Schools

East Bay Educators Begin 'State of Emergency' Week

Teachers, students, parents and advocates will protest $20 billion in cuts to public education over the past three years.

This week, California teachers have declared a “State of Emergency” for public education, with protests and rallies planned across the state demanding lawmakers pass tax extensions and prevent further budget cuts.

 East Bay school districts will show their support with local demonstrations throughout the week, culminating in a rally at the Civic Center in San Francisco on Friday, May 13 at 5 p.m.

“I’ve been in education all of my adult life, so over 40 years, and I’ve seen many crises” said Sheila Jordan, superintendent of the Alameda County Office of Education. “I’ve never seen the kind of assault on public education that we are witnessing right now.”

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East Bay schools have experienced teacher lay-offs and budget cuts across the board in the past few years. Additionally, the general purpose funding each school district receives per student has been gradually declining.

 School districts in Alameda County lost an average of $259.39 per student in general state funding between 2005-06 and 2009-10. During the same period, Contra Costa County school districts saw an average cut of $167.39 per student in general state funding.

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This is the first year the California Teachers Association has arranged the “State of Emergency” week, prompted by $20 billion in cuts to public education over the past three years. If the tax extensions fail, it could mean a further $4 billion slashed from public education, according to a proposal by the state Legislative Analyst’s Office.

 “The scenario is so bad that we can’t really say what will happen,” said Jordan. “There won’t be enough chairs, there won’t be enough teachers, the layoffs would be so significant that it would make a farce of public education.”

The Legislative Analyst’s Office says that balancing the state budget would require a suspension of Proposition 98, which guarantees minimum funding for schools and allows adjustment for inflation and increases in student population. The result would be a cutback of more than $700 per student.

School districts in the East Bay are unsure how to prepare for such a blow. After years of successive trimming, a further $700 per student seems impossible, according to Jordan. 

The Alameda County Office of Education has asked districts to prepare for a cut of $349 per student based on the governor's January budget. The Contra Costa County Office of Education has advised preparing for cuts of $650 per student.

 “To try and make additional cuts is just not going to happen,” said Jordan. “You’d need to have a structural change.”

In such a scenario, many districts would consider cutting the school year, said Jordan. 

Around 300 activists from the California Teachers Association will “sit in” at  the Capitol Building this week, hoping to get the attention of legislators to “free the occupants” by passing the tax extensions, according to the CTA website.

“Schools have taken a disproportionate amount of the cuts that the governor and legislature have enacted to date,” said Michael Hulsizer of the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association (CCSESA).  “Since 2009, schools have taken about 60 percent of the cuts that have actually been realized. Public education is 30 percent of state general fund spending.”

 Schools across California have lost an average of at least 10 percent of their teachers since 2008-09, according to Hulsizer.

“We don’t have anywhere near the number of teachers to serve our students that we had three years ago,” said Hulsizer.

California teachers remain among the highest paid in the country, but according to Hulsizer, educators can expect to see salary and benefits reductions as budget negotiations continue. 

State of Emergency Week of Action Plan (from the California Teachers Association):

MONDAY, MAY 9

Focus on LEGISLATIVE activities. Calls, visits, emails, target lawmakers in critical areas, voter registration tables on college campuses. 

TUESDAY, MAY 10

Reach out to EVERY PARENT. Phone calls, fliers, letters home, walking neighborhoods, leafleting, mall grade-ins, videos. 

WEDNESDAY, MAY 11

Use Day of the Teacher to APPRECIATE educators and ALLIES. Partner with PTA to thank educators, field trips to fire stations, campus honor tents to recognize faculty and staff, and other rally activities. 

THURSDAY, MAY 12

Promote the need for REVENUE for schools and other essential public services. Educate members and community about TAX FAIRNESS, “Refrain from Shopping” day, day without higher education dollars, campus lunch-ins.

FRIDAY, MAY 13

It’s NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL. Declare a STATE OF EMERGENCY. 300 volunteers needed for a sit-in in the State Capitol (beginning Monday, May 9) and regional rallies calling on legislators to “free the occupants by passing the tax extensions and protecting public education and other essential public services.” Regional rallies are being planned for Sacramento, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Fresno or Bakersfield, Inland Empire, San Diego.

Correction: This article orginally stated that the Alameda County Office of Education and Contra Costa County Office of Education had asked districts to prepare budgets based on the possibility of tax extensions. Both offices in fact used the governor's January budget to make recommendations.


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