To help California recruit minority teachers, CTA is asking radio stations across the state to donate air time for public service announcements (PSAs) featuring musician Carlos Santana, author Alice Walker, singer Rita Coolidge and other celebrities.
The project is a partnership between CTA, the PTA and CalTeach, the teacher recruitment project of the California State University system.
The spots, which urge ethnic minorities to become teachers, address the need to do something about the shortage of ethnic minority teachers in California. About two-thirds of the state's public school students are ethnic minorities, compared to only a third of its teachers.
"It's a way to give something back to your community by helping children explore their potential as individuals," Santana says in his radio spot. "If you love music, art, books, science or whatever, there's a place for you in the classroom. You can be a mentor for children who want to look up to you and learn from you."
Santana received nine Grammy awards for his album "Supernatural" and has sold more than 45 million albums worldwide.
In her spot, African American author Alice Walker urges listeners to "teach our children, change the world, be a part of something big."
"As a public school teacher you can have a position of respect in your community, long-term job satisfaction, and you can make our world a better place to live," says Walker, a vocal civil rights organizer who won a Pulitzer Prize for her book The Color Purple.
Also featured in spots are:
Rita Coolidge, a folksinger of Cherokee and Anglo parentage who achieved fame for her hit singles, "Higher and Higher," "We're All Alone" and "The Way You Do The Things You Do."
Lindsay Price, a Korean-American actress who's a regular on the soap opera "The Bold and the Beautiful" and also appeared on "All My Children" and "Beverly Hills 90210."
Lisa Ling, a globe-trotting Chinese American television journalist and co-host of the ABC daytime talk show "The View."
After urging listeners to call CalTeach toll-free at 1-888-Cal-Teach, the spots give credit to the radio stations for airing the message and working together with CTA and the PTA "to change the world, one child at a time."
The initial response from radio stations has been encouraging. The first 10 stations that have agreed to air the spots free of charge are KCEL-FM, 106.9, in Kern County; KMXN-AM, 1510, in Ontario (signal covering five counties); KIQS-AM, 1560, in Glenn County; KLIV-AM (1590), KARA-FM (105.7) and KRTY-FM (95.3) in Santa Clara County (can be heard all over the Bay Area); KOHL-FM, 89.3, in Alameda County (covers the southern part of the San Francisco Bay area); and KDHI-FM (92.1), KKJT-FM (96.3) and KQYN-AM (1250) in San Bernardino County.
The spots, which urge ethnic minorities to become teachers, address the need to do something about the shortage of ethnic minority teachers in California. About two-thirds of the state's public school students are ethnic minorities, compared to only a third of its teachers.
