School Chief, Teachers Press Lawmakers On Taxes
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- State schools Superintendent Tom Torlakson joined dozens of teachers, nurses and firefighters at a state Capitol rally Wednesday, the latest in a weeklong series of actions designed to pressure California lawmakers into raising taxes to avoid deep spending cuts to education.
Schools have experienced a cumulative $18 billion in budget cuts the past three years, lowering California's per-pupil spending below most other states, according to Torlakson's office.
He said more budget cuts would lead to larger class sizes, more dropouts, possibly a shorter school year, and a less-educated work force, which he said would hurt California's economy.
The statewide week of demonstrations was organized by the California Teachers Association, the state's largest teachers union.
On Wednesday, it arranged 400 empty chairs in front of the state Capitol, each representing 100 teachers and other school employees who have lost their jobs to budget cuts over the past three years.
"What if there were an empty chair instead of that teacher being there for you when you needed that teacher?" Torlakson said during the rally. "Those chairs just don't represent 100 teachers. They represent 100 dynamic forces in a child's life."
The state Department of Education said the 40,000 figure represented by the chairs includes 30,000 certified teachers and 10,000 teacher aides, clerks and other support staff.
Torlakson was joined by two of California's five teachers-of-the-year for 2011, who urged lawmakers to call a special election so voters could decide whether to renew a series of tax increases that are about to expire. Republican lawmakers so far have refused to support the extension of the recent tax increases, with some saying too much education money goes toward administration rather than the classroom.
On Monday night, several dozen protesters were arrested after they refused to leave the Capitol.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
