Mar 10, 2021 | Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 10, 2021
CEA President Baca-Oehlert:
The American Rescue Plan Passes Congress, Awaits Pres. Biden’s Signature
Legislation will provide much needed financial relief to schools
DENVER, CO – Today, the United States Congress passed the American Rescue Plan COVID-19 relief package, which will next head to President Biden’s desk for signature.
The following statement can be attributed to Amie Baca-Oehlert, high school counselor and president of the Colorado Education Association:
“Today’s passage of the American Rescue Plan means Colorado students, educators and schools will have the additional financial support they have desperately needed since last year. The projected $1.7 billion dollars earmarked for Colorado schools and higher education will help school districts keep our students and educators safe, enable us to meet the needs of students, and will also help lift thousands of the most vulnerable Colorado families out of poverty. The rescue dollars will also provide much needed support and resources for higher education in Colorado.
“Colorado educators advocated for this historic legislation, and we applaud its passage. This financial relief will go a long way in supporting families and keeping students and educators safe as we continue to educate students in a pandemic and build a better future for all students in Colorado, especially our most vulnerable students and students of color.”
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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Feb 20, 2021 | Blog
I have always been one for countdowns. As a little girl, I was well known for creating paper chains in order to count down to big events- the winter break, a big birthday, and of course, summer break. I know that many of us are counting down the days to some sort of relief as this has been one of the most challenging years, both personally and professionally, that we have ever experienced. While it may not feel like there is light at the end of this very long tunnel, we have to remember that we have been providing the light for so many.
As we near the one-year mark of teaching and learning in the midst of a global pandemic coupled with on-going racial, social and economic injustices, it can be hard to feel that there is hope on the horizon. Oftentimes when one is in the middle of something, it is hard to look clearly ahead or behind. When I look back and reflect on this past year, there is the pain of loss, and despair that we have all endured, but there are also reminders that bring me comfort and optimism.
I do not think that I will ever get over the awe I have when I think of the heavy lift each of you has done. Literally overnight, you adjusted the entire way of performing your craft. You found ways to connect with kids to ensure their learning, health and safety, whether it was from your kitchen table, a closet, in a socially distanced classroom with a mask on, in a school cafeteria half-full or on a school bus with one student per seat. We have all made, what sometimes felt like constant, changes, adjustments, and sacrifices to make education happen this year. While getting to this point should certainly be lauded, we all know that it has not been easy and has come at a tremendous cost.
If nothing else comes out of this, I hope that what does come from it is a lasting and renewed respect for the education profession and those who choose to do this work. While most of the things that we have been experiencing this year are not new because of COVID-19, they have all been exacerbated because of it. A bright light has been shone upon the inequities that exist in the public education system and the critical role of our public schools in our communities has been illuminated. We have seen the power and the purpose of educators and my greatest hope is that the world does not forget. For now, there is an opportunity not to just return to “normal” or simply “get back” to school. Now is our opportunity to ensure that the schools our students and we return to are better. It is our moment to envision and demand the future that we know our students and educators deserve. Yes, I am counting down to that day and I am confident that it will come. The day when you, the public school educators of Colorado, are treated and respected as the professionals that you are. The day that count down arrives, will be the best one yet.
Amie Baca-Oehlert is a high school counselor and president of the CEA.
Feb 12, 2021 | Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 12, 2021
CEA President Amie Baca-Oehlert:
New CDC guidelines are a good first step, now investment must be made to make it happen
Students and educators deserve all the resources they need to ensure a safe in-person learning environment
DENVER, CO – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a new operational strategy guide for K-12 schools to help communities move toward the safe delivery of in-person instruction.
The following statement can be attributed to Amie Baca-Oehlert, high school counselor and president of the Colorado Education Association:
“Today’s new CDC guidelines confirm what we’ve been saying for the past year: in-person instruction is best but safety has to be the number one priority for both students and educators. While the new CDC guidelines are a good first step, every community must commit to containing the spread of the virus and schools need to be provided the resources they need to keep classrooms open, staffed and safe. Parents need predictability when it comes to switching learning environments, if the need arises.
“Finally, every public school should be a safe place for students and school staff, no matter what neighborhood it serves. Now that we have clearer CDC guidance, state and local decision makers need to be able to look educators, students, and parents in the eyes and guarantee that safety is of the utmost concern while we work collaboratively to ensure a safe return to in-person learning.”
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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Jan 29, 2021 | Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 29, 2021
Statement from Amie Baca-Oehlert, high school counselor and president of the Colorado Education Association (CEA), on Educators Receiving COVID-19 Vaccines Beginning Feb. 8:
“We want to thank Gov. Polis for listening to the voices of educators on COVID-19 safety in schools. For the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic has and continues to take a tremendous toll on educators, students, and their families. While we believe that ALL essential workers should be a priority for the COVID-19 vaccine, this is a gigantic step toward our longstanding goal of getting our students back into classrooms, where the best learning takes place.
“Especially with more contagious variants of the virus, we still have work to do in order to return to classrooms with as much uninterrupted learning as possible. We call on communities to commit to lowering the spread of COVID-19 by everyone doing the simple stuff like wearing masks, washing hands, social distancing and limiting gatherings. Our goal has always been to be back in classrooms with our students but all of us need to do our part to make every public school a safe place for students and school staff, no matter what neighborhood it serves.”
About the Colorado Education Association
The Colorado Education Association is a membership-based organization that represents 39,000 Colorado educators. The CEA promise to our students and communities is that the members of the Association will lead the way in guaranteeing every student access to the best public education. By working collectively with all education stakeholders, we will provide the best public education for every student and assure Colorado’s standing as an excellent state in which to learn, live, work, and raise a family.
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Jan 29, 2021 | Legal Update
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