California teachers protest budget cuts

A number of small children, accompanied by their parents, held up handmade signs that read S.O.S. (Save Our Schools) and Leave No Teacher Behind! The response from passing cars and trucks was overwhelmingly positive as many honked their horns in support of the teachers who wore pink, indicating that they were being given pink slips.

The cuts in the Saddleback Valley represent a 7.4 percent reduction in the school districts total budget and would eliminate 228 tenured and temporary teachers. In addition, class sizes in grades 1 through 3 would be increased to a ratio of 30 students for every teacher; half of the day the ratio would still be 20:1 when a second teacher is brought in during reading and math instruction.

California may be facing the biggest public education crisis in its history. The steep cuts in the states school districts are the direct result of Governor Arnold Schwarzeneggers attempts to balance the state budget at the expense of working people. At least $4.8 billion is to be cut from the states education budget, and more than 20,000 teachers, principals and school supervisors have received layoff notices since March 15. It is estimated that another 87,000 teachers will face job termination, out of a total of 350,000, if the governors budget request is passed.

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