Oakland Unified Board, Administration and Labor Unions to Host
“March 4th Statewide Day of Action for Public Education” Press Conference
OUSD joins students, educators, teachers, staff and education advocates from across California
in protesting school funding that ranks 47th in the U.S. and is $2,400 per student less than the national average
Oakland – February 26, 2010 – On Thursday, March 4, the Oakland Unified School District will support the “Statewide Day of Action for Public Education” with a series of events culminating in a 4:00 PM press conference at the Elihu M. Harris State Office Building (1515 Clay St. Oakland, CA). Oakland Board of Education Directors will lead OUSD Superintendent Tony Smith and the following labor unions in denouncing the crippling cuts to public education:
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 257 Morris Tatum
- American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 771 President Ana Turetsky
- Oakland Education Association (OEA) President Betty Olson-Jones
- Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1021 President Mynette Theard
- United Administrators of Oakland Schools (UAOS) Executive Director JoAnna Lougin
OUSD’s Board, administration and bargaining units are acting in solidarity with hundreds of other local, state and national organizations to ensure that public education is prioritized, not marginalized, and that schools receive adequate funding. The joint statements at 4:00 PM will cap a day of activities highlighting the injustice of school funding cuts and the danger they pose to California’s future. Activities include:
- 7:30 AM to First Bell: Peaceable leafleting and picketing will occur on school campuses prior to the beginning of class.
This is an opportunity to engage the community and:
- Inform them of the scope of education funding cuts
- Explain the impact of funding cuts on children
- Discuss structural issues (e.g., 2/3 budget passage requirement)
- Advocate for pressure on elected officials to support education
- 9:15 AM: Simultaneous Fire Drill at All Schools
- OUSD and its labor unions are joining districts throughout California in holding a fire drill – at all schools – at 9:15 AM on March 4th. The simultaneous fire drill is meant to symbolize the “state of emergency” afflicting public education.
- All-Day: “Teach-In”
- OUSD and OEA have jointly created curriculum that secondary English and History/Social Studies teachers can use to bring discussions of budgeting, educating funding, equity and political action into the classroom. The lesson plans can be downloaded from the OUSD website at: http://www.ousd.
k12.ca.us/ March4lessonplan s.
- 4:00 PM: Press Conference at Elihu M. Harris State Office Building (1515 Clay St.)
- OUSD’s Board, administration and unions will hold a press conference in front of the State Building to protest the deepest school funding cuts on record – reductions that leave California 47th out of 50 states in per-pupil funding for K-12 education.
OUSD and its partners are taking action to protest the education cuts enacted by the Governor and the California legislature – reductions which are unprecedented in scope. Despite schools which rank at the bottom of all states in staff-to-student ratios and nearly last in per-pupil spending, California reduced funding for education by $18 billion in 2008-09 and the first half of 2009-10. As a result, California’s schools face an average net funding cut of $470 per pupil, roughly $11,750 for every classroom. In addition to slashing budgets, the state also delayed the release of funds, restricting the ability of districts to plan and to manage cash-flows.
OUSD alone has trimmed $40 million dollars over the past 18 months, but still must make $85 million in reductions for the 2010-11 school year. In addition, the District is in the midst of cutting $100 million over three years. These deep budget cuts threaten to stifle the progress of districts such as OUSD, California’s most improved urban school district over the past five years.
While it’s true California is in the midst of an economic crisis, children are bearing a disproportionate amount of the burden for the state’s financial problem. Education funding accounts for 40 percent of the state budget, but schools have suffered 60 percent of the cuts. As a result, more than 20,000 teachers and administrators and more than 10,000 support positions have been eliminated statewide, along with countless programs like arts, music, sports, afterschool, summer school, vocational, adult education and Advanced Placement classes.
“The most vulnerable students are taking the biggest hit,” explained OUSD Superintendent Tony Smith. “Schools are where we’re creating community today and preparing for the future. Not funding children has disastrous short-term and long-term effects on the state of California.”
Event Details
Title: OUSD’s March 4th Day of Action for Public Education Press Conference
Date: Thursday, March 4, 2010
Time: 4:00 PM
Venue: Elihu M. Harris State Office Building - 1515 Clay St. Oakland, CA