VALLEY MAN SENT TO PRISON FOR RACIALLY MOTIVATED ATTACK
ASPEN (AP) – A Snowmass man has been sentenced to five years in prison for attacking a man in Basalt while making disparaging remarks about Mexicans and President Barack Obama. 47-year-old Jerry Lloyd Cunico was sentenced Monday for attacking a 67-year-old Latino man sitting in his car in August. At the sentencing, the victim clarified that he is from El Salvador, not Mexico, as Cunico suggested during the assault. Cunico pleaded guilty in November to second-degree assault and bias-motivated crime.
ACT / SAT EXAM SQUABBLE
DENVER (AP) – The Colorado Department of Education has announced it will continue to administer the ACT college entrance exam to high school juniors for free following pushback from parents over its decision to switch to the SAT exam. Parents and school officials have complained about the department’s decision last month to start requiring students to take the SAT after many students had already begun prepping for the ACT. Officials said Monday students can continue taking the ACT for free this year and will transition to the SAT in 2017. A new state law passed in May, requiring the department to seek bids from testing vendors every five years. Officials say the SAT was selected based on its alignment with state academic standards and test preparation for students.
ON LINE COLLEGE INSTRUCTORS IN COLORADO MAY LOSE JOBS
DENVER (AP) – The Colorado Community College System is warning several dozen online instructors that their jobs are at risk if they do not live in Colorado. College system officials say they are “phasing out” teachers who live outside the state. They say it has become too expensive and difficult to manage all the teachers while adhering to the various education and labor laws that apply to each of their home states. It is unclear the exact number of teachers that will be affected by the change. But in August, officials estimated there were about 250 out-of-state employees across the 13-college organization. The system has about 10,000 employees, not including student workers, and enrolls more than 151,000 students.
