MEDIA RELEASE: 1500+ Public Education Call on State to Reconsider Lobato Appeal

MEDIA RELEASE
December 21, 2011 1500+ Public Education Supporters Call on State Leaders to Reconsider Decision to Appeal Lobato Decision:“Please stop wasting our tax dollars defending an indefensible school funding system”

DENVER — Great Education Colorado, a nonpartisan, grassroots, statewide organization that advocates for improved public education through increased, wise investment in Colorado’s schools, colleges, and universities issued the following statement:

“We are disappointed that the state has decided to appeal the Lobato decision before seeking and receiving more input from the people of Colorado.   Nonetheless, with today’s decision by the State Board of Education to delay their action on the appeal, we are hopeful that our leaders will reconsider this decision to spend even more taxpayer dollars defending an indefensible school financing system.

“We encourage every state elected official – every legislator, every State Board of Education member – to read the entire Lobato opinion and to make their own decision about whether the state is meeting its constitutional duty to maintain a ‘thorough and uniform system of free public schools.’”

“We applaud the governor’s interest in starting the process of determining how to create a sustainable remedy.

“There is simply no time to lose when it comes to providing quality education for our children.  We hope and trust that the state will not use this appeal as yet another delay on the road to adequate investment in our schools.  Our kids don’t get do-overs.  For them, justice delayed is education denied.”

At the time of the announcement, Great Education Colorado and the Colorado Parent Teacher Association were in the midst of gathering signatures for a letter to the governor, attorney general and members of the State Board of Education, asking them not to appeal the decision.

The letter appears below.  To date it has been signed by over 1550 Colorado citizens, representing over 160 cities throughout the state (cities represented are listed below).

Dear Governor Hickenlooper, Attorney General Suthers, and Members of the State Board of Education:Now that the trial judge in Lobato has ruled that Colorado’s public education system is “irrational, arbitrary, and severely underfunded,” you have a critical decision to make:

You can either work with the legislature in the interest of Colorado students to make the system constitutional as soon as possible, or you can make the problem even worse by kicking it down the road a year or two.

As Colorado taxpayers and public education supporters, we ask you to stop wasting our tax dollars defending an indefensible school funding system.

We ask that you take into consideration those whom you represent: the children, parents, businesses and citizens of Colorado who all depend on a quality public education system.

Please do not appeal the Lobato decision. Enforce it. Our children have already waited far too long for a school funding system that makes it possible for every child to succeed.

Sincerely,

Cities represented include: Aguilar, Alamosa, Alma, Arvada, Aspen, Aurora, Avon, Bailey, Basalt, Bayfield, Berthoud, Black Forest, Blackhawk, Blanca, Boone, Boulder, Boyero, Breckenridge, Brighton, Broomfield, Buena Vista, Byers, Calhan, Campo, Canon City, Carbondale, Castle Rock, Centennial, Center, Colo Springs, Commerce City, Conifer, Cortez, Creede, Crested Butte, Crestone, Cripple Creek, Del Norte, Delta, Denver, Divide, Dolores, Durango, Eagle, Eaton, Eckert, Edgewater, Edwards, Elbert, Elizabeth, Englewood, Erie, Evergreen, Fairplay, Federal Heights, Firestone, Florissant, Fort Collins, Fort Lupton, Fowler, Franktown, Fraser, Frederick, Frisco, Fruita, Gardner, Glenwood Springs, Golden, Grand Junction, Grand Lake, Greeley, Greenwood Village, Gunnison, Gypsum, Henderson, Highlands Ranch, Hooper, Hotchkiss, Howard, Idaho Springs, Ignacio, Indian Hills, Johnstown, Kiowa, Kittredge, La Junta, La Veta, Lafayette, Lakewood, Lamar, Larkspur, Leadville, Littleton, Lone Tree, Longmont, Louisville, Loveland, Lyons, Mancos, Manitou Springs, Manzanola, Mc Coy, Mead, Meeker, Milliken, Minturn, Monte Vista, Montrose, Monument, Morrison, Mountain Village, Nederland, Niwot, Northglenn, Norwood, Norwood, Nucla, Oak Creek, Pagosa Springs, Paonia, Parker, Peyton, Pine, Pitkin, Platteville, Pueblo, Pueblo West, Red Cliff, Rico, Ridgway, Rifle, Rockvale, Rocky Ford, Roxborough, Rush, Salida, San Luis, Silver Cliff, Silverthorne, Steamboat Springs, Sterling, Strasburg, Superior, Swink, Telluride, Thornton, Twin Lakes, Vail, Victor, Walsenburg, Westminster, Wellington, Westcliffe, Westminster, Wheat Ridge, Widefield, Wiggins, Windsor, Winter Park, Woodland Park, Yampa

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