I urge you to vote for Matthew Sheldon for the 9-R school board. For the past seven years, I have been an educator in New Mexico and Colorado. I have worked in reservation schools, traditional public schools and charters, and in every context, people in our education system are looking to assign blame. They look to blame teachers, unions, students, parents and anyone else involved in education. Instead of assigning blame, however, Matt will provide leadership.
I met Matt on the Colorado College cross country team, where he was a captain his junior and senior years. He set an example for our team by working incredibly hard through setbacks and injuries to eventually lead our team to the national championship meet. He will bring the same work ethic and determination to his work on the school board.
Beyond the need for leadership, our school system also requires some very real policy changes. Matt’s focus on equity sets him apart. In La Plata County, like in the rest of the country, the single greatest predictor of a child’s success in school is how much money his or her parents make. Matt will stand up for students from low-income backgrounds, students with special needs, and others who are falling through the cracks.
The students of district 9-R deserve a leader like Matthew Sheldon.
Jesse Heaton
Denver
