Jun 20, 2021 | Blog
The National Education Association will honor Sam Long, STEM teacher and member of St. Vrain Valley Education Association, with its highest and most prestigious award, the NEA Human and Civil Rights (HCR) Awards, during a virtual ceremony on Jun. 29. The theme of this year’s 2021 NEA HCR Awards ceremony is “Out of Struggle Comes Progress: Grounded in our History; Igniting our Future—and will include the first-ever award to recognize outstanding leadership in Native American communities.”
“In the middle of a global pandemic, an economic crisis, and racial and social upheaval, across race and space, native and newcomer, in schools and neighborhoods across America, there are unsung heroes who continually bend the arc of the moral universe more closely towards justice every day,” said NEA President Becky Pringle. “No matter what we look like or where we come from, they hold politicians accountable for their actions, call out efforts to divide us, and rewrite the rules so the wealthy and corporations pay their fair share.”
A STEM-wiz in Colorado’s St. Vrain Valley School District, Sam is an excellent educator, who has navigated the hardships of the past year: COVID-19, social upheaval, and increased reliance on technology. As a champion of the LGBTQ+ community, Long sponsors his school’s Gender and Sexuality Alliance Network and dedicates a class to introduce his own gender identity. He’s the co-founder of the Colorado Trans/Nonbinary Education Network, noted for passing the 2020 “Right to be Out Rule”— landmark legislation that mandates safe spaces free from harassment of individuals for being open about their sexual orientation or gender identity in public schools. Long earns the Virginia Uribe Memorial Award for Creative Leadership in Human Rights.
“Sam personifies what it means to be a brave and compassionate advocate for LGBTQ+ students,” said Amie Baca-Oehlert, high school counselor and president of the Colorado Education Association. “He leads and mentors with such empathy that it inspires others to be better versions of themselves. He is a true inspiration to his fellow educators and certainly to his students.”
Jun 9, 2021 | Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 2021
Public education becomes a priority again in the 2021 Legislative Session
Educator-led advocacy and victories under the dome
DENVER – With the 2021 Legislative Session coming to a close, the 39,000 members of the Colorado Education Association played a key role in advancing consequential legislation this session. From the passage of House Bill (HB) 21-1161, Suspend Statewide Assessments for Select Grades to Senate Bill (SB) 21-172, the Educator Pay Raise Fund to HB21-1294, K-12 Education Accountability Systems Performance Audit, CEA’s priorities this session were grounded in improving the lives of students and educators.
“This year, the 39,000 members of the Colorado Education Association really stepped up and fought for public education like we’ve never fought before,” said Amie Baca-Oehlert, high school counselor and president of the Colorado Education Association.“Our advocacy elevated educator voice, which reverberated throughout the halls of the state Capitol and the Governor’s office, pushing legislators and the Governor to make policy and fiscal decisions that truly benefit students and educators and public education is in better shape now than it was on Jan. 12 because of it.”
Among other key victories by educators this session were HB21-1087, Teaching and Learning Conditions Survey, which allows Education Support Professionals, who provide direct instruction and support to licensed educators, to participate in the Teaching and Learning Conditions in Colorado (TLCC) Survey. Another significant bill is SB21-185, Supporting Educator Workforce in Colorado, which requires the Colorado Department of Education to direct resources to publicize existing teacher preparation programs and funding for mental health support for educators via the existing Educator Mental Health Hotline, as well as funding for additional supports and interventions for educator mental health for the 2021-22 fiscal year.
Additionally, CEA helped secure victories with HB21-1129, Extend Deadline for Training to Teach Reading, which extends the deadline for kindergarten through third-grade teachers completing evidence-based training in teaching reading to the 2022-23 school year. HB21-1164, Total Program Mill Levy Tax Credit, which allows school districts to increase their local share to 27 mills or fully funded, at one mill a year, without voter approval. This will free up $90 million in funding for the 2021-2022 fiscal year, per the bill’s fiscal note. Finally, CEA helped secure a buy-down of the Budget Stabilization Factor from $1.8 billion to $572 million in SB21-268, Public School Finance.
“Public education funding is always a priority for the members of Colorado Education Association,” said Baca-Oehlert.“The buy down of the Budget Stabilization Factor is significant and this is a step in the right direction but half a billion dollars owed to Colorado students and educators is completely unacceptable especially considering the cumulative underfunding over the last decade of Colorado’s public schools is over nine billion dollars. CEA members, students and parents will continue to fight for the exceptional public schools our students, families, and educators deserve.”
About the Colorado Education Association
The Colorado Education Association is the voice of 39,000 educators, working together in a strong union to ensure all students get the exceptional public schools they deserve, in every neighborhood across the state. As Colorado’s largest labor union, CEA works collectively with all education stakeholders to ensure Colorado’s standing as an excellent state in which to learn, live, work, and raise a family.
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May 3, 2021 | Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2021
Colorado Education Association (CEA) Celebrates National Teacher Appreciation Week
CEA will celebrate the contributions of teachers May 2 – 8
DENVER – This week, the Colorado Education Association celebrates National Teacher Appreciation Week on May 2-8, including National Teacher Appreciation Day on May 4. This Teacher Appreciation Week is especially important due to the difficulties of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic since Mar. 2020.
“What our educators have done this year has been nothing short of remarkable,” said Amie Baca-Oehlert, high school counselor and president of the Colorado Education Association.“They are used to the challenges of a typical school year but when faced with challenges that were far from typical this year, they worked with families and found creative ways to adapt, innovate and persevere to ensure our students continue to learn, grow and thrive.”
“I am honored and humbled for the privilege of being able to represent educators across the state. We strive everyday to ensure our members have the tools and resources necessary to bring an exceptional learning experience to every student in Colorado. We will keep working to ensure every educator can return safely to in-person learning, using our collective voice to make sure their voice is heard, and pushing for the training and tools needed to support our students, no matter the zip code they live in.”
Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt successfully advocated the 81st United States Congress to proclaim the first National Teacher Appreciation Day in 1953 and since the 1980s, the National Education and the National Parent Teacher Association helped make it a week-long celebration.
To learn more about all NEA is doing to help celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, visit nea.org/thankateacher.
About the Colorado Education Association
The Colorado Education Association is the voice of 39,000 educators, working together in a strong union to ensure all students get the exceptional public schools they deserve, in every neighborhood across the state. As Colorado’s largest labor union, CEA works collectively with all education stakeholders to ensure Colorado’s standing as an excellent state in which to learn, live, work, and raise a family.
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Apr 20, 2021 | Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2021
CEA Statement on Guilty Verdicts in George Floyd Murder
Derek Chauvin found guilty of all charges in the murder of George Floyd
DENVER, CO – Today, a jury in Minneapolis found ex-Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin guilty of all charges in the murder of George Floyd.
The following statement can be attributed to Amie Baca-Oehlert, high school counselor and president of the Colorado Education Association:
“While we feel some sense of relief that Derek Chauvin is being held accountable for the murder of George Floyd, we know that the systemically racist system under which we live still denies justice for far too many Black and Brown men, women, and children who have been killed or had their lives forever harmed by police brutality. Until we see the end of unnecessary police violence against Black and Brown lives, and live in a system where Black lives truly matter, we must take action to fundamentally change our society so that equal justice under the law is truly equal justice under the law and doesn’t just apply to just one skin tone.
“The accountability of one police officer does not equal the accountability to an entire system. It took one brave person with a camera and millions of brave people marching in the streets to hold Derek Chauvin accountable. We must now collectively speak up for all of us, no matter our skin color, or the zip code in which we live, or the amount of money in our pockets. We must speak up and take on the structural, institutional racism and inequities that have been built into the fabric of our country. We will work with our local associations and allies for however long it takes to ensure this happens.”
About the Colorado Education Association
The Colorado Education Association is the voice of 39,000 educators, working together in a strong union to ensure all students get the exceptional public schools they deserve, in every neighborhood across the state. As Colorado’s largest labor union, CEA works collectively with all education stakeholders to ensure Colorado’s standing as an excellent state in which to learn, live, work, and raise a family.
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Apr 19, 2021 | Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 19, 2021
Colorado Education Association Delegates Re-Elect President/Vice President to Another Term
DENVER – Colorado Education Association (CEA) President Amie Baca-Oehlert was re-elected on Saturday, Apr. 17 at the CEA’s 95th Annual (and second virtual) Delegate Assembly.
During the opening night of the Delegate Assembly, Baca-Oehlert was chosen to lead CEA as president for a second and final three-year term.
“It has been such an honor to represent my fellow 39,000 educators across Colorado for the past three years,” Baca-Oehlert said.“In the last three years, we’ve accomplished so much for educators and students across Colorado, but as we move forward leading the way in supporting teaching and learning beyond COVID-19, addressing racial and social inequities that exist within Colorado’s public schools, and stemming an unprecedented educator shortage, there is much work ahead of us.
“Our students and fellow educators deserve better and we will not stop until our collective voices, the voices of those who do the critical job of educating Colorado’ students day in and day out, are heard.”
Baca-Oehlert, a high school counselor from Adams 12 Five Star Schools, was first elected to CEA office as vice president from 2012 through 2018 and president since 2018. She will begin her new term in July.
CEA Vice President Kevin Vick, a high school social studies teacher out of Colorado Springs School District 11, was also re-elected by the delegates to his second term.
Delegate Assembly is CEA’s top policy-making body, composed of several hundred members across the state who are elected by their fellow members.
CEA President Amie Baca-Oehlert and CEA Vice President Kevin Vick
About the Colorado Education Association
The Colorado Education Association is the voice of 39,000 educators, working together in a strong union to ensure all students get the exceptional public schools they deserve, in every neighborhood across the state. As Colorado’s largest labor union, CEA works collectively with all education stakeholders to ensure Colorado’s standing as an excellent state in which to learn, live, work, and raise a family.
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CEA President Amie Baca-Oehlert and CEA Vice President Kevin Vick