BLACK HAWK - This week was similar to many weeks before, except for the angry letters I received that were directed at me personally, instead of to the newspaper. I personally find it unacceptable to be attacked personally and it makes my job very, very hard.
Instead of publishing one particularly nasty letter, that I promise would be quite embarrassing to the author, I’m going to share a few responses that will make sense without sharing the hateful words attacking me.
As a point of clarification, I am going to once again say: The newspaper was sold on January 2, 2023. I do not own the newspaper, I manage the newspaper. So calling it “my newspaper” is incorrect. WE, at the newspaper, are a TEAM.
In my column last week, I never once indicated my kids didn’t receive a top notch education in Nederland schools. Most of them did. The teachers have been phenomenal. The extracurricular activities are extraordinary. I reiterate, we have been part of the BVSD school system for almost 40 years and we felt lucky to have the type of education available here that is equal to or better than many schools in the district (again MY opinion).
I have also never said I dislike or don’t believe an administrator could do the job of principal in both Nederland schools. I personally like Caleb as a community member and don’t know him as a principal since my kids have graduated. What I do question is ANY one person being in charge of two schools on different campuses on opposite sides of town. I have said I, personally—me, a 39-year resident—disagree with the decision. I stand by my personal statement.
As well, I have said many times, I do not believe Nederland gets needed resources from BVSD. My personal perception is based on my experience. Nobody else has walked in my shoes, or those of my kids or family.
I do not back down from a single word I have said. However, I will expand on my thoughts from last week, since they seem to need clarification.
I DO take it personally that I was verbally attacked by a person I once respected in the community. I do take it personally that the person feels attacking me and the newspaper is acceptable. I have to wonder where all that anger comes from, and the misinformation that leads to all of the false statements sent to me here at the paper. I was informed I MUST rally support for the decision, yet I am also a community member and I somehow, in the mind of one person, should NOT have or share my opinion. In my personal column (with my own name on it), I write multiple times per month. If I agreed with the decision, the people that don’t agree with the decision would claim I am not supporting them.
And I am beyond frustrated by the intentional misdirection away from the concerns of parents, community members, teachers and other administrators. The questions remain unanswered.
The process failed to include community participation for one of the biggest decisions in the district in my decades of living here. Questions asked of BVSD, and we hear crickets in response.
I hope everyone involved in this process will pause, take a deep breath, weigh and answer the questions and concerns of the community, think about the big picture and who these decisions impact. I hope BVSD reflects on how this process was started and how it moved forward with or without buy-in from the community.
The Mountain-Ear will continue to follow this developing story and report all issues, as we have done from the beginning. We will report the news as it actually happens, not as some wish it would happen. We will report the news in an unbiased manner. We will share the stories of our community, as we have done for over 47 years.
Submit your letters of support OR concern to info@themountainear.com or through our website here: https://www.themtnear.com/forms/letters/ and to BVSD here: superintendent@bvsd.org
The Mountain-Ear is YOUR community source for news, created by locals that live in your communities, for you. You can reach us by email at info@themountainear.com or phone at 303-810-5409. Thanks for reading!
