SCTA ORGANIZING COMMITTEE WEEKLY UPDATE

WEEK OF March 5, 2012

Action is the foundational key to all success.  
~Pablo Picasso  

The District is facing a potential of a $43 million budget deficit in 2012-2013.  However, if we all take action, we can reduce the potential harm that this will cause to us and our students.  Let’s look at the budget, as it has two distinct parts and requires different types of action by all of us.

 The “first interim” budget just passed by the District is in response to a $28 million “structural” deficit.  The proposed budget includes: cutting all high school counselors, increasing class sizes to the maximum contractual limit, eliminating music teachers and librarians, ending all funding for sports and extracurricular activities, and essentially wiping out adult education. The District will also issue nearly 400 pink slips by March 15th in response to this “balanced” budget. SCTA, with the support of its members, will continue fighting against wasteful spending on outside consultants and advocating for school closures/consolidations.  We will insist that the school board act to address its own $28 million spending problem and return these essential services and teaching positions.

The other budgetary issue facing the District is a potential $15 million reduction of state funding related to Average Daily Attendance (ADA). This is a funding cut that will happen if the Governor’s Tax Initiative is not passed in November.  This means the District must submit a budget that includes an additional $15 million in cuts that would go into effect with a “trigger clause.” In other words, if the Initiative isn’t passed, we will see additional cuts of $15 million dollars.  Therefore, we all must work together to get the Governor’s Tax Initiative passed. This will require a long term effort by all of us to get our members, families, friends, and neighbors to vote.  We are not alone in this effort, as CTA and other organizations are teaming up.

In the coming months we will be asking all members to join with colleagues and supporters at rallies, at the school board, and at PTSA and community meetings.   We will come together to phone voters, walk neighborhoods, write letters to the editor, etc. in order to raise the profile of the education funding crisis and keep the pressure on the school board. 

 

Get involved like the 250 participants of the February rally at the Serna Center .  We thank them for demonstrating leadership in taking the first step.   The Serna rally was a success, but it is only a preview of what’s to come.

 

Please keep informed by checking SCTA’s website, Facebook, Twitter, and regular email updates.  Please talk to everyone about this.  Most of all, please act, because action is the key to our success.