Monday, May 23, 2005

 

California's Tumor

Below is an excerpt from an update I just read from a fellow teacher:

On a District level, the May Governors revision confirms that the Governor is following through with his plan to mandate that school districts now must pick up the State's share of contributions to your retirement (STRS). According to the District's business office, this will cost our District around 1.1 Million(!) out of it's budget next year (money that should really go for schools) and every year after. It could also later fall upon the employees to have this contribution or a portion of it taken out of their paycheck. As the Governor is saying that he is increasing funds for schools, he is also passing along new costs. For comparison sake, that 1.1 million in in new costs for this district is comparable to about a 3% salary increase for teachers.

On a statewide level, the governor and his allies are sponsoring a three state fundraising blitz this week in Florida, Texas, and Illinois. Wealthy donors in Tampa, Orlando, Miami, Chicago, and Dallas will be putting their money into the California Political Debate. If you wish to attend, it'll cost you $10,000 to $50,000 a plate. Just last week a wealthy Idaho individual made a single contribution of One Million Dollars for the Schwarzenegger sponsored initiatives. These powerful out of state interests are making a very large contribution to the anti-teacher war chest that the Governor and his allies are amassing. It appears that this may only be the beginning in a long drawn out struggle.

Additionally, this week the Governor has changed strategy and is now saying that there was never any deal to borrow two billion from the education budget and pay it back. All along he has acknowledged that there was an agreement (in writing), but now he is changing his story. And now he and his aides are calling everyone a "liar" who says that there is a agreement, including the State Supt. of Education, head of PTA, head of CTA., etc.

This is our chance to prevail and show that the task of educating our youth is not a special interest to be derided.


Meanwhile, there isn't enough money to supply my classroom with adequate maps (I'm nearing the end of my sixth year in this district)>

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