Commentary
CU trades an insurrection speaker for a Steve Bannon apologist
What will it take for the University of Colorado to learn its lesson? The position of visiting scholar in conservative thought and policy at CU Boulder was never a good idea in conception, and it has proved humiliating in practice. It launched in 2013 for the express purpose of injecting right-wing teaching into course offerings. […]
Breaking down the debate over booster shots
For days, news outlets have lit up with the growing controversy over booster shots. The question: “Do Americans need booster shots, and, if so, when?” On the one hand, President Joe Biden announced his administration would aim to secure booster shots by the end of September. However, these plans were announced prior to a completed […]
Boulder agrees on the problems. Scholars agree on a simple solution.
Nearly everyone in Boulder agrees: Our open space is amazing but not if we can’t go outside because of the air quality; the University of Colorado has done a terrible job providing enough affordable student and faculty housing; the city, too, has a dearth of affordable housing and housing prices are out of control; we […]
Anger is the only reasonable response to COVID obstructionists
We were willing to debate the efficacy of masks. We agreed there should be balance between lockdown measures and economic interests. We patiently accumulated evidence that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. We kept our cool through every quack remedy and grifter treatment. We offered guidance to the confused and correctives to the misinformed. We […]
5 facts anti-abortion activists get wrong
Want to reduce abortions? Great — but doing so doesn’t require unconstitutional abortion bans. Conversations on female reproductive biology have long been muted. The duct tape is often applied by religious and conservative sects that historically view even the most basic utterances of sexual education as lewd. The result? A fundamental lack of understanding of […]
Put the cost of oil and gas clean-up back where it belongs
If there’s one thing most Coloradans can agree on, it’s that our communities and public lands need to be protected. Laws and regulations are there to make that happen, but there are instances where the federal government could be doing more. One example: The federal oil and gas program has been failing Coloradans, undermining our […]
The whole system was indicted with charges in McClain case
Finally, the beginning of some justice for Elijah McClain. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser on Wednesday announced felony grand jury indictments against three Aurora police officers and two paramedics involved in McClain’s death. It was a relief, in a case so marred by abuse of power and betrayal of the public trust, to see public […]
Vaccines for kids are coming but they can’t be rushed
For weeks, questions from concerned parents have poured in: Why isn’t the COVID-19 vaccine approved for children under age 12 yet? When will a vaccine for children be available? Can the vaccine be given off-label? These are all good questions, and the answers aren’t easy. After the SARS-CoV-2 virus was identified in late 2019, clinical […]
Everything we know about work is wrong. The pandemic proved it.
“Everything we know about work is wrong. The pandemic proved it.” first appeared in the Pennsylvania Capital-Star. So what can the plight of a little cafe tell you about the state of the American economy and the changing face of work? A lot, as it turns out. The other week, the bistro where my family […]
Teams should stop playing Valor Christian
Valor Christian High School, based on statements from school officials and the former Valor coach they forced out for being gay, practices a form of rank bigotry. The school, located in the south metro Denver community of Highlands Ranch, is unabashed in its religiosity, and administrators think they can flash faith as a form of ethical […]
Eli Bremer is wrong. Trans women are women who have every right to compete.
The International Olympic Committee started to allow trans athletes to compete in 2004 – but it wasn’t until last month, at the Tokyo Olympics, that openly trans athletes went for gold. Trans and nonbinary athletes like Chris Mosier, Laurel Hubbard and Alana Smith are role models who broke barriers and were celebrated for advancing inclusion […]
I quit teaching over COVID-19
It took 36 years, but I’ve finally left school. The end came shortly after University of Colorado administrators denied faculty the ability to teach remotely amid yet another COVID-19 surge. Following the denial, a stream of unusual advice for professors trickled in: anticipate chaos, get creative and, if necessary, call the police. Over the years, […]