DU Hosts School Boards to Tackle Polarization, Top K-12 Issues
The second annual School Board Symposium brings together rural, suburban, and urban school districts across Colorado to engage in civil discourse.
The life of a school board member is not easy. Often a thankless job, more than likely a volunteer position, school board members face challenging decisions daily that impact millions of children in Colorado. Providing a space for fellow members to talk, network, and seek support is crucial to supporting a healthy school system.
That’s why the Morgridge College of Education is again inviting school board members and superintendents from Colorado’s 179 districts to DU’s campus on April 30 for a day of networking and research-based discussions on major issues facing Colorado’s K-12 public school system.
Following the successof last year’s inaugural School Board Symposium, organizers—who are DU researchers and K12 practitioners— will take on 2025’s hottest issues: impacts of immigration, mental health for students and staff, and building community.
An era of polarization
This year’s symposium, whose theme is civil discourse, aims to bring together members from diverse perspectives for productive dialogue despite increasing polarization.
Starla Sieveke-Pearson, a clinical assistant professor and lead organizer for the event, says last year’s symposium and ongoing research indicates that districts hold vastly different views on topics like school safety and mental health.
“While school boards from across the state might grapple with the same topic, they may not have the same response to that topic based on the unique needs of their community," she explains. “[DU] is not taking a side. We are offering multiple perspectives to consider and spurring deeper dialog across the districts.”
To help achieve that goal, Colorado’s former education commissioner, , will be the keynote speaker and facilitator. Anthes is currently working on an initiative called “Forward” with the Public Education and Business Coalition that addresses polarization in educational leadership.
Anthes wants educational leaders to engage in “good conflict” through curiosity, respect, and building bridges, according to the program’s website.
“In our country's time of increasing political angst, educational leaders need to strengthen skills that can help navigate deep conflicts, increasing culture wars, community division, and other politics,” said Anthes in her keynote preview.
Her task at the symposium will be to lay the groundwork for diverse viewpoints to be shared. Given the diversity and scope of school boards, it’s not small feat.
“There are 179 boards functioning 179 different ways,” says Sieveke-Pearson. “Here's an opportunity for board members to come together, to hear about, speak about, and dialog about topics that matter to them.”
Supporting public servants through research
What makes the School Board Symposium valuable to attendees is its blend of on-the-ground experience and research. In advance of the event, DU faculty, K12 practitioners, and graduate students create fact sheets, resources, and policy briefs on the symposium’s topics, overseen by Doris Candelarie, clinical associate professor in Morgridge.
“We hope to be a trusted partner by providing cutting-edge research to help them to make informed decisions,” says Lolita Tabron, associate professor in the Morgridge College of Education.
As long as the symposium is useful to board members across Colorado, Morgridge College of Education is committed to providing the space for research and networking. Organizers say they will use feedback from the board members to continue driving their process and areas of focus.
“All of it is in service to our children, and that, honestly, is the bottom line,” says Sieveke-Pearson. “Their focus is making sure that our students succeed.”
