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"I will work tirelessly for kids–regardless of who they are, how they self-identify, their unique characteristics or circumstances in which they live–so ALL kids have a voice in the district"

Why I am Running

My name is Neil Fishman (he/his/him) and I am running for the Boulder Valley School District’s Board of Education to Advocate for ALL kids! 

To ensure that everyone has a voice in our district, I will:

  • improve the climate in our schools,
  • solidify equity and inclusion,
  • protect the mental well-being of kids,
  • maintain our high educational standards,
  • protect strong curriculum, and
  • prevent hateful actions, like book banning and anti-inclusion/anti-transgender policies.

 

Our district is a model for strong and effective public schools. Our goals set the highest educational standards in the state, but we must also ensure that school environments are safe and welcoming. After all, this is what promotes good learning and cultivates social and emotional well-being. BVSD policies “to create challenging, meaningful learning opportunities” for ALL kids need a watchful eye. We need someone to monitor and protect their successful implementation and evaluate their effectiveness.

I will be that mainstay, fighting not only for strong policies but also for equitable implementation that engages all parents, all teachers and, most importantly, all kids.

Who I Am

I have dedicated my life to education, equity and inclusion to improve lives. That is why I am running for the Boulder Valley Schools Board of Education, District A. 

I am a second-generation Coloradan. Raised in Denver, my four siblings and I were all educated in the Denver Public Schools, as were our parents before us. They instilled in us the importance of education to  realize our dreams. So today we are all college graduates working in our chosen professions.

After graduating from high school, I received my BA and MS in Geology at CU Boulder and became an award-winning research geologist. I have lived in Boulder for decades.  My husband and I raised our daughter here; she is a proud graduate of BVSD schools (K-12). I navigated the challenges of parenthood through my child’s experiences with bullying, harassment, and mental well-being; this is why I continue to fight to make BVSD the best it can be.  

In 2022 I helped to successfully guide the Colorado State Board of Education (CSBOE) to adopt equitable and inclusive social studies standards in all Colorado public schools (K-12).  The effort was significantly bolstered by the BVSD board’s adoption of Resolution 22-27, which called for equitable and inclusive standards. I assisted in the preparation of this resolution which served to spark similar action in municipalities that are in BVSD.  

I have served BVSD as our elementary school representative to the BVSD District Parent Council (DPC).  Through this role, I recognized that BVSD’s non-discrimination policy lacked inclusion of gender identity/expression. This was the beginning of the board’s decision to update its policy. 

Outside the BVSD community, I have served as a member of the University of Colorado’s President’s Blue-Ribbon Commission on Diversity, charged with evaluating and developing a plan to enhance diversity on all four CU campuses. 

I have also served as Chair of the Advisory Committee for the CU Department of Geological Sciences and in various leadership positions for the Geological Society of America. I have been a co-team lead for the Boulder County Democratic Party’s Outreach and Inclusion Team and I am currently an active volunteer with Out Boulder County.

Whether as a professional, a volunteer, or a parent, I have always tried to look inequity directly in the eye and engage in social justice efforts. As both Treasurer and President of the board of the Boulder County AIDS Project, I helped to broaden programs for HIV services.  In collaboration with the Boulder County Health Department, I participated in the “Only One” project, which raised awareness for HIV transmission.  I also served on the development and implementation committee for the City of Boulder’s Program “Valuing Diversity: Education on Homophobia and Heterosexism” which provided anti-bias training to persons and groups in Boulder. 

"I am the product of the public schools and I am a proud parent of a BVSD graduate. I am an ardent supporter of and believer in the public school system."

Neil's Priorities

Our district can’t just write policies “to create challenging, meaningful and engaging learning opportunities” for ALL kids—we must successfully implement them. I will be a watchful eye, sitting at the table to monitor and protect the successful implementation of our strong equitable BVSD policies.  

I will…

Promote Progressive Policies for ALL Kids

The Boulder Valley School District has led the nation in creating safe schools for all students, including LGBTQ people, by developing and implementing progressive policies. But the current climate in the US, and even in parts of Colorado, runs counter to our approach.

Legislation banning books and eradicating equity and inclusion, including anti-transgender policies, are surfacing all around the U.S. These are dangerous actions happening in our country. They must be stopped. Our school administrators must actively support all our educators and have their backs as they teach the curriculum endorsed by the district.

I will work to protect our teachers and prevent actions like these from taking root in BVSD. We cannot allow our progressive school district’s values to erode.

Ensure Equity For
ALL Kids

The world around BVSD is experiencing shocking changes manifested in anti-inclusive initiatives and the bashing of kids from marginalized groups. These external pressures run counter to the progressive nature of BVSD and present challenges to kids and parents alike. I am running for the board of education to maintain a close watch and prevent these subtle and not-so-subtle actions from permeating our schools. We must not leave it to chance that such actions will stay out of BVSD. 

Although we have seen improvement in these areas, a great deal of work remains. 

I will work to ensure  that kids of color are on par with their white counterparts and realize their fullest potential; I strongly support continued efforts to further close achievement gaps. I also advocate for practices that reduce disproportionate discipline. 

Protect the Mental Health of ALL Kids

Mental Health is an ever-present worry. Not only are there challenges within the schools that affect our kids’ mental well-being, but community violence and the threat of violence are taking a toll on our youth, our families, and our teachers.

Bolstering systems and programs to enhance the mental well-being of kids is critical; It is one of the primary reasons that I am running for the board.

It is important that kids can visit the centers during their off period, when they “…need a safe, quiet place to reset,” (Greg McDonald, Monarch High School Wellness Center School Counselor).

I support district programs like Wellness Centers, which give kids access to a full-time counselor in designated  school locations. Furthermore, I support expansion of these centers and deepening of the services they provide to enhance student mental well-being.

Keep ALL Kids and Staff Safe from Violence

The threat of violence in our community follows kids into school. In BVSD we are committed to keeping ALL kids and staff safe. Unfortunately, school lockdowns, harassment, assault, and discrimination persist in the BVSD. Whether driven by disparities based on race, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or other forms of discrimination, these are all realities in our community that must be confronted by a committed BVSD. 

Strong policies exist to build an intentional, safe school climate. We need to improve their implementation.

I will work to improve our monitoring and use data to assess our climate and culture. I am committed to building strong implementation of systems that make our children safe and eliminate fear.

Keep ALL Kids
Safe from Bullying

Boulder Valley School District cares about our kids and our staff.  We have a responsibility  to create a safe and supportive environment for ALL children, especially those who are most vulnerable to bullying. 

Bullying can have harmful, life-long effects on a child’s emotional and psychological well-being. It can lead to fear and thereby negatively impact a child’s ability to learn and perform at school. It can also lead to social isolation, low self-esteem, and even depression. Children who experience bullying may feel helpless, anxious, and unhappy. Some may even resort to self-harm or suicide.  

Bullying, whether in-person or cyber, needs to be addressed as soon as it is observed or even better, prevented in the first place.

I will fight to ensure that all BVSD bullying policies are fully implemented. I will work for timely response and the creation of effective channels that help empower ALL kids to report.  I will work to realize practices that make our  schools and buildings are safe and welcoming.   

Keep ALL Kids
Safe from Harassment

Harassment, sexual assault, and racial animus have harmful, life-long impacts on our students. Despite numerous BVSD policies that address harassment, student-to-student and student-to-adult harassment persists. These offenses may lead to formal Title VI (federal law prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, and national origin) or Title IX (federal law prohibiting discrimination based on sex, including sexual assault) violations and investigations or convictions.  

I strongly support complete and thorough implementation of BVSD policies that address these egregious acts. I will be an advocate for the aggressive implementation of harassment policies, and I will fight for thorough assessment and evaluation to ensure these policies are appropriate and effective.

I take a stand to...

Set High Educational Standards

BVSD is a leader in its academic excellence and progressive policies and programs. Our district is typically ranked in the top three Front Range districts, commonly in the #1 position!  BVSD stands above the state average in on-time graduation rates. In addition, the district is taking an innovative approach to dealing with an important barrier to learning–dyslexia–which affects up to 20% of the population.  We should be proud of these accomplishments.

Nevertheless, work remains to be done.  A gap in achievement persists between kids of color and their white peers.  Although the gap has narrowed over the past few years, my goal is that in our district ALL BVSD kids succeed.

Addressing challenges like these serves ALL students well, not only academically but also by bolstering emotional well-being.

I will work to ensure that the district continues to support teachers with the resources they need to enhance student achievement. I will work hard to make sure that these resources are made available to all students.  

Broaden Measures of Student Assessment

In general, I believe that high-stakes testing provides information to assess where students are in their learning and, as such, plays a role in evaluating how our schools are doing.

In addition, I believe this type of testing may also help to guide where additional resources might be needed to bolster the educators’ efforts. Testing  challenges students while also helping them to be fully engaged in their learning. 

Much of the evaluation in schools nationwide is geared to measure outcomes and very little research is geared to understanding the processes that allow teachers to teach well and students to learn optimally. Tests only give us part of the picture.

I support the assessment of things like school climate and its contribution to the success of our students. In addition, I will advocate for assessment of the pandemic and online learning impacts on our students. 

Oppose Vouchers and Other Tax Incentives

I am opposed to vouchers, education tax credits, and private school tax credits. As an ardent supporter of public schools, I feel that these three programs undermine the existence and maintenance of our public schools. Not only do they support private schools by siphoning tax dollars from the public school system, but they also promote the flight of students and resources from public to private schools. 

I am very concerned that these programs can exacerbate the divide of the student population based on socio-economic status. Furthermore, these programs aggravate some of the existing structural issues facing BVSD, particularly the very real issue of declining enrollment. Knowing that declining enrollment is not only underway in the BVSD but is projected to continue makes support of vouchers, education savings accounts, and private school tax credits a matter of real concern.

I will oppose vouchers and other tax incentives that drain BVSD funding.

Lend a hand to the cause

(or just send me a note)

Campaigns need dedicated supporters and money.
 
I would love for you to join me in our shared vision of safer, warmer, more empathetic schools. If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out the form below. I need to meet you. 

More money than time?

If direct financial contribution is within your means and more your speed, you can donate to our campaign through Act Blue using the button below. Postcards don’t print themselves!
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The Community Behind Neil

Katixa Aboitiz

Peter Allen

Ceal Barry

Sumi Bitner

Candace Bowie

TJ Cole

Mary Dineen

Jean Dubofsky

Tim Enwall

Christina Fiflis

Audrey Fishman Franklin

Liz Garfield

Stan Gelb

Carol Gerlitz

Ellen Greenhouse

Jean Hodges

Camille Hook

Lisa Lesniak

Katie Malzbender

Pam Malzbender

Nikhil Mankekar

Susan Marine

Sue Masterson

J. Gustavo Melara

Claire Levy, Boulder County Commissioner

Ashley Stolzmann, Boulder County Commissioner

Michael Dougherty, District Attorney

Judy Amabile, State Representative, CO House

Junie Joseph, State Representative, CO House

Kyle Brown, State Representative, CO House

Aaron Brockett, Mayor, City of Boulder

JD Mangat, Mayor, City of Lafayette

Richard Garcia, BVSD Board of Education

Dorothy Rupert, former State Senator

Edie Hooton, former State Representative

Josie Heath, former Boulder County Commissioner

Hillary Hall, former Boulder County Clerk

Leslie Durgin, former Mayor, City of Boulder

Jill Adler Grano, former Boulder City Councilperson

 

 

Bob Morehouse

Max Nathanson

Stu Naegle

Alex Bethel Negron

Kenneth Nova

Dominique Olvera

Julie Piller

Karen Raforth

Margaret Riedel

Ned Riedel

Glenda Russell

Jackie Schwarz

Elaina Shively

Joe Sleeper

Joel Smith

Caroline Stepanek

Joe Stepanek

Mitch Stahl

Chad Stamm

Jim Vacca

Les Wall

Barbara Willis

Jaye Zola

John Zola

This website is owned and supported by Neil Fishman for BVSD