Yesterday's Colorado Republican State Convention - with key video at Slapstick Politics and a great recap from Night Twister - was bolstered by the announcement of the taxpayers' legal victory against Gov. Bill Ritter for his unconstitutional property tax hike. But Michael at Best Destiny has some sage cautionary advice for Colorado Republicans on how to respond to Friday's courtroom decision:Republicans MUST NOT go out in public and seem too giddy about this. They should talk about checks and balances, and limiting the governor's ability to act unilaterally, and the majority's clear disregard for the Constitution. But if they seem like they're just glad to have the money taken back by the general public, it'll be a lot harder to … [Read more...]
Teachers Union Getting Ready to Ask Permission to Run Its Own School
Following the Bruce Randolph and Manual HS episode in Denver, the teachers union now says it has a proposal coming to run its own school:Denver's teachers union plans to submit a proposal this spring to create its own school, hoping to launch a teacher-led demonstration site for how to improve student achievement. "Teachers are supportive of reform," Kim Ursetta, president of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association, said Tuesday. "We have ideas how to improve student achievement and we want an opportunity to put our ideas forward." More power to them. Given an ideal public education system guided by parental/consumer choice where the money followed the child based on need and local schools had autonomy over employment, curriculum, … [Read more...]
Denver Teachers Union Backs Down on Autonomy Issue
I've been especially hard on the Denver teachers union (DCTA) lately, but when they do something (mostly) right it would be petty and disingenuous of me not to give credit where due. The Rocky Mountain News reports today that DCTA has decided to acquiesce to the requests of Bruce Randolph and Manual High School for autonomy from school district red-tape and negotiated work rules: … [Read more...]
Moloney: Look to the History of American Teacher Unions
Why did the Denver teachers union throw itself in the way of a request sought by teachers and school leaders for autonomy? In a column today for the Rocky Mountain News, former state education commissioner Dr. William Moloney adds some badly needed historical perspective:As this tragedy unfolds, observers sigh and say, "Oh, that's just the way all teachers unions behave." Not so! It's just the way American teachers unions behave, and it is profoundly important for public policy-makers to understand this critical distinction. The whole article is worth a perusal. It will help explain union opposition to the new Innovation Schools Act, too. … [Read more...]
Bipartisan Education Reform Proposal a Threat to Union Power
The Denver Post reports today that Senate President Peter Groff, D-Denver, has filed a piece of legislation that already has started to cause shockwaves among the education establishment:A bill that would give traditional Colorado schools the flexibility to operate more like charter schools and allow them to be removed from union agreements was introduced into the legislature Thursday. Senate President Peter Groff, D-Denver, submitted the "Innovation Schools Act of 2008," which would give schools control over their budgets, hiring decisions and length of the school day and calendar. The bill would relieve schools from, among other things, having to follow state statutes regarding teacher pay and hiring. "There is a laundry list of … [Read more...]
Teachers Union Shows Colors against School Reform, Own Members
More appearing on the Net today regarding the Denver teachers union clamping down on a struggling school's quest for freedom - David Harsanyi's opinion piece for the Denver Post sees it as a "lesson in union power": Educational reform, union leaders often tell us, is the purview of teachers and administrators, not politicians. Teachers are the ones, the union says, who understand the special needs of students, parents and the unique neighborhoods they operate within. That's why listening to union president Kim Ursetta defending the DCTA's decision was an excruciating experience for all. Her answers were illogical and her position untenable. Let's keep in mind that a majority of Bruce Randolph teachers signed off on the school's … [Read more...]
Teacher Union Prepared to Thwart Autonomy Reform, Its Own Members?
Today is the day of truth (again) for the union that represents Denver public school teachers. As the editors of the Rocky Mountain News highlight today, observers want to know whether they will vote Yes and grant the request for freedom from district bureaucracy and union work rules, or vote No and stand squarely in the way of educational progress for a high-poverty school: We're heartened by this spontaneous uprising. It has been led as much by unionized teachers as by school management; two-thirds of Bruce Randolph's DCTA members backed autonomy, and at Manual the vote was unanimous. The DPS board unanimously approved Bruce Randolph's request last month, so the district is open to giving some schools more control. But the union brass … [Read more...]
Radio Show Review
Thanks for those who tuned in to News Talk 1310 KFKA this morning to hear my inaugural guest host appearance on the Amy Oliver Show. For those who want more information on the guests and some of the topics discussed: Alan Gottlieb of the Public Education and Business Coalition edits the HeadFirst Colorado blog, which covers a range of education reform issues. Today we talked about the latest on the Bruce Randolph autonomy proposal, including union officials' latest delaying tactic, which Alan also posted on today. There's also a great story from yesterday on the topic at Face the State. I posted on the news of the rapidly growing estimates of revenue from the Governor's property tax hike at the Colorado Taxpayers blog. Other stories … [Read more...]