Long-Anticipated Schools Battle Opens In Denver
DENVER (AP) - Attorneys suing the Colorado government over education funding argue the system is inadequate and affecting students in the poorest communities.
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed in 2005 claim the Colorado Legislature's method of funding schools violates the state constitution's promise to provide a "thorough and uniform" education system.
The trial began Monday and attorneys challenging the state began to present witnesses who testified about school districts that have outdated books and old and sometimes cramped buildings.
Colorado Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper and Attorney General John Suthers insist the state cannot afford to spend as much as plaintiffs want on schools. State officials say that Colorado has more than doubled spending on public education since 1994.
The trial in Denver District Court could last five weeks.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
