For decades, teachers in Colorado Springs School District 11 have had a voice at the table—a master agreement that recognized their right to collectively bargain for better learning and working conditions. But in December 2024, that voice was silenced when the school board voted to let the agreement with the Colorado Springs Education Association expire.

Now, educators are standing up not just for themselves, but for every student in the district. On October 8, over a thousand teachers, students, and supporters took part in a powerful one-day strike. They rallied, chanted, and marched—not for higher pay, but for something even more fundamental: respect, inclusion, and the right to be heard.

Despite their commitment to students and their years of service, the school board has sent a message that teacher input no longer matters. But this community is saying otherwise.

We, the undersigned, support the Colorado Springs teachers and their right to collective bargaining. We call on the District 11 school board to immediately reinstate a binding agreement with the Colorado Springs Education Association and work in good faith with educators to ensure decisions are made with student success—not political agendas—at the center.

Teachers are the backbone of our schools. When they’re shut out of key decisions, it’s our students who suffer. Classrooms are not battlegrounds for politics—they are places of learning, growth, and collaboration. Restoring collective bargaining is the first step toward rebuilding trust and moving forward together.

Let’s show the board that this community stands with educators, not against them. Sign now to demand that District 11 leaders respect their teachers and give them the voice they deserve.

Photo: Mark Reis/The Colorado Sun