Denver UniServ at CEA Delegate Assembly!

We spent the last 3 days with our 600 closest colleagues at the 82nd Annual CEA Delegate Assembly! Denver was represented by 60+ members of DCTA, DAEOP, and DCTA-R. We debated new business items, heard from Governor Ritter, Commissioner Dwight Jones, Mark Udall, and our own Speaker Romanoff.

DCTA was quite active at the microphone, and I was told we were the loudest delegation :)
I guess we're getting pretty good at making our feelings known inside and outside of "Team NEA".

DUU ran and passed 3 new business items!
First, establishing a program to train our members to run for political office: We know that we could use more friends at the capitol!
Second, the establishment of a Human and Civil Rights protocol at CEA: This will ensure that issues related to diversity, minority community outreach, ELLs, ethnic minorities, GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender), social justice, and human & civil rights are addressed by our state association. Colorado did not have a "formal" forum for addressing these issues that we take very seriously.
Finally, we proposed an item that will develop a proactive education reform agenda at the state level (WOW!!). The Teaching and Learning Committee will be charged with publishing CEA's agenda for creating a Great Public School for Every Child. Using this white paper, CEA will promote our agenda on the hill, in the media, with coalitions, and in our locals. We, at DCTA, have long championed union led reform (with our colleagues at the Teacher Union Reform Network), and are thrilled that our colleagues across the state are now embracing this push for innovation.

We also had a wonderful tribute celebration for our Executive Director Bruce Dickinson following his receipt of the Lion Advocacy Award. Our delegation was joined by many past DCTA leaders and CEA colleagues.

In election news, Ann Franco (Colfax Elem.) was elected to represent us on the CEA Board, and Lloyd Bourdon (McGlone Elem.) was elected as her alternate on the Board. Mark Chavez (Boulder Valley EA) and I were re-elected to the NEA Resolutions Committee. Melissa Walsh (Westminster EA) and I were elected Co-Chairs of the Council of Association Presidents.