Now is the time for Jeffco Schools to rethink its so-called “trusted adult” culture, while parents reconsider their votes that installed a total union-backed school board and superintendent.
Trust is at an all-time low for the state’s second largest school district that has been rocked by the arrests of several school employees for sexually assaulting children in just the last year.
Then the Christmas holiday brought the firing of Chief of Schools David Weiss, which the board declined to elaborate on until news of his suicide revealed he was under investigation by local police for possession of child pornography.
Speaking for parents everywhere, Jeffco, what the bloody Hell?!
Weiss was fired on Dec. 19, but parents didn’t learn why until Christmas Eve media reports on the police investigation.
It’s not even known when or how Weiss killed himself, only that it occurred while visiting family in Maryland, and Jeffco issued a statement to staff and parents the day after they were informed on New Year’s Day.
Interesting choice of words to describe child sexual assault material, @JeffcoSchoolsCo pic.twitter.com/nTAinjjVkH
— Lindsay Datko (@ldatko) January 3, 2025
Weiss was a member of Jeffco Public Schools’ executive leadership team, and among many duties he managed the director of student discipline, and executive director of athletics and activities.
Cringe.
Weiss was the fifth district employee in 2024 to face criminal investigations related to sexual exploitation of minors.
The other four cases included charges of sexual assault on students. To read more about those allegations, we recommend this Colorado Pubic Radio report.
Parents are voicing their frustration to news reporters and on social media with the school board’s lack of transparency surrounding the dismissal of Weiss, and voters should be outraged as well.
Jeffco is due for a cultural overall, as well as learning basic transparency skills.
And surely they should rethink a new policy shift away from students’ sexual and gender business and back towards a none-of-your-damn-business approach that refocuses on teaching students to read and do math.
Meanwhile, Jeffco law enforcement needs to inform parents as quickly as possible about the allegations against Weiss, whether any children were directly impacted, the nature of the materials he possessed, and where it was obtained.