It’s no secret that the biggest political race this year is the Douglas County Schools Board of Education election. With a total of seven seats, four are occupied by school choice advocates and three are occupied by union stooges. All four of those school choice advocates’ seats are up for election. In order to prevent Douglas County from re-unionizing, pro-school choice advocates must win all four seats.
And here is where the union comes in. Rumor has it that the National Education Association, parent of the Colorado Education Association, has identified Douglas County as its top takeover target. according to our sources, the bounty on Douglas County is high. If the CEA can capture Douglas County Schools, CEA president Kerrie Dallman, will be in line to take the reins at the NEA. That must be a tempting carrot for a woman who has spent much of her career as a union boss.
The interest in Douglas County in particular is two-fold. First, Douglas County used to be American Federation of Teachers before the board canceled the union contract in 2012. If CEA could take over that territory, it would mean that CEA has control of teachers in almost all of the major districts throughout the state. In essence, CEA would have kicked AFT out of Colorado. But, second, and, most importantly, there are several lawsuits that involve Douglas County Schools that have national implications over the influence and power unions have over education. If successful, they would expand school choice, but further diminish the power unions have over education.
Putting Kerrie Dallman in charge of the CEA would mean that the unions are taking the model they perfected in Jeffco to the national stage (not that the CEA isn’t already to some extent), but this would be a major power move to consolidate union strength across the country.
This is one to watch, PeakNation™.