Contact: Sandra Jackson at 916-325-1550
CTA President David A. Sanchez released the following statement: “At a time when our public schools and students are facing a proposed $4.8 billion in state budget cuts—the largest in the history of California—today members of the Assembly Republican Caucus introduced a series of proposals that would further drain money from our public schools and hurt our students.
“Instead of helping our public schools and students, Assembly members Roger Niello, John Benoit, Rick Keene and Alan Nakanishi offered repackaged voucher schemes that have already been overwhelmingly rejected by voters twice. They would take much needed funds from public schools and give them to wealthy Californians who currently have their kids enrolled in private schools.
“California already ranks 46th in per-pupil funding. We’re $1,900 below the national average. And the governor’s proposed budget cuts mean we could lose up to 107,000 teachers, or 137,000 education support professionals, or class sizes could increase by as much as 35 percent, or music, art and vocational education programs could be eliminated.
“We need legislation that will protect our schools, students and the future of California, not do them more harm.”