Local teachers will pick up the placards Wednesday, when the
Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers holds
“Lobby Day” with teachers across the state, to let Gov.
Schwarzeneggar know how they feel about education funding in
California.
Local teachers will pick up the placards Wednesday, when the Morgan Hill Federation of Teachers holds “Lobby Day” with teachers across the state, to let Gov. Schwarzeneggar know how they feel about education funding in California.
The rally, which will be held after school hours at Britton Middle School, is expected to draw a large percentage of the Morgan Hill School District’s 400 teachers, with staffs at some district schools planning to attend as a group.
“We are excited to show our strength and support our fellow union members during this Rally Day,” said Margaret Rodrigues, who teaches fifth grade at Los Paseos Elementary. “A lot of teachers are traveling to Sacramento on Wednesday and for those of us who couldn’t go to Sacramento, this is a way we can show our support in our efforts to show our support for teachers.”
MHFT President Donna Foster said the union supports efforts to ensure Morgan Hill students, and all California students, receive a quality education.
“I think that our message is that we are working people, and our interest is about our students and that we, just like others do not want to see our pension privatized,” she said.
“We want to see Proposition 98 fully funded. The voters made that decision several years ago, and we support that decision by voters. We want to make it clear that while California ranks 44th in the nation in education funding, we are the fifth largest economy in the world.”
Foster said she hopes the public will attend the rally, not only to listen to the speakers but also to see and hear the support of public education by Morgan Hill teachers.
“I hope, whether people attend the rally or just drive by on Monterey and see those teachers out there, that they recognize we are not the ‘monster to be fed,’ as the governor refers to us and other public employees, but the men and women who care for and work hard for your children. We deserve to be respected.”
Some members of MHELA and SEIU, the administrators’ and classified workers’ unions, will show their support by attending.
Teachers across the state have joined together in expressing their belief that Schwarzeneggar has broken a promise he made to educators when he took office: In order to turn some of the state budget’s red ink to black, he “borrowed” $2 billion of $4 billion in funding set aside for education under Proposition 98.
This year’s budget does not include the $2 billion.
The MHFT rally will be held from 4-6pm at Britton Middle School, 80 W. Central Ave.
Details: 779-2316.
