Denver teachers voted to strike, but it is not clear when or if it might begin.
The leadership is preparing for a strike, Mercedes Schneider points out, by informing central office staff that they are expected to act as scabs in the event of a strike.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
The administration puts the taxpaying community at a big liability risk by doing this, unless there’s insurance to cover it. Better to have the students’ remain their parents’ responsibility while the teachers fight for their interests.
Thanks to both Diane and Mercedes for highlighting Denver ‘s never ending quest for equity in all aspects of public education. There have been so many missteps in this process and so much disrespect shown to our professional educators by the district it is hard to believe we are now in this nowhere land. Shame on the governor if he enters the fray. Shame on the superintendent for treating her “best friends” – teachers. Shame on the privatizers for further debasing the education profession by hiring non professionals and paying them even less than what union teachers are being paid, which is nothing for doing “the most important job in America .” Shame on us all for allowing these working conditions to exist, for making teachers grovel for every penny, for allowing such an insulting situation to continue. DCTA strong. AFT strong. NEA strong. Union power forever!
Reminder–retired teachers–do NOT substitute/work during strike!!! Go out & help on the picket lines–bring food, water & hot coffee!
Good catch!
First, it is my opinion that everyone in the United States has the right to refrain from crossing a picket line unless doing so is a safety threat. It’s the basic right to assemble. That includes administrators. In Los Angeles, the administrators union president wrote a letter to the superintendent during the strike calling on him to close the schools. That was right to petition and the right to free speech. Do Denver administrators have a union?
Second, as Mercedes noted in her in depth reporting, charter collocations will need extra police presence. But remember, anyone who crosses a picket line will probably feel very nervous and at least a little guilty. So, it’s imperative to invite them to join the picket line as soon as possible instead of belittling them. In the end, the 99% are all on the same team no matter what.
Go Denver teachers! We are with you.
Public Education in Colorado is a prize the “so-called” reformers want in their back pockets. There has been a systematic removal of teacher voice in this entire process of standards, testing, and the rest of the nonsense. There is confusion over what is a good school.
Since this is the Denver Public School teachers, wonder how Polis will show his hand?
Those Denver Teachers are brave and are striking because they care about our young and public schools, for the common good, which need to be saved from the deformers.
Polis will show himself to be a son of privilege. He will side with Bill Gates and John Arnold, “Philanthropy helps the rich maintain their power, wealth and status.” (Anand Giridharadas)
Unless Polis recognizes that the U.S. is a powder keg like Beutner did, Polis will take advantage of both labor and its children.
Polis is tied heavily to the neoliberal theory that the “portfolio” model of closing public schools while opening charter after charter as a means to “helping those, poor, poor kids” is key; it is hard to imagine him EVER standing up for public schooling since he has so often maligned and denigrated it.
I have had unfortunate face-to-face engagement with Polis. You are correct. He started two charters and believes in charters passionately. I doubt he will stand up for teachers or public schools.
When we were on strike last year in Pueblo, the Administration Building often had their staff working from home. What a novel concept to have Ad. Min. have to see what is going on in the classroom.
Staff know. That’s why so many TFA’ers become staff after a brief stint teaching.