5280 Freedom School Applies to Obtain a Charter Within Denver Public Schools

DENVER, COLORADO, UNITED STATES, June 7, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- BLM 5280 started 5280 Freedom School with a vision to create a place where BIPOC children are loved, valued, safe, and free to be themselves and students are leaders for social change. 5280 Freedom School teaches Kindergarten - 5th-grade students to become racially literate and civically minded by centering Black knowledge, people, and principles so that students can dismantle oppressive systems, liberate themselves, and transform the world.

In March 2022, 5280 Freedom School applied to obtain a charter within Denver Public Schools. From preliminary information obtained from the board, the superintendent has recommended the board deny the application. The voting is to take place on June 9th. The reason stated for denial is that Freedom School focuses on a specialized population, i.e., Black children; this is why they believe that it won’t be sustainable. The community has been very supportive, which is evident from the number of applications received and a full waiting list for enrollment in our 2022 summer school program.

Denver Public School Board passed Black Excellence Resolution in February 2019, wherein it was recognized that Black, Indigenous, students, and educators of color are harmed by many of Denver's current educational institutions and the school-to-prison pipeline, 28% of out-of-school suspensions in 2017-18 were experienced by Black or African-American students, 16.5% of students identified with a disability in 2017-18 were Black or African American and many such flaws in the system. No concrete efforts have been taken to fix the issues faced by black students. Freedom School is our effort to create learning environments that address these inequities with evidence-based curriculums and experiences. https://www.boarddocs.com/co/dpsk12/Board.nsf/files/B9M86R7AB10A/$file/Black%20Excellence%20Resolution%20-%20FINAL.pdf


Why 5280 Freedom School?

● 5280 Freedom School will combat the oppression of anti-Black racism by creating a safe, racism-free space.
● Our school culture creates safe and affirming learning spaces for students to take academic risks.
● We engage students in inquiry-based learning and Culturally Responsive and Sustaining pedagogy.
● We will prepare students to develop habits of mind that lead to them becoming independent learners and thinkers.
● Black, Indigenous, Students of Color in Denver and surrounding areas deserve a school that affirms and uplifts their identity.
● 5280 Freedom School is designed to close opportunity gaps that have existed in DPS (and beyond) for decades.


The community can support the cause by:

● Addressing the board during public comment following the board meeting by filling out the Public Comment form (available at 10 AM June 3rd) or calling 720-423-3210.
● Writing an email to the Denver School Board member in their district.


Copy Email Text:

Subject: Charter for 5280 Freedom School
Body:

Dear [BOARD MEMBER],

I am requesting that your board grant a charter to 5280 Freedom School based on its merits and the support it provides to BIPOC students. Statistics show that no efforts have been taken to change the way black students are educated in the Denver Public Schools system, and Freedom School is the effort that the community and our students need and deserve to address this need. Please consider this email as my formal request for granting the charter to 5280 Freedom School.

Email Details:
District 1: Scott Baldermann (Scott_Baldermann@dpsk12.org)
District 2: Xochitl Gaytán (Xochitl_Gaytan@dpsk12.org)
District 3: Dr. Carrie Olson (Carrie_Olson@dpsk12.org)
District 4: Michelle Quattlebaum (Michelle_Quattlebaum@dpsk12.org)
District 5: Reverend Bradley Laurvick (Brad_Laurvick@dpsk12.org)
Vice President: Tay Anderson (Tay_Anderson@dpsk12.org)
Treasurer: Scott Esserman (Scott_Esserman@dpsk12.org)

Kelly Davidson
KellyMaven Media
+1 301-300-4011
email us here