“I am confident that together we will continue to defend the rights of educators.”
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Colorado's largest teachers union has selected current vice president Kevin Vick to lead the organization of approximately 40,000 educators for the next three years.
Vick was elected president of the Colorado Education Association at a delegate meeting Saturday, according to a union spokesperson. Vic, a high school social studies teacher, has served as the union's vice president for the past six years. He is scheduled to begin a three-year term as president in July.
Vic is on leave from Colorado Springs School D 11 to work as a union leader.
“Together, we have fought for better wages, fairer workplace conditions, and a fully-funded education system in Colorado,” Vick said in a statement.
“I am confident that together we will continue to defend the rights of educators, advocate for the needs of our students, and foster a culture of collective unity and strength.”
The Colorado Education Association last year pressured the state Legislature to eliminate the budget stabilizer, a process that withholds K-12 education funding to free up money for other priorities. The union also supported Proposition HH, a ballot measure that could have increased school funding but was flatly rejected by Colorado voters last November.
Union president Ami Baca-Olert could not be re-elected due to term limits. In her statement, she praised Mr. Vick's “unwavering commitment to improving the educational environment in Colorado.”
“His proven track record of leadership, combined with his deep understanding of the nuances of the strengths and challenges of our education system, makes him uniquely positioned to lead CEA toward even greater success and impact.” said.
Liz Wadick, a Spanish teacher at Summit High School in Breckenridge and a member of the local Summit County Education Association, has been elected vice president of the statewide union.
Melanie Asmar is Chalkbeat Colorado Bureau Chief. Contact Melanie: [email protected].
Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational changes in public schools.
