Denver Direct: HELP NORTHEAST DENVER TAKE BACK ITS SCHOOLS


Friday, January 21, 2011

HELP NORTHEAST DENVER TAKE BACK ITS SCHOOLS

From DeFENCE press release:

Dr. Nate Easley – DPS Board of Education

The initial steps to put a recall of Nate Easley on the May ballot has started. A coalition of northeast Denver residents filed the following proposed language for the ballot:

We the qualified voters of Denver Public School District 4 demand the recall of current elected Denver Public Schools Board of Education member Dr. Nate Easley. Our demand is based on Mr. Easley’s activities related to conflicts of interest and allowing these to effect his representation of his District 4 constituency. Specifically, Dr. Easley’s roles as DPS Board of Education president and his job as Deputy Director of the Denver Scholarship Foundation make him subject to undue influence related to his votes as our representative. As a board member, Dr. Easley supervises the DPS superintendent, who also serves as on the DSF Board of Directors, thereby having direct influence over Dr. Easley’s employment. As Deputy Director of DSF, Dr. Easley receives a substantial salary, the threat to which compromises his ability to independently represent District 4. As a result, Dr. Easley has consistently voted for policies that are not reflective of his constituents’ interests, closing schools, supporting an atmosphere of distrust among District employees, and failing to provide sound fiscal oversight of DPS monies.

So what does this mean? Once the language is approved, then community has 60 days to collect 5,363 signatures to place the issue on the ballot. At that point, candidates who choose to run against Easley can step forward and collect their own signatures (they only need 50) to appear on the ballot as the replacement candidate.

THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN. We need help to collect signatures from eligible voters, and you don’t need to live in northeast Denver to help. We have a meeting/training scheduled for this coming Saturday, Here are the details:

Saturday, January 22
9 a.m.
Oleta Crain Center,2102 Marion Street, Denver
Petition-gathering training and information meeting

This is also a great opportunity for parents to speak up about concerns they have, turnarounds in Montbello, as well as what’s coming to near Northeast Denver. Read the Denver Post article about the recall here.

Will you join us? We can’t set the course aright for our schools without your help. Please help us stand up and say “No More”!

The DeFENSE Team