Not who we are

My heart is heavy with sorrow over the loss of a true American patriot, Charlie Kirk, who stood boldly for his beliefs. He engaged all people, debating issues with civility and conviction, as it should be. Yet, instead of dialogue, hatred drove someone to take his life—a man who loved God, his family, and his country. His passion shone through in his tireless efforts to host events on college campuses across the United States, inspiring and transforming a generation.

Those who use violence aim to intimidate and spread fear. But We the People, anchored in our faith in God, will not retreat or cower. With divine strength, we will stand firm in our convictions, speak boldly for liberty and truth, and work to restore the fabric of our nation while rooting out this venomous hatred. Our faith in God guides us to rise above division, trusting in His wisdom to heal and unite us.

To take a man’s life for his political views or for exercising his constitutional rights is not who we are. This sickness must be confronted and stopped. Through faith, courage, and unity, we will honor Charlie Kirk’s legacy by continuing his mission to uphold truth, liberty, and the values that make America great.

This Wednesday, September 17, at 3:30 PM in Lions Park, we will gather as a community to honor Charlie Kirk’s legacy. Join us to stand in solidarity for our U.S. Constitution and the American way of life. Please bring a flag and lock arms with fellow citizens as we uphold truth, liberty, and the values that make our nation great.

Aaron Helstrom, Woodland Park

• • •

Fool Me Once …

Norm Michaels is the wrong candidate for the WPSD school board. Over time, he’s consistently voiced rambling, nonsensical and divisive rhetoric, demonstrating zero critical thinking skills toward solving the district’s decline and exacerbating our community’s fractures.

The root cause of WPSD’s woes is unmistakably the current school board’s mismanagement since their politicized takeover in 2021. Under their “leadership,” teacher turnover has soared to 35-40% annually, middle school enrollment has plummeted by nearly 40%, and dropout rates have risen sharply. Facilities are neglected, financial reserves have been drained, and transparency is absent. These issues have driven hundreds of students to neighboring districts, eroding the foundation of our schools.

Yet Michaels’ glaring inability to logically analyze these problems became obvious in his recent opinion piece, where he attributed modest, outdated test score improvements solely to the adoption of the unaccredited American Birthright social studies curriculum. He neglected solid evidence that these gains stem from updated reading, writing, and math curricula implemented before this board’s tenure. Even worse, he ignored recently released CMAS scores that now show the district is shifting toward decline!

Like usual, Michaels’ blind reasoning always excuses this board’s financial mismanagement, suppression of educator and community input, and prioritizing politics over professional competence. Even local, lifelong conservatives and former supporters now decry this board’s failures and have joined the demand for better leaders. Our children deserve board members who are capable of seeking out root causes, thinking critically about solutions, and fostering positive collaborations that will ensure student success

Betsy Little, Woodland Park

• • •

• • •

• • •

• • •

LETTERS POLICY: Letters are published on a space-available basis. Letters must be 250 words or less. Guest columns will be published, space allowing, with a firm limit of 500 words. Both must be received by noon Friday for publication the following Wednesday. Please email your submissions to Courier Editor Doug Fitzgerald at doug.fitzgerald@pikespeaknewspapers.com. The Courier reserves the right to edit or reject submissions, which should have the author’s name, address and phone number, for verification purposes.