Welcome back !

posted Jul 17, 2011, 4:15 PM by Yuba City Teachers Association   [ updated Apr 22, 2013, 6:24 PM ]
Welcome Back from spring break.  I hope you enjoyed a bit of rejuvenation and are ready for the last stretch in May before the much longer break.   I know the energy that it takes to do our work every day and the rest is well deserved. 

Not only does May bring spring flowers but also the May Revise to the Governor’s budget which we do not expect to be rosy but instead a gloomy picture of the future.  Public education has already been cut by $20 BILLION dollars in the last three years.  We now face another $4 BILLION in cuts.  In YCUSD that could result in more than $800 cut per ADA or almost $10 MILLION in a budget of about $90 million.  That is a more 10% cut and we cannot expect ANY bailout from the Federal government this time.

CTA has declared a State Of Emergency.  The week of May 9th  is our immediate response to a long-term problem of stable and adequate funding for public education in the State of California. 

We are seeking to raise awareness in our community.  The polls showed that the voters favored an extension of the taxes when the alternative was further cuts to education.  But the voters will not have that opportunity at the polls in June and thus our state faces a devastating cuts-only budget that may result in more lost school days or August lay-offs or ….

We need you to ACT TOGETHER AS A UNIT IN CONCERT WITH OUR COMMUNITY.  
      

    Tuesday - May 10

  • Rally at Assembly Member Nielsen’s YC Office from 3:45 PM – 4:30 PM.  While his staff meets with a small representative group.
    •   
  • If you wish to attend the rally at the Assembly Member’s Office and then go the Parent/Community Forum, join YCTA for some dinner between the two events
    •  
  • Parent/Community Forum 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM.  Come to share the message and take action together.

    Wednesday – Day of the Teacher  May 11

  • Organize an event to celebrate our profession at your site and submit the plan to YCTA for funding.

  • FRSCC Awards Dinner to celebrate education

    Friday the 13th - Rally to stand together united against a SCARY future.

  • Ride the bus with YCTA to the State Capitol for the Rally
THIS WEEK as we return from the break we need you to talk to parents to invite them to the Parent/Community Forum on May 10 from 5:30 PM - 6:30 PM.  The YCUSD School Board has given their support to this event and will be in attendance that evening.  Please deliver the invitation to parents. You may include this invitation in any notice you send home with students this week.  You may include it any email you send to parents.  Please encourage them to join us and hopefully you on this evening as we act as a community to protect our students.  You may even invite them to ride the bus with us on Friday.  Together we can advocate for our students and the future.  PLEASE do not SIT THIS ONE OUT. We have an opportunity to reach out and form a partnership with our community.

Please help us tell the story form the classroom.  What has been the impact been the impact of budget cuts?  Write your story and share it.

Sunday is May Day – May 1, known as International Workers’ Day in many cultures, is a celebration to commemorate the fight for the eight- hour work day. May Day is also an international signal for emergency distress or call for help. Both those references are applicable here.  Both are CALLS to ACTION. I am asking YOU what YOU will do for our students and the future of public education in California.

We believe informed teachers, parents, board members, administrators, other school employees and community members can deliver the message to our elected officials that the cuts must be balanced with revenue to save the day for our students as well as their tomorrows and our future as a state.

It is my firmest conviction that together we can make a difference.  I urge you to act together.

Thank you, Dina

Comments