Colorado teachers’ union may have taken anti-capitalist stance, won’t reveal votes on issue

The Lion has confirmed the Colorado Education Association (CEA) assembly considered and likely approved a resolution that is anti-capitalist, but the union refused to disclose the vote.

The lack of transparency by Colorado’s largest teachers’ union, which seems intent on using school curriculum as a way to indoctrinate children into progressive activism, is unacceptable, said one Colorado state legislator.

The tweet appeared on April 23, after the assembly wrapped up.

“BREAKING: @ColoradoEA (CO’s largest union of over 39,000 education workers) just ratified a resolution (by @Bryan4Aurora) against capitalism as an economic system at our 2023 Delegate Assembly,” wrote Tim Hernandez on Twitter.

“CEA may now publicly advocate & lobby for anti-capitalist policies at the CO Capitol,” Hernandez added.

Hernandez’s Twitter profile refers to a Denver Post article that identifies him as a former Denver Public School system teacher who claims he was let go because of his race. Hernandez now teaches at Aurora West College Preparatory Academy in the Aurora Public School system (APS) near Denver.

The author of the anti-capitalism measure, whose twitter handle is @Bryan4Aurora, according to Hernandez, appears to be Bryan Lindstrom, a history teacher at APS, who previously ran for City Council Ward 2 in Aurora, Colorado.

Lindstrom’s race was non-partisan, but he identifies as a Democrat and was endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America. On his Facebook profile he calls himself a union organizer.

Reached by telephone at the number on his official campaign finance filing for the council race, Lindstrom first confirmed the existence of the resolution and said he would be happy to talk about it outside of working hours.

However, when he was pressed for a good time to talk about the resolution Lindstrom referred all questions to the communications director for the CEA.

“Contact Lauren Stephenson [Communications director for CEA], for an explanation on how resolutions work and further comment on that particular one,” Lindstrom wrote in a text message.

Then, in an email to The Lion, the CEA confirmed the existence of a resolution that dealt with capitalism.

“After a lengthy discussion, the CEA delegates adopted one resolution this year related to the impacts of capitalism on our students, public schools, communities, and state,” said CEA’s president, Amie Baca-Oehlert, in a statement sent to The Lion by Stephenson.

Pressed on the specific language of the resolution that dealt with capitalism, Stephenson temporized.

“I wish I could [tell you the specifics]. But our resolutions and the content of the Delegate Assembly are by default internal documents and processes,” she told The Lion. “We’re currently following our standard process of reviewing all the materials presented at DA, and then communicating all business discussed with our board and members first and foremost.” 

But for one Colorado state Senator, the CEA’s explanation is not nearly enough. 

“As a Colorado State Senator who often has to listen to testimony by the CEA, I find their explanation about a possible anti-capitalism resolution wholly inadequate,” said state Sen. Mark Baisley, a Republican. “The lack of transparency is disappointing, but not surprising from this public employees’ union.

“Because their platform always seems to end up in Colorado classrooms, I will be demanding answers from the leadership of the CEA, including disclosure of all resolutions approved by the voting delegates. I have already directed my staff to begin those inquiries.”