We're in this together

Ah, the holidays. Whether you celebrate Kwanzaa, Hanukkah or Christmas, there is something bright and hopeful about the holiday season.

In trying to apply this hopefulness to public education, I recently met with Governor Schwarzenegger to talk about the future of our public schools and to let him know what's important to students and teachers. It was a good conversation, and we again assured him that teachers are ready to work with him to keep his promise to put children first and protect funding for our public schools.

The conversation also made me think about what we really want in 2004. Do we dare dream of a public education system that offers:

• Schools with safe, clean and modern classrooms?
• Respect for the teaching profession, including competitive salaries and paid health care?
• Enough materials and textbooks for every student?
• Curriculum based on learning rather than standardized test scores?
• Preschool and health care for all kids so they come to school ready to learn?

I believe we can achieve these goals if we look for long-term solutions. We must have passion in our hearts and remember that we are all in this together.

And while I believe Gov. Schwarzenegger shares our passion, the initial proposal outlined by his finance director, Donna Arduin, to limit state spending is a short-term fix that fails to address these long-term goals.

Arduin's spending cap plan would dramatically impact education funding and undermine the minimum-funding guarantee of Proposition 98 that was approved by California voters. CTA led the fight for Proposition 98 in 1988 to ensure that public schools received a fair share of the state budget.

The initial spending cap proposal would limit all future funding for education and eliminate the Prop. 98 provision that requires school funding cuts to be restored when state revenues improve. The Legislative Analyst estimates this proposal would cut school funding by about $2 billion a year. That's the same as cutting more than $330 per student or $10,000 per classroom, or eliminating one out of every six teachers across the state - every year.

Not only does this take us in the wrong direction when California continues to rank well below the national average in per-pupil funding, but it also locks us into that pitiable funding level for years to come.

CTA supports a state budget plan that restores the financial integrity of the state and provides adequate funding for public schools. We shouldn't have to choose one or the other.

As teachers, we know what our schools need and we know what our students deserve. And in 2004, we will have the opportunity to make some long-term solutions.

We must pass Proposition 55, the $12 billion statewide school bond, to reduce overcrowding and provide safe, clean classrooms for all students.

We must pass Proposition 56, the Budget Accountability Act, to bring some much-needed reform to the state budget process and to make sure the state budget gets passed on time.

And we must continue to fight to bring more resources into our classrooms, rather than wasting money on bureaucracy.

We will have wealthy opponents and many fearmongers telling us that this isn't the right time to invest in education or that our students, teachers and schools don't deserve more. But they're wrong.

Our students have waited too long. We've waited too long. It's time to turn our dreams into reality.