How Can We Teach Children To Read If They…
Turns out that good ole paper, pencils and books was old tech, but superior tech after all. Oh yeah, and a bit of human interaction was good too.
Jeffco
Mill Levy Increase Despite Millions Lost on Emory Sale Raises Trust Issues
Jeffco Schools has determined that they need a mill levy increase and are looking for ways to market that decision to residents. However, the way the district closed and sold Emory Elementary demonstrates a decision-making process that doesn’t examine the root cause of problems. From the first, Jeffco schools showed a willingness to craft narratives using a select set of facts for a predetermined output. As shown by the eleven points below, select facts are not the full story. Withholding the full story and losing money makes residents question whether Jeffco Schools can be trusted with more money in a mill levy increase.
Jeffco Point #1: Emory was closed due to declining enrollment amidst a budget deficit.
SUNLIGHT: At the time of closure, Emory ranked #1741 out of 1748 Colorado schools. Declining enrollment coincided with a steep decrease in test scores. Alternative solutions include raising test scores, which Jeffco proved unable to do since 2015. Good schools are a driver for home sales. Without good schools, new families don’t move in or enroll in other choice schools. Ultimately, poor performance was the reason for closure, not the budget.
Jeffco Schools Wants a Mill Levy Increase
Recent meetings from the Jeffco School Board Partnership for Fiscal Sustainability discussed raising the mill levy and how to market that decision to residents. This demonstrates yet another government body shaping propaganda to support a future ballot measure. Jeffco Schools, like Lakewood and Jefferson County, hired a consultant to help with a mill levy question. At this point, a community survey has asked about revenue generation. Budget presentations show data about raising the levy. Budget reductions are discussed as a part of the solution.
The point of these meetings was to “prepare and involve the community to support future revenue generation,” as seen in the slide below. This is using district resources to get resident support in what will likely be a ballot question on the mill levy. School communications are also a tool to discuss any upcoming cuts or revenue changes.
Emory Sold Amidst School Board Misinformation
Jeffco Schools unanimously voted to sell Emory with barely a stall in the consent agenda on November 13, 2025. Statements made at that time and also at the November 5 study session indicate that Jeffco School Board and staff were heavily influenced by one-sided propaganda. No other ideas were considered and the propaganda was passed along without fully informing the public.
Jeffco School Board Does Not Add Trust Accountability Measures
The Jeffco School Board can’t evaluate the Superintendent on “trust” if they can’t figure out how to add it to her evaluation metrics. Even though such metrics have been repeatedly suggested, the board is unable or unwilling to figure out how to increase accountability, shown by this year’s 4 to 1 vote to pass the evaluation without more accountability.
During the 2025 evaluation approval, School Board Member Danielle Varda asked how to implement the new evaluation metrics the school board agreed to add in previous sessions. The rest of the school board refused to take the time.
Two new evaluation metrics were suggested in 2025, the main one being a new measure for trust, the other being for test scores.
In what sounded like a demand, Superintendent Dorland asked for co-accountability if a new evaluation measure based on trust was going to be implemented.
Some would say that sounded a lot like the statement, “if I go down, you go down.”
Emory Questions Left Unanswered
The October 27, 2025 City Council meeting demonstrated how determined Council is to approve the Emory sale and Action Center purchase. That date was the first opportunity to approve the multiple transaction after the new zoning was passed – zoning which was required for the new operations. Despite having an injunction in place to stall the vote, Council did everything possible except the actual vote itself. They claimed everything was known, disclosed and proper. They laughed and smiled as if the injunction was a joke. However, despite their claims, below is a list of over 70 lingering questions.
The votes on Emory have been delayed from October 27 to October 29 and now until November 3 while Council desperately tries to vote as soon as possible even while the case is in court and under injunction. The difficulty lies in how to restore trust and enable a public process to answer questions that have been handled behind the scenes for two years.
Canstruction Food Event Subverted for Emory Purchase Propaganda
Lakewood’s shell game to buy Emory for the Action Center has shone a light on deals made before the public has a chance to weigh in. City leaders tell residents they can speak at the public comment period that was months away, and then they use the time before public comment to cement their plans away from public eye. More proof? An upcoming event taking place at Emory Elementary, hosted by Kaiser Permanente to benefit the Action Center. Chances are good that this was originally planned to be a celebration event for the Action Center that has now devolved into an event “with nonprofit partner.”
This is not just a regular Canstruction event. This is special for the Action Center at Emory.
The Persecution of Desirée González: A Case Study in Unequal Justice
The criminal case against Lakewood resident Desirée González raises grave questions about whether political and personal animosity have replaced equal justice under law in Jefferson County.
This is not a defense of any or every email that González sent. It is a clear-eyed examination of the extraordinary disparity between how she has been treated and how individuals who issued explicit, public, and recorded threats have been treated across Colorado.
Two Examples — One System
Jeromie Rose — left voicemails threatening to “put a bullet in the Governor’s head” and “kill” a prosecutor. These are recorded and explicit death threats.
Springsteen Wins Injunction on Emory
Anita Springsteen, former Lakewood City Council Member and attorney, has won an injunction filed against Lakewood. The injunction will pause two upcoming votes on Emory, wherein Lakewood is acting as an agent for the Action Center. It is unclear what, if any, benefit Lakewood will gain through this deal, but it is very clear the city will lose millions. At the same time, the Action Center will gain millions of dollars of property that it could not get without the special privileges of the government middleman. The injunction will pause the vote until after the previously scheduled October 28, 2025, court date.
Jeffco Not Disclosing Emory Details
Jeffco Schools is not disclosing how much the district will lose on the Emory Elementary deal. And curiously, no one knows when the Board met or voted on selling the closed school.
Lakewood Informer reached out to school officials and could find NOTHING. How is Lakewood selling the property when the purchase has not been completed through Jeffco? Has it been completed and everyone missed it?