Thursday, June 25, 2009

So What's The CTA Doing For You?

On page 36 of the June issue we see a list of seven "CTA-sponsored and co-sponsored legislation for 2009-10". One would think, since these are the ones being posted, that these would be pretty important to CTA. My fellow California teachers, do any of these contribute to your pay, benefits, and/or working conditions?



SECOND-GRADE TESTING
Would eliminate second-grade tests in the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program effective July 1, 2010.
Bill #SB 800 Status: Senate Education

UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE
Would establish a single-payer health insurance system in California. (Co-sponsored bill)
Bill #SB 810 Status: Senate Appropriations

IMMIGRATION INVESTIGATIONS
Would propose school procedures to make immigrant children know it is safe to come to school when there are immigration raids in the community. Would prohibit schools from collecting data on students’ citizenship status.
Bill #AB 132 Status: Passed Assembly; to Senate Education

CONSEQUENCES OF DROPPING OUT
Would encourage schools to provide at-risk students with a “consequences of dropping out” notice developed by the CDE. (Co-sponsored bill)
Bill #AB 374 Status: Assembly Appropriations

COMMUNITY COLLEGE FUNDING
Would provide for a permanent backfill of shortfalls in property taxes to California Community Colleges.
Bill #AB 551 Status: Assembly Appropriations

50% LAW COMPLIANCE
Would require the California Community Colleges chancellor’s office to conduct annual random audits to ensure district compliance with existing law that requires 50 percent of education dollars to be spent on instructors’ salaries.
Bill #AB 581 Status: Assembly Appropriations

75/25 FACULTY RATIO COMPLIANCE
Would ensure full compliance with law that mandates 75 percent of instruction be performed by full-time faculty in California Community Colleges within three years of passage.
Bill #AB 1095 Status: Assembly Appropriations
As I read them, only the last two apply directly to the people who pay CTA each month, and even then they relate only to community college faculty and not K-12. Great job of "representing" me, CTA.

This is why I'm an agency fee payer. It seems CTA focuses on everything except Darren's pay, benefits, and working conditions.

3 comments:

mmazenko said...

With you on this one, Darren. Collective bargaining yes - all the other crap, not their business.

By the way, I'm heading in to LA for the Fourth of July, and I am discovering the extent of taxes and fees in the Golden State - 14% on hotel plus additional parking fees. Yikes!

I'm inclined to lean more your way on the "cut-the-spending-no-more-taxes" line. However, I still think Prop 8 was a huge problem, and they should apply the 2/3 requirement to everything - not just new taxes.

Jason said...

I am shocked that Comrade Commisar Sanchez left out these two standout bills:

SB 1322 (sponsored by CTA & CFT & ACLU) - Allowing coommunists to openly teach in public schools and communist organizations to use public facilities (vetoed by Gov Schwarzeneggar)

SB 1105 (opposed by CTA) Teachers convicted of sexual misdemeanors can have their credentials revoked. The CTA's argument: "While we understand that the disparate impact of this legislation was unintended we are concerned about further exacerbating the discriminatory treatment of gay teachers." What the?! If any teacher, male/female/straight/gay, does anything sexual to any of my children, his or her credential will be the least of his or worries.

Darren said...

Mazenko, you're a little late to the party, but we're glad to see you!