Families in Colorado's Roaring Fork Valley will soon have a Christian alternative to the public school system — just as a Christian school in San Jose settles a lawsuit after a staff member used his position to exploit students for child pornography.
Alpine Christian High School announced plans to open in fall 2027, holding information sessions for families seeking education aligned with their values. Meanwhile, Valley Christian High School in San Jose quietly settled a lawsuit in July 2025 after a former operations manager pleaded guilty to enticing teenage boys to produce sexual material — at least one of whom he met through his job.
The Aspen Daily News celebrated the new Colorado school in an editor's note, praising the board members and urging families of any faith background to attend upcoming info sessions, including one scheduled Oct. 5 at the Glenwood Library. The editor wrote that many board members are known to the community and called them "an impressive bunch."
The Mercury News reported a darker story from the existing Christian school world. Todd Baldwin, 46, of Bremerton, Washington, pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts each of online child enticement and receiving child pornography. From October 2021 to August 2023, Baldwin persuaded multiple 16- and 17-year-old boys — students at Valley Christian High and Live Oak High in Morgan Hill — to produce pornographic photos and videos via Gmail and Snapchat. He paid them thousands of dollars through CashApp and Venmo, then resold the material online along with dirty underwear and clothing from the boys, prosecutors said.
At least one victim met Baldwin through his job at the school. That victim sued Valley Christian High in 2023, alleging the school had reason to notice Baldwin's suspicious behavior — including convincing the victim to work as his teacher's assistant despite having no student-facing responsibilities. The case settled in July 2025.
When investigators searched Baldwin's home, they found child pornography on multiple devices, including a video depicting a prepubescent boy "engaged in sex acts," according to prosecutors. Baldwin also admitted to enticing two additional victims in uncharged incidents. He faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison at his Jan. 26 sentencing.
The contrast is sharp but honest. Parents pulling their children from public schools that push gender ideology and critical race theory are right to seek alternatives. Faith-based education offers a real escape from the state's indoctrination machine. But the Valley Christian case is a reminder that "Christian" on the building doesn't guarantee safety inside it. Predators exploit institutional trust wherever they find it — public, private, or parochial.
The question for families considering Alpine Christian High isn't whether Christian education is worth choosing. It is. The question is what accountability structures the new school will build to ensure the trust parents place in it is earned — and what happens when that trust is tested.
