By Ryan Morgan
Denver Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 18, 2003 - A bill requiring that employment contract negotiation sessions between teachers and their school boards be open to the public survived two Democratic attempts to kill it on the House floor Monday.
Instead, it won preliminary approval and will be up for a final vote later this week.
Sponsored by Rep. Rob Fairbank, R-Littleton, House Bill 1314 would "let the sunshine in" on the negotiations.
"I would ask for us to take a look at allowing the taxpayers to have some idea of how millions of dollars are being spent on teacher contract negotiations," he said.
Republican Rep. Don Lee of Littleton agreed.
"This could be a civics lesson for the children," he said. "It's much better to have it open to the public."
Current state law requires that public officials hold the vast majority of their meetings in public, but doesn't explicitly make that requirement for teachers' contract negotiations. Some school districts' meetings are public, while others hold theirs behind closed doors. The final contract, however, is public.
Democrats spoke up against the bill. Rep. Suzanne Williams, D-Aurora, said she supports the principle of Colorado's open-meetings law, and thinks that it should probably be expanded.
But, she said, "this bill is singling out teachers, and it's unfair."
Rep. Mike Merrifield, D-Manitou Springs, had another worry. Unlike legislative meetings, contentious school contract negotiation sessions don't have a sergeant-at-arms to keep order, he said, and could turn into a melee.
"If we have these negotiations open to the public, we're going to have a potentially dangerous, potentially frightening situation," he said.
But the floor debate itself soon took on an air of the potentially ridiculous a few minutes later, when Merrifield hopped up and down in front of the speaker's podium, incensed because it looked as though acting Speaker Rep. Ray Rose wouldn't recognize him to speak.
Rose relented, and Merrifield was able to speak again, denouncing a remark made by Republican Rep. Nancy Spence, who recalled "shakedowns" at the hands of teachers unions when she served as a school board member.
Several other Democrats criticized Fairbank's bill on the grounds that it violates the cherished Republican principle of local control.
"I think we should have faith that the school boards will do what they were elected to do," said Rep. Jack Pommer, a Boulder Democrat.
Officials at the Colorado Education Association, which came out against the bill, made similar criticisms.
"It is because the school district and its employees have determined how they want their negotiations to be held," spokeswoman Deborah Fallin explained. "They've decided at the local level how they're going to negotiate."
Tuesday, March 18, 2003
Monday, March 17, 2003
A no-brainer for schools
Monday, March 17, 2003 - House Bill 1032 seemed like a no-brainer.
Fortunately, state lawmakers saw it that way, too. Even though it was sponsored by two Boulder Democrats - folks not necessarily en vogue this session - it sailed through both chambers.
The bill, which becomes effective upon Gov. Bill Owens' signature, requires school district superintendents and chief financial officers to get school board approval before seeking an interest-free loan from the state.
"It's a good idea to prevent another St. Vrain," state Sen. Ron Tupa, D-Boulder, told the Senate Education Committee last month. He was a co-sponsor of the bill, along with Rep. Jack Pommer, D-Boulder.
Had the St. Vrain Valley School District board been given monthly updates on the district's loans and financial status, the nearly $14 million financial fiasco that has engulfed the district might have been avoided.
Lawmakers should be lauded for passing HB 1032 quickly and with few changes.
According to the bill, the CFO and superintendent must explain to the board why the loan is needed. A majority of the board members must then approve the request.
It's up to State Treasurer Mike Coffman to decide whether they'll receive the money.
The Colorado Association of School Boards supported the bill for much the same reason we do: It triggers an opportunity for boards to start asking questions.
Most school board members are not financial experts (although we wouldn't be surprised if some St. Vrain candidates this fall have money backgrounds) and could use the extra dialogue.
Really, it's about oversight. In these days of Enron and Qwest, it's hard to argue against more disclosure.
Fortunately, state lawmakers saw it that way, too. Even though it was sponsored by two Boulder Democrats - folks not necessarily en vogue this session - it sailed through both chambers.
The bill, which becomes effective upon Gov. Bill Owens' signature, requires school district superintendents and chief financial officers to get school board approval before seeking an interest-free loan from the state.
"It's a good idea to prevent another St. Vrain," state Sen. Ron Tupa, D-Boulder, told the Senate Education Committee last month. He was a co-sponsor of the bill, along with Rep. Jack Pommer, D-Boulder.
Had the St. Vrain Valley School District board been given monthly updates on the district's loans and financial status, the nearly $14 million financial fiasco that has engulfed the district might have been avoided.
Lawmakers should be lauded for passing HB 1032 quickly and with few changes.
According to the bill, the CFO and superintendent must explain to the board why the loan is needed. A majority of the board members must then approve the request.
It's up to State Treasurer Mike Coffman to decide whether they'll receive the money.
The Colorado Association of School Boards supported the bill for much the same reason we do: It triggers an opportunity for boards to start asking questions.
Most school board members are not financial experts (although we wouldn't be surprised if some St. Vrain candidates this fall have money backgrounds) and could use the extra dialogue.
Really, it's about oversight. In these days of Enron and Qwest, it's hard to argue against more disclosure.
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