BURLINGAME – David A. Sanchez, president of the 340,000-member California Teachers Association, issued this statement on the new budget agreement to resolve the state’s $26.3 billion budget deficit:
“The compromise budget agreement limits further damages to our students and schools. It protects the state’s minimum school funding law and restores much needed funds to education once the economy improves. California educators are calling on both houses of the Legislature and the governor to quickly approve the budget plan, which will repay our schools billions of dollars they are owed by law.
“Suffering the largest budget cuts since the Great Depression, the casualties of the state’s budget battlefield will be starkly apparent when our students return to their schools this fall to find fewer teachers, fewer course offerings, and fewer resources. School funding was cut more than $12 billion. Class sizes will be painfully larger and many art, music, career technical education and other vital programs are gone. More than 17,000 teachers, nurses, school librarians and counselors lost their jobs. Community colleges and universities will turn away thousands of students.
“Educators call on lawmakers to approve this budget so local school districts can move forward and get ready for the new school year. Quality public schools build stronger communities. Educators stand with all Californians who were hurt by this budget brinkmanship in saying that we must find a better way. We owe it to our students, and we all owe it to the future of our state.”