Second Series of Radio Advertisements Asking New School Board to Take Back Control of the Schools Begin
Radio Spots Feature Parents and Teachers
San Diego Education Association
10393 San Diego Mission Road, #100
San Diego, CA 92108
Website: www.sdea.net
Contact: SDEA President Terry Pesta 619-203-7186, Robin Whitlow 619-252-2229
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 6, 2004
SAN DIEGO – A second series of radio advertisements calling on the San Diego School Board to take back control of the public schools began today on 11 San Diego radio stations. The 60-second advertisements feature the voices of parents and teachers sharing their concerns about Superintendent Alan Bersin’s misuse of district resources and the failure of his “Blueprint” to improve education in San Diego schools.
In the advertisement, one teacher said “He (Superintendent Bersin) is spending millions of dollars on outside consultants rather than putting the money in the areas that it needs to be which is meeting students’ needs.” She also said, “The superintendent has eliminated art, music, drawing - and many of these students are the students that need the arts.” The advertisement also features a parent, who said, “I have an eighth grader and I feel that since the Blueprint for education has been put in, he’s suffered.”
In announcing the new series of radio advertisements San Diego Education Association president Terry Pesta said, “These radio spots are echoing what we have heard for the last few years. Parents and teachers are very concerned that Superintendent Bersin’s Blueprint is not working for our students. The new school board has an opportunity to take back control of public education in San Diego and do what is best for the students.”
As part of the large community organizing effort the new school board will be receiving petitions signed by tens of thousands of San Diego parents, community members and educators, asking the board members to take back control of the schools. The petitions will be presented to the board at its December 14th meeting.
SDEA president Pesta will be available for interviews via phone at the SDEA offices (619-283-4411) or in person at the Eugene Brucker Education Center, before and after the ceremony swearing in the new school board members.
San Diego Education Association is affiliated with the 335,000-member California Teachers Association and 2.7 million-member National Education Association.