Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/20186
2010 big election wins C TA leaders huddled to- gether anxiously, eyes jumping between the big screen projecting the live feed of election results from the secretary of state’s website and the TVs showing CNN and KRON 2 San Fran- Shortly before 9 p.m., the good news began to roll in: The Capitol Weekly was declaring Jerry Brown the winner of the race for governor over Repub- lican Meg Whitman, with 10 percent of the precincts report- ing. Then the Associated Press nonstop on the campaign had tears in their eyes. Big wins CTA galvanized its mem- bers, as well as friends of public education, in the battle to elect Brown, who has the ability to business,” cut billions more from education, and continue on the downward path of the present governor, whose inex- perience has caused unneces- sary damage to our schools and state during tough economic times. With the election of Torlak- son, a former classroom teach- er, CTA members have a friend and a place at the table when it comes to education reform. The legislator who authored the CTA-backed Quality Edu- cation Investment Act — a bill that secured funding to bring extra resources to struggling schools — has vowed to help schools get the funding and support they desperately need. Boxer’s re-election was also crucial. With so many conser- vatives recently elected to seats in Washington, Sen. Boxer will continue to be a voice of reason and work hard to see that schools are supported at the federal level. The passage of CTA-sup- cisco election coverage. This was the moment it had all come to — months of mem- bers volunteering, phone banking, talking to family and friends. Would Jerry win? What about Boxer? She was in a tough race. And what about Proposition 24, the Tax Fair- ness Act? Would the fear tac- tics of its opponents prevail? called the U.S. Senate race for incumbent Democrat Barbara Boxer over GOP challenger Carly Fiorina. For CTA members and staff at the Oakland Marriott, the waiting was over. The vigil turned into a party, and mem- bers cheered, pumped their fists in the air and hugged one another. Some who had worked 26 California Educator | NOVEMBER 2010 lead this state out of fiscal crisis, bring col- laboration back to Sacramento and restore our public schools to greatness. The alternative was Meg Whit- man, a billionaire with no gov- ernment experience, who planned to “run schools as a ported Proposition 25, which does away with the two-thirds vote required to pass a budget, wi l l make it possible for the state budget to be passed on t ime, saving hundreds of mil lions of dol l ars and ABOVE: At the Oakland Democratic Party event on election night, CTA President David A. Sanchez and CTA Vice President Dean Vogel cheer moments after the announcement of the victory of Jerry Brown for California governor. tos by Mike Myslinski CTA Photos by Mike Myslinski