Simi educators express anger over broken promise

By Frank Wells

Carrying signs that said "Rich State, Poor Schools" and "Make Children a Priority," more than 100 Ventura area educators gathered at the county office of education in Camarillo Jan. 18 to protest education budget cuts proposed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The protest, organized by Simi Educators Association President Arleigh Kidd with the cooperation of Ventura County Superintendent of Schools Charles Weis, demonstrated anger and frustration with the ongoing sacrifices California schoolchildren have been forced to endure as the state wrestles with budget problems. The event was supported by teachers, classified employees, administrators, and parents.

"Teachers and the rest of the education community are extremely frustrated," said Kidd. "Here we have recent studies criticizing California for ranking near the bottom nationwide in school funding and class size, and the governor proposes a budget that only makes things worse."

Teachers and students in Simi have endured $10 million in cuts over the last two years. Their supply budgets have been gutted by 80 percent, after-school programs have been cut back, the district has lost nurses, and special education teachers have lost work periods designed for testing students.

The problems in Simi mirror those faced by many other Ventura County districts, some of which face additional budget problems exacerbated by declining student enrollments.

The protest was a grassroots effort and not part of any organized statewide plan. "I started getting calls and e-mails the day after the governor made his State of the State address," said Kidd. "When our members saw that the governor intended to break his promise to protect school funding, they felt like they had to do something. We're hoping events like this raise awareness of just how badly students and schools continue to be treated by Sacramento."