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Romer joins leaders to push for education reforms

By Berny Morson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published August 14, 2008 at 12:30 p.m.
Updated August 14, 2008 at 12:30 p.m.

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Former Colorado Gov. Roy Romer has traveled the nation for months urging voters to make education reform a factor in the Nov. 4 election.

Romer, a Democrat, was backed by two dozen leaders from both parties today as he delivered that message from the State Capitol steps.

Romer wants Americans to demand that their candidates support three school reforms — higher academic standards, better preparation for teachers and a longer school year.

Former Republican U.S. Senator and University of Colorado President Hank Brown concurred.

"The reality is, our competitors have real standards to allow students to pass from one grade to another grade, and most of our competitors around the world would be ashamed to have the kind of grade inflation that we suffer from," Brown said. "The reality is, we either reform education or we fall further behind as world competitors."

In addition to Brown, those joining Romer on the Capitol steps included Gov. Bill Ritter; former Gov. Richard D. Lamm; Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper; and Sen. Nancy Spence, R-Centennial, a Republican member of the Senate Education Committee.

GOP Senate candidate Bob Schaffer was among the Republican and Democratic state Board of Education members who attended.

Romer, who headed Los Angeles public schools after three terms as Colorado governor, is chairman of the private group Strong American Schools. Financial backers include the Gates Foundation and the Broad Foundations.

Romer said he would like delegates to the Democratic National Convention to give the message to candidates that education is important. He's talked to U.S. Sen. Barack Obama several times.

"I would guess, yes," he said when asked if he thinks Obama will include education in the speech he delivers at Invesco Field on Aug. 28.

Strong American Schools executive director Marc Lampkin, a Republican, is pushing U.S. Sen. John McCain on the issue, Romer said.

Getting attention for education hasn't been easy at a time when issues such as Iraq, global warming and the economy are on the table, Romer said.

"If you get on a debate — on Meet the Press — education is probably not going to be an issue that's going to be on top of the question list. But I'm satisfied we have moved the issue ... into the immediate vision of both Obama and McCain," Romer said.

Comments

  • August 14, 2008

    10:46 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    jacka writes:

    Public schools have unions, charters and privates don't ... humm.

    VOTE YES on Amendment 47 to stop Forced Unionism and Forced Union Dues.

  • August 15, 2008

    11:02 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    missleman394 writes:

    If we are behind and our schools are lacking shouldn't we look at what has been consistent and common in all "renovations" of the public school system? I think the NEA is only out for itself instead of our children. We need to abolish tenure, unions and teacher in service days and take back our schools for our children. We also need to ban non citizens from our schools to save money and this will get our teachers focused on all of the children instead of getting some to understand English. This isn't a race thing, it's what's needed for the future of OUR country.