October 17, 2024 11:50 AM UTC

Calling Shenanigans: Teachers DO NOT Support Amendment 80

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• by: Colorado Pols

UPDATE: Statement from the Colorado Education Association:

Proponents of Amendment 80, a deceptive ballot initiative claiming to be about protecting school choice, are continuing their efforts to mislead voters by falsely claiming that Colorado Education Association (CEA) President Kevin Vick is supportive of the ballot initiative. In a mass text sent to voters statewide, proponents show a manipulated clip highlighting Vick stating his support for school choice and strongly and falsely imply that Vick, therefore, supports Amendment 80. CEA, along with The Colorado Association of School Boards, The Colorado Association of School Executives, Stand for Children, The Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition, and more than 30 other organizations oppose Amendment 80 as a disastrous measure that could devastate funding for public schools.

“Proponents of Amendment 80 have been working to mislead voters since this campaign started, claiming this measure is about protecting school choice–which Colorado parents have had for 30 years–when it’s really about opening the door to creating a voucher system,” said CEA President Kevin Vick. “Now they are blatantly misrepresenting the position of myself and thousands of teachers across the state, who have been vocally opposing this damaging initiative that would open the door to diverting millions in funding away from the public schools that educate 95% of our kids and funnel it to private schools.

“Unfortunately, resorting to these types of tactics seems to be business as usual for Amendment 80 supporters, but it also indicates that they know voters are starting to see through this backdoor attempt at a voucher system. Coloradans have rejected the creation of a voucher system time and again from the ballot box to the halls of their legislature, and I stand with Colorado parents, teachers, superintendents and school boards from across the state in opposition to this measure.”

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A text message appeal went out yesterday afternoon to a very large number of voters, from our anecdotal assessment heavily targeting Democratic voters, featuring the image of the president of the Colorado Education Association Kevin Vick appearing to promote Amendment 80–the far-right education funding amendment from conservative advocacy group Advance Colorado to institute a voucher system to replace the existing funding structure for public schools, and promote tax dollars flowing to private and religious schools:

In case there was any doubt about the Colorado Education Association’s position on Amendment 80, it’s the most prominent item on their election resource page:

And here’s what CEA actually says about Amendment 80:

No on Amendment 80 (School Choice Amendment)

What it is: This initiative would add a child’s right to school choice and a parent’s right to “direct” their child’s education to the state constitution.

Why to Vote No:

Unnecessary Change: School choice already exists in Colorado, with most districts offering choice enrollment and charter schools. Whether we’re parents, teachers, or students, we all want what’s best for our kids without unnecessary changes that could harm our public schools.

Hidden Agenda: This initiative paves the way for vouchers, sending public money to private schools and further stripping funds from public education. For too long, corporate sponsored special interest groups have used tactics to divide us by race and class, distracting us from their true agenda of benefiting corporate donors and the wealthy elite.

In short, what we have here is a shady attempt to grossly misinform voters about the CEA’s opinion of Amendment 80 in a text message with no disclaimers or discernable origin, using an out-of-context quote from the president of the union that endorses only Colorado’s relatively permissive charter school status quo–not the massive changes that would result from the passage of Amendment 80. In Arizona, a similar voucher program billed as a way to save taxpayer money wound up blowing a massive hole in the state’s budget to redirect funds that overwhelmingly benefited wealthy families who were already paying private school tuition. Not only does CEA oppose Amendment 80, the measure is considered one of the gravest threats to public education funding in Colorado since the passage of the so-called Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR) in 1992 that put the state on a course to perpetual fiscal austerity. That puts this text in the running for the most deceptive election message of the cycle, which is no small feat.

As much as the big cats support Proposition 127. That’s how strongly anyone who cares about public education in Colorado should oppose Amendment 80.

They both concern existential threats.