Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/9051
LEFT: CTA members at a March 4 rally in Laguna Hills pounded the drum for education. RIGHT: CTA Board member Jim Groth speaks to San Diego’s FOX 5 reporter Matt Johnson at a rally in La Mesa. ucation budget cuts enacted in this state,” said Cichocki. Fontana Teachers Association members stood up for students at before-school rallies throughout the district, and prior to a meet- ing of the Fontana Unified school board meeting, FTA members hosted their second annual “Poor Man’s Dinner” of hot dogs and chips, wearing black to lament state education budget cuts. In Palm Springs, educators, classified school employees, par- ents and community members CENTRAL VALLEY Whether they were rallying at the state Capitol in Sacra- mento, marching in San Joaquin County, or hold- in g h an d s a r ound schools in Georgetown, thousands of teachers, higher education faculty, par- ents, school employees, administrators and students turned out on March 4 throughout the Central Valley to stand up for schools. Local chapters, large and small, heed- ed the call to “Start the Day for Schools” by holding activities before school, while other chapters joined together to stage marches and rallies after the school day. “We think it’s important to join with educators, administrators, parents and people throughout the state who are standing up for schools in California,” said Linda Tuttle, president of the Sac- ramento City Teachers Association, which held activities at 14 different school sites. “We cannot continue to starve our schools and expect our stu- dents to thrive. Class sizes are soaring while important programs like adult ed- ucation, counselors and other important programs are being cut. Our students deserve better than this.” The associa- tion is backing a parcel tax for the November election participated in before-school protest rallies and passed out fliers to draw attention to education budget cuts. “Our students are paying the price,” said Palm Springs Teach- ers Association President Bev Bricker. “Quality public schools build strong com- munities. We have joined together to say our children deserve better. Investing in public education is the best investment we can make in their future.” BILL GUY that will support small schools and smaller class sizes. CTA Secretary-Treasurer Gail Men- des hopped from a student-led mock fu- neral for education at Monterey Trail High School in Elk Grove to a massive rally at the Capitol sponsored by the California Faculty Association, and from there to a candlelight vigil at San Joaquin Delta College. The vigil fol- lowed a march by 500 people through Stockton that was sponsored by a host of organizations that included local CTA chapters and the California School Em- ployees Association. “We say ‘No!’ to more cuts,” Mendes told the crowd. “We have to restore the resources that have already been taken away, and we have to make sure Califor- nia students and our state have the fu- ture they deserve.” She continued, “We have to make LEFT: CTA Secretary- Treasurer Gail Mendes stands up for public education at an event in Sacramento. 14 California Educator | MARCH 2010 Sacramento keep its promises to our schools. And we also have to stop letting politicians give corporations sweetheart tax breaks while our schools suffer! It’s not fair and it’s not right. In this eco- nomic climate everyone must pay their fair share.” CTA photo by Dina Martin CTA photo by Bill Guy CTA photo by Bill Guy