FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Los Angeles — Over 10,000 members of the National Education Association will turn the spotlight on California's education funding and special election crisis Tuesday, July 5, when delegates to the NEA 143rd annual meeting rally against Governor Schwarzenegger's broken promises to schools, his attacks on school employees, and against the wasteful $80 million special election he has called for November.
"Our colleagues across the nation support our efforts to protect our schools," said CTA President Barbara E. Kerr. "Not only do they oppose what our Governor is doing, but they realize what's happening here has implications for the teachers and students in their own states. After all, the Governor isn't getting millions of dollars in out-of-state donations simply because big corporations back east are concerned about California."
NEA delegates are opposed to the Governor's initiative that would gut Proposition 98, the voter-approved minimum school funding guarantee, and which would grant Schwarzenegger unprecedented power to enact midyear school cuts. They also reject his initiative that would strip basic due process rights for beginning teachers, making it harder to keep and attract quality teachers in every classroom; and an initiative that would try to silence the voices of teachers and all public employees in the political process.
NEA President Reg Weaver will lead Tuesday's rally, which will highlight school funding issues across the nation, culminating with a focus on California and the devastating effects of the Governor's broken promises on the state's schools. The rally will be followed by a news conference and a march by about 300 delegates to the governor's office in downtown Los Angeles. The group will deliver resolutions against the Governor from the 50 NEA state delegations.
What : NEA Convention protest against Governor's anti-education agenda, news conference, and march to governor's office.
When : Tuesday, July 5 at 11:30 a.m., march to governor's office immediately following.
Where : Rally and news conference at Los Angeles Convention Center South Hall, march to governor's office at 300 S. Spring Street.