LITTLETON, Colo – The decision by several large Colorado school districts to cancel classes so teachers can attend a rally at the state Capitol is nothing short of an irresponsible dereliction of duty. This brazen move prioritizes political activism over the fundamental mission of public education—providing consistent, quality learning to every student.

“By shutting down schools for a rally, educators and district leaders are sending a clear and troubling message: political posturing is more important than the educational welfare of our children,” said Brenda Dickhoner, President of Ready Colorado. “Thousands of students who rely on their schools for learning, structure, and essential services such as meals are left abandoned. These closures disrupt families, force working parents to scramble for childcare, and most importantly, rob students of valuable instructional time that cannot be recovered.”

The Colorado Education Association is organizing the rally to ask legislators for more funding. As the Edunomics Lab found in their recent analysis, spending in Colorado has increased by 92% since 2013, while reading and math scores have declined.  

Every missed day of school exacerbates the post-pandemic learning loss, particularly for the most vulnerable students who depend on public education as a pathway to a brighter future. It is both reckless and unfair to compound these challenges by sacrificing classroom instruction for the sake of a political demonstration.

Educators have a duty to model commitment and reliability. Walking out during school hours betrays that duty and erodes trust between families and public schools. “If union leaders truly care about the future of Colorado’s students, they would prioritize keeping classrooms open and improving academic achievement,” continued Dickhoner. “Our children deserve better than to be used as pawns in political battles.”