Campaign Update

CTA Campaign Update

I’m delighted that Tom Collett, a California Teacher of the Year for 2012, is a spokesperson for classroom teachers in the new Yes on Prop. 30 ads that were launched Wednesday. Five ads will be aired on television stations statewide, featuring our members along with Gov. Jerry Brown, Controller John Chiang, a school principal and a superintendent. 

The son of educators, Collett grew up in California and experienced a great public school education. As a science teacher for 20 years, Tom knows how great California schools can be. Earlier in his career, he was able to create a science center at Newark Memorial High School, complete with telescopes and a planetarium. Over the past few years, however, this district –  like those across the state –  has felt the impact of budget cuts. Electives like band, choir and art have been eliminated, and class sizes have grown. That’s why Tom didn’t hesitate when he was asked to give up a Sunday to film the ad. He’s seen what cuts have done to schools in Newark and says, “We cannot cut any deeper. We just can’t continue to do this. In order to prepare our students for jobs in the 21st century, California must reinvest in education, and that begins with passing Proposition 30.”

Meanwhile, the League of Women Voters has made a No on 32 ad  and warns that the measure gives more power to Wall Street, big oil and secret campaign Super PACs, while middle-class families pay the price. 

Don’t forget, you can also record your own Prop 30 video and Prop 32 video testimony (we’re calling them videomonies) with your smartphone and post it to our Facebook page.

Here’s what you can do this week:
Please download this Prop. 30 and Prop 32 flier and share it with voters in your community.  It’s available in 11 languages (be sure to scroll halfway down the page).

Don't Miss
Did you know that approximately 80 percent of teachers vote in every election? We like to encourage our extraordinarily busy members to Vote by Mail to avoid the hassle of getting to the polls on a day when they may be working to Get Out the Vote themselves. You can apply for a Vote-by-Mail application with the Secretary of State’s office up until Oct. 30.

Things to Know
Op-Eds and newspaper editorials continue to come out in favor of Prop. 30 and against Prop. 32. Among them is this excellent L.A. Times editorial supporting Prop. 30, followed by one the next day against Prop. 32.




They ran out of phones last night when Alameda teachers and firefighters joined forces at the local phone bank. Great job!!!!

Dean E. Vogel
CTA President