Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1512793
October State Council offers joy, hope and power Stand With CTA! "Our ability to win transformative funding for our public schools and fight back against extremism is dependent on us bringing our true member power to the table." —CTA President David Goldberg e October 21–22 CTA State Council of Education kicked off with a treat: A group of local musicians, including two members from the Grammy Award-winning band Ozomatli, welcomed delegates from the stage with lively music and smiles. e good feelings were infectious as the Council settled down to business. CTA President David B. Goldberg, in a rousing first report to Council as president, noted that one-third of the del- egates were new — and part of a legacy of union solidarity and action that has played an important role in public education. "Within these walls, we've all made decisions and commit- ments that have shaped our future and strengthened public education," he said. "Our presence together today is another example of our commitment to our collective fight for the schools our students deserve." CTA's power, Goldberg said, stems from its locals and the " lived experiences of our members" at sites across the state. He added that CTA is committed to ensuring that locals have the necessary resources to engage every member and build power in every school site across California. (The CTA Board is dedicating $60 million over the next two years to provide release time to every local president across the state to help chapters achieve their goals through strategic campaigns and member engagement.) is power means that the Council's work, such as recom- mending candidates and causes and supporting legislation at the State Capitol in Sacramento, has a big impact in commu- nities statewide. Goldberg mentioned sponsored legislation that CTA is cur- rently working on: • Elimination of Teaching Performance Assessments (TPAs), which are harmful in preparing our educators (see our story on page 26); • Fixing the outdated and dysfunctional family leave system by mandating 14 weeks of fully paid maternity leave. He also mentioned how CTA and locals can use their power to fight back against extremist school boards that are harming students and educators. " With more than 2,000 school board races next year, we have an opportunity to hold the line for each other and our communities and engage in a massive col- lective act of resistance to those attacking our students and public schools," he said. L at er that morning, th e Council delegat es considered , debated and approved recommendations on multiple state assembly, senate and congressional district candidates up for election in the March 2024 Primary. Council took a neu- tral position on candidates running to represent California in th e Unit ed St at e s S en at e. ( S e e p a ge 31 for th e se an d other recommendations.) CTA's Racial Equity Affairs Committee members spoke elo- quently about the American Indian/Alaska Native community and urged delegates to attend its observance later that evening. CTA Board members and leaders gave a moving presentation for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. On Sunday morning, Goldberg announced that Executive Director Joe Boyd would be leaving CTA in March 2024. Boyd's CTA President Goldberg addresses State Council. 44 cta.org CTA & You