Contact: Laura Ott, (949) 580-3282 or Frank Wells (562) 942-7979
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Orange - Frustrated by the ongoing partisan bickering in Sacramento, the Orange County education community will picket the offices of Assembly Members Lynn Daucher, Tom Harman and Todd Spitzer on Tuesday, June 17th from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Parents, teachers, administrators, classified school personnel and elected school board members from all over Orange County will demonstrate as part of an effort to encourage timely passage of the state budget.
The coalition is targeting Daucher, Harman and Spitzer because they have been supportive of education issues in the past. "We're urging Assembly Members Harmon, Spitzer and Daucher to continue their support of our public schools and to support this plan," said Lloyd Porter who teaches in Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District and is a California Teachers Association Board Member. "Failing to adopt a state budget on time puts all of our students and schools at risk."
As the budget process drags on with no final agreement in sight, concern in the education community continues to grow. "While these legislators play politics over a fraction of a penny sales tax, our children's education is being stripped away," said Rachel Schreiman a parent with two children attending Castille Elementary in Mission Viejo.
"We've all had to make extraordinarily difficult and unpopular decisions in cutting millions of dollars over the past two years to balance our school district budgets," added Suzie Swartz, Saddleback Valley Unified School District Board President. "Now we're all faced with heading into the next school year in limbo regarding projected revenue; this is no way to provide a quality education for our children."
- What: Demonstration urging local legislators to adopt the state budget on time to spare schools further cuts and disruption.
- When: Tuesday, June 17th 4:00-6:00 p.m.
- Where: Office of Assemblyman Tom Harman -- Beach Blvd. @ Warner in Huntington Beach, Office of Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher -- Birch @ South Brea in Brea and Office of Assemblyman Todd Spitzer -- Tustin @ Meats in Orange.
The Good News Coalition, composed of teachers, parents, classified employees, administrators, and school board members, raises community and legislative awareness of the successes and needs of Orange County public schools and the students they serve.