Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/417576
Advocacy Getting the vote out Gov. Jerry Brown, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, Attorney General Kamala Harris, and Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones. Voters also sided with CTA by electing John Chiang as treasurer, Betty Yee as controller, and Alex Padilla as secretary of state. Voters rejected Proposition 46, the CTA-opposed measure that would have significantly boosted health care costs, and approved Proposition 47, the CTA-sup- ported measure that improves public safety, reduces prison spending and invests millions in K-12 schools, victim services, and mental health and drug treatment. California's educators volunteered to get out the vote weeks before the elections, working phone banks and knocking doors to support local, state and federal can- didates who believe in the future of public education. For example, on the weekend before Election Day, members of the Chico Unified Teachers Association gathered at a local department store and fanned out in precinct walks that helped elect two school board mem- bers, as well as Tom Torlakson. CUTA members had strong reasons to work for a better school board. They have been working for seven years without an on-the-schedule salary increase. The Stockton Teachers Association (STA) helped elect two school board members, replacing those who championed district bargaining proposals to raise class sizes and hoard Proposition 30 funds in a reserve, instead of using the new money to help students. Mixed results nationwide At CTA members' urging, voters up and down the state backed school board members who are pledged to work with teachers and education support professionals in making our students and classrooms the top priority. Vogel notes it was a bit of a mixed bag election night, as across the country and in a few legislative races here in California, friends of public education will not get the opportunity to serve because the special interests and bil- lionaires spent millions of dollars to push their personal political agendas. Find a record of all races at cta.org/campaign. "In the end, we won because of the strength in our numbers, our pas- sion and our commitment to California's students and communities," Vo ge l says. " It 's n ow up to u s to ma ke rea l ch an ge fo r ou r st ud en t s, schools and colleges." A GHOULISHLY GOOD TIME GETTING OUT THE VOTE O n H a l l o w e e n a c o s t u m e d Susan Green a n d h e r d a u g h t e r C l a r a r e a ch o u t t o CTA m e m b e r s b y p h o n e , u r g i n g t h e m t o v o t e . G r e e n t e a ch e s a t C S U C h i c o . TWO DEANS WALK THE BLOCK L o s R i o s C o l l e g e F e d e r a t i o n o f Te a ch e r s P r e s i d e n t Dean Murakami a n d CTA P r e s i d e n t Dean Vogel w a l k e d n e i g h b o r h o o d s i n S a c r a m e n t o o n E l e c t i o n D a y u r g i n g r e s i d e n t s t o v o t e . 37 V O L U M E 1 9 I S S U E 4