Religion in Schools
“Anyone can be a Monday morning quarterback, but I am proud of ERBOCES,” said one District 49 board member.
“I interpret the lack of suitors to be a collective, statewide referendum on ERBOCES, and their dissolution is therefore correct,” said one board member.
“I viewed a lot of stuff about Texas and Houston and San Antonio and migrant workers, and Texas and Texas,” said one school board member.
The ruling invalidates a school board appointment and a 2025 agreement that allowed the opening of a ‘public Christian school.’
“Our schools will not use the curriculum as a vehicle for religious instruction,” wrote Eddie Ramirez, superintendent of the Montezuma-Cortez district.
The Bluebonnet curriculum has drawn fierce criticism from some Texas parents and religious scholars.
Dozens of education department employees were aware that Riverstone Academy planned to use two Christian curriculums.
The state had received 45 applications as of Thursday. Forty-two of them were from Education reEnvisioned BOCES.
Two schools in Pueblo County and one in Colorado Springs were affected by the law change.
The public education co-op could be at odds with state law once Pikes Peak State College withdraws.
The Elizabeth School District quit the group four months after joining.
Riverstone Academy was created at the behest of a conservative law firm to spark a lawsuit over the question of public funding for religious schools.
Riverstone Academy may have to close because of recent legislation limiting how and where public education co-ops can run schools.
The Supreme Court’s decision to hear the case comes seven months after a federal appeals court ruled in favor of the state.
Superintendent Ronda Rein said the cost of the lawsuit will divert funding from students.
It appears Riverstone Academy is operating out of a church about 13 miles from its original building.
The dispute involves the school board president’s decision to appoint Susie Carnes over 3 other candidates a few days after several 2-2 votes.
The $20,000 settlement will be paid out in three installments over the next 10 months.
“Nobody in the state actually regulates how BOCES operate or what they can do,” said the leader of a membership group for public education co-ops.
Tuesday’s school board meeting ended in five minutes because of a dispute between two factions of the board