BURLINGAME - Huge cuts in education funding would destroy the academic progress of California students and cause an "education recession" that could hurt our public schools and our state for years to come, warns Wayne Johnson, president of the 330,000-member California Teachers Association.
"Recent investments in public education have been paying off," Johnson said. "Student achievement has increased and test scores are up. Any reductions must be made away from the classroom or we will destroy that momentum. We can't afford to force our schools into an education recession."
Johnson said state legislators convening in a special session Monday to deal with the budget deficit of at least $21 billion over the next 18 months should remember that:
- More than $3.1 billion was cut from our public schools to help the state balance the budget between last year and this year. Any additional immediate cuts must be made away from the classroom.
- California needs a long-term plan to address the immediate and future needs of our students and schools. Resolving the budget crisis by increasing class sizes or laying off teachers is reckless.
"This is a long-term problem that needs a long-term solution," said Johnson. "Any additional budget cuts will make it harder to attract qualified teachers at a time when we already face a teacher shortage and overcrowded classrooms."