Contact: Sandra Jackson, 916-801-4776 or Becky Zoglman at 916-296-5271
LOS ANGELES – David A. Sanchez, a Santa Maria elementary school teacher in Santa Barbara County and current vice president, today was unanimously voted president-elect of the 340,000-member California Teachers Association. Dean E. Vogel, a counselor in Vacaville, Solano County, and current secretary-treasurer, was chosen vice president-elect.
Sanchez and Vogel were elected by CTA’s 800-member State Council of Education, the union’s top governing body of democratically elected representatives from across the state. Their two-year terms start on June 26.
“David, Dean and I have worked side by side for the last four years to fight for our teachers, students and schools,” said CTA President Barbara E. Kerr, who remains president until her term expires in June. “We fought back the governor’s attacks on school funding, teachers’ rights and our voice in politics. They are passionate advocates for public education who will continue CTA’s commitment to securing a quality education for all kids.”
“Continuing to improve the conditions of teaching and learning in our public schools so that we can provide all students the best education possible will remain our top priority,” Sanchez said. “We will continue to help our schools of greatest need close the student achievement gap and we will work to secure the adequate and equitable funding that all schools, students and educators deserve.”
Sanchez, of Santa Maria, will be the first Latino president of CTA. He comes from a family of teachers and has 26 years in the profession. In recognition of his strong leadership skills, La Opinion newspaper last summer named him one of 80 Latino “Leaders of the Future” in California. He is an elementary teacher in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District.
Vogel lives in Davis, Yolo County, and has 34 years of public school service. Since 1990, he has worked as an elementary school counselor in the Vacaville Unified School District in Solano County. He was named “Advocate of the Year” by the California Association of School Counselors in the spring of 2006.
The election for CTA secretary-treasurer will take place at the next State Council meeting in March.