If you were out and about yesterday afternoon during rush hour, you probably saw the hundreds of protesters at the intersection of Wadsworth and Alameda in downtown Lakewood.
In fact, they were part of a larger group of over a thousand parents, teachers, and community members who lined Wadsworth Boulevard from 104th Ave in the north all the way to Chatfield Avenue in the south.
The sight of so many people out on the street appeared to impress commuters, large numbers of whom honked their car horns in support-- indeed, the honking of car horns was so loud that it could be heard three blocks away in the Belmar plaza. It continued for hours without pause.
The protesters were there to express their unease with recent actions by the Jeffco Board of Education, which is currently split 3-2 between a majority of three hard right conservatives and two more traditionally non-partisan board members. Among the concerns voiced by protesters were the way the board majority dismissed Jeffco's longtime, award-winning superintendent Cindy Stevenson, their decision to divert $3.7 million away from neighborhood schools and into charter schools, and a feeling that the selection of Dougco's Dan McMinimee to be Jeffco's new superintendent portends an era of radical change.
For decades, Jeffco's quality public schools have been a big part of why people have made the choice to live in Lakewood. Controversy, partisan agendas, and public anger have never been part of the equation-- until now.
Yikes!
