Rep. Mike Merrifield stepped down as head of the House Education Committee on Friday after apologizing to the legislature for writing in an e-mail: "There must be a special place in hell" for charter school supporters.

The Colorado Springs Democrat's comments angered charter school advocates in both parties. They called it a "Mel Gibson moment," referring the Hollywood star's anti-Semitic outburst during a DUI arrest last year.

"Despite the private nature of the e-mail, I deeply regret my strong language and disrespectful tone," said Merrifield, who noted the e-mail he sent in December to his Senate counterpart was from his private account.

"It was intended to be a private communication between me and my friend," he said.

Merrifield, who is being treated for throat cancer, said he was resigning because "I don't want my remarks or my health to sidetrack the important work of the House Education Committee."

Republican leaders, who have long felt Merrifield has thwarted their education bills, demanded he surrender the chairmanship.

"I think there is a question of confidence by members," said Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma.

Merrifield's action came after the political Web site facethestate.com posted his e-mail to Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada, touching off a firestorm at the Capitol.

"There must be a special place in hell for these Privatizers, Charterizers and Voucherziers. They deserve it!" he wrote.

Merrifield made his comments during an exchange in which he and Windels, chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee, discussed whether to push for a full repeal of the State Charter School Institute.

Merrifield said Friday that he has never made a secret of his stance against charter schools, which he contends are stripping resources from public schools.

He said he has asked Rep. Judy Solano, D-Brighton, to replace him on the panel.

Furor over the e-mail comes as the Senate is set to reconsider Senate Bill 61, by Windels and Merrifield, to restore public school districts' authority over most charter schools.

Jim Griffin, president of the Colorado League of Charter Schools, said he wasn't surprised by the tone of the e-mail.

"We've always sensed this level of just visceral, absolutist antagonism toward charters at the Capitol from a small but meaningful minority of legislators," he said.

Windels said Friday that she didn't feel the private e-mail should have been made public. The Web site that posted it had filed an open-records request for Windels' correspondence.

The e-mail likely has doomed SB 61. At least five Senate Democrats signaled Friday that they will join Republicans to kill it.

Colorado charter schools

• What is a charter school?

It is a public school operated by parents, teachers, and/ or community members as a semi-autonomous school of choice authorized by a school district or the Colorado Charter School Institute.

• How many are there?

110 in 2004-05

• How many students are in charter schools?

44,254, or about 5 percent of total public school enrollment, in 2005

• What is the Charter School Institute?

Created by lawmakers in 2004, it has the authority to approve or deny charter school applications and monitor institute charter school operations.

• Why are charters controversial?

Critics say they drain money from already strapped public schools. Supporters say that traditional public schools are failing too many students and that charters create healthy competition.Source: Colorado Department Of Education

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