Education chair steps down over incendiary e-mail

April M. Washington and Alan Gathright, Rocky Mountain News

Friday, March 30, 2007

Rep. Mike Merrifield abruptly stepped down as chairman of the House Education Committee Friday after apologizing to legislature for an incendiary e-mail saying there is a "a special place in hell" for charter school supporters.

His comments, reported by the Rocky Mountain News today, angered both Democratic and Republican charter school advocates who called it a "Mel Gibson moment," referring to the Hollywood star’s anti-Semitic outburst during a DUI arrest last year.

"Despite the private nature of the e-mail, I deeply regret my strong language and disrespectful tone," said Merrifield, who noted the December e-mail sent to his Senate counterpart was mailed from his private home account. "It was intended to be a private communication between me and my friend."

Republican leaders, who have long felt Merrifield thwarted education bills, had demanded he surrender the chairmanship.

"I think there is a question of confidence by members," said Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma. "It would be wise if someone else were to take over the education committee."

Merrifield’s decision to step aside comes a day after a political Web site called Face the State touched off a firestorm at the Capitol when it posted an e-mail written by Merrifield, D-El Paso, to Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada.

"There must be a special place in hell for these Privatizers, Charterizers and Voucherziers. They deserve it!" he wrote.

Merrifield made his comments during an e-mail exchange in which he and Windels, chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee, discussed whether to push for a full repeal of the State Charter School Institute, provided they could get Gov. Bill Ritter's backing.

Merrifield said that his public stance against charter schools, which he contends are stripping resources away from public schools and doing no better job educating students, is widely known.

In his apology to House, he said it was never intended to be offensive.

"My record on charter schools, privatization and vouchers is clear and consistent," he said. "The voters and my colleagues know how passionate I am on these issues, and I have felt this way for years."

Merrifield said that in the e-mail he was venting his frustrations about the Colorado Charter School Institute and its cohorts on the school board in Colorado Springs who had been targeted by a recall election.

Merrifield, who is being treated for throat cancer, said Friday that he was stepping down because, "I don’t want my remarks or my health to sidetrack the important work of the House Education Committee."

He said has asked Rep. Judy Solano, D-Brighton, to serve as chair for the remainder of this session.

There was a tense undercurrent behind today's floor votes as Romanoff was seen having private conversations with individual education committee Democrats at their desks.

Rep. Terrance Carroll, D-Denver, and other lawmakers said the e-mail shows that Windels and Merrifield have conspired to gut charter schools. However, Carroll said that he accepted Merrifield’s personal apology.

"What was a secret apparently is that he believes those of us who support charter schools all belong in hell," Carroll said.