Parents, Unions Bristle at Budget Cuts
Following $21 billion in cuts to K-12 education over the last three years, the state’s largest teachers’ union is saying enough is enough. “We oppose further cuts,” said Mike Myslinski, a spokesman for the California Teachers Association, which represents 325,000 members statewide. Gov.-elect Jerry Brown has warned of deep cuts to the state’s public schools to help offset California's $28 billion budget deficit through June 2012. He is scheduled to present a budget proposal on Jan. 10. "I can't promise there won't be more cuts, because there will be," Brown told educators and union representatives during a special budget meeting earlier this month. Already, parents are decrying shorter school years, the increasing scarcity of art and music classes and larger class
