In this week's newsletter, Pam Benigno, Director of the Education Policy Center, writes about education unions and their Marxian bent. Jon Caldara sits down with Senior Fellow Joshua Sharf to answer, "Is property tax reform complete?" Finally, on PowerGab, Amy Cooke and Jake Fogleman discuss a potential war over Colorado's oil and gas drilling. Don't miss Jon on The Mandy Connell show Wednesday at 2:30 P.M. on KOA 850 AM.
This past weekend, I went to see Reagan at the theater. In the story, there is a scene in which he fights against communism in Hollywood when he is the president of the Screen Actors Guild of America. According to Reagan, in his testimony before the House Committee on Un-American Activities, there was a small clique within the Guild associated with the Communist Party. Ronald Reagan stopped the attempted communist takeover. I found the movie inspiring, and it reminded me of our battle in Colorado’s public education system.
The Colorado Education Association (CEA), Colorado’s largest education union, showed its true colors in April 2023 when members passed the following pro-communist resolution:
The CEA believes that capitalism inherently exploits children, public schools, land, labor, and resources. Capitalism is in opposition to fully addressing systemic racism (the school to prison pipeline), climate change, patriarchy (gender and LGBTQ disparities), education inequality, and income inequality.
It sounds like a resolution that Karl Marx would have written. Not surprisingly, it was written by a teacher who tweeted a quote from the last line of The Communist Manifesto: “Workers of the world, unite!”
The Education Policy Center has written about education union issues since 2000. We also have a website for independent-minded teachers, IndependentTeachers.org. There, teachers can learn about their membership options, such as the Professional Association of Colorado Educators (PACE). At a fraction of the cost of union membership, teachers receive better liability insurance than the union provides. (Full disclosure: I am a member of the PACE board.)
Former teacher Rebecca Friedrichs, during a Prager U video, mentions the PACE parent organization, the Association of American Educators, as an alternative for teachers. The topic of the video is about communism and education unions.
I am a former public school teacher who never joined the union. In 1980, my principal wore a button showing his support for Gary Hart for U.S. Senate. So, I wore my REAGAN button that I brought back from the Republican National Convention in Detroit. I wasn’t a delegate, but I was a member of a Colorado Youth for Reagan group. I carried a sign on the convention floor that said, “Teachers for Reagan!” Today, we need teachers who will hold up a sign that says, “Teachers against communism!”
Last Friday, I spoke to a group on the statewide ballot measures. There are 14 statewide measures and I enjoy answering questions and helping to demystify some of the trickier language in the measures. If you would like me to speak to your group, feel free to email me.
Tyler Martinez covers a win for taxpayers at the Colorado Court of Appeals.
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Did you know 46% of the voters in Colorado are unaffiliated? Have you ever wondered why? Hear from the experts at Independence Institute talk about the issues important to Colorado and how to bring some sanity to this increasingly leftist state.
Devil's Advocate with Jon Caldara is a current events show not to be missed. Each week it features lively - and sometimes heated - debates between elected officials, journalists, activists, concerned citizens, subject-matter experts, and hard-pressing host Jon Caldara, president of the Independence Institute. Jon is not afraid to express his "free-market" views, and his guests are not afraid to take on those opinions. It all makes for an informative, lively public affairs program.
PowerGab focuses on unique energy issues facing Colorado. Hosted by Amy Cook, Independence Institute's Energy and Environmental Policy Center Director, and Jake Fogleman, Director of Policy. PowerGab tackles the complexities of energy policy and solutions for a broad audience to educate and illuminate all while having a few laughs along the way.
This podcast includes several series of commentaries about the Constitution. Each series will cover a different aspect of the document. This series thumbnails the lives of 14 American Founders and their specific contributions to the Constitution. It covers both well-known Founders, such as James Madison, and those who are lesser known, but who exercised an out-sized influence.
After a Gallagher repeal election, a bill to fix it during the regular session and then a special session to fix that bill...Is property tax reform now complete? In Colorado, Independence Institute Senior Fellow Joshua Sharf researched other states to find the property tax gold standard.
What are cumulative impact rulings, and why are they about to start a war over Colorado's oil and gas drilling? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke explain what these are and how they affect the state of Colorado.
Last Wednesday, I addressed a Parker group on the topic, “What Your Liberal Teachers Never Told You About the Constitution.” The speech focused on six common left-wing myths about the Constitution (such as “It was all about preserving slavery") and rebutted them in detail.
I'm generally available to address civic groups about the Constitution and constitutional topics. And for engagements within Colorado, there is no charge. Feel free to email me.
