Authored by John Ransom via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),
Two
Republican members of Colorado’s U.S. House delegation—Ken Buck and
Doug Lamborn—have criticized the state’s teachers’ union for the passage
of an anti-capitalist resolution at its recent assembly.
Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas at the Hilton Anatole August 6, 2022. (Bobby Sanchez for The Epoch Times)
In an email to the education publication The Lion, the Colorado Education Association (CEA) belatedly admitted last week to the passage of a resolution on April 22 stating that, in the Association’s opinion, “capitalism inherently exploits children, public schools, land, labor, and resources.”
The resolution also takes the position that capitalism is opposed to fully addressing “systemic racism, climate change, patriarchy (gender and LGBTQ disparities), education inequality, and income inequality.”
Previously, the CEA had refused to admit the passage of the resolution by the assembly—until an apparent delegate posted the news on Twitter that the measure had passed.
“It’s disturbing that the CEA would endorse this patently false statement,” Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) told The Epoch Times in a statement.
“Capitalism as an economic system is responsible for raising millions of people out of poverty, vastly increasing the standard of living, and providing people of all classes and backgrounds with the freedom and opportunity to pursue their own economic goals.”
The CEA is part of the NEA—which is the largest labor union in the United States and which represents over 3 million members, according to its website.
Neither the White House, the NEA, nor the CEA returned requests for comment before this article was published.
Activism
Since teachers often represent the largest block of employees in any school district, the NEA commands an army of activists and vast financial resources that are put into play for both local and federal races.
And the NEA’s union leadership is not afraid to brag about their political heft.
“Over the course of the most consequential elections in our lifetime, candidates had their say, and the voters had theirs,” said NEA President Becky Pringle about the union’s efforts to help Democrats in 2020. “Voters ushered in pro-public education and pro-working families agendas, with unprecedented NEA activism leading the way.”
When Pringle took over the union, she promised unapologetic, progressive activism, according to the New York Times.
But the passage of the Marxist-inspired resolution by the CEA is drawing pushback.
“I strongly disapprove of the Colorado Education Association’s recent passage of this anti-capitalist and far-left resolution,” said Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.). “This ideology has no place in Colorado schools.”
The measure comes against the backdrop of a grassroots, parent-driven movement in education that demands school choice. The movement was the result of growing criticisms of public school systems, which were further exacerbated by the measures enacted to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2022, there were 85 bills in 26 states that addressed parental rights in education—and that number has grown further in 2023.
And the movement will likely intensify, said Lamborn.
“Rather than teach their students the inherent freedoms and liberties our nation provides, the CEA seeks to implement curriculum in which socialism has a home. This is why I joined House colleagues to pass the Parent’s Bill of Rights resolution,” said Lamborn.
In March, House Republicans passed the Parental Bill of Rights 213-208.
But with Democrats still narrowly controlling the U.S. Senate, the issue is likely to be a key campaign topic in the 2024 federal races.
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