As the dust begins to settle from the 2024 presidential election, I want to acknowledge that we are entering a stressful, even frightening time for many people, and especially migrants who have come here recently. I want to address them directly at this difficult moment.
Let me be clear: The African Leadership Group stands with our migrant brothers and sisters. We have gone to great lengths to support you over the past couple of years with English and computer classes, health fairs, resource fairs, counseling, and connections to the resources you need.ย
We will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you, support you, and protect you.
It is not yet clear what policies the new administration will put in place after January 20, when Donald Trump takes office. But we do know there has been a lot of harsh, threatening rhetoric about mass deportations and other strict measures.
Know this, my brothers and sisters: We will get the best, most accurate information as quickly as possible. We will do everything in our power to counsel you, serve you, and help you through this difficult time.
The threat to migrants posed by the incoming administration is the most important issue we face. But I also want to address some other, more local developments as well.
First, we view it as a positive developmentย that the State Board of Education will retain a majority of members sympathetic to charter schools. In the 8th Congressional District, the race between incumbent Democrat Rhonda Solis and Republican challenger Yazmin Navarro was very close, but Navarro eked out a victory.
This race was significant because Solis often sided with other board members skeptical of charter schools, while Navarro promised to be more friendly toward charters. This will keep the nine-member board 5-4 generally in favor of charters.
This is an important development because the State Board of Education hears appeals from charter schools whose applications to open or renew their contracts have been denied by local school boards. The state board provides a vital backstop that helps keep charters open and a growing part of our educational ecosystem.
ALG strongly supports charter schools because we believe that parents have the right to choose the best public school option for their children. Charter schools are public schools, often offering unique programs or approaches to educating students. It’s vitally important to education in Colorado that charter schools continue to thrive, as long as they remain accountable for their performance and finances.
Another development in the election was the defeat of Amendment 80, which would have enshrined parental choice in the state constitution. This would have opened the door to private school choice in Colorado, which offered some potential benefits. However, it also posed risks to charter schools and school district funding. It was largely viewed as a an underdeveloped policy. Voters soundly rejected the amendment.
ALG measures its success by the degree to which immigrants are able to settle into their new country and community, integrate at the professional level, and become actively engaged in civic affairs. Naturally, we want all those who are eligible to vote to exercise that right and be part of the movement to change our broken political system.
On that note, also on the ballot was Proposition 131, which would have changed Colorado’s statewide election system. It went down to defeat. It was an intriguing proposal that had the potential to expand voter choice and marginalize more extreme candidates. But voters determined that they were not ready for a change of such magnitude.
Please check back here at the ALG website or contact us at info@usalg.org or (303) 862-4062 if you have questions, concerns, or just need to talk to someone about the 2024 election.
