May 31, 2011 09:26 PM UTC

GOP Targets JeffCo School Board?

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• by: Colorado Pols

We’ve previously discussed right-wing Jefferson County Board of Education member Laura Boggs, censured last December for her “erratic, disrespectful and inconsistent” behavior toward other board members–the first such action against a board member in the history of the district. From fighting against desperately needed grants to physically sneaking into a JeffCo teacher’s union meeting, Boggs’ brief term on the JeffCo school board has been lively to say the least. Boggs even actively campaigned on behalf of the “Bad 3” initiatives, last year’s Amendments 60, 61 and Proposition 101, after voting with the board to officially oppose them.

Having failed to gain traction for…whatever her agenda is from present fellow board members, it would appear that Boggs is calling for “Tea Party” backup. And some GOP big names.

Boggs is sponsoring a meeting at the Arvada Public Library on June 15th to discuss JeffCo school board elections in November (details follow). JeffCo’s school board will have two seats vacated by current members who are term-limited. According to the announcement, a “Tea Party”-sounding group, Revive Our American Republic (ROAR), is hosting this meeting.

ROAR is registered with the Secretary of State’s office as a nonprofit, with the filing agent listed as notorious GOP attorney John Zakhem. What we’re hearing about the JeffCo school board today is eerily similar to ambitions expressed by Republicans prior to the takeover of the Douglas County Board of Education in 2009. High profile elected Republicans like Sen. Ted Harvey joined in that battle, which ended in GOP “nonpartisan” victory–this year bearing fruit in the form of a controversial new voucher program funding private schools.

A voucher system to siphon resources from an already strapped–but still very proud–school district would face a much more uphill fight in Jefferson County, with much greater political consequences. Our first thought is that JeffCo surer than hell isn’t DougCo, and were it not for a heavy hitter like Zakhem involved, we would dismiss this as a fringy fool’s errand.

But given the history, maybe we’d better not be so dismissive…

(Cross-posted from Jeffco Pols)

MEETING REGARDING JEFFERSON COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD / NOVEMBER ELECTION

Wednesday, June 15th

6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Arvada Library

7525 W. 57th Avenue

Arvada, CO

Hosted by:  Revive Our American Republic (ROAR)

Featured Speakers:

Laura Boggs – Jefferson County School Board

Regan Benson  – Jefferson County Students First

Public meeting focused on the Jefferson County School Board and upcoming November election.  Two Board member positions (District 3 and District 4) will be on the slate in November!   Link for more information on Board members and district boundaries:   http://www.jeffcopublicschools…  

Learn about the budget, school district news, and other school board issues and events.  Ways to seek and assist candidates to fulfill these important positions in our community will also be discussed.  Everyone welcome!