[1] On September 22, the protests spread to Evergreen when students left class on marched on the Jefferson County Schools Education Center.
[3] Two days later, the protest grew to about 1,000 when Columbine and Dakota Ridge students joined together on a pedestrian bridge over South Wadsworth Boulevard.
The board's conservative majority of three, headed by chairman Ken Witt, appointed Dan McMinimee as superintendent and allotted funds to save two failing charter schools.
Both Fox News commentator Megyn Kelly and Tea Party officials pejoratively referred to the students as "pawns", prompting backlash from the Jefferson County community.
[9][10] On October 2, 2014, The Washington Post interviewed Kyle Ferris, who said the community was disappointed with the school board and felt the need to exercise their rights as American citizens.