Poudre school board opposes Proposition 134 over unfunded costs

The Poudre School District Board of Education adopted a resolution Sept. 22 opposing Proposition 134, saying it would impose significant unfunded responsibilities on local school districts.

Proposition 134 would set new requirements for participation in school athletics that local districts would implement, according to the resolution. Districts would have to develop or revise policies, eligibility procedures and staff training, the resolution says. They would also have to handle athletic eligibility disputes, increasing demands on administrators, athletic directors, coaches and legal counsel, according to the resolution.

Proposition 134 provides no dedicated state funding for districts’ administrative, legal or operational implementation costs, the resolution says. Districts could face costs for legal review, policy development and litigation, according to the resolution. The resolution says money spent on new unfunded mandates would be unavailable for classroom instruction, teacher pay and school safety. The resolution says that after adoption, the district may spend money to distribute the resolution only through its customary channels for informing the public about board proceedings, not through paid advertising.

Director Andrew Spain said the board should weigh in because the measure would require substantial work and spending. He also said every student could face a situation involving validation of their genitalia. “That feels extremely disrespectful to any of our students to have to go through that,” Spain said.

Vice-President Kevin Havelda said ballot measures should have a direct connection to the board’s daily work; some others brought before it had seemed too removed from that work. Havelda said, “we are involved in legislation and the politics of education.” He cited the board’s invitations to state representatives to discuss issues it wanted them to advance. Havelda said resolutions reflect what the board believes are the school’s and community’s values, and encouraged voters to vote for someone else if he or the board was wrong about those values.

Director Scott Schoenbauer said, “To me, the Board of Education should be agnostic politically.” He said political positions fall outside the board’s core function and it follows state law regardless of resolutions or members’ views. Though individual members can endorse issues, Schoenbauer said the board represents people with differing opinions and should avoid setting a precedent for taking positions on other ballot measures or candidates. He warned that taking sides could create divisions competitors could use to draw students and families away, worsening enrollment.