ACDP Executive Committee

Resolution to Oppose Proposition 119

WHEREAS,

Item V 2 of the Education plank of the Arapahoe Democratic Party’s Platform (ACDP-P) states: “We oppose vouchers and tax credits and other schemes which bleed off public education money to benefit private, parochial, or charter schools.”

WHEREAS,

Item V 9 of the ACDP-P states “we oppose the use of public taxpayer funds to support religious, private, corporate controlled, for-profit entities, or educational management organizations.”

WHEREAS,

If approved by the voters, Proposition 119 (LEAP) would:

● Create a private, government agency with an unchecked, appointed board that lacks oversight and accountability to voters and local school boards to administer the new bureaucracy;

● Redirect millions of dollars of public school funds from the State Land Trust (created in the state's Enabling Act to fund public schools) to fund vouchers to private providers for extra-curricular activities;

WHEREAS,

The Colorado General Assembly and the United States Congress have already allocated public funds to address learning loss and mental health issues created as a result of COVID-19 pandemic through:

● SB21-13, Reversing COVID- Related Learning Loss,

● HB21-1006, Fifth- Day School Enrichment Programs,

● HB21-1256, Extended Learning Opportunities,

● HB21-1234, Reducing Learning Loss Through Supplemental Education High- Impact Tutoring Programs,

● Federal CARES Act and ESSER funds;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT

The Arapahoe County Democratic Party oppose Proposition 119 (LEAP) as an unnecessary, unaccountable, and undemocratic use of public funds that will hurt our schools, and therefore our students

Respectfully submitted by Eliza Hamrick, Ilana Spiegel and the members of the Democratic Education Initiative.