Amy Klein Molk, a dedicated advocate for traditional neighborhood schools, has officially announced her candidacy for an at-large seat on the Denver school board.
Currently, this seat is held by Scott Esserman, who is seeking re-election but for a different position.
Klein Molk, 41, has garnered support from the Denver Classroom Teachers Association, positioning herself as a strong contender in November’s election.
Living in the Park Hill neighborhood of east Denver, Klein Molk aims to represent the entire city through the at-large seat.
“The reason I wanted to run for the board is that I believe in protecting our neighborhood schools and supporting our teachers,” Klein Molk stated.
With a unique blend of personal and professional experiences, she intends to navigate the complexities of district policies and work towards meaningful change.
Out of the seven-member Denver school board, four seats, including the at-large seat Klein Molk is contesting, are up for election this November.
The current composition of the board includes a majority supported by the teachers union, but upcoming results could shift the balance of power during a decisive time for Denver Public Schools.
DPS has recently faced challenges with declining enrollment and has made numerous school closures—over a dozen in the past two years.
Additionally, a new policy targeting low-performing schools may exacerbate the trend of school closures.
While the district’s graduation rate has improved, many students continue to deal with learning setbacks caused by the pandemic.
Klein Molk highlighted that DPS has attracted national attention, particularly from President Donald Trump’s administration, concerning its all-gender restroom policy and its support for immigrant students.
Furthermore, the board has initiated an investigation regarding allegations of racial discrimination against one of its members.
Having grown up in Denver and being a product of the Cherry Creek School District, Klein Molk possesses personal insights into the educational landscape.
As a mother of two, with a 9-year-old currently enrolled in a district-run elementary school and a 4-year-old who is starting preschool at another district-run institution, she is deeply invested in the quality of education in DPS.
Klein Molk does not disclose the names of her children’s schools for privacy reasons, but she serves as the president of the parent-teacher organization at her older child’s school.
Klein Molk’s academic background in public policy and her role in the Creative Artists Agency Foundation equipped her for advocacy work in educational initiatives, including the Head Start preschool program.
In March 2020, she launched a company named Beanstalk, aimed at producing educational videos reminiscent of outings on the Magic School Bus or visits to local zoos.
However, as schools transitioned to remote learning, Klein Molk provided Beanstalk’s resources free of charge, which led to the eventual shuttering of the company when it was no longer financially feasible.
Seeking to better understand the education system during this time, Klein Molk took a paraprofessional position at Park Hill Elementary, where she worked directly with students with disabilities.
If she secures a seat on the board, Klein Molk’s primary focus will be on rebuilding trust within DPS.
She emphasizes the need to attract and retain high-quality educators while ensuring they are compensated appropriately.
She is particularly concerned about the manageable caseloads for special education staff, underlining that parents are losing confidence in the system’s capability to cater to their children’s needs.
“We’ve got to rebuild this trust and help teachers feel supported,” Klein Molk affirmed.
Recognizing a significant opportunity, Klein Molk intends to integrate technology into schools in a supportive role that enhances, rather than replaces, the work done by teachers.
While she has endorsed the recent board decision to close seven schools due to insufficient enrollment, Klein Molk expresses caution about making such decisions again and opposes the idea of closing schools based on low test scores.
Yet, she acknowledges the importance of making difficult decisions in relation to schools and their boundaries.
“When we look at boundary lines and some schools that are super high performing getting bigger and bigger, tough decisions are going to have to be made,” she commented.
Klein Molk is unafraid to advocate for significant changes if they are necessary to create a fair educational system.
A central responsibility for the board includes managing the superintendent’s performance.
Klein Molk noted that if a superintendent meets their objectives, their contract should be renewed, stating, “Maybe there’s opportunity for improvement, maybe there’s not.”
In her view, without being part of the discussions with fellow board members, it isn’t justifiable to make judgments about the superintendent’s effectiveness.
image source from：chalkbeat
