Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/50712
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE ACTING EDITOR STAFF WRITER CTA WEB EDITOR CTA WEB EDITOR It takes a community to create change THE STUDENTS WE TEACH do not live at school. They live in communities where peo- ple understand that all of us working together can help ensure that all members of society are treated with dignity and respect. Public schools are oſten the center of the community, where adults once attended classes themselves, where their sons and daughters now attend, where people gather to watch the local high school football team compete on Friday nights. Reaching out and connecting with those com- munity members is of major importance. The very nature of "community outreach" demands that we meet our community part- ners on their own turf and make a commit- ment to be a good partner in all pursuits that lead to supporting their basic infrastructure needs. Those needs include public education, police and fire protection, emergency services, health and human services, and transporta- tion. It is critical that we team up with local communities, both to lend a helping hand and to ask for their support of public education. Communities come together for a reason: to provide safety and support for one another as they engage in meaningful, relevant work that keeps their citizens whole and thriving. Our communities have seen more than $20 bil- lion cut from schools and colleges in the last three years; they've watched California sink to 46th in per-pupil spending and lose roughly 40,000 educators and support staff in recent years. And now, due to state budget triggers that were designed to go off if state revenues fell substantially below the estimates used in the state spending plan for 2011-12, they're seeing further midyear cuts of $100 million each to UC, CSU, and the community college system, and up to $248 million in home-to- school transportation. Those new cuts will endanger our young, poor and neediest stu- dents if they can no longer ride a bus to school and have to walk through unsafe conditions to get to class. Our need to bring communities together to properly fund public education is more urgent 4 California Educator / December 2011 • January 2012 EDITORIAL ASSISTANT WEB ASSISTANT WEB ASSISTANT PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT SECRETARY-TREASURER Dave Earl Carpenter Sherry Posnick-Goodwin Karyn Ferrera Donhoff Tiffany Hasker Craig Hamilton Tami Beseda Gladdie Cabral CTA ELECTED OFFICERS Dean E. Vogel Eric C. Heins Mikki Cichocki BOARD OF DIRECTORS José Alcalá, Larry Allen, E. Toby Boyd, Donald L. Bridge, Tyrone V. Cabell, Elana Davidson, Don Dawson, Dana Dillon, David Goldberg, Jim Groth, Terri Jackson, Marty G. Meeden, George Melendez, Theresa Montaño, Mary Rose Ortega, Cynthia Peña, Bonnie Shatun, CTA President Dean E. Vogel than ever. Changes must be made to the tax structure in California. Putting a funding initiative on the ballot to promote a more equitable tax system and getting it passed by voters will add billions of dollars in new revenue to a state that has been forced to slash public education and other essential services. With support from local commu- nities, we can build a very large, inclusive community to mount a campaign that reso- nates with a broad constituency. A community of public education sup- porters can wield considerable influence over all forms of policy decisions at the state and local levels. Energized commu- nity members will come together to support local schools when they feel connected to, and validated by, the work going on in our schools. They will stand with us, and we will stand with them. We, as educators, can play an important role in making that happen by reaching out to the community and building the interpersonal relationships necessary to do effective work. The latest state budget cuts show more than ever why the state needs new sources of stable revenue and more corporations paying their fair share of taxes if we're going to provide students with the kind of future they all deserve. The students we serve are depending on us to build the cohesiveness necessary to garner widespread support for this funding initiative. It can be done. It must be done. And we can all be part of the team to help do it. Michael Stone, Kendall Vaught, KC Walsh, Curtis Washington EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ASSOCIATE EXEC. DIRECTOR COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Carolyn Doggett Rebecca Zoglman Jonathan Goldman CONTRIBUTORS Scott Buschman, Len Feldman, Bill Guy, Stephen R. Harris III, Sandra Jackson, Dina Martin, Sheri Miyamoto, Mike Myslinski, Frank Wells EDITORIAL INFORMATION California Educator is published for the information and edification of CTA members. The editorial philosophy is governed by the policies of CTA. Articles and advertising reflect that philosophy. Letters to the editor may be sent to editor@cta.org. Publication of advertising in the California Educator does not indicate CTA approval of the product or of the companies that purchase advertising. For advertising rates and information, contact WebSolutions Media 5666 Spruce Harbor Court, Las Vegas, NV 89122 (800) 585-9322 websol@earthlink.net, websolutionsmedia.com CTA/NEA membership dues for the fiscal year, Sept. 1–Aug. 31, are $825, including a $20 voluntary contribution. Up to $18.45 of CTA annual dues is designated for CTA/ABC political activities to support state and local candidates and/or initiatives and is not deductible for income tax purposes. 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