Some go so far as to call it racism, in which there are white schools and schools for students of color.
Some parents think it's a factor in their child's ability to achieve.
Salas, a diversity coordinator for Boulder County, said racial tension here is not new. He recalled that tension between some whites and minorities was one of the first issues he heard about from Latinos when he arrived in Boulder County 12 years ago. That tension has wended its way into the schools, he said. School officials shy away from the question, as do some students. They say white students and those of color get along well in Lafayette, where many of Boulder County minorities reside.