As More School Leaders Get Caught In Middle Of Political Battlegrounds, Superintendent In Strasburg Explains Why She's Leaving

(CBS4) - "I think it's changed this year significantly," said Monica Johnson, superintendent of Strasburg 31J Schools. Looking back at what she's been through in the past year, some of her work has been different. Less talk about students and education and making things better.

"You realize you know we're not doing the things we used to do and having the conversations we used to have and instead we're focused on this one topic it seems like."

That topic has been the pandemic and dealing with it and the division that has grown from it.

"We can teach kids in a gym, we can teach them with plexiglass up, we can teach them with a mask on, we can teach them with a shield on. But we can't teach them if they're not here," said Johnson.

Many of the conversations she's been having have been about masking and vaccinations and protecting the health of students, fewer have been about educational matters like curriculum design for the future that concerns her.

After 7 years as superintendent in Strasburg, 15 total as superintendent and nearly 30 in education, she'll leave her job later this year. She says she doesn't want to lose her heart.

"In this time where people just seem to be so angry and so divisive that in order for me to preserve that for myself I need to step away for a little bit."

Dr. Cindy Stevenson has already stepped aside. She did it initially in 2014 when a new conservative board majority was elected in Jefferson County. She understands the angst over the dismissal of Douglas County Superintendent Corey Wise.

"Boards are elected and they have certain rights and one of those rights is hiring and firing the superintendent. But the question or how it's done is incredibly important."

She is concerned about the trend.

"You're seeing political trends that are infecting the local management of school districts and I think it's scary."

Johnson grew up on the Eastern Plains and remains there. She considers herself conservative, which is helpful in a district dominated by conservatives. But she too disagrees with the firing of Corey Wise.

"I personally think that they made a bad decision and that they acted poorly."

She also does not like the characterization of conservatives as uncaring. The pandemic unfortunately bled politics into health decisions. Students, she believes, have moved beyond questions like mask wearing with little trouble. But parents and others remain obstinate.

"Was the school itself and the student body divided? Not really so much, but within the communities, there's divisions within the communities… I am troubled by that. I think it's been distracting and I think it has distracted communities."

Stevenson believes people are more resistant to give on issues involving their children.

"And people are so emotional about their children. That they don't want somebody else's view to change the system or to change what happens."

As polarized as people have become, giving on an issue can seem like surrender.

"We're no longer sensible when we're divided politically and there's a win and a lose. If my kid has to wear a mask I lose, or if my kid doesn't wear a mask. It's ridiculous."

Johnson is hopeful that as Colorado and the nation emerge from the pandemic, the conversations will turn back to the needs of education.

"I think that this negative noise that is going on about public education is discouraging people from becoming teachers. And it's encouraging people to leave."

She believes all schools have adjusted before in the time after the shooting at Columbine High School and can do it again. Stevenson also notes there is common purpose that can unite people.

"No matter what else is going on, you strive for those great classrooms. And most parents regardless of what their views are, if their kids are happy, they're learning. The teacher communicates with them about the children."

Johnson adds that Colorado needs to think about it and the future of education.

"We can't lose this. We have to make sure that we succeed because not succeeding is not an option because the lives of kids are at stake here."