GIVE US A BREAK, GOVERNOR – THE FACTS DON’T LIE! OUR STUDENTS ARE PAYING THE PRICE IN OVERCROWDED CLASSROOMS WHILE YOU CONTINUE TO DENY FUNDING TO OUR SCHOOLS
Today, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s spokesperson continued to make claims that have no basis in fact, denying that California’s schools are being subjected to billions in cuts. He made these claims in response to a popular viral video featuring actress Megan Fox in an over-crowded classroom suffering from the state’s devastating education budget cuts. The video is part of a campaign by the Wonderland Avenue Elementary School PTA in Los Angeles to oppose the statewide budget cuts to schools.
When asked about the Wonderland PTA’s video, Schwarzenegger spokesperson Aaron McLear belittled the messengers, claiming: "David Silver’s numbers are wrong," referring to the character played on TV by one of the spokespeople in the video.
McLear made similar claims when Education Coalition advocates delivered a pink slip to the Governor’s office on March 15, the same day that 25,000 California teachers received pink slips. On that day, McLear claimed that California’s schools were not being subjected to anycuts, and accused education experts of “fuzzy math.”
The Governor’s claims are so out of sync with the reality facing California’s schools, that no parent with a child in public school, no teacher in our classrooms (or the 25,000 that have been pink-slipped), no administrator, custodian, food service worker, school bus driver, or school board member, or any California resident who has watched or read the local news in the past year, could possibly believe him.
When asked about the Wonderland PTA’s video, Schwarzenegger spokesperson Aaron McLear belittled the messengers, claiming: "David Silver’s numbers are wrong," referring to the character played on TV by one of the spokespeople in the video.
McLear made similar claims when Education Coalition advocates delivered a pink slip to the Governor’s office on March 15, the same day that 25,000 California teachers received pink slips. On that day, McLear claimed that California’s schools were not being subjected to anycuts, and accused education experts of “fuzzy math.”
The Governor’s claims are so out of sync with the reality facing California’s schools, that no parent with a child in public school, no teacher in our classrooms (or the 25,000 that have been pink-slipped), no administrator, custodian, food service worker, school bus driver, or school board member, or any California resident who has watched or read the local news in the past year, could possibly believe him.
Sadly, in addition to the $17 billion in cuts already made to California’s schools over the past two years, and the $2.5 billion in additional cuts proposed this year, the Governor wants to renege on the July budget agreement he signed into law and its commitment to restore more than $11.2 billion to our students and schools, as required by the voter-approved minimum school funding guarantee, Proposition 98.
California’s schools are already at the very bottom of all 50 states in staff-to-student ratios, and nearly last in the nation in per-pupil spending. School libraries have been virtually wiped out, while arts, music, sports, advanced placement and other essential programs have been eliminated from the curriculum. In addition, more than 25,000 teachers have received pink slips, along with nearly 10,000 school employees and 1,000 administrators.
California’s public schools have been subjected to 60 percent of the cuts, even though education funding only makes up 40 percent of the state budget.
In case the Governor needs a refresher course on how much he has cut education, below please find a detailed chart of the $17 billion in cuts to our students:
California’s schools are already at the very bottom of all 50 states in staff-to-student ratios, and nearly last in the nation in per-pupil spending. School libraries have been virtually wiped out, while arts, music, sports, advanced placement and other essential programs have been eliminated from the curriculum. In addition, more than 25,000 teachers have received pink slips, along with nearly 10,000 school employees and 1,000 administrators.
California’s public schools have been subjected to 60 percent of the cuts, even though education funding only makes up 40 percent of the state budget.
In case the Governor needs a refresher course on how much he has cut education, below please find a detailed chart of the $17 billion in cuts to our students: