Latest news with #UniversityofColoradoDenver
CBS News
09-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Auraria Campus Police violated First Amendment rights during Denver protest arrest, claims new lawsuit
Eight Coloradans, including a college professor, are suing the Auraria Campus police chief and several officers almost a year after they were arrested during campus protests over the war in Gaza . In the spring of 2024, protestors descended upon campuses across the country and the world, including the Auraria Campus in Denver , which houses campuses for the University of Colorado Denver, Community College of Denver, and Metropolitan State University of Denver. They set up an encampment on the Tivoli quad, which violates campus policy. On April 26, Auraria Campus Police started arresting people for trespassing. Alex Boodrookas is an assistant professor of history at MSU Denver. He says he was leaving a meeting when he saw the scene unfolding. He says he sat with the students to try to deescalate the situation but was arrested. CU Boulder alumni Sarah Napier was also arrested. She says she was protesting but not camping. They're two of eight people now suing Auraria Police Chief Jason Mollendor and six other officers, with the help of lawyers from Rathod Mohamedbhai LLC, accusing the officers of violating their First Amendment rights. "You should be able to peacefully protest," Napier told CBS News Colorado. You should be able to, you know, have your First Amendment rights." They say that Auraria police didn't adequately warn protestors that they would be arresting anyone and, even if they did, their arrests were unjustified because they weren't camping. They allege the arrests were an attempt to silence voices campus officials didn't like. "The mass arrests that we saw at the encampments last year, like they very much laid the groundwork for what we're seeing today," Boodrookas said. Both Boodrookas and Napier ultimately had their charges dismissed and their records sealed, but they say the damage was done. They've both faced professional repercussions, but they say this lawsuit isn't about them; it's about making sure free speech is protected. "I want to make sure that armed riot police don't arrest peaceful student demonstrators on my campus again," Boodrookas said. On Wednesday, the Auraria Campus released the following statement: "The Auraria campus has not been served with any civil rights lawsuit related to the events of April 26, 2024. Based on available media reports, it appears that the individuals involved chose to engage with the press prior to notifying either the Auraria Campus administration or the Auraria Campus Police Department. We are also aware of several misrepresentations reported in today's media coverage. As with any legal matter, Auraria Campus remains committed to following the appropriate legal processes and protocols. We will be prepared to respond accordingly if and when we are served. Our priority continues to be transparency, accountability, and the safety and well-being of the Auraria Campus community." The lawsuit was filed at 9 a.m. on Wednesday in Denver District Court and asks for a jury trial, as well as punitive, compensatory, and economic damages. "Rather than respecting the constitutional rights of those gathered, Auraria Campus Police Department officers abrogated well-established First Amendment rights through intimidation and mass arrests," it states, in part. "Protesters who peacefully linked arms in solidarity were trapped and encircled by riot police, physically prevented from leaving before officers began making arrests." "If we fail to challenge this now, we risk normalizing the suppression of speech whenever it becomes inconvenient," Azra Taslimi, one of the attorneys representing the protesters, said at a news conference on Wednesday. "Student protest is not a disruption of education, it is a reflection of it. It is civic engagement, it is democracy in action, and it is why we must protect it."
Axios
01-04-2025
- Politics
- Axios
Colorado universities caution students amid Trump deportations
Local universities are on high alert as President Trump's immigration crackdown expands its enforcement to target pro-Palestinian student activists. The big picture: The Trump administration has cast pro-Palestinian protesters as Hamas supporters and used anti-terror and immigration laws to quiet campus demonstrations, Axios' Russell Contreras writes. Tufts University graduate student Rumeysa Ozturk's recent arrest alarmed civil libertarians after she was apprehended by masked federal agents. Why it matters: The Trump administration appears to be zeroing in on foreign students who express pro-Palestinian views, contending their arrests are meant to combat antisemitism on college campuses. These efforts are running concurrent with a spike in deportations carried out by an administration sending suspected gang members to a Central American megaprison. Threat level: There are no reports of college students at Colorado universities who have been arrested or detained by federal law enforcement since the start of Trump's second term. Yes, but: Recent arrests are prompting some students to avoid public demonstrations or overtly political speech. Zoom in: At the Auraria Campus, 23-year-old Khalid Hamu, a senior at the University of Colorado Denver, told us last month his Palestinian classmates said they've avoided protests because of their immigration status. Hamu led a protest on campus in mid-March demanding immigrant rights activist Jeanette Vizguerra's release from ICE detention. He also participated in last year's pro-Palestinian Tivoli Quad occupation. "We're here to say that you will not be able to cut up the student body and attack us one by one," Hamu said last week. State of play: Multiple local universities contacted by Axios Denver say they will continue backing their students' right to free speech. A spokesperson for the University of Colorado Denver said the school is encouraging students with immigration-related questions to reach out to the International Student and Scholar Services team. Metropolitan State University is advising students who have safety concerns to consult with MSU Denver's Immigrant Services Program for specific guidance, a spokesperson tells us. A spokesperson at the University of Denver said that historically, student activism and demonstrations have been "respectful," but didn't provide details about resources for students. What they're saying:"[CU Boulder] is concerned about the well-being of all of our students, including our international and permanent resident students, particularly in light of recent events," a spokesperson at the university tells us. The state's largest university has a web page sharing alerts about visas, travel and other issues for international students. Zoom out: Students and academics of color appear to be disproportionately facing arrests and threats of deportation, Samah Sisay, a Center for Constitutional Rights attorney, recently told the Guardian. The actions signal "a warning for students of color at these universities," Sisay added.
USA Today
13-03-2025
- Health
- USA Today
A Texas church school ranked last in state measles vaccination rates. Its pastor rejoiced
A Texas church school ranked last in state measles vaccination rates. Its pastor rejoiced Show Caption Hide Caption What you need to know about measles A measles outbreak is spreading across a Washington county known for choosing not to vaccinate its children, and health officials have declared a public health emergency. USA TODAY The power of a vaccine lies in the strength of the community that embraces it as a life-saving medicine - a message that in recent weeks has been challenged by the Trump administration and community leaders around the country. 'We don't necessarily just do (vaccines) for ourselves,' says sociologist Jennifer Reich of the University of Colorado Denver and author of "Calling the Shots: Why Parents Reject Vaccines." 'We do them for the people around us. We do them for our grandparents; we do them for pregnant women at the grocery store for whom rubella can be devastating. It's not necessarily my personal benefit from the vaccine, but the way that I'm part of a community.' That feeling isn't shared by everyone. Researchers including Reich say recent viral headlines, such as a North Texas pastor publicly boasting on Instagram that his church school ranked lowest in Texas for measles vaccination rates, are disheartening and show the nation heading down a dangerous path. 'Part of Christian values involves caring for those in need, caring for those who are vulnerable,' Reich said. 'To see that lost in favor of this underscoring of individual choice over caregiving and an ethos of collective care is disappointing.' 'You are putting the safety of children at risk' In his March 5 post on Instagram, pastor Landon Schott of Mercy Culture, a megachurch in Fort Worth, Texas, was ebullient. 'I just found out that @mercyculturepreparatory is the number one school in Texas for the LEAST amount of 'vaccinations!'' he said. 'We value our HEALTH & FREEDOM!' Just 14.2% of Mercy Culture Prep's kindergarteners were vaccinated, according to Texas health department figures for 2023-24, the lowest rate by a solid margin among the state's 1,681 schools or districts submitting data. The second least vaccinated school was Dallas Christian Academy, with a 25% vaccination rate, followed by the Turkey-Quitaque Independent School District in the southeast Texas panhandle, with a 35.7% vaccination rate. 'I just want to congratulate all the family members of MC Prep that embrace freedom of health,' Schott said in a video accompanying the post, which had received nearly 1,800 'likes' as of Tuesday afternoon and comments consisting of clapping-hand emojis. 'They're not allowing government or science projects to affect how you live and lead your life.' The next day, Texas State Rep. Nate Schatzline posted his own video, adding that his children attend Mercy Culture. "I've gotten word that my children's school has been ranked the #1 most unvaccinated school in Texas & I'm upset…that we haven't celebrated sooner!" Schatzline wrote in the accompanying text. The return of a once-eradicated disease The U.S. is experiencing its largest measles outbreak in years. Two people – a school-age child in Texas and a man in New Mexico, both unvaccinated – have died. Texas state health department officials reported 223 cases statewide as of Tuesday, with 156 of those alone in Gaines County, southwest of Lubbock. Twenty-nine people have been hospitalized. Health experts have stressed the importance of vaccines to stop the spread of measles, an extremely contagious viral infection that can lead to serious, life-threatening health complications like pneumonia or encephalitis – particularly among children younger than 5. It spreads through the air through coughs and sneezes and can linger for as long as two hours after an infected person has left the area. 'Measles is so contagious that 90 percent of unvaccinated people who are exposed to measles will get sick,' said Lara Anton, a state Department of State Health Services spokesperson. Nearly one in five people who contract the virus, she said, require hospitalization. The Texas outbreak has spread in under-vaccinated communities where people have been fed misinformation that measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines are dangerous. The MMR vaccine, with two complete doses, provides 97% protection against measles and is even 93% effective with just one dose. Before the introduction of measles vaccine in 1963 and widespread vaccination, major epidemics occurred worldwide approximately every two to three years and caused an estimated 2.6 million deaths each year, according to the World Health Organization. Measles was declared eradicated in the U.S. in 2000 but has resurfaced as vaccination rates have fallen. Given the seriousness of the outbreak, many responded to the posts with scorn. 'You are putting the safety of children at risk by advocating for this,' one commenter told Schott. 'Shame on you.' 'This is a horrible thing to be celebrating,' wrote another. 'This is a disgrace to the name of Christ. Jesus loves the children, and advocating for them to be exposed to preventable sickness and death defies every tenet of Jesus loving the little children. Please, please, reconsider this.' 'You are truly a nut job,' said another. Meanwhile, in response to Schatzline, one woman wrote: "Celebrating turning your back on science while people die isn't the flex you think it is." Reached last week, Schott told USA TODAY that Mercy Culture believes "in freedom of health, and that parents should have their rights." "We believe in freedom of health and that parents should have their rights," Schott said. He conspiratorially characterized the health officials' urgings of vaccines as part of 'this constant push and narrative to control people,' one he said similarly played out during COVID-19 when he said vaccines and masks "were shoved down our throats." Schott said he doesn't tell his congregation what to do. 'I've never encouraged anyone to get or not get a vaccination," he said. "We have tons of people who have gotten the vaccine and there's no pressure, no hatred, no shade thrown on any of those people. We celebrate each parent stewarding their children and their family's freedom and health.' Remaining firm despite backlash As a sociologist, Reich finds the growing rejection of vaccines foreseeable given cultural shifts toward individualism and parental empowerment. 'Parents have embraced an ethos that says they are personally responsible for their children's health and therefore best able to decide what their children need,' she said. 'It's unsurprising that vaccines have become part of that.' Reich said examples such as Mercy Culture Church show the spread of infectious disease doesn't necessarily lead people to question such assumptions. Instead, she said, many consider illness a moral judgment – a reflection of one's baseline health, personal behavior, decision making or nutrition and exercise regimen. 'With this situation, parents really imagine their children will not be susceptible to the worst outcomes of infectious disease,' she said. 'Vaccines aren't going to keep their children safe; they are.' The COVID-19 pandemic, she said, not only accelerated the move away from vaccines but made it largely a partisan one, with growing conservative cynicism regarding scientific and pharmaceutical research. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Trump administration's health secretary and noted vaccine skeptic, has minimized the national outbreak, suggesting remedies such as Vitamin A despite experts' advice otherwise. In an editorial published March 2 on Fox News Digital, he asked parents to consider measles vaccinations for their children but added that "the decision to vaccinate is a personal one." Despite the blowback to his social media posts, Schott remained steadfast in his position. According to his Instagram video, Schott learned about Mercy Culture's vaccination ranking when he walked into the boardroom this week and was greeted by balloons and a surprise gift – a T-shirt reading 'MC Prep: #1 School in Texas (for least amount of vaccinations).' 'Freedom is something we take seriously – religious freedom, freedom of our health,' he said in his Instagram video. 'So, shout-out to MC Prep for being the least vaccinated school in Texas! We'll take it.' Reich considers such thinking worrisome. 'If we continue to think about everything as a process of personal choice, some people are going to be really vulnerable,' Reich said. 'Rubella isn't a particularly serious disease for the person infected, but prior to vaccination it was the leading cause for birth defects. If we continue to think about our decisions as only affecting us personally, even as we live in communities, we're going to encounter a lot more challenges going forward.'
Yahoo
13-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
A Texas church school ranked last in state measles vaccination rates. Its pastor rejoiced
The power of a vaccine lies in the strength of the community that embraces it as a life-saving medicine - a message that in recent weeks has been challenged by the Trump administration and community leaders around the country. 'We don't necessarily just do (vaccines) for ourselves,' says sociologist Jennifer Reich of the University of Colorado Denver and author of "Calling the Shots: Why Parents Reject Vaccines." 'We do them for the people around us. We do them for our grandparents; we do them for pregnant women at the grocery store for whom rubella can be devastating. It's not necessarily my personal benefit from the vaccine, but the way that I'm part of a community.' That feeling isn't shared by everyone. Researchers including Reich say recent viral headlines, such as a North Texas pastor publicly boasting on Instagram that his church school ranked lowest in Texas for measles vaccination rates, are disheartening and show the nation heading down a dangerous path. 'Part of Christian values involves caring for those in need, caring for those who are vulnerable,' Reich said. 'To see that lost in favor of this underscoring of individual choice over caregiving and an ethos of collective care is disappointing.' In his March 5 post on Instagram, pastor Landon Schott of Mercy Culture, a megachurch in Fort Worth, Texas, was ebullient. 'I just found out that @mercyculturepreparatory is the number one school in Texas for the LEAST amount of 'vaccinations!'' he said. 'We value our HEALTH & FREEDOM!' Just 14.2% of Mercy Culture Prep's kindergarteners were vaccinated, according to Texas health department figures for 2023-24, the lowest rate by a solid margin among the state's 1,681 schools or districts submitting data. The second least vaccinated school was Dallas Christian Academy, with a 25% vaccination rate, followed by the Turkey-Quitaque Independent School District in the southeast Texas panhandle, with a 35.7% vaccination rate. 'I just want to congratulate all the family members of MC Prep that embrace freedom of health,' Schott said in a video accompanying the post, which had received nearly 1,800 'likes' as of Tuesday afternoon and comments consisting of clapping-hand emojis. 'They're not allowing government or science projects to affect how you live and lead your life.' The next day, Texas State Rep. Nate Schatzline posted his own video, adding that his children attend Mercy Culture. "I've gotten word that my children's school has been ranked the #1 most unvaccinated school in Texas & I'm upset…that we haven't celebrated sooner!" Schatzline wrote in the accompanying text. The U.S. is experiencing its largest measles outbreak in years. Two people – a school-age child in Texas and a man in New Mexico, both unvaccinated – have died. Texas state health department officials reported 223 cases statewide as of Tuesday, with 156 of those alone in Gaines County, southwest of Lubbock. Twenty-nine people have been hospitalized. Health experts have stressed the importance of vaccines to stop the spread of measles, an extremely contagious viral infection that can lead to serious, life-threatening health complications like pneumonia or encephalitis – particularly among children younger than 5. It spreads through the air through coughs and sneezes and can linger for as long as two hours after an infected person has left the area. 'Measles is so contagious that 90 percent of unvaccinated people who are exposed to measles will get sick,' said Lara Anton, a state Department of State Health Services spokesperson. Nearly one in five people who contract the virus, she said, require hospitalization. The Texas outbreak has spread in under-vaccinated communities where people have been fed misinformation that measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines are dangerous. The MMR vaccine, with two complete doses, provides 97% protection against measles and is even 93% effective with just one dose. Before the introduction of measles vaccine in 1963 and widespread vaccination, major epidemics occurred worldwide approximately every two to three years and caused an estimated 2.6 million deaths each year, according to the World Health Organization. Measles was declared eradicated in the U.S. in 2000 but has resurfaced as vaccination rates have fallen. Given the seriousness of the outbreak, many responded to the posts with scorn. 'You are putting the safety of children at risk by advocating for this,' one commenter told Schott. 'Shame on you.' 'This is a horrible thing to be celebrating,' wrote another. 'This is a disgrace to the name of Christ. Jesus loves the children, and advocating for them to be exposed to preventable sickness and death defies every tenet of Jesus loving the little children. Please, please, reconsider this.' 'You are truly a nut job,' said another. Meanwhile, in response to Schatzline, one woman wrote: "Celebrating turning your back on science while people die isn't the flex you think it is." Reached last week, Schott told USA TODAY that Mercy Culture believes "in freedom of health, and that parents should have their rights." "We believe in freedom of health and that parents should have their rights," Schott said. He conspiratorially characterized the health officials' urgings of vaccines as part of 'this constant push and narrative to control people,' one he said similarly played out during COVID-19 when he said vaccines and masks "were shoved down our throats." Schott said he doesn't tell his congregation what to do. 'I've never encouraged anyone to get or not get a vaccination," he said. "We have tons of people who have gotten the vaccine and there's no pressure, no hatred, no shade thrown on any of those people. We celebrate each parent stewarding their children and their family's freedom and health.' As a sociologist, Reich finds the growing rejection of vaccines foreseeable given cultural shifts toward individualism and parental empowerment. 'Parents have embraced an ethos that says they are personally responsible for their children's health and therefore best able to decide what their children need,' she said. 'It's unsurprising that vaccines have become part of that.' Reich said examples such as Mercy Culture Church show the spread of infectious disease doesn't necessarily lead people to question such assumptions. Instead, she said, many consider illness a moral judgment – a reflection of one's baseline health, personal behavior, decision making or nutrition and exercise regimen. 'With this situation, parents really imagine their children will not be susceptible to the worst outcomes of infectious disease,' she said. 'Vaccines aren't going to keep their children safe; they are.' The COVID-19 pandemic, she said, not only accelerated the move away from vaccines but made it largely a partisan one, with growing conservative cynicism regarding scientific and pharmaceutical research. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Trump administration's health secretary and noted vaccine skeptic, has minimized the national outbreak, suggesting remedies such as Vitamin A despite experts' advice otherwise. In an editorial published March 2 on Fox News Digital, he asked parents to consider measles vaccinations for their children but added that "the decision to vaccinate is a personal one." Despite the blowback to his social media posts, Schott remained steadfast in his position. According to his Instagram video, Schott learned about Mercy Culture's vaccination ranking when he walked into the boardroom this week and was greeted by balloons and a surprise gift – a T-shirt reading 'MC Prep: #1 School in Texas (for least amount of vaccinations).' 'Freedom is something we take seriously – religious freedom, freedom of our health,' he said in his Instagram video. 'So, shout-out to MC Prep for being the least vaccinated school in Texas! We'll take it.' Reich considers such thinking worrisome. 'If we continue to think about everything as a process of personal choice, some people are going to be really vulnerable,' Reich said. 'Rubella isn't a particularly serious disease for the person infected, but prior to vaccination it was the leading cause for birth defects. If we continue to think about our decisions as only affecting us personally, even as we live in communities, we're going to encounter a lot more challenges going forward.' This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Measles vaccinations: Texas pastor revels in school's state-low rates
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
CoorsTek Denver Metro Regional Science & Engineering Fair (DMRSEF) Returns to the University of Colorado Denver
GOLDEN, CO / / February 25, 2025 / The CoorsTek Denver Metro Regional Science & Engineering Fair (DMRSEF) is back and set to take place on Friday, February 28, 2025, at the University of Colorado Denver. This annual event is a celebration of science, engineering, and innovation, bringing together students from grades 6-12 across eight Denver metro counties to showcase their original research. Last year's fair was a tremendous success, thanks in part to the incredible contributions of volunteers and judges. With over 150 projects recognized, the fair empowered 227 students from 34 schools to shine. This year, we aim to make the event even greater and continue to inspire the next generation of STEM leaders. CoorsTek invests in the Denver Metro Regional Science & Engineering Fair (DMRSEF) to empower the next generation of STEM professionals by fostering an enthusiasm for science and inquiry. The company believes in providing students with opportunities to engage with the STEM community, compete for awards, and gain valuable experience in presenting their research. By supporting the fair, CoorsTek aims to inspire young innovators and celebrate their achievements, ensuring they have the necessary resources to excel in their scientific endeavors. "As a company built on a foundation of scientific innovation, CoorsTek is committed to fostering the next generation of problem solvers," said Randel Mercer, Chief Technology Officer at CoorsTek. "Events like the Denver Metro Regional Science & Engineering Fair are crucial in nurturing curiosity, critical thinking, and a passion for discovery. We are proud to support these young minds as they push the boundaries of what's possible." DMRSEF provides a unique opportunity for students to engage with the STEM community, compete for awards, and gain valuable experience in presenting their research. We invite everyone to join us in supporting these young innovators and celebrating their achievements. For more information about the event, please visit our website About CoorsTek CoorsTek is a privately-held leading global supplier of technical ceramics, serving a wide array of industries and markets - with the vision of making the world measurably better. The company is headquartered in Golden, Colorado, with approximately 5,000 employees worldwide. CoorsTek continues to make significant investments in developing advanced materials and processes for critical applications and is the partner of choice for companies worldwide, whose success requires the unique, high-performance properties of products manufactured from engineered ceramics and advanced materials. The company is committed to delivering outstanding value through operational excellence, research, development, and manufacturing capabilities and collaborative stakeholder relationships. Learn more at Contact Details CoorsTek Ashley Clutter+1 303-648-1895aclutter@ Company Website SOURCE: CoorsTek View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Sign in to access your portfolio
