Denver school officials are asking employees to thoroughly check e-mails before passing them to parents after a district e-mail blast included a link to a fundraising website for state Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver.
Romer is expected to run for Denver mayor and hosted a job fair at East High School on Monday night.
A staffer at George Washington High School sent the job fair announcement to the e-mail addresses of about 700 parents.
The e-mail contained a link that directed people to Romer’s website, which includes a link for making political contributions.
DPS officials said the intent of the e-mail was to inform people about the job fair, which was expected to have about 20 businesses with openings.
“If there was some hint that the employee was forwarding this on to help Romer’s campaign, that’s inappropriate,” said DPS attorney John Kechriotis. “I didn’t get that sense at all. You have to go a couple of steps to see it is something for his campaign.”
Kechriotis said the message now will be to read through everything before passing it on.
The job fair also was co-hosted by state Sen. Pat Steadman, D-Denver; City Council member Carla Madison; and state House candidates Crisanta Duran and Dan Pabon.
Romer said each of the politicians is under strict orders not to campaign during the event.
“We are very focused that the activity tonight is putting people back to work, not campaigning,” he said. “. . . No yard signs, no literature, no speeches.”
Denver School Board member Andrea Merida also heard from people in her district about the e-mail blast.
“People are not happy about this,” she said. “The district needs to be much more diligent from separating itself from politicking. It puts the district in the wrong light.”
Merida was being paid consulting fees a few months ago by Andrew Romanoff’s U.S. Senate campaign during the Democratic primary while she was criticizing U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet’s tenure as Denver Public Schools superintendent at school board meetings and in other forums.
Merida quit the Romanoff job after it was made public.
Kechriotis said that every election year, he sends a memo to DPS staffers to remind them that any e-mail or use of a DPS resource to promote a candidate or ballot initiative is prohibited.
Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com
