Politics & Government
Educators Begin Campaign to Avoid $5 Billion Cut to Schools Statewide
Teachers and school supporters rallied at San Leandro High on Tuesday, a preview of next week's California-wide "State of Emergency" campaign.
Dozens of educators rallied Tuesday afternoon in front of to protest state budget cuts to education and to urge the California legislature to extend tax increases instead of making deep funding cuts to schools.
Some 100 people came out Tuesday after school for the event, including local teachers, six of seven school board trustees, district officials, Superintendent Cindy Cathey, Mayor Stephen Cassidy and Councilmember Jim Prola.
The rally was organized by the San Leandro Teachers Association a week ahead of a "State of Emergency" campaign organized for next week by the California Teachers Association. Activities will include sit-ins at the state capitol and will culminate in six major regional rallies next Friday.
Governor Jerry Brown's initial budget proposal, which includes only minimal cuts to K-12 funding, depended on legislators voting to put three tax extensions up for a public vote and, subsequently, on voter approval of those extensions.
Talks with Republican legislators broke down in March, causing Brown to miss the deadline to get the extensions on the June ballot. He has since been campaigning across the state to gain voter backing for his plan. Brown has said that possibilities include putting the tax extensions on the November ballot or collecting signatures for a voter initiative to extend them.
If the tax hikes, which are set to expire July 1, are not extended, schools could lose nearly $5 billion in funding, on top of deep cuts over the past several years.
Find out what's happening in San Leandrowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Speakers at Tuesday's rally in San Leandro praised teachers for their hard work and dedication to the students. They also noted that California is now ranked among the lowest, 46th, in education spending across the country.
Here's a rundown of events taking place next week as part of the "State of Emergency" campaign for schools:
Find out what's happening in San Leandrowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Monday: letter and postcard writing campaigns to the state legislature at school sites.
Tuesday: "Flash mob" at . A mass of teachers will grade papers together in the food court.
Wednesday: California Day of the Teacher.
Thursday: Facebook frenzy. Educators will ask the public to "friend" the SLTA-State of Emergency page.
Friday: Regional rally in San Francisco.
