L.A. educators unite for statewide “Day of Action” on March 4 to stop devastating education cuts

March 1, 2010 – On Thursday, March 4, Los Angeles area teachers will join educators statewide for a “Day of Action” with a variety of actions throughout the state to demand an end to cuts to schools and other essential social services.

Educators will encourage parents and community members to join them in a variety of actions throughout the city to call attention to the damage students and families are suffering because of soaring class sizes and dramatic cuts to school funding.  The local and statewide actions will demonstrate frustration with the $18 billion in cuts over two years, that the governor and state legislature have made to the budget for public education, resulting in school year cutbacks, elimination of summer sessions, job losses, larger class sizes, the denial of admission to college and painful fee increases for thousands of college students. 

“On March 4, the California education community is standing up to voice its opposition to devastating cuts to education and vital community services” said Joshua Pechthalt, UTLA’s AFT Vice President and President of UTLA/AFT Local 1021.  “The dream of a high quality public education for all is being shredded with each year’s’ budget, and it’s clear the people of California are no longer willing to allow their children’s future to be subject to these devastating cuts.”

The actions on March 4 will be unique, as they represent the first time that students, faculty and workers from all segments of public education will demonstrate together. Local area actions are being sponsored by the newly created Southern California Public Education Coalition, representing K-12 educators and the faculties and staffs of community colleges, Cal States and the University of California system. This newly created coalition represents the first time the broad educational community of Southern California has formed an alliance to fight for public education.

Members of the Southern California Public Education Coalition include the Alhambra Teachers Association (ATA), Community College Association, Community College Faculty and Staff Guilds, California Faculty Association (CFA), California Federation of Teachers (CFT), California Teachers Association (CTA), Inglewood Teachers Association (ITA), Teachers Association of Long Beach (TALB), United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), Academic Professionals of
California (APC) and California State University Employees Association (CSUEU).

The following actions will take place in the Southern California area on Thursday, March 4:

MORNING  (before school)

Press Conference
Farmdale Elementary School
2660 Ruth Swiggett Avenue, Los Angeles, 90032  (northeast Los Angeles)
7:40 a.m.
Kick-off for events of the day

Speakers to include:
Julie Washington – UTLA Elementary Vice President
David Sanchez – President, California Teachers Association
Marty Hittelman – President, American Federation of Teachers
Dr. John Travis -  former President, California Faculty Association
Cal State Los Angeles student -
Parent -

L.A. area teachers will distribute flyers to parents at over 700 LAUSD schools, before school, on March 4.

AFTERNOON

Four Rally Locations

1. Downtown Los Angeles location
4:00pm (Gather at 5th and Hill by Pershing Square)
4:30pm-6pm (March and rally at Reagan State Building -300 South Spring Street)

2. UCLA location
4:30pm-5:30pm (Rally at Bruin Plaza)

3. San Fernando Valley location - CSUN
3:45pm (Gather in the quad)
4:15pm (March around CSUN)
5:00pm-5:30pm (Unity action and rally at CSUN quad)

4. Long Beach rally location
4:15pm (Gather and rally at Wilson High School gymnasium-4400 East 10th Street, Long Beach)

Contact Marla Eby, Director of Communications at 213-368-6247 for additional details.