Cross-post from the labor forum-massive teacher lay-offs

[davidinalameda]

it's estimated that 20,000 teachers will be laid off this year because of budget cuts

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR ASSEMBLY MEMBER AND STATE SENATOR TO TELL THEM THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE!!!!!


http://www.auburnjournal.com/detail/79466.html

The number of teachers in California who have been issued notices of potential layoffs has hit 20,000, the state’s education chief said Friday.

School districts are required by law to notify teachers and other certificated staff members that they could be laid off by March 15. The recent layoffs – including dozens in Placer County districts – have been spurred by $4.8 billion in cuts to education contained in Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s January proposed state budget.

In a statement, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell blamed the layoff notices on a “priorities problem” and decried the governor’s proposed budget for putting student performance “in grave jeopardy.”

“The governor’s budget fails to invest in our future,” O’Connell said in the statement. “We should be encouraging the best and brightest to join the teaching ranks. We know that effective teachers are the number one element in student success. Sadly, the flood of pink slips being handed out only discourages people from entering the teacher profession.”

[Peace Patriot]

1. Once we had a BIG surplus in California. Gee, what happened to that?

Democratic regimes manage to provide full public services and save money. Pukes cut public services and run deficits, while their global corporate predator pals steal everything in sight. But since Pukes control the corporate news monopolies, that is never explained or made evident, thus some people keep voting for Pukes, against their own interest, and, when they don't do it in sufficient numbers, the Puke voting machines do it for them.

Time for American Revolution II.

THROW DIEBOLD, ES&S AND ALL PUKE VOTING MACHINES INTO LONG BEACH, SAN FRANCISCO AND BOSTON HARBORS NOW!

[roody]

2. I wonder how many administrators and

consultants lost their jobs.

[yorkiemommie1]

3. Seven admins in my school district

in SoCal.

[proud patriot]

4. My district is 14 million in the hole

x(

[yurbud]

5. LINK: URGENT: contact state legislators and tell them to STOP education cuts and listening to GOP

on budget and tax issues.

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

[yurbud]

6. MY LETTER: STOP education cuts & STOP listening to Republican budget & tax priorities

I urge you to do whatever it takes to stop the pending deep cuts in education.

It is also imperative that rather than trying to be bipartisan, you acknowledge the truth: that decades of GOP budget & tax priorities have created this crisis, including the requirement to have a super-majority to pass a budget and raise taxes, which allows them to hold the legislature hostage even in the extreme minority.

Fixing this problem correctly would mean some wealthy individuals and corporations would pay closer to their fair share of taxes.

Fixing it the GOP way will mean teachers are fired, K-12 classes get bigger, and UC, CSU, and CC class sections will be cut, so it will take students longer to take all the classes they need, and they will have to work that much longer as burger flippers.

Sometimes, being "bipartisan" is harmful to the public good and dishonest.

It is time to give your Republican colleagues some tough love.

[yurbud]

7. EMAIL ARNOLD too: my letter & LINK to contact the Govinator

http://gov.ca.gov/interact

NO BUDGET CUTS

Arnold,

You have been admirably bipartisan in your second term as governor, and have no doubt noticed that the political tide is turning against conservative extremist ideas--including in budget and tax priorities.

I urge you to do whatever it takes to prevent cuts to education that will mean firing teachers, larger classes for K-12 students, and fewer classes for college students to choose from which means it will take longer for them to graduate.

Rather than correct this problem with a flat tax as many conservative think tanks are advocating, you should increase taxes on wealthy individuals and those large corporations that are unlikely to flee the state as a result of tax increases (like retail and extraction industries). Walmart can only sell to Californians in California, and the oil rigs off the coast of Santa Barbara aren't going to move to Ohio.

As a wealthy person yourself, you know that paying a few more percentage points in taxes will not force you to sell a house or a Hummer, pull one of your kids out of private school, or even cancel one vacation. It just means that your children or even your children's children won't be able to coast on the fruits of your labor quite as long.

You're a tough guy, you can take it. Call on those who have used the publicly financed schools, roads, police, and water to become successful to suck it up, be tough, and pay their fair share instead of being crybabies and girlie men.

[roody]

8. My district has cancelled elementary band

and fourth grade recorders. It is not on the test.