Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1535219
Compiled by Julian Peeples Quotes & Numbers " In Pasadena and across the nation, we're going to fight back — it 's what union educators do. We won't accept any cuts that harm our students. At a time when the wealthy few are making BILLIONS and not paying their fair share while cutting critical funds for public schools, we must act now." — JONATHAN GARDNER, United Teachers of Pasadena president, in a Pasadena Now column calling on Congress to step up to defend public education "We cannot stand by while lawmakers dismantle the critical programs the Department of Education implements, cut critical funding for students with disabilities, English Learners, poor students, and take higher education and career/tech training opportunities away from the students and families who need them most." —NEA President BECKY PRINGLE, in response to the Trump Administration's threat to destroy the U.S. Dept. of Education 7.5 million Number of students with disabilities and their families nationally who will lose support they need at school and at home, due to the Trump Administration's slashes to special education funding, according to NEA. Additionally, 26 million students with the greatest need will lose vital support funded through Title I. "Layoffs are devastating and chaotic to our school communities and harm student learning conditions. This is even happening in communities like Pasadena, where educators and students lost their homes in wildfires. Our union will not stand by. We will demand that every single one of these notices is rescinded." —CTA President DAVID GOLDBERG after Pasadena Unified's school board approved issuing layoff notices to 115 educators months after the Eaton Fire devastated the city U.S. Dept. of Education "I know teachers who are forced to clear their back tables for students. These kids are sitting at tables and not desks, which is a problem because they don't have their own space. They're like little sardines in there." —CARA COLEMAN, third grade teacher and Fremont Unified District Teachers Assn. member, which authorized a strike in March over wages and working conditions including high class sizes Difference in maximum students per kindergarten class in Chicago Public Schools before and after the recent historic contract victory by Chicago Teachers Union in late March (32 and 25, respectively). Most other grade levels will see their maximum class sizes lower to 29. 7 Number of educators statewide who received layoff notices by the March 15 deadline. 3,000+ 12 cta.org In the Know