A nationwide grassroots protest that had teachers walking in support of immigrant families left parents across Denver expressing a mix of solidarity and frustration over the district’s decision to close some schools and early childhood education centers with little notice.
More than 1,100 teachers, roughly 20 percent of the workforce, called out.
On social media and in interviews, many parents said they supported educators’ walking out but struggled over the last-minute scramble to find child care so they could go to work. One nurse arrived home from her night shift to learn her early childhood center was closed.
Denver Public Schools, with 90,000 students, closed six campuses but announced a two-hour delayed start for other campuses. The district, however, canceled all early childhood programs and center-based programs for students with disabilities.
DPS responded that it was the goal of Superintendent Alex Marrero to provide school on Friday for all students across the district.
“So he waited until the last minute, hoping that the staff would be able to find a way to keep all schools open while providing a safe and welcoming environment for all students, but that wasn’t possible,” said spokesperson Scott Pribble. “We understand that the late decision put some parents in a bind, and for that, we are sorry.”
Chelsea Randall said that while she understood the reason for the walkout, the lack of notice had real consequences.
“Part of me really understands and wants to support the strike/protest, but as a health care worker who couldn’t casually take the day off, it was really stressful to work to find a last-minute arrangement," Randall said.
For many parents, the day began with frantic early-morning notifications that upended work schedules.
“I do understand that they have a right to do that, I guess, but it hurts a little that they do not realize that this affects people that already struggle, and one day off work makes a big difference in their finances,” one parent wrote on Facebook.
The situation was the most stressful for early childhood programs and programs for students with disabilities. The district said child programs in centers and based in schools have special staff licensing requirements that are different from other classes and grades. If they can’t meet those requirements because of staffing shortages, they have to close.
Some parents at Isabella Bird school found out about the closure as they were leaving for work. Other parents said the district’s approach conflicted with its stated commitment to equity.
“I have a very difficult time when a district preaches that they believe in equity, but they don’t think about how this is going to impact the parents that really depend on this as their child care,” said parent Stephanie, who did not want to give her last name because of negative repercussions at work. “Very frustrating.”
Another Denver parent was out of state and has three children who attend three schools, each of whom had a different schedule on Friday.
“I understand wanting to send a message. I understand wanting to show support for the immigrant community being targeted with violence,” she said. “I am troubled that teachers wanted to do that in a way that feels chaotic, and am troubled that they chose not to do that in a way that supports my students.”
Students with disabilities
Several families voiced concerns about how closures disproportionately impacted children with disabilities. One former educator of 16 years described the district's decision to cancel center-based instruction for special needs programs as "unlawful" and a "civil rights violation."
“The district office chose politics over students’ constitutional and civil rights,” said Wendy Chrisley Weeden. “By canceling education for children not even participating in the National Walkout while other classroom assignments continued, DPS effectively treated special needs students differently and denied them the opportunity to learn.”
DPS’s Pribble said some centers require a small ratio, including one-to-one in some cases. Some special needs centers require a certified health provider to assist with feeding tubs and other needs.
“Rather than putting untrained employees in situations in which they could fail and negatively impact the students, the decision was made to close those centers,” he said. “The decision was not discriminatory; it was done with the best interest of our students in mind.”
Parents of children with chronic medical issues expressed frustration over the district's rigid attendance policies during such "chaotic" events.
“If my student didn't have to miss school often for a chronic medical issue (putting him in district cross hairs for attendance) we would have allowed them to stay home or go to the protest with friends,” said Emily Stone. “The district’s predatory adherence to attendance policies during times like this is problematic.”
Supportive parents
One parent, Rev. Jenny Whitcher, saw the disruption as a necessary part of a social movement.
“Resisting state violence is definitely an inconvenience, but I don’t blame that on DPS or organizers; that blame squarely goes on our country’s current regime … What level of inconvenience and sacrifice are we willing to tolerate to protect each other?" Whitcher said.
Sofia Solano, an Aurora parent who, unlike in Denver, had advance notice that Aurora Public Schools was closing, saw the day as a teaching moment for her children.
“To me, having ICE in Colorado and what’s happening in Minneapolis is far more of an inconvenience than having our kids out of school for one day," Solano said.
Some parents who work from home teamed up to rotate houses throughout the day so it wasn’t too much of a scramble. Danielle Eberly said she respects that many teachers at her Spanish immersion school are immigrants.
“I wanted to support them in their cause and not make it harder on the school,” she said.
Other parents whose schools stayed open but had limited staff said the community, parents, and former staff volunteered time to help with recess, lunch and transportation to an event. One parent said when Odyssey Elementary notified parents it would be closed, Craftsman & Apprentice stepped up with a donation-based day camp for kids.
In the future, parents hope they can get more notice of closures.
Randi Maves, who has a child in an early childhood center, said she wished the district had planned ahead.
“If they knew there were going to be potential teacher shortages, they should have aligned substitutes earlier in the week," Mayes said.
