CU students protested for child care in 1974
http://www.dailycamera.com/features/ci_16641317
Carol Taylor
11/21/2010
Child care, or day care as it was called, was a charged political
issue in the early 1970s.
As a result of the feminist movement, women were going back to school
and work in unprecedented numbers in the late 1960s. Congress passed
a comprehensive child care bill in 1971, but it was vetoed by
President Richard Nixon. He cited "family-weakening implications"
among other reasons for rejecting the bill.
The University of Colorado was making progress on an Affirmative
Action plan around that time. Women at the University, citing
discrimination against women students, faculty and staff, argued to
be included in the affirmative action efforts.
Women and their supporters came up with demands, one of them for
campus child care. Arguing that lack of adequate and low-cost day
care kept many women out of jobs and higher education, a campus group
drafted a plan for a free day-care center to serve 350 children.
The Kiddie Kampus, two miles from campus, was at capacity and serving
70 children. The original Kiddie Kampus had been demolished to make
way for a new married-student housing center.
In February of 1974, regents rejected the plans brought forth for a
$345,000 campus child care center to serve 350 children. A series of
protests followed.
In March, the Women's Liberation Coalition held a rally protesting
the decision at Regent Hall.
At the April 1974 meeting, the Board of Regents gave the go-ahead to
develop plans for a day care center on the Boulder campus with a
budget of around $85,000. This fell far short of the hopes of the
child care proponents.
On April 29, 1974 a group of around 20 took over the office of Dwight
Roberts in the Koenig Alumni Center demanding action on day care
facilities. Roberts was the director of the CU Foundation and the
activists wanted day care center fundraising immediately.
Dozens of child care advocates left their scheduled rally and
gathered at the Koenig building to support the takeover.
The eight women and one man that remained in the take over for a full
32 hours dubbed themselves "The Day Care Nine."
None of the demands were met. "The Day Care Nine" were removed
peacefully by campus police at 8:15 p.m. the following day. All nine
were charged with interference with the faculty, staff, and students
of an educational institution.
Two months later a group of students and a few children marched and
yelled in front of the Boulder home of CU regent Eric Schmidt,
reiterating the demand for free child care for 350 children at the
University. Placards read "We Demand Child Care," "Child Care Now"
and "Rich Bankers Can Afford Nursemaids."
At the May 1974 meeting, regents, once again, voted for a child care
center for 60 children including plans to ask the state legislature
for additional funding for expanded child care services. Women's
groups labeled it "criminally inadequate."
The new center was constructed in 1975.
Today the CU Children's Center has the capacity for 74 full-time
charges. Most classrooms are full, with a waiting list.
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Carol Taylor and Silvia Pettem write on history for the Daily Camera,
alternating weeks. Write Silvia at the Daily Camera P.O. Box 591,
Boulder 80306 or email [email protected] , and write Carol at
[email protected].
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