1-minute voter guide: State school board District 2
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Kathy Gebhardt (left) and Marisol Lynda Rodriguez. Photos: Courtesy of the campaigns
Democrats Kathy Gebhardt and Marisol Lynda Rodriguez are competing to replace term-limited Angelika Schroeder in the 2nd Congressional District seat on the Colorado State Board of Education.
Why it matters: The state school board consists of nine elected seats spread across the state and is responsible for overseeing how students in the state are educated.
- The 2nd includes school districts like Boulder Valley, Estes Park, Poudre, St. Vrain and Thompson.
Meet the candidates: Gebhardt is an attorney and former Boulder Valley school board president. Rodriguez is an education consultant.
Zoom in: Gebhardt on her website says she wants to ensure Colorado students have an equal opportunity to get a quality education in a safe environment.
- She wants to see well-resourced schools, including hiring qualified teachers who can be well-paid. She says strong schools are vital for a democracy.
Rodriguez says opposing both book bans and efforts to transfer public tax money away from schools are her top priorities.
- She plans to call for more funding that's fairly distributed among districts to support pupils and teachers. Her website says she believes families should attend public schools that best meet their needs.
Follow the money: An unusual amount of spending has been poured into this race, including nearly $685,000 from a pro-charter school super PAC backing Rodriguez, per the Colorado Sun.
- Rodriguez told the Sun she supports having charter schools as an option, but not the only option for students. Gebhardt similarly says she supports charter schools and says they won't "be in peril" if she's elected.
Between the lines: Gov. Jared Polis and Schroeder have endorsed Rodriguez, while Gebhardt is backed by U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse and State Treasurer Dave Young.
The other side: No Republicans are listed on the ballot.