Colorado Families Rally at Capitol for School Choice Week: ‘Every Child Deserves a Fit’
- Guest Contributor
- 4 minutes ago
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Students, parents and educators celebrate educational freedom — and renewed support for parents as primary educators.
By Matt Walker
Hundreds of students, parents and educators gathered at the State Capitol on Tuesday to celebrate National School Choice Week, making visible a fraction of the hundreds of educational options Colorado families enjoy.
Attendees sported bright yellow scarves commemorating the celebration. Lori Gimelsteyn, executive director of Parents United America, an organization dedicated to ensuring that parents remain the primary decision-makers for their kids, was thinking more about footwear.
“Every child deserves an education that fits them. Because here's the truth: school choice is a lot like buying shoes. Some kids need sneakers. Some kids need boots. Some kids need dress shoes, and let's be honest, some kids are born for Crocs,” Gimelsteyn said from the west steps of the Capitol. “You can imagine, though, if the government said, ‘Sorry, everyone just gets the same size, same style, same color shoes! Families know their children best. And when families have options, kids thrive.”
Evidence of that thriving included a marching band and student choirs, as well as speeches and recitations from kids as young as seven. In attendance were students from Jewish, Catholic, and other Christian schools; public charter schools; private schools; schools under private-public partnerships; homeschoolers; and even students able to attend public schools outside their district boundaries due to open enrollment policies. And most parents chose these schools, in whole or in part, because the moral teachings at school mirror what they teach and what they practice at home.
“Educating the mind without the heart is no education at all,” said Priscilla Rahn, headmaster of Excalibur Classical Academy, and quoting Aristotle. “We are celebrating the freedom for families to choose schools that honor values, creativity and the potential for every child.”
(Photos by Matt Walker)
Educational options in Colorado have expanded, especially with a spike in homeschooling and the passage of a 1993 state law permitting charter schools more than 30 years ago. The Catholic Church, on the other hand, has demonstrated the success of its parish schools for hundreds of years.
“School choice is a win-win fiscally for the state and for all families across Colorado. Data shows that more resources go to public schools when parents have the right to choose the best learning options for their children, and children who are given school choice have increased educational achievement and attainment levels,” said Brittany Vessely, executive director of the Colorado Catholic Conference. “But even more importantly, school choice re-empowers parents as the primary educators of their children, because they know their child’s needs best.”
Many state representatives, senators and other political leaders attended the rally, including Governor Jared Polis.
The governor was on hand to read a proclamation officially designating School Choice Day in Colorado, but he was more excited about his decision to opt in to the new federal tax credit scholarship program enacted by the Trump Administration.
“We are the very first Democratic state to opt in to the education tax credits. I'm hoping that many more will follow,” Polis said immediately after being introduced.
The program is expected to be ready in about two years and will allow any Coloradans to receive a full tax credit for directed charitable gifts made to qualifying school scholarship programs, resulting in a 100% return on the donation.
“Thank you for your advocacy. It is incredibly important. Really, the next phase will be … educating every Coloradoan that they can give the $1,700, and they get it back,” Governor Polis said.
Weston Kurz, president of the Colorado Association of Private Schools, an organization that represents about 10% of students in the state, echoed the excitement for, as well as the education required by, the program.
“You may not know it yet, but that vehicle allows you, the parent, grandparent, to direct your federal tax dollars back to where your kids or grandkids go, regardless of what institution,” he explained. “That is a game-changer and will change the landscape of education in this country, I believe. Those are your dollars that you get to redeem and point to where your kid goes to school. The money is actually following the student.”
Despite the enthusiasm of the day, members of the governor’s own party have expressed strong opposition to joining the federal program, just one reason Kurz emphasized that work for school choice still remains.
“We have to do something more tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day,” he said. “And my challenge to you, on this School Choice Day, is what will you do to grow what we're doing already in Colorado? … To whom much is given, much is required.”
