It was more of a party than a protest today at the state capitol in Denver, where thousands of teachers, staff, students and supporters rallied to protect public school funding.
Leaders with the state teachers’ union, Colorado Education Association, led chants over loudspeakers while a marching band played along. They waved signs reading “No more cuts” and “Invest in my future.”
A former Summit High School teacher, Len Kumar, called Krystal 93 from the capitol steps, saying the atmosphere was upbeat and bipartisan.
“Everybody’s really positive. People have smiles on their faces. It’s amazing,” he says. “There are Democrats and Republicans here. It’s not about one side or the other.”
Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, told the crowd she stands in solidarity with Colorado educators. The theme of the day:
“No more cuts, no more excuses. Our students deserve better.”
Today’s rally was inspired by looming cuts to the state education budget. Lawmakers have proposed slashing it by $150 million. Similar cuts are pending for Health First Colorado, the state’s Medicaid program. As the state budget faces a $1.6 billion shortfall, those are two of the largest expenses.
“Much like the county’s budget, the state has these buckets they fund,” Summit County commissioner Tamara Pogue tells Krystal 93. “I don’t think you can attack this problem by saying, ‘We are only going to cut little things.’ We have to talk about the biggest funds and that is why teachers are going to Denver. That is one of the biggest.”
Today’s rally sparked fiery dialogue on the Krystal 93 Facebook page.
