Defending Education, Colorado Parent Advocacy Network, and Protect Kids Colorado Send Letter to Denver Public Schools and Denver Classroom Teachers Association Expressing Concerns Over Collective Bargaining Agreement

Defending Education released an investigative report detailing school district collective bargaining agreements with teachers unions revealing a number of recent contracts that include commitments or adherence to anti-racism, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, race-based priorities in recruiting, hiring, and retention practices, race-based affinity groups, and mandatory DEI-focused professional development. 

Not only are these practices terrible for students and staff but they are potentially unlawful, as they often violate federal civil rights law. 

One of the contracts highlighted in Defending Ed’s report was the agreement between Denver Public Schools (DPS) and the Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA), which has an entire section dedicated to “Equity in the School District.”

The troubling (and in some cases, illegal) provisions of this agreement include:

1. Race based programs for teachers

2. Race based hiring quotas

3. Mandatory “equity” training

4. Racial equity analysis tools

5. A committee to implement these DEI practices

As DPS and DCTA aim to agree to a new contract by August 31, 2025, Defending Education, Colorado Parent Advocacy Network and Protect Kids Colorado request all DEI related initiatives be eliminated from the new agreement.

DPS and DCTA should focus on improving educational outcomes, supporting teachers in the classroom, and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are directed to the success of all students, not political and ideological programming.

---