Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1426376
In the Know "An injury to one of our students is an injury to all of us! We must show our Black, Indigenous and other students of color that we see the systemic roadblocks in their path, and we will help them build a new one paved with opportunity for all!" —E. TOBY BOYD, CTA president, on the continuing fight for equity, equality and justice for all students during his October speech to CTA State Council of Education. Compiled by Julian Peeples Quotes & Numbers "It's exciting to see so many new unions on [community college] campuses. It shows how faculty and staff want a voice. We want to be able to sit down at the bargaining table and speak up for ourselves and our students." —DEWAYNE SHEAFFER, CTA District Q director and president of NEA's National Council for Higher Education, on increased union activism on college campuses nationwide. 6 million Students attending the 957 school districts in counties in the purple tier for COVID-19 risk as of Nov. 28, 2020, meaning that distance learning is required for 99.24 percent of California public school students. 88% Percentage of voters in a statewide Hart Research Associates poll who approve of CTA's demand for universal COVID testing and contact tracing in schools. 69% Percentage of public school parents in the same poll who say they worry more about children being infected with coronavirus than about them falling behind academically without in-person instruction. 1,225,189 Cases of COVID-19 in California — 3 percent of the state population — as of Dec. 1, according to California Department of Public Health. 222,000 California students in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, more than a quarter of the 800,000 nationwide. 269,000 Number of California K-12 students who are homeless, according to a new UCLA report (see page 35). "It is even more critical now for educators to step into the political arena, especially running for office, because many times decisions are being made for us outside of the classroom." —KEN TANG, NEA Board of Directors and Garvey Education Association member, on why he ran for a seat on Alhambra Unified School District Board of Education — and won. "Standing in solidarity with each other is where our collective strength lies. All educators and all students across the state should be safe when returning to our classrooms. If all of us are not safe, none of us are safe." —ERICKA CASTILLO, Emery Teachers Association president, on the October unified call by Alameda County local educators associations for uniform COVID-19 testing and tracing before schools can physically reopen. 14 cta.org