By Kevin Vick

On Wednesday, Oct. 8, educators in Colorado Springs School District 11 will walk out of their classrooms for a one-day strike. This decision was not made lightly. I’ve been an educator in the Colorado Springs community for more than 20 years, and I can tell you firsthand nothing matters more to teachers than being present for our students and helping them grow and learn. But when district leaders dismantle the very foundations that support strong public schools, we have a responsibility to stand up and say enough is enough.

For 56 years, teachers in District 11 have worked under a master contract — an agreement that protected both educators and students by setting clear expectations and ensuring a stable learning environment. Last year, district leaders chose to end that contract and replace it with an employee handbook that carries none of the legally binding protections our students and teachers rely on. This reckless move strips educators of their voice and undermines the stability of classrooms across the district. When teachers are supported, students thrive. When teachers are ignored or disrespected, the entire community feels the effect.

The results are already visible. Teacher turnover is climbing, with a staggering 400 educators leaving District 11 in the year following the termination of their contract. We should be empowering our educators so they can help our students thrive, but instead, District 11 is making it harder and harder to keep great teachers in classrooms. And when teachers leave, students lose the one-on-one support and continuity they need to thrive academically, socially and emotionally.

This strike isn’t about politics. It’s about students. Our kids deserve safe classrooms, smaller class sizes and educators who are supported and respected. They deserve to learn from teachers free to focus on teaching, not distracted by constant political interference from a school board that seems more interested in culture wars than in delivering the best possible education for students.

Unfortunately, the district’s recent actions tell a different story. They have ostracized parents and community voices, censored curriculum by literally cutting chapters out of textbooks and even allowed one school building to literally fall off a cliff, all while funneling millions into a charter school not even owned by the district. These decisions put politics before kids, and they jeopardize the quality education every child deserves.

That is why teachers, parents and community members are standing together. Students need safe schools, brighter futures and classrooms where learning, not politics, comes first. When educators and families unite, we can push back against efforts to privatize and politicize our schools and instead focus on supporting students and helping them achieve their potential. 

This fight extends beyond one day of action. On Friday, Oct. 10, ballots will drop for the upcoming school board election. We will have the choice to continue down this path of division, or elect leaders who put students first. This isn’t about right or left or red or blue. It’s about ensuring our schools remain places of opportunity, fairness and inclusivity, not battlegrounds for political agendas.

Educators are your neighbors, community members and the people standing alongside children. When we raise our voices, it is not out of self-interest. It is out of love for our students and concern for their future. On Oct. 8, you will see us on the picket lines. Know we are there not because we want to be away from our students, but because our students’ futures are worth fighting for. We are striking to preserve strong public schools in Colorado Springs, to ensure every child has the opportunity to learn and thrive, and to make sure the voices of parents and educators are heard in shaping the future of our district.

Kevin Vick is president of the Colorado Education Association.