by Charlotte Burrous,
Fremont Crusader
—Cañon City, CO
Words from concerned citizens fell on deaf ears when the RE-1 School Board placed the Standard Operating Procedure Cañon City Schools Guidelines for Supporting Transgender & Gender-Diverse Students on the agenda as an informational piece. This means that it will be voted on first reading in the next school meeting on February 13th then approved on second reading at the February 27th meeting.
Apparently, not much has changed since the original seven-page policy was presented by the board in 2022. When residents found out what the board planned to do, more than 100 people attended the June meeting to express their disagreement, but apparently, the board intends to do what it planned to do all along.
During the visitor’s section, Isabel Sandoval spoke against the policy.
“As a parent, we’re supposed to create culture for our children, but it is apparent that not all children have that kind of supportive upbringing,” she said. “When we the parents don’t create a culture or don’t do it effectively, that’s when immorality and evilness will eventually steal our children.”
When she was a parent, she said her biggest concerns were learning whether her children were behaving in their classrooms, sports or other school events.
“Today, parents are having to deal with so much more,” Sandoval said. “Things that influence them like social media (teaching things) like transgenderism and Critical Race Theory. That’s exactly what happens to our kids when we turn our children over to school administrators. The fact that so many kids are exposed to so much social media that in many cases is selling evil. It certainly doesn’t teach morals, integrity, the value of life, free speech or family. It doesn’t teach the Constitution the way it was written or the way it was supposed to be, supportive and why it’s so important. Wisdom is what is lacking in the public school system.”
It’s important to teach children moral character and the fruits of the spirit.
“What this country needs is a generation of strong kids who will grow up and fight for America’s freedom and true history and the bravery of our country’s founders,” Sandoval said. “I know we can’t turn back time. I know we can’t go back. If any school administration promotes anything other than history, reading, writing, math, foreign languages, music, art, culinary, shop (or) sports should be disciplined.”
As a concerned parent of a daughter, Jennifer Wright recited the opening of Colorado Anti-discrimination Act, which was approved May 20, 2021, in HB-21-1108, banning prohibition against discrimination. CADA is supposed to protect “all” citizens, she said.
“Our school seems to be focused on the transgender group,” she said. “You’ve made it fair and equitable for one group, but not all because it may be fair and equitable for that group, but what about the rest of the 99 percent. It makes absolutely no sense to me. You can’t make people conform to your belief. You cannot program or make people conform.”
She said she could demand to start every school day off with the “Lord’s Prayer,” but not everybody wants to do that. In one instance, a girl has decided she is a boy and is now changing in the boys’ locker room, which makes the boys very uncomfortable, but when the parents complained about it, “the parents were blown off,” Wright said. “Were they allowed a separate changing place? No they were not. What should we do then? Every parent needs to take [charge] because [the students] all need a better place to change. These kids have no boundary. There are a lot of lawsuits going on all over the United States.”
After reciting one instance of a lawsuit, Robin Reeser cut her off, saying her time was up.
Then it was Andy Hagee’s turn to disagree with the board.
“It seems everything we shared with you guys is out the window,” he told the board. “Nothing in this policy is what the community wants. It’s pretty sad that our kids are subjected to this. It’s something a small percentage of people (get what they want) and the rest of the community has to pay for it. It’s easy to build a bathroom for kids. It’s easy to change a door sign or whatever physical thing you need. You guys are cherry picking when there are deeper issues. I prefer you teach about Jesus because that’s what they need — Jesus. He’s the one [who] can sort all these things out, but not everybody believes in Jesus. Therefore, I wouldn’t stand here and say you have to teach our kids about Jesus.”
Instead “it’s cramming it to everybody,” Hagee added. “It’s shameful. I read this [policy draft] and it’s shocking.”
He too was effectively told to sit down and shut up when his five minutes were up.

To reinforce their indoctrination program, Superintendent Adam Hartman explained why the board had to pass the transgender policy.
“When you talk about what the community wants, the community wanted a lot of different things,” he told Hagee. “Is the board able to control [what is happening]? For instance, the example around the definition for our school district.”
Hagee interrupted with “Mr. Hartman, definitions are changing left and right, day by day.”
“I don’t want to get into that,” Hartman said. “I want to clarify that this is standing operating procedure. I know as well as anyone we better make sure that everything is included inside the structure of our schools all those in Title 9, Colorado Anti-discrimination Act and the rules pushed out by CHAFA. When those rules change, we change too. I’m thankful for the board. I know it’s been painful in all that’s involved.”
So without further adieu, the board completed its business, updating six policies and approving an amendment in the fiscal year 2022-23 budget as presented, as well as appointing Janelle Valadares to the board to replace Beth Gaffney. Her term will end in November 2023.
The next school board workshop is scheduled at 4 p.m., followed by the meeting at 5:30 p.m. Monday, February 13th in Washington Elementary School at 606 N. Ninth St. Cañon City.