DPS father, volunteer operating for northwest Denver college board seat

A father of 4 who volunteers full time on the Denver center college the place his spouse is principal is operating for a seat representing northwest Denver on the college board.

Lacy McDonald runs The Outer Haven, a nonprofit group that mentors college students at Lake Center Faculty, the place his spouse Amanda is principal.

McDonald takes college students into the wilderness to do engineering and carpentry initiatives, facilitates courses in DJing and podcasting, and promotes bodily health. He additionally tends college vegetable gardens at Lake Center Faculty and Colfax Elementary Faculty.

McDonald, 42, mentioned he determined to run for varsity board after the contentious course of this 12 months to shut faculties with low enrollment. His youngest three kids attend Colfax, which was liable to closure. Colfax was spared within the final spherical however might face a closure menace once more.

“There was no genuine communication with neighborhood,” McDonald mentioned. “It was extra of a one-size-fits-all, you gotta do that, sorry, right here you go.

“I’m like, whoa! DPS is at all times drumming this factor about fairness and but you haven’t come to every of our faculties to see what every of us individually must take care of.”

Three of the seven seats on the Denver college board are up for grabs Nov. 7. McDonald will probably be among the many candidates to problem Charmaine Lindsay, the sitting board member for northwest Denver’s District 5. Lindsay was appointed final 12 months and is now operating to maintain the seat. 

The election has the potential to shift the dynamics of the board, which has been suffering from infighting and energy struggles between some members. Additionally at stake is how the board will take care of urgent points equivalent to declining enrollment and college security.

McDonald mentioned the “silencing” of Black and brown individuals by DPS additionally pushed him to affix the race. He cited the district’s try and trademark the identify of a podcast, “Know Justice, Know Peace,” that was began by 4 Black college students — a battle DPS ultimately dropped. He additionally cited the district’s ban of an outspoken Black critic, which a choose overturned.

McDonald grew up in Denver and graduated from Thomas Jefferson Excessive Faculty. He mentioned he joined the U.S. Military after the 9/11 assaults and served two excursions in Afghanistan. 

As he was transitioning out of the navy eight years in the past, McDonald heard Denver activist Jeff Fard speaking about how Black boys have been being disproportionately suspended from an elementary college in Montbello. So, he mentioned, he went to volunteer on the college.

His interplay with a 3rd grade boy modified his life, McDonald mentioned.

“He informed me, ‘Workers Sgt. Mac, you’ll be able to inform me I could make it from A to Z, however you’re not going to be right here to indicate me,’” McDonald recalled. “It was such a mature and deep response. And I took up the problem from this kiddo, and I informed him I’d be there subsequent Friday. After which subsequent Friday changed into each different day.”

McDonald mentioned he’s been volunteering in DPS faculties ever since. The problems he cares probably the most about are communication, tradition, and accountability, he mentioned. 

The district’s lack of communication was evident within the college closure course of, McDonald mentioned. He was particularly upset that Superintendent Alex Marrero didn’t personally attend conferences at every college that was liable to closure, as a substitute sending different district directors. He mentioned he disagrees with the pay increase the board lately gave Marrero.

“In the event you’re going to shut down faculties like that, it’s worthwhile to come and it’s worthwhile to speak to the individuals locally,” McDonald mentioned. “I don’t need to take heed to your third-string quarterback.”

McDonald mentioned he doesn’t relish the considered closing faculties, but when it must occur, then DPS ought to suppose creatively about the way to repurpose the buildings. One thought he floated was utilizing vacant buildings as housing for households experiencing homelessness.

Faculty security has been a high-profile subject in DPS since a March capturing inside East Excessive Faculty and the college board’s resolution to carry cops again to colleges. McDonald mentioned that if DPS goes to have SROs, these officers have to get to know the tradition of a college and construct relationships with college students, not criminalize them.

“I don’t desire a reactive police power concerned with our neighborhood,” he mentioned.

Profitable candidates for Denver college board have traditionally gotten endorsements and funding from one in all two sources: the lecturers’ union or teams supportive of training reform. A dividing line is usually candidates’ opinions on independently run constitution faculties. Most teams haven’t but endorsed on this election.

McDonald mentioned he understands the aim of opening revolutionary constitution faculties. However he mentioned the way in which it’s occurred in Denver has been problematic at instances. His spouse’s college shared a constructing for a few years with STRIVE Prep – Lake, a constitution that closed this previous spring. The association precipitated lots of rigidity and competitiveness in scholar recruitment, McDonald mentioned.

“In the event you’re going to have shared campuses like that, it must be constructed with objective — with genuine, harmonious objective,” he mentioned.

Paid DPS workers are barred from serving on the college board, however the ban doesn’t embody worker spouses or volunteers. If he’s elected, McDonald mentioned he’d chorus from voting on any points that may very well be a battle of curiosity. Lake Center Faculty lies inside District 5.

McDonald mentioned his collaborative spirit units him aside from the opposite candidates within the race. His marketing campaign’s slogan is “Collectively We Rise.”

“I may be tender and sort, however I can be extraordinarily harmful and demanding when wanted,” McDonald mentioned. “There’s a time for lambs and there’s a time for lions. And we have now to have the ability to maneuver between the 2 to get what we would like completed.”

Melanie Asmar is a senior reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado, protecting Denver Public Colleges. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.