Candidates for Denver School Board debate biggest issues facing DPS
Ballots will be in the mail later this week for November's election. And at Denver Public Schools, there are four open seats that will determine the direction of the district.
On Tuesday night at Regis University, CBS News Colorado anchor and DPS graduate Michelle Griego co-moderated a livestream featuring a series of debates for those open seats.
Michelle joined with Chalkbeat Colorado's Melanie Asmar to ask the candidates their views on the most important issues facing DPS.
The event was co-sponsored with Educate Denver.
The candidates discussed academics, declining enrollment, the superintendent's performance, school safety and immigration enforcement, as well as charter schools and school choice. They also weighed in on the ongoing dispute DPS has with the federal government over all-gender bathrooms.
Griego and Asmar developed the candidate questions and received additional questions from the public, including from DPS students.
Candidates vying for the At-Large seat, representing all of Denver, are Amy Klein Molk and Alex Magaña. Educator Deborah Sims Fard will be on the At-Large ballot, but she made the decision to exit the race last week after sustaining an injury. View the At-Large debate here.
District 4, Far Northeast Denver candidates are Jeremy Harris, Monica Hunter, Timiya Jackson and Michelle Quattlebaum. View the District 4 debate here.
District 3 Central Denver candidates are Caron Blanke, Scott Esserman and DJ Torres. View the District 3 debate here.
District 2 Southwest Denver candidates are Xochitl Gaytán and Mariana del Hierro. View the District 2 debate here.