Teachers Union Makes School Board Endorsements

On August 31, 2011, I noted the candidates in the 2011 Denver Public Schools election.

In that post, I noted that Democrats for Education Reform and the political arm Stand for Children, a so called "reform" organization that favors innovations such as new charter school options for the Denver Public Schools endorsed Allegra "Happy" Haynes in the at large race, Jennifer Draper Carson in the District 1 race and Anne Bye Rowe in the District 5 race.

The Denver Classroom Teachers Association, meanwhile, has in turn endorsed Emily Lipp Sirota who is running against DER endorsed Anne Bye Row in District 1, and incumbent Arturo Jimenez, who is running against DER endorsed Jennifer Draper Carson in District 5. Jimenez was not endorsed by the DCTA when he ran in 2007. This round of DCTA endorsements are entirely expected.

The DCTA has not endorsed a candidate in the at large race in which DER and Mayor Hancock have endorsed Allegra "Happy" Haynes. If the DTCA wanted to endorse someone else in the at large race they could choose from: John Daniel (best known for backing a city level anti-immigration proposition that voters passed), Frank E. Deserino (himself a classroom teacher), Roger Kilgore (given honorable mention by DER) or Jacqueline Carole Shumway (who has focused on her commitment to physical education). It is not clear if the DCTA will endorse anyone in the mail in ballot race that closes on November 1 (ballots will be distributed in mid-October). Deserino and Shumway have each run highly unsuccessful school board races in recent prior elections.

I am a resident of District 1 and I am currently undecided.