Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/3650
or old business items submitted by the Board of Directors or rank and f ile members. “There is always a lot of l ively discussion,” says Jackson, who is vice chair of the critical Political Involvement Committee (PIC) of Council. She has shared many victories with the PIC chair, Gayle Bilek, over the past nine years. Also involved at Council for nine years before he was termed out in May was Rick McClure, past chair of the vital Financing Public Education Committee. Since 2000, CTA has beaten back a school voucher initiative, won passage of three statewide school bonds totaling $35.7 billion, and created a $60 million CTA war chest to oppose the governor’s thre e we l l - funded ini t i at ive s in November 2005. These measures would have cut school funding, destroyed teachers’ due process r ight s , and silenced the political voices of all public employees in the state. “Our union is there to support us as teachers,” says Bilek, who is also president of the Templeton Teachers Association in San Luis Obispo. “I have seen it. That’s what the whole Council process is about. It really is representational.” Along the way, Council has protected Prop. 98 again and again from attempted raids by the governor and lawmakers, says McClure, who is also president of the Ont ario-Mont c l air Teachers Association. “I think CTA has been very successful over the years in protecting Prop. 98,” he says, noting that this summer’s budget agreement includes a restoration over several years of $11.2 billion owed to public schools under Prop. 98. Lynne Formigli served nine years on Council, sat out one year, and is now back for more union work. She is one of two delegates representing United Teachers of Santa Clara in Silicon Valley and sits on Council’s Curriculum and Instruction Committee. Since 2000 State Council has guided CTA to: > Beat back a school voucher initiative. > Pass three statewide school bonds totaling $35.7 billion. > Create a $60 million CTA war chest to oppose November 2005 ballot measures that would have harmed public education. “Council is made up of human beings, so it’s not perfect,” she says. “But we are a very effective organization.” Members can always read the latest “Council Decides” summary of the last State Council meeting in the My CTA section of www.cta.org. october 2009 | www.cta.org 23 CTA photos by Dave Earl Carpenter