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Barbara E. Kerr
CTA President
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What a year! When I was elected, I knew that being CTA president would be an honor and a privilege I would never forget. I also knew that it would be challenging. These past 12 months have certainly lived up to all those expectations.
It has been a very busy year for CTA, for our local chapters and for our members.
We've dealt with two statewide elections, including the unprecedented recall of a sitting governor, which dramatically changed California politics and how business gets done in Sacramento.
A second year of devastating state budget deficits threatened additional cuts to local schools, brought layoff notices to teachers, nurses, counselors and librarians, and has made for tougher bargaining in our local chapters.
Despite these challenges, we also had a number of triumphs this year, because at CTA we don't ever give up. In fact, our existence as an organization is about struggle and fighting for what is right. We fight for our members, for public education, and most importantly for those who often don't have a voice - our students.
This year, with voter approval of Proposition 55, CTA has now led successful efforts to pass three statewide school bonds totaling $34.6 billion. That's $34.6 billion to repair run-down classrooms and build new facilities at local schools and colleges throughout California.
CTA worked with Governor Schwarzenegger on an education budget agreement that increases funding for our public schools and community colleges by more than $2 billion, provides full cost-of-living and enrollment growth increases next year, and protects the integrity of Proposition 98 so that any money below the minimum-funding guarantee will be paid back in future years.
We successfully reopened the debate on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and forced President Bush to make a number of changes to his worthless law. We must now keep him on the defensive and make sure he hears the message in the November election.
Yes, at CTA we are not afraid to fight for what is right. We are not afraid to fight because we are supported by the power and the strength of 1,000 local chapters and 335,000 members.
As I read the feature articles in this issue and think about the strength of our local chapters and state organization, I am reminded of two young teachers from the San Bernardino Teachers Association who won WHO (We Honor Ours) Awards this year.
As second-year teachers, Kristin Bowling and Jennifer Pullen were still on probationary status, but decided they were tired of seeing good veteran teachers leave their school. They organized, worked with their local chapter and got rid of a vindictive principal who had been causing problems and destroying morale in that elementary school for more than 10 years. They were not afraid to stand up for what was right.
So as we close one school year and get ready for the next, I am comforted in the knowledge that our strength lies in you. There will undoubtedly be new challenges, but I know that with members, local chapters, and the state organization all working together, we will continue to fight for what's right for our public schools and our students.
