Pam Brady, President, California State PTA - Letter

State Budget Alert - Stand Up For Children

09/04/08

Don't Let the Governor and Legislators Pass the Buck Again...
Stand Up for Children Now!

Beginning this Friday, September 5, we urge all PTAs throughout the state to organize and participate in Statewide Stand Up for Children Days, to help fight against any deeper state budget cuts to our schools and children's services.

We urge you to re-energize all of your members by taking this action:

STAND UP FOR CHILDREN - LITERALLY

Beginning on Sept. 5 or any day the following week, plan a specific time when you will encourage as many people as possible to stand on the sidewalk in front of your schools. (Drop-off time in the mornings or pick-up time in the afternoons are good possibilities.)

Create a visible human chain so people can see we are united in our fight to prevent further budget cuts. (Remember to stand on public property, not on school grounds.) Make homemade signs or download a sign from our website at www.capta.org. If you can't make it to a school site, organize a Stand Up for Children Day in front of another building, at a park, or wherever else people will see you and ask what you're fighting for. Or download a sign and place it on your front lawn.

Hand out flyers to your parents and others in the community asking them to join you in contacting your elected officials. (You should not give flyers to students or send them home with students.) Don't forget to alert your local media as well!

Our message to the governor and legislators:

·  Stand Up for Children!

·  Prevent Deeper Cuts to Schools and Children's Services!

·  Support a budget that raises the additional revenues needed to provide our students with the education they deserve.

·  Don't Pass the Buck Another Year

Every elected official in every community needs to hear from us! We must pass a budget that does not compromise our most important obligation-to support the education and welfare of all children.

It will take all of us working together to prevent deeper cuts to schools.

Background:
As you probably know, the legislature still has not passed a state budget. A while back a legislative conference committee made a proposal that took a balanced approach to solving the state budget deficit by increasing revenue and preventing deeper cuts. Unfortunately, that proposal has not yet been approved - and all of the latest proposals floating around Sacramento stray from this balanced approach. The governor and legislators are once again seriously considering short-term fixes, additional borrowing and/or deeper cuts as ways to balance the budget.

We oppose these short-term approaches. PTA has been fighting since January to help protect funding for education and children. We need a real solution with permanent new revenues that provide our children with the education and services they need to be successful.
The PTA is also providing a flyer that you can download from our website and give to parents at your school and others in your community.

We also encourage you to email the handout to everyone on your email list.

Standup For Children Flyer

Pam Brady, President, California State PTA - Letter