Engage Jeffco Schools opposes the following Ballot Measures because of their impact on schools, kids, and families

OPPOSE: Amendment 81 – Law Enforcement Reporting Requirements to Federal Authorities

We all want safe communities and accountability for serious crimes. Amendment 81 would require Colorado law enforcement to notify federal immigration authorities within 72 hours when a person charged with a crime of violence, or charged with any offense after a prior felony conviction, cannot be confirmed as lawfully present in the United States.

The key word is charged. A charge is an accusation, not a finding of guilt. Under Amendment 81, someone could be reported to immigration authorities before a court hears their case. A lawful resident could also be caught up in the process if their status cannot be confirmed within the deadline.

The measure leaves important decisions to individual officers without clearly defining how they should determine lawful presence. That raises concerns about unfair treatment based on someone’s appearance or the language they speak. Fear of immigration enforcement could also make victims and witnesses less willing to report crimes or help investigators.

Colorado can prosecute crimes and hold people accountable under current law. A “no” vote keeps existing limits on state and local involvement in civil immigration enforcement. We can protect public safety while respecting due process and maintaining trust between communities and law enforcement.

Engage Jeffco Schools recommends voting NO on Amendment 81.

OPPOSE: Amendment 82 – Right to Natural Gas

Amendment 82 would enshrine in the state’s constitution the right for companies to sell natural gas and for customers to buy it. These activities are already legal in our state. Giving one industry a constitutional right is simply dangerous and would be all but impossible to reverse.

Jeffco Public Schools recently added environmental sustainability to its core values, a request brought forward by students who want to see their schools prioritize the health of the climate. Amendment 82 would jeopardize those values, as well as tie the hands of the district when it comes to prioritizing cost-saving measures, such as making schools more energy efficient, especially as utility bills continue to rise.

Energy costs are the second-largest expense for school districts after salaries. Let’s ensure that the state, municipalities, and even our school districts have the ability to choose the energy products that are right for them, rather than give monopoly utilities and fossil fuel companies the right to increase costs and pollute our air.

Read this Denver Post article for more information. Engage Jeffco Schools recommends voting NO on Amendment 82.

OPPOSE: Proposition 134 – Male and Female Participation in School Sports

Proposition 134 would require all students from kindergarten through college to participate on school-based sports teams that align with their biological sex assigned at birth, not their gender identity. It would require school districts to adopt policies on sex eligibility for sports and would allow them to determine individually how to verify the biological sex of participants, as well as how to implement and enforce these policies.

This measure is in direct contradiction to the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA), which prohibits public schools, universities, and colleges from discriminating against students by excluding them from extracurricular activities that align with their gender identity.

School sports offer kids a place to build confidence, learn teamwork, gain healthy physical habits, and experience goal setting. It is a space to foster positive social interactions, build friendships, and find a sense of belonging.

This measure lumps together pre-pubescent kids as young as 5 with college-age young adults up to around 22 years old. There are vast differences in the levels of competitiveness and physicality involved in sports at these wide-ranging age levels. As written, this proposition does not take this into account and seeks to treat kindergarten sports teams the same as collegiate-level teams, leaving no room for schools or school districts to make decisions about what is best for their student populations.

Discriminating against a vulnerable group of students who make up a small minority (~1%) of the student population in Colorado runs counter to the aims and goals of Engage Jeffco Schools, which state that all students deserve equitable access to resources, programming, and support.

Read this article on Prop 134 from Chalkbeat. Engage Jeffco Schools recommends voting NO on Proposition 134.

OPPOSE: Proposition 135 – Prohibit Certain Surgeries on Minors

This proposition would prohibit surgeries on minors that alter their biological sex characteristics as treatment for a minor’s perception of sex or gender, and would prohibit the use of state or federal funds, or public or private health insurance coverage, for these surgeries.

Decisions regarding appropriate medical care and treatment for any patient are best decided by that patient, their doctor, and the patient’s guardians if they are a minor. Restricting access to medical care in such a broad, overarching way infringes on the ability of medical professionals to provide the best treatment possible for their patients. This measure would affect not just transgender or intersex individuals, but would likely also restrict certain procedures for many cisgender patients, due to the broad nature of the measure.

Restrictions on essential gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth has been shown to increase anxiety, depression, social isolation, and risks for self-harm and suicide in this vulnerable population.

Engage Jeffco Schools recognizes the right of all students to live an authentic life and to thrive in their public school environments. In order to make this possible, families of transgender students must be allowed to work with their healthcare providers to access the appropriate care for their child.

Engage Jeffco Schools recommends voting NO on Proposition 135.

OPPOSE: Proposition 136 – Income Tax Rate Cap

Proposition 136 would permanently cap income and corporate taxes in Colorado at 4.4%. This initiative is in direct contradiction with Amendment 87, which has been endorsed by Engage Jeffco Schools.

Colorado is facing significant budget challenges, and income tax is a major source of revenue. Capping these tax rates will lead to further cuts to education funding.

Engage Jeffco Schools recommends voting NO on Proposition 136.