Response to JCEA’s recent allegations:

Education is at a crossroads. We can double down on political activism, which lead to division and mistrust, or we can work together to restore the reputation of our profession. Safe to Teach is a bipartisan, non-political association of Jeffco educators who want to get back to focusing on what matters most: teaching and learning!

JCEA has been spreading lies about Safe to Teach, which feel personal to me. First, they claim that we want to “privatize schools, diminish collective power, and eliminate contractual rights.” Let’s be clear. Safe to Teach is a teacher-led association with vested interest in upholding our contract, including pay, benefits, and job security. We are made up of mental health professionals, learning specialists, academic coaches, specials teachers, and culturally and linguistically diverse educators. Our kids attend public school.

JCEA also claims we are misrepresenting their membership, which we believe is around 25-30% of Jeffco educators. If it's higher, or lower, we invite JCEA to share their numbers so we can communicate them correctly. Either way, they do not represent me or my colleagues. Often, they don't even represent the voices of their members. In fact, when union leadership decided to pull Ang out of the classroom to recruit members or to cast a vote of “no confidence” for Tracy Dorland, they did so without properly polling their members. Many good teachers have been the target of bullying, false accusations, or removal from JCEA leadership positions for having the “wrong” views.

Now, JCEA is now asking its members to tear down flyers and report any of our efforts to communicate social events to colleagues. They claim our emails are a phishing scam. JCEA has reminded us that they are the exclusive bargaining agent responsible for negotiating the contract. Now it’s our turn to remind them that the contract applies to all Jeffco educators, including me and my colleagues. This contract affirms our right to work in an environment free from bullying, intimidation, and slander. Does the union really get to take away my first amendment right to free speech or association? Public school needs to be a place where educators feel Safe to Teach, assemble, and give input, without fear of retaliation.

Finally, Safe to Teach believes teachers have the right to access low-cost liability insurance through AAE’s PACE (Professional Association of Colorado Educators), TFA (Teacher Freedom Alliance), JCEA, or any other organization of their choosing. Our mission is not to dictate people’s personal choices; our mission is to create a supportive and collaborative professional community that elevates a wide variety of exceptional teacher voices from across the district to find win-win solutions to Jeffco-specific challenges. Students need to see how people with differing perspectives can work together to make Jeffco a top choice for students, parents, and educators. Public school should not be a place where educator voices are torn down or unfairly represented.

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It’s time to restore trust to the teaching profession. Join the conversation on Facebook or print and sign the petition.