FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONCORD - As state legislators this week decide whether to cut billions of dollars in public education funding, alarmed East Bay teachers will speak out at a news conference tonight about the impacts of those cuts on students, classrooms and communities.
"The budget cuts proposed by Governor Davis will wreak havoc at neighborhood schools," said Terri Jackson, a teacher in the 34,000-student West Contra Costa Unified School District. "Class sizes will likely increase and resources for students in our schools of greatest need will be slashed. When cuts hurt students and teachers, they hurt communities. It's time to speak out."
Jackson will gather tonight with more than 100 teachers from 36 East Bay school districts. Speakers will also include teachers from San Ramon Unified, Mt. Diablo Unified, Pittsburg Unified, New Haven Unified and Oakland Unified.
Gov. Davis is proposing $6.7 billion in statewide K-14 public education cuts over the next 18 months - including immediate cuts of $2.7 billion. Teachers speaking tonight all work in chapters affiliated with the 330,000-member California Teachers Association, which is fighting to protect four areas from any state budget cuts: Base revenue limit dollars, which are the core of education funding for all schools and community colleges; funding for the state's effective Class Size Reduction Program; resources for the state's schools of greatest need, which educate our neediest children; and funding for Special Education.
WHAT: East Bay teachers to urge legislators to avoid drastic education cuts.
WHEN: 6 p.m. tonight (Thursday, Jan. 23).
WHERE: The Sheraton Concord Hotel, 45 John Glenn Drive, Concord.
VISUALS: Teachers speaking out against slashing education resources.