School Board Accountability and National Security Threats

On this October 30, 2023 broadcast, Kim Monson welcomed school board candidates from Thompson School District and Adams 12, who addressed alarming reading proficiency rates and the need for curriculum transparency. National security expert Andrew Thornebrooke from the Epoch Times analyzed how coordinated pressure from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea threatens American strategic interests.

America Pressed on Multiple Fronts by Coordinated Adversaries

Start listening at 72:12 – Hour 2

Andrew Thornebrooke, national security expert at the Epoch Times, warns that China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea now operate with unprecedented coordination to weaken American global influence. The United States faces resource constraints in cash, materiel, and military personnel, particularly artillery munitions and submarine crews, leaving it unable to respond adequately to simultaneous threats.

Thornebrooke analyzes how Qatar occupies a contradictory position as both a major non-NATO ally housing America’s largest Middle East military base and a sponsor of Hamas leadership and Al Jazeera propaganda. He explains how China’s $2.5 billion airport renovation deal with Iran, paid in oil rather than currency, circumvents sanctions while strengthening the adversarial axis.

The national security expert describes the Chinese spy balloon incident as a damaging intelligence failure, not because of data collection, but because adversaries observed exactly how America responds to such provocations. Land purchases near U.S. military installations by Chinese-linked entities represent ongoing intelligence collection risks parallel to intellectual property theft saturating both private industry and national laboratories.

“Our adversaries are directly pushing these buttons because they know it will weaken us in the long run to thin us out and make us put our resources all over the world before we can really restock up here at home.”

Andrew Thornebrooke, National Security Expert, Epoch Times

Fighting for Transparency in Thompson School District

Start listening at 14:07 – Hour 1

Nancy Rumfelt, current Thompson School District board member running for re-election, exposes a troubling culture of mistrust that prevents teachers and staff from sharing what really happens in classrooms. Rumfelt describes how board presentations rarely go below the surface, leaving parents and board members in the dark about actual student performance and behavioral issues overwhelming teachers.

With a district budget of approximately $280 million, or over $20,000 per student, Rumfelt argues that transparency on both curriculum and spending must improve. Some Thompson schools report third-grade reading proficiency rates below 30 percent, a figure she calls unacceptable given the district’s strategic plan promises all third graders will be proficient by 2025.

“They may be our students, but they are not our kids. They are 24-7 someone’s child, and they’re only our student for around seven to eight hours a day. And we need to remember that.”

Nancy Rumfelt, Thompson School District Board Member

A Paraprofessional’s View from Inside the Classroom

Start listening at 24:47 – Hour 1

Yazmin Navarro, a military spouse and migrant parent running for Thompson School Board, took a job as a paraprofessional at her daughter’s school to see firsthand what was happening. What she discovered was deeply disappointing: students unable to read, write, or perform math at grade level, while fourth graders cycled through three different math curriculums without parental knowledge.

Navarro highlights how teachers’ hands are tied on discipline issues, forcing many to leave the profession despite their dedication to students. She emphasizes that while good things happen in Thompson schools, the experience is not consistent across all campuses, particularly for English language learners and special needs students who lack adequate support.

“A lot of my own students couldn’t read, write, or do math at their grade level, and I thought this was just unacceptable.”

Yazmin Navarro, Thompson School Board Candidate

Holding the District Accountable for Reading by Third Grade

Start listening at 26:31 – Hour 1

Ryan Wilcken, an eight-year volunteer and coach in Thompson School District, began attending board meetings after struggling to get adequate support for his two high-functioning special needs children. His experience revealed widespread concern among community members about academic outcomes, particularly reading proficiency.

Wilcken frames the reading crisis in stark financial terms: with classrooms of 25 to 27 students and per-pupil funding exceeding $20,000, the district receives roughly $400,000 or more per classroom. For that investment, he argues, every child should be reading at grade level by third grade. Failure at that benchmark makes catching up exponentially harder.

“I think we need to make that reading goal. We need to hold ourselves accountable in the district and make sure that our kids are reading by grade three.”

Ryan Wilcken, Thompson School Board Candidate

Trade Education as a Path to Student Success

Start listening at 104:02 – Hour 2

Ken Murphy, a 40-year HVAC industry veteran running for Adams 12 School Board, highlights alarming statistics: a third of graduates cannot read above grade level, and 31 percent of students are struggling without intervention. Adams 12 has the highest absentee rate in Colorado, signaling that students do not feel safe, secure, or engaged in their education.

Murphy brings a tradesperson’s perspective to education reform, emphasizing the need to prepare students with marketable skills upon graduation. His team, including Rebecca Elmore and Ben Hagelson, focuses on teacher retention, proper budget allocation, and making schools places where students want to learn. With over 36,000 students across 53-plus schools, Murphy argues the district must reallocate resources to classrooms rather than administration.

“When a third of the kids who are graduating can’t read above their own grade level, that’s a problem. and 31%are struggling and we’re not doing anything about it.”

Ken Murphy, Adams 12 School Board Candidate