Teachers fight for the education of their students and future generations. photo by Simone DiFalco
On March 20th, teachers from public school districts across Colorado marched to the Capitol building in order to express their outrage at the state legislation for making budget cuts to public education.
The state of Colorado has undergone many funding changes, and there are plenty of projects that remain in progress, all of which rely on the funding. However, one of the most recent projects has sparked major controversy within school districts. A recent announcement relayed that the state is intending on cutting funding for public education, and many teachers disagree with this choice. On March 20, 2025, teachers from all districts across Colorado marched down to the Capitol to express their disapproval of the budget cuts on education.
A couple days prior to the day of action, word circulated that there was a likely chance students would not have school on Thursday, March 20th. Some students were excited about the day off, while others were curious as to what the circumstances were. When students found out that the state was cutting funding for public education, many individuals expressed their outrage and even asked teachers how they could support this cause. Junior Simone DiFalco even went as far as going down to the capital to show her support. “I wanted everyone to know that it’s not just the teachers who are frustrated with this issue, it’s the students as well,” stated DiFalco.
During the day of action, teachers could not fully express how thankful they were for the amount of support they not only received from family and friends, but also from some of their own students. The support and sympathy that each person showed one another helped to create a lively, passionate, and safe environment for these teachers. “You felt very empowered by all of the people around you and at some points emotional to see everyone wanting to support their schools and their students,” stated TJ math teacher Abby Griffin. To help lift spirits at the event and create an energetic environment, the Adams 12 Marching Band played music to assist in inspiring teachers and supporters.
By taking a day of action, teachers across Colorado wanted their voices heard and to prove to the Colorado legislature that funding should not be removed from education. “We are hoping that by having our voices heard more money will be allocated for public education,” stated science teacher Laura Ruelas. Although the day of action seemed like an easy event to organize, teachers faced many challenges when trying to bring awareness to the cause. One of the major challenges teachers confronted was trying to figure out how to attend the event at the Capitol. Many teachers did not know if their districts were going to announce the day off, if they would have to make sub plans, or if they must take a personal day. This situation was also nerve wracking for many teachers because sometimes people can face consequences when they stand up for what they believe in. However, by overcoming these challenges, teachers were able to raise awareness of the situation, especially because many news stations reported on the event that took place in Denver.
Through all of their hardships, teachers were able to shed light on the fact that Colorado is trying to cut funding for public education. The educators put themselves on the front lines not only to help protect their schools, but to protect their students as well. Without these teachers, students would not be faced with the opportunities that they have today. To help the cause right now and in the future, parents, students, and other individuals can continue to spread awareness and unite to create a better future for the young minds of this generation and future generations. People can also reach out to their legislators to inform them that school funding should be a top priority.
