Why is Denver trying to buy Western Slope school boards?

By Christy Anderson | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

In the Grand Junction area you may have seen flyers in your mailbox accusing our current school board members, Andrea Haitz, Angela Lema and “Willie” (Will) Jones of being “enemies” who “cannot be trusted.” These false attack ads come from Denver’s “Students Deserve Better” campaign. After digging into the financials, Students Deserve Better is also majorly funded by none other than the Colorado Education Association. 

The teachers union has a long history that started in the 1970s of using money to influence local elections, but this year’s spending is unprecedented. The Colorado Education Association (CEA) is pouring tens of thousands of dollars into our local school board race to regain control and push their highly partisan and politically left National Education Association handbook, not to support what is best for students, families or teachers of our district. 

Incumbents’ Achievements 

Our current school board members have stood in the fray for our community. From unmasking our kids after taking office to increasing teacher salaries–substantially, updating outdated policies, and navigating tough negotiations, our BOE has taken the hits.

The incumbents are the true heroes that have done more for the schools in D51. It starts with effective, quality curriculums and accountability from the top down. 

Haitz, Lema, and Jones have stood firm. They refused to hand over authority to the union during the botched recall effort, they recognized what their true role is in negotiations and have overall placed our district in the best position in at least 20 years. 

Because they wouldn’t cave to all of the union demands, the union is pouring money into the campaigns of Cole, Rathbone, and Woods— its hand-picked candidates expected to echo its handbook.

Parents and teachers, parental rights and our students’ futures are on the ballot this November. 

You might ask whether the CEA or Mesa Valley Education Association (MVEA) contributed to any other candidates in a nonpartisan race? 

The answer is no. Not only no, but Denver and CEA have chosen our school board race out of any in the state to sink this kind of money into. 

Vicki Woods and Kaci Cole are the two single candidates that have received the largest amount of CEA money in the entire state. 

Kaci Cole Financials 

MVEA funded and endorsed Kaci Cole before reaching out to other candidates for interviews and before she submitted her signatures to run. Will Jones, her opponent, did not even get an interview. 

MVEA claims adamantly that they do not endorse candidates. However, they endorsed Cole as early as July 3, 2025 with a contribution of $5,000 from MVEA (local union), Then she was again given $4,100 on July 10, 2025. This is a curious date because candidates file petitions in August after they have received enough signatures to run. 

She was then again given $7,567 on September 18, 2025.

Vicki Woods Financials 

Vicki Woods, running for District E, against Angela Lema, is a similar story. 

Woods was given $5,000 on August 14, 2025 from MVEA endorsing her as their candidate, $10,433 and another $400 from the CEA on September 18, 2025. She was then gifted $833 on August 20, 2025, again from CEA. The mailers mentioned above were over and above these dollars. 

At a recent forum, I personally asked her how much she was receiving from the union and she said she didn’t have to tell me. She said this after telling the crowd on stage that she believes in transparency and integrity. 

Mike Rathbone Financials 

Mike Rathbone, running for District C, received $833.33 from the PEC on August 15, 2025 and $5,000 from the MVEA on September 4, 2025. 

As a former MVEA member I know and I experienced their bias many times. The candidates and positions were always predetermined—an obvious “dog and pony show.’” Now, they aren’t even hiding it anymore. 

CEA’s Different Organizations Across the State

Here is how the CEA disguises their contributions. 

Public Education Committee (PEC)

The public education committee operates directly out of the same building with the same address as the CEA and is the primary funding mechanism.

Between the MVEA and the CEA-funded PEC there has been a total of more than $40,000 brought into this campaign.

Students Deserve Better 

Students Deserve Better is the name of an independent expenditure committee that has been long used by the Denver Classroom Teachers Association for school board races, run by registered agent Ashley Stevens.

They have distributed the flyers smearing the incumbents to thousands of homes in Mesa County. This is over and above the $40,000 mentioned above. 

They have raised $384,000 as of October 13, 2025, with $257,000 coming directly from the CEA. 

They also received money from the Denver Classroom Teachers Association, which gave $75,000; the Poudre Education Association, which provided $25,000; and two Aurora teachers groups that anteed up $27,000.

Is the Union Nonpartisan?

On top of pushing a radical left wing agenda in its handbook and resolutions, the CEA also endorses and funds almost exclusively left wing non school board political candidates. 

For example, the CEA is a partner of the Colorado Progressive Voter Guide which has a large list of Progressive CEA endorsements from the 2024 National and local Elections. 

Here is an endorsement list from the 2024 State of Colorado primary elections:

State Board of Education 

State Board of Education CD 2: Kathy Gebhardt (D-Boulder), State Board of Education CD 8: Rhonda Solis (D-Greeley)

State Legislature 

House District 4: Tim Hernández, CEA Member (D-Denver)

House District 10: Tina Mueh, CEA Member (D-Boulder)

House District 31: Julia Marvin (D-Thornton)

House District 36: Bryan Lindstrom, CEA Member (D-Aurora)

House District 52: Yara Zokaie (D-Fort Collins)

Senate District 18: Judy Amabile (D-Boulder)

Senate District 28: Mike Weissman (D-Aurora)

Notice that they are all Democrats. Some of them are extremely radical, including Bryant Lindstrom, who pushed the now infamous anti-capitalist polemic into the CEA which reads, “The CEA believes that capitalism inherently exploits children, public schools, land, labor, and resources. Capitalism is in opposition to fully addressing systemic racism (the school to prison pipeline), climate change, patriarchy (gender and LGBTQ disparities), education inequality, and income inequality.”

In Conclusion

Voters deserve to know who is funding these campaigns and why. Don’t let union money influence our values on the Western Slope. Stand with leaders who put kids first, not special interests. 

Haitz, Lema, and Jones have demonstrated integrity, courage, and a commitment to improving education for all in D51. On November 4th, vote to re-elect Andrea Haitz, Angela Lema, and Will Jones. Stand with the people who have already proven they are working for our community, not for political power or outside influence.

Do we want a school board that answers to the union, or one that answers to us, the families of this community? 

Take a look at what our current board has accomplished: stronger safety policies, improved academics, passage of a mill levy, increased accountability, and long-neglected facilities finally receiving attention. The district is on the right track. Common sense says we shouldn’t ‘fix’ or change anything when all is running smoothly. 

Christy Anderson is a Broker Associate with Bray Real Estate in Grand Junction, Colorado, and a certified educator with Mesa County Valley School District 51. She holds a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, specializing in English as a Second Language, from Grand Canyon University. Christy is also an alumna of Mesa State College and Glenwood Springs High School.

With deep roots in Western Colorado, Christy brings a community-focused perspective to both her real estate practice and her work in public education. A former member of the Mesa Valley Education Association, she has been a strong advocate for educators and public schools throughout her career.

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.