What’s churning:
A second education advocacy group has released its endorsements for the upcoming Denver Public Schools board races.
Stand For Children’s Denver chapter announced today that its endorsement committee is supporting Happy Haynes for the citywide at-large seat being vacated by the term-limited Theresa Peña. In southeast Denver (District 1), the endorsement goes to Anne Rowe, and in northwest Denver (District 5), the committee is backing Jennifer Draper Carson.
That same trio was endorsed Aug. 5 by Democrats for Education Reform-Colorado. DFER-Colorado and Stand for Children’s support for the three will likely do little to dampen criticism by the candidates’ opponents that they comprise a unified slate which, if elected, would be largely supportive of the reform initiatives advocated by DPS Superintendent Tom Boasberg.
In a prepared statement, Stand member Patti Frederico said, “As the parents, teachers and community members of Stand’s Denver Endorsement Committee sat through interviews with all seven declared candidates, it became clear that Happy, Anne and Jennifer have the vision and leadership skills to give Denver’s students the best public education possible.”
In fact, there are nine declared candidates – five in the at-large race, and two each in District 1 and District 5 races. Stand communications director Sonja Semion said at-large candidates Jacqui Shumway and John Daniel were not interviewed.
“We closed out our endorsements process at the end of July,” she said, and added, “We had to make sure these people were serious, before we put our investment into interviewing people.”
Declared candidates for the at-large seat are Haynes, Roger Kilgore, Frank Deserino, Daniel and Shumway. Rowe, in District 1, is opposed by Emily Sirota, for the seat being vacated by the term-limited Bruce Hoyt. In District 5, Draper Carson is challenging the incumbent, Arturo Jimenez.
Members of Stand will be knocking on doors in northwest Denver on Saturday for both Draper Carson and Haynes.
Stand’s endorsements in 2009 saw the group supporting only one of three eventual winners. It endorsed at-large victor Mary Seawell. However, in the District 4 race in northeast Denver, Stand endorsed Vernon Jones, who finished second to Nate Easley. And, in the District 2 contest to represent southwest Denver, it endorsed Ismael Garcia, who lost to Andrea Merida.
Learn more about the DPS school board candidates
- See why Stand members say they endorsed their three candidates, including links to the candidate surveys.
- See the surveys of the other candidates – Frank Deserino, Roger Kilgore, Arturo Jimenez and Emily Sirota. John Daniel and Jacqui Shumway were not surveyed.
Links to all candidates’ websites to date
- District 2 – Southeast DenverEmily Sirota
- Anne Rowe
- District 5 – Northwest DenverArturo Jimenez
- Jennifer Draper Carson
- At-large – CitywideJacqui Shumway
- Roger Kilgore
- Happy Haynes
- Frank Deserino
- John Daniel – Website in progress, expected to be live within the week
*School board candidates still have time to take out the paperwork necessary to run so additional candidates may file. The deadline to submit petitions containing at least 50 signatures and be placed on the ballot is Aug. 26.
The Churn appears as news warrants during the summer and will resume daily production Aug. 22.