their discomfort, those words have not trans-lated into action.

What recourse do these low-income seniors have when trying to reason with the developers pushing this project through? At the very least, they should have been given the option to relocate to another facility while this disruptive process took place.

The Garten Haus is managed by the Housing Authority of Chelan County and the City of Wenatchee.

Im trying not to be overly dramatic in writing this letter, but it seems like the community of Leaven-worth has lost its soul when it allows this kind of development to negatively impact its most vulnerable citizens.

Mission Ridge expansionplans are too much

As someone who has grown up a few miles down the road from Mission Ridge, I strongly oppose the Mission Ridge expansion.

In response to the proposal by Tamarack Saddle LLC

(Mission Ridge Ownership), Chelan County issued a Determination of Significance (DS). Tamarack Saddle has several courses of action they could take, one being to have an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) conducted, which would provide residents of Chelan County a more thorough understanding of the possible environmental impacts, and whether or not they can be adequately mitigated.

For a proposal that includes 621 condos, townhomes, duplex units, 275 single family homes, an overnight lodge, and 110,000 square feet of commercial space, we as residents of the Wenatchee Valley deserve to have a full understanding of how this project would impact and fundamentally change this place we call home. However, Tamarack Saddle is currently suing Chelan County for $6.4 million, with the process starting after the DS was issued. I wonder if that had anything to do with it?

One of the reasons I felt compelled to write this letter, was after viewing a video on the Mission Ridge website. This video attempts to instill a homey feeling of both the Wenatchee Valley and Mission Ridge. Some remarks by the narrator include, ground we fightto preserve, its here we nurture our relationship with nature, and a refuge from the chaos of lifefind space to see life in a new light.

It appears as though these words are just talking points, when compared to the latest

actions of Tamarack Saddle. Proposing to build a 4,000 occupancy resort, then suing Chelan County in response to a Determination of Significance (and subsequent EIS), while at the same time speaking of nurturing a relationship with nature and fighting to preserve this place we call home, is completely hypocritical.

I ask that as fellow residents and visitors, we support Chelan County in the their issuance of a DS, so that we may fully under-stand and voice our opinions on a development that would permanently change both Mission Ridge and the Wenatchee Valley.

Re-elect Baranouskasto hospital board

This Letter is to Encourage your Support to Re-elect Tom Baranouskas for Commissioner position

No. 3 for Chelan County Public Hospital District No. 1 (Cascade Medical in Leavenworth).

I have had the pleasure to serve Cascade Medical in two very different capacities:

(1) From mid-2009 to early 2012, I served as Cascade Medicals Chief Executive Officer. During this time the major remodeling and construction project was completed. During this time the hospitals Shared Values was also initiated; and

(2) Since 2016, my wife Terri and I have served on the hospital Foundation Board (a separate fund-raising corporation).

I continue to have a deep devotion and respect for Cascade Medical and its people, as well as, the hospitals ongoing commitment to serve Leavenworth and surrounding communities.

From my perspective, in any normal year, the governance and leadership of our smaller rural hospitals are challenging. However, the threshold of this challenge has significantly increased during this past 18 months with COVIDs impact on fluctuating patient loads and increasing staffing demands and the stresses overlayed on our vital health care workers. This situation has been made more complex with new State and Federal requirements.

Need for Continuity in Leadership: The dramatic nature of these changes on health care delivery necessitates ongoing sound governance and administrative leadership. Toms 6 years as an effective Commissioner brings that strong experience and continuity of Board leadership to Cascade Medical.

Tom also brings strong financial experience, is approachable, works collaboratively and is committed to patient care, employee interests and the needs of our community. One example is, as a resident in the Lake Wenatchee area, Tom continues the efforts of prior commissioner Jim Passage to improve the emergency response service to Lake Wenatchee by fostering a strong relationship between the hospital and Lake Wenatchee Fire & Rescue.

I urge you to consider these thoughts and vote to re-elect Tom Baranouskas as our Hospital Commissioner at Cascade Medical.

Norton is solution-oriented

Having participated in most of the online school board meetings since the beginning of the pandemic, I was thrilled that the Aug. 24 Wenatchee School District meeting was being held in person.

What a welcome surprise to see so many others at the meeting. I thought, Finally, the community is waking up to the importance of advocating for our kids!

The room was fairly full, but I did not count. There were masked and unmasked people. I was masked.

When I arrived, a discussion was underway regarding the emergency mask mandate, announced a week prior, but not effective until the day before. This was the first meeting under the new mandate, and Superintendent Gordon explained that the district and board were under the mask mandate. Respectful conversation ensued. There were masked folks expressing their discomfort with the unmasked. And unmasked stating their comfort with those masked.

The board arrived in the room masked and sat at the front of the room. Then they tried to sort out how to proceed considering

the mandates, completing business before the first day of school, and health of those present in the company of the unmasked. Julie Norton suggested a practical solution to continue the meeting in a hybrid fashion respecting the mandate, and individual choices in a public forum. Anyone unable or uncomfortable proceeding with mask/unmasked present could participate online.

At this point, I hoped that the hybrid option would be chosen. Wed all been in the room together, masked and unmasked, for over15 minutes. Tension was mounting, but I never felt unsafe. Those in fear for their health due to those unmasked would have already left. The board took an at-ease and left the room. Upon return, they voted to adjourn the meeting and reconvene online in 30 minutes.

Sadly, there was no instruction on how to make public comments online to those in the room. Instead of a record number of public participating, only four 4 participated online.

Working together, respecting our differences, we must do better our kids deserve it. Thank you Julie Norton for your leadership.

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Safety Valve: Letters from readers | Opinion | wenatcheeworld.com - wenatcheeworld.com