NOTE: Only signatures from Colorado residents will be delivered.
Colorado Senator Cory Gardner just voted to install one of the single most unqualified, incompetent, and corrupt people ever to be nominated to head the Department of Education.
If you're like us — and understand the vital importance of strong, public schools and educational opportunities — you probably think the senator owes us an explanation.
The Senator's vote to confirm Betsy DeVos to be the next US Secretary of Education is outrageous enough, but Gardner's refusal to meet with constituents before the vote — or even allow us to leave messages with his office expressing our concerns — is beyond the pale.
Joel is a Denver parent whose son attends public school. His father is a retired educator with 30 years of experience. Chris was born in Colorado Springs — and lives in Denver now. He was raised by a special education teacher. And he spent 17 years working in Washington, DC being reminded daily of how important it is for our elected leaders to serve the will of the people.
We started this petition because we care so much about ensuring that children like Joel’s have access to the very best educational opportunities. We started this petition because we believe that securing those opportunities requires Senator Gardner to meet with constituents like us to hear our concerns. And we started this petition because — having failed to receive a substantive response after multiple calls to his Denver and DC offices — we believe that Senator Gardner needs to come home to Colorado and answer for his vote in open public meetings.
If our democracy is to mean anything, Senator Gardner must heed the concerns of all of his constituents — and not just out-of-state donors like Betsy DeVos. It is absolutely inexcusable that rather than facing his constituents prior to the controversial DeVos vote, Gardner jetted off to Florida to raise campaign cash for his fellow Republicans.
That's why we've joined MoveOn supporter Kaili Lambe in calling on Senator Cory Gardner to come home and answer for his vote for this wholly unacceptable nominee to oversee our children's education. Please add your name to join us, and we will personally make sure that they are hand-delivered to the Senator's Denver office.
