A dangerous pattern is unfolding in Thompson School District — and if you live within TSD boundaries, your voice matters right now.
At the March 5th TSD Board of Education meeting, Board Member Nancy Rumfelt wore a shirt reading “Real Women Rock.”
She also promoted XX XY Athletics, a brand known for pushing harmful, exclusionary views about gender — especially targeting transgender girls.
On its own, the shirt might seem harmless.
But in context, it’s part of a larger pattern:
- A public official using her platform to marginalize and shame trans youth.
- A calculated effort to normalize transphobia under the guise of “free speech” and “protecting girls.”
- A clear message: some students don’t belong.
Let’s name it plainly: This is not about sports.
It’s about power.
And it’s about fear being used to divide our community and harm our kids.
Trans students deserve safety, affirmation, and belonging — just like every student.
We must respond with courage, clarity, and collective action.
✊🏽 TAKE ACTION
1. Show Up in Person: TSD Board Meeting
📍 TSD Admin Building — 800 S Taft Ave, Loveland, CO
🗓 Wednesday, March 26, 2025
🕕 Meeting starts at 6:00 PM — Arrive well before 5:00 PM
- Expect lines, metal detectors, and security
- Right-wing groups are mobilizing — we need a calm, bold presence
- Show solidarity for trans students, educators, and the board members holding the line
2. Call In Your Public Comment
📞 970-613-6776
📆 Wednesday, March 26 | Between 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Leave:
- Your name
- City of residence
- Whether you’re a TSD student
- Topic of your comment
- A callback number
Your message will be played at the meeting if it meets board guidelines.
3. Email the Board
📧 barbra.kruse@tsd.org
📧 stu.boyd@tsd.org
Use or adapt this:
Subject: As a Proud TSD Resident — I Support Trans and LGBTQIA+ Students
Dear Board Members Kruse and Boyd,
All students deserve to feel safe, affirmed, and free to be themselves.
I’m a resident of [CITY] in Thompson School District, writing with serious concern about the harmful actions of Board Member Nancy Rumfelt — including her “Real Women Rock” t-shirt and promotion of XX XY Athletics.
This isn’t about sports or shirts.
It’s about power being used to shame and exclude children.
It’s about telling trans kids they don’t belong in their own schools.
I urge you to:
- Publicly affirm LGBTQIA+ students’ safety and dignity
- Enforce the Board’s Code of Ethics
- Hold board members accountable for harmful conduct
Our schools must belong to all of us.
Our kids — all our kids — deserve better.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
[TSD Resident / Parent / Student]
🧠 Talking Points & Tips
- Lead with values: “All students deserve to feel safe, affirmed, and free to be themselves.”
- Don’t get stuck debating their language: “This isn’t about slogans — it’s about harm.”
- Use collective language: “Our schools. Our values. Our kids.”
- Call for solidarity, not pity: “Trans kids don’t need protection from who they are — they need us to stand with them.”
This is a moment of moral clarity.
Let’s meet it — together.
For our students. For our community. For what’s right.
✍🏽 Add your voice. Show up. Speak out.
Rev. Sean is Foothills Acting Senior Minister while Rev. Gretchen is on Sabbatical.
Responsible for Worship, Justice Ministries, Faith Formation Strategies and sits on Foothills Executive Leadership Team with Director of Finances and Operations Katie Watkins.
Sean was born on Treaty 7 land in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and comes to Foothills after four years in New England where he completed seminary at Harvard Divinity School where he studied alongside future imams, rabbis, justice activists, and other Unitarian Universalists. Sean is a self-proclaimed nerd — particularly about history, current politics, science, and Star Wars. Outside of ministry you will find Sean hiking or cooking up a storm with his partner Charles, watching his son’s basketball games, all under the watchful eye of their dog Dollie.
