CTA not only defeated Proposition 38, the Draper voucher initiative, at the polls in November; it also came out a winner in many local races where it backed candidates or causes.
Ninety-three percent - 13 out of 14 - of the local bond measures to which CTA's Political Action Committee contributed won voter approval. In local school board races, 64 percent or 88 out of 137 CTA-recommended candidates were elected to office.
"We're hoping that the election of pro-education school board members will make a difference in the many communities around the state," says CTA President Wayne Johnson. "Since a school board seat is often a springboard for higher office, it's important to have officials who are supportive of education right from the beginning."
In addition to passing Prop. 39, the statewide initiative to make it easier for local districts to approve school bonds, 13 out of 14 local districts successfully passed their own school bonds on Nov. 7 under the old rules - approval by two-thirds of the voters.
Until recently, it was difficult to get a local bond passed anywhere with the two-thirds majority requirement. It took two hard-fought battles this year alone to lower the required vote that is needed to pass a school bond.
"These votes indicate that Californians may be having a change of heart over the need to repair and renovate school facilities," says Johnson. "Only one community failed in its bid to pass a school bond this time around."
Some impressive victories were scored around the state. In San Francisco, voters elected two of the three candidates recommended by the United Educators of San Francisco. Incumbent Jill Wynns and college lecturer Eric Mar were endorsed by UESF. A third candidate who won election, Mark Sanchez, is also a teacher who shares many of UESF's goals.
"We have the makings of the first pro-teacher majority on the school board in history. We're very happy," says UESF President Kent Mitchell.
In San Diego, a well-funded candidate who had received the support of a superintendent at odds with the San Diego Teachers Association was turned down by voters. Even though Julie Dubick spent three-quarters of a million dollars on her race, she was defeated by the SDTA-backed incumbent Frances O'Neill Zimmerman.
In Pittsburg, where teachers have been embroiled in heated negotiations with the district, one of the two candidates backed by the Pittsburg Education Association was elected to the school board.
"We're hopeful that both elected candidates can make some changes on the board. We'll have to see now whether the board will be willing to go back to the bargaining table," says PEA President Marc Sternberger.
In nearby Crockett, where bargaining has also been difficult, the John Swett Education Association was triumphant in three out of three races for local school board seats.
CTA political consultant Sandra Lowe, a former teacher, stepped out of her professional role to take a run for the school board in the Valley of the Moon School District where she lives. Although Lowe was organizing the Region 1 campaign to defeat Prop. 38 at the same time, she handily defeated her opponent and won a seat on the board.
"My election symbolizes how strongly the public feels about supporting teachers - so much so that they elected someone who works for teachers full-time," says Lowe.
