Your help is urgently needed to defeat three CTA-opposed bills that attack teachers directly. The bills will hurt students, as well. The three measures are set in the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday, May 11. It’s vital that all members of the committee are contacted and urged to vote against these measures.
All three bills avoid the real issue facing schools: more than $18 billion in cuts have undermined public education and harmed students. It is vital that the cuts are stopped and schools receive the vital resources they need. Reducing teacher protections in the guise of “cutting costs” will make things even worse. The situation is already so desperate that CTA has declared a State of Emergency. More than 300 CTA members are heading to the Capitol to urge lawmakers to extend the temporary taxes that will help fund our schools. An all-cuts budget would cost schools another $4.1 billion.
Background:
· SB 266, by Sen. Bob Dutton (R-31), proposes paying pink-slipped teachers at the lower substitute rate even when they fill positions for over 20 days. Currently, these teachers receive their standard pay rate when working in a long-term substitute capacity. The change will discourage laid-off teachers from remaining in the profession, and it will cost our students a generation of skilled and dedicated teachers.
· SB 355, by Sen. Bob Huff (R-39), proposes to virtually eliminate seniority as a consideration when layoffs are required and institute a test-driven system the author calls “performance-based” layoffs. It would allow administrators to practice favoritism under the guise of “keeping the best.” It would gut one of the most important protections that helps ensure academic freedom and allows students to learn from experienced teachers.
· SB 871, by Sen. Sharon Runner (R-17), prohibits compensation increases in a school district if the school year is shortened. The bill is a full-on attack on collective bargaining and local control.
· These proposals would move California in the opposite direction of proven reforms that are helping our students and schools. They would make it more difficult for districts to attract and retain quality teachers.
Key Points:
· The real problem in our schools is not seniority protections or teacher pay. It’s the chronic underfunding that has provoked a fiscal crisis and is threatening our students’ education.
· These bills would foster discrimination and favoritism. They would undermine districts’ ability to find and keep quality educators.
· Research overwhelmingly shows that teacher quality improves over time and that students benefit.
Here’s what you can do to help!
Call all members of the Senate Education Committee at their district and Capitol offices. Ask them to vote NO on SB 266, SB 355, and SB 871 that attempt to eliminate teacher due process, cut teacher pay, and eliminate local control.
After you have made your two calls, close the loop by e-mailing lfeldman@cta.org to let us know: 1) Who did you meet or reach by phone or e-mail?
2) What was the response? Will the lawmaker commit to voting against the bill?
For more information, contact Legislative Advocate Seth Bramble or GR Communications Consultant Len Feldman at 916.325.1500.
Member | District | Party | Room | Phone | Fax | District Phone | District Fax |
| 13 | D | 5080 | | |
| |
| 15 | R | 4070 | | | | |
| 9 | D | 2082 | | | | |
| 29 | R | 5097 | | | | |
| 21 | D | 5061 | | | | |
| 27 | D | 2032 | | |
| |
| 26 | D | 2057 | | | | |
| 17 | R | 2048 | | | |
|
| 11 | D | 2080 | | | |
|
| 40 | D | 3092 | | | |
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Starting tomorrow, and all next week, I will be working with the California Teachers Association at the Capitol building in Sacramento bringing letting legislators know about the horrific cuts to education that an “all cuts” budget will bring, and asking them to pass, as a legislative majority, a budget that includes extending (not raising) certain taxes that are set to expire.
