When I was little, my South Lakewood Elementary class would board a bus once a year and take a field trip to our state Capitol. I was always in awe; the shiny gold dome, magnificent staircases stretching to the ceiling, smooth marble walls mined in Marble, Colorado, and the heavy wooden doors felt so grand.
I never dreamed I would be working there some day, but here I am, still in awe of the dignity of the building. Classes of children pass by as we work, and I wonder if they are feeling the same as I did. They giggle as they look down from the atrium and marvel at the stained-glass portraits.
My first week on the job was inspiring. I was sworn in by Supreme Court Justice Nancy Rice on Wednesday, and was selected to help escort Gov. John Hickenlooper to the floor for his State of the State speech Thursday.
Along with this sense of excitement and gratitude, I feel the weight of responsibility. I’m already busy working; my first bill is a priority for our caucus and it has already been introduced. Critically, this bill will study why teachers are not applying to work in Colorado, which has a negative effect on our rural communities. We experienced a 24.4 percent decline in the number of educators completing an educator-preparation program at Colorado colleges and universities between 2010 and 2016.
This lack of training has led to a diminishing pool of high-quality teaches to address our educational needs. The shortage particularly affects rural public schools across the state, threatening to consolidate them and change the face of our small communities. This legislation will help us find root causes so we can discuss solutions, and I’m working closely with education stakeholders across the spectrum, including Western Slope students, teachers and parents.
Our district’s political diversity makes for robust and valuable debate, but we can agree our students need the opportunity to succeed. As I’ve toured the district, I’ve resoundingly heard from constituents: We don’t want divisive and toxic politics that pull us apart. I agree. When PAC money came from outside the district into our election, neither my opponent nor I could prevent inaccurate or extreme mailers from unfair attacks. I will stand for reform as a legislator. We work better as a community than we do in camps.
That’s why during this session, I’m focusing on the bipartisan agenda I focused on when asking for your votes. I want to make sure Colorado government is accountable to all of us. I want our students to be able to see their hopes and their dreams reflected in the sheen of Colorado’s golden dome. I will fight to make sure they have the same opportunities I have been so grateful to receive. I look forward to an ongoing discussion with you about your needs and the goal of providing good teachers and strong local schools.
State Rep. Barbara McLachlan represents House District 59, which includes Archuleta, La Plata, Hinsdale, Ouray and San Juan counties and part of Gunnison County.
