In his opening remarks at the January meeting of CTA's State Council of Education, CTA President Wayne Johnson made one thing very clear: California must put more money into funding public education.

 

Getting into the spirit of Read Across America at State Council are CTA Board member David Lebow...

 

Johnson is leading CTA on a campaign to persuade the governor and the people of California that the state must increase its education funding if it truly wants to provide quality education.

 

"What the governor is proposing will not even start to close the gap between California spending and the national average. It is at best a status quo budget. The governor said the national average spending next year will be $7,560. He is proposing spending $6,313 per student next year, $1,247 below the national average."

 

...CTA President Wayne Johnson...

 

Johnson observed that the budget debate will continue until May and that CTA will have a major voice in that debate. "Our major point will be that California owes its children school funding at least at the national average. All 300,000 of us need to be involved in the debate."

 

Johnson also criticized the governor's suggestion that young people go into teaching as a selfless act of patriotism for a limited time period.

 

"The future of our democracy, the future of our economy, the future of our society depends on good, free public schools. Good schools depend on a fully qualified, well-paid core of dedicated professional teachers. CTA will not stand by and watch this snake oil be sold to California. You can't expect Nordstrom quality at Kmart prices."

 

...CTA Secretary-Treasurer David A. Sanchez and Council member Rick Dryer...

Despite a teacher shortage, lack of funding and a rising poverty level among students, Johnson said that California is among the best public school systems in the world. Statistics reveal California graduates 86 percent of its seniors and that 65 percent of those are going onto college.

 

"We are the ones who must lead this fight to maintain and improve the institution of free public schools: the institution that built the economy that is the envy of the world; the institution that is the cornerstone of American democracy... We must not, we cannot shrink from that responsibility."

 

As part of its continuing commitment to the political process, State Council voted to provide up to $1.3 million to gather signatures for CTA's Reinvesting in Our Schools initiative. Petitions are being circulated for the proposition that will require the state Legislature to bring California up to the national average in per-pupil spending. California is currently 40th in the nation, or about $1,000 below the national average.

 

...CTA Vice President Barbara E. Kerr, CTA Board member and campaign co-chair Sandra J. Thornton...

 

State Council also voted to commit up to $750,000 for Proposition 26, the Let' s Fix Our Schools initiative, and took positions on several ballot initiatives, among them support for Prop. 1A, Indian Self-Reliance; opposition to Prop. 28, the Repeal of Tobacco Surtax; and support for Props. 30-31, insurance company accountability.

 

Internally, State Council elected four California representatives to the NEA Board of Directors: Diana Garchow, District 8; Larry Allen, District 2; John W. Johnston, District 9; and Carol Robb, District 11. The seat for District 7 will be voted on at the March meeting.

 

...and Council member Jane Kazumi Sakamoto with the Cat in the Hat (Marc Murai of Woodenship).

 

If the State Council wasn't already aware of the necessity to pass Prop. 26, the Let' s Fix Our Schools initiative on the March 7 state ballot, CTA Executive Director Carolyn Doggett re-emphasized it in her address.

 

She led Council members in a pledge to talk about Prop. 26 in every conversation they had up until the election. [Editor's note: This issue of the magazine goes to press before the election.] Urging them to make the half million telephone calls to which CTA has committed itself, Doggett said it is vital to counter the false claims of the Jarvis Taxpayers Association that Prop. 26 would double property taxes.

 

Doggett's remarks were not confined to politics. After several years of meeting in Los Angeles, State Council's return to Burlingame on Jan. 29-30 was highlighted by a tour of the new headquarters building.

 

"Your new building is more than an office building. It is a testament to the dedication of the teachers of California - and the members of the California Teachers Association and its staff. It is a monument to the belief we all have that education is the bedrock of our state and our nation," she said.

 

Council members were among the first in the state to view "Journey to Respect," a new video that chronicles the history of CTA.

 

The 27-minute video takes viewers from the founding of the organization by State Superintendent of Schools John Swett through CTA's struggles in achieving collective bargaining and becoming a political power within the state.

 

Through interviews with current and former CTA officers, teacher leaders and staff, combined with actual footage of various actions and strikes, "Journey to Respect" provides a stirring account of the effort to professionalize teachers in California. The video will be used in new member orientations, meetings and organizing efforts.

 

State Council spent even more time considering CTA history when Sarah Carter, CTA president from 1960 to 1961, appeared before the enthusiastic crowd. Carter was invited to attend State Council after meeting President Wayne Johnson during one of his recent visits to Eureka. At age 94, Carter moved the Council with her words of encouragement. Carter was accompanied by her friend and former student, Fran Taplin, a retired CTA member from Eureka.

 

Dale Martin