3 days ago
'Lifting up student voices': Former Pueblo D60 board president seeks return to board
After nearly two years of staying tuned in to district happenings as a citizen, former Pueblo School District 60 Board President Tommy Farrell seeks a return to the board.
Farrell has announced his 2025 candidacy for the Board of Education. He was initially elected to the Pueblo D60 board in November 2019 and became its president following the October 2022 resignation of Margaret Wright. Farrell sought reelection in 2023 to one of three four-year board seats, but did not finish among the race's three highest vote-getters.
"My commitment to supporting public education and our students has only grown," Farrell told the Chieftain. "I continue to be involved and aware of what's happening. I think we need some voices on the board that will stand up for students, educators and our community."
Since losing his 2023 reelection bid, Farrell has continued to watch board meetings and even has taken the podium to make public comment in order to make sure "every student has access to a safe education where they're seen and supported."
In August 2024, Farrell was part of a group of LGBTQ+ rights activists calling on the Pueblo D60 board to adopt a non-legal name change policy to ensure the safety and well-being of transgender, non-binary, and gender-expansive students.
Lately, Farrell has kept a close eye on Pueblo D60 conversations on "rightsizing" to address declining enrollment.
"As the enrollment continues to decline in District 60, the available resources also change with that," Farrell said. "There's going to be some difficult decisions to make and difficult futures to look at as that's being done. I think it's important to have a very thoughtful approach there."
Farrell added that discourse attempting to undermine public education in favor of privatization and voucher programs has become increasingly prevalent and that it is important to ensure children without access to private education are part of a "robust" public education system.
Priorities listed by Farrell in a May 29 campaign news release include academic success for all students, inclusive schools supporting "the whole child," responsible budgeting that puts classrooms first, and community partnerships.
"I am really focused on bringing a student-centered focus back to the board, listening deeply, lifting up student voices, building a school system where every student feels safe and seen, every educator is respected and supported, and every family knows their voice matters," Farrell said.
Two Pueblo D60 board seats are up for election in November 2025: one is occupied by Board Vice President Kathy DeNiro, and the other is occupied by Director Brian Cisneros. More information about Farrell's campaign can be found at
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Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@ Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Former Pueblo D60 school board president is running again
