A Call To Action

City College is in big trouble.

On top of the budget cuts all schools face if Prop 30 doesn't pass,

it is struggling with ongoing budget problems, accreditation problems,

and, I would add, a general lack of understanding of how public education is funded, how things work at CCSF (and why), and how and why every branch of public education is crisis.

Last last Thursday night, Oct 25th, at a Board meeting that went past midnight, the Board voted to appoint a Special Trustee with full veto powers, to oversee more cuts and changes.

Many people - Faculty, Students, Community Members - are unhappy about what happened and how.

Here is their response:  A Call To Action.

Will you join them?

You are invited to participate in a public education event to which the press has been invited.

WHAT: City College Takes Back the Truth!

WHEN: Thursday, November 1 at 1 p.m. Assemble at 12:45 and end by 1:30.

WHERE: Steps just below the front entrance to the Science Hall under the engraving in stone:

“The Truth Shall Make You Free”

WHY: The ongoing economic crisis is destroying public education. We must take it back along with the truth.

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Wear black (for mourning) or red (for rebirth).

Bring a book you love and/or the book for your next class.

Participate peacefully, respectfully, and calmly.

You will receive participation instructions at the event.

Click on this link to see the AFT 2121 flyer. Please post and encourage people, especially students, to attend this event.

 http://on.fb.me/TRAKeJ



Where It's Going

The Munger Siblings are spending 54 million dollars on the election.

Yes, that's right.

Fifty

Four

Million

Dollars.

Molly wants yes on 38, no on 30. Her brother Charles, Jr wants no on 38 and 30 and yes on 32.

Fifty Four Million Dollars.

Not on schools.

But maybe on this:

The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

And how did all those actors and actresses and tech people and camera people and writers and editors and printers and publicists learn how to do all that stuff?

In school, of course.

Jack Gerson on the Privatization of Education

As promised, here is the video of Jack Gerson's appearance at the San Mateo Adult School last Tuesday.

His appearance was hosted by the AFT Teachers' Union, Local 4681.

This is very powerful information and definitely worth viewing and reflecting upon.

It's our state.  Our culture.  Our people.  Our future.

What do we want?

Why Have Public Education For Adults?

Merrill Vargo writes the following article (appearing in EdSource, Oct 23, 2012) about Common Core standards.

Common Core standards are used in K-12 (Kindergarten through 12th grade) schools.  The idea is that schools agree on what students need to prepare them for life - future schooling, work, civic and community responsibilities.

I'm posting the article here because the questions and issues she raises apply to Adult Education, as well.

Why have public education for adults?

Keep that question in mind as you read her article.

 Hit the "read more" link to read it.

CCAE Wants To Know

 

CCAE Bay Section Members attend the "Yes" on Prop 30 rally organized by Assemblymember Susan Bonilla on Wednesday, October 10, 2012 in Todos Santos Plaza in downtown Concord, California.

CCAE - The California Council of Adult Education - knows that the future of Adult Education depends on Prop 30 passing.  They have put the call for Adult Schools across the state to get the word out

and they want to know Adult Schools are doing - so they can let the Governor and his staff what the Adult Education community is doing to make sure Prop 30 passes. 

Read more below.

From the CCAE Communicator October 2012:

The Future of California Adult Schools and Proposition 30

The current status of Adult Education in California is precarious at best.  Chris Nelson, CCAE State President, and I have been working closely with our counterparts in California Adult Education Administrators Association and Dawn Koepke, our policy advisor and advocate.  We have weekly conversations to identify crucial issues and a multitude of strategies and efforts have been conducted over the past many months. While inroads have clearly been made with the legislative bodies, it has become abundantly clear that we have huge walls to climb in the Governor’s office.  We are continuing our dialogues and work, but need everyone to understand how critical it is that we be able to deliver a message to the Governor’s office that California adult education supporters worked diligently to ensure that Proposition 30 passes. 

We all understand the direct connection between fiscal challenges faced by K-12 and High School Districts that are also the “homes” for an adult education programs or schools.  We have many challenges ahead of us, but if Proposition 30 does not pass – these efforts may become moot as school districts are forced to make more reductions.  All educators know the potential “hits” will be devastating.

That is why it is critical that we all do everything we can to help the public understand the importance of voting yes for Proposition 30.  Equally as important is that we are able to let the Governor and his staff know that California Adult Education supporters were influential in the success of Proposition 30.

There are many local campaign efforts for Proposition 30.  Please seek those out and participate.  Organize your own local events, specifically hosted by your CCAE Chapters and Sections.  THEN, document, record, photograph, video – show how adult education supporters specifically worked to support Proposition 30 and send that documentation to Chris Nelson and me.  We will compile it all and make sure that the message is delivered to the Governor.

Joanne Durkee, CCAE State Leg Chair

My email address is joadurkee@comcast.net

Thoughts in This Time of "Crisis"

Teacher Bruce Neuberger shares these thoughts:

I went out with some Prop 30 materials Friday after class.  I went to some local stores, Los Primos, a cleaner next to that, some other businesses up around 3rd and B.  I ran out of materials very quickly.  The response was very positive especially when I identified myself from the Adult School.  It occurred to me, we've been looking at this work around the propositions as a "task to be done", "burdened to be carried", etc.  Actually, I now feel like it's a great opportunity, one that we should not pass up.  It's an excuse to walk in the doors of these stores and find out how people feel and give them info that they may not have.  There are so many ways inwhich we are connected to these store people -- one told me his wife and mother have both attended the school, others had workers attending or had attended, others friends, etc.  When I got back to school I talked to Toshio and Cynthia and another idea came up -- mobilize those willing and able among our students to go with us to these areas.  There are a lot of advantages to this.  And it's not just about the propositions, it's also a longer term issue.  

 

I very strongly feel we need to do this.  Remember Chicago.  Their success came largely from developing ties with the community.  The school is a community resource, and the community is our base, and in the final analysis, the strength that we have.

Students and staff planting trees in the school comunity garden.

From myself (Teacher Cynthia):

I agree with Bruce. 


It's about community.

Yes, things are difficult.

Yes, we don't know the ultimate outcome.

Yes, it is easy and even likely that given those two things, we will feel powerlesss, overwhelmed, and discouraged...  all of which make it more likely that the outcome will be bad.

And yet... by considering what is important to us... and then making a choice about what we want... and then choosing to work for it... 

We not only feel powerful, energized and encouraged... we make it more likely that the outcome will be good.

Is there every a sure thing?

More importantly, do we need a sure thing in order to engage in the process?

If we need to know the outcome in advance before we engage in the process, we are emotional three year olds, stamping out feet and loudly announcing, "I won't do this because I want what I want and unless you give it to me without my doing anything or unless I know for sure that my doing something I don't like doing will give me what I want... I won't do it!"

And guess what happens to three year olds when they do that?

Well, it varies, family to family.

But sure as heck, they are not put in charge.  They don't end up driving the car, deciding where the family lives, or what happens tomorrow, next month or next year.

I for one, want some measure of choice about what happens to the school where I work, the community where I live, and the future where I hope to live - with my friends and my family and my neighbors - tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.

And if the price of that is surrendering control...

If the price of that is participating in a process where the outcome is unknown...

where it might not go "my way" -

then I'm willing to pay it.

Because what I really want, in the long run, is a way that is not about "sure things" and "known outcomes" and "guarantees."

"Known" shuts the door on the unknown and its in the unknown that we often we find the answers we're looking for.

How we do create a good, sustainable, way to educate the people of California?

I don't know.

But I want to be part of the process of finding that out.

Won't you join me?

The ancient Chinese symbol for crisis, wei-chi, combines two elements: danger and opportunity. The danger is that if one continues to pursue approaches that are no longer working, then disaster is imminent. The opportunity is to let go of the old patterns and find new ways of being that unleash new, and possibly unforeseen, potentials.

Lehman Brothers - Four Years Later

Fall of 2008.

Remember then?

Obama was the new guy.

Tina Fey was doing a dead-on impression of Sarah Palin on SNL.

And Wall Street was starting to collapse.

In mid-September, 2008, Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy.

What does that have to do with Adult Education and Public Education, in general?

Well, a lot, actually.

There is a connection between Wall Street and Main Street.

And there is a connection between Lehman Brothers and the San Mateo Adult School.

We'll focus on just the latter in this post.


When Lehman Brothers went bankrupt, San Mateo lost $155 million dollars.

Yes, that's one hundred and fifty five million dollars.

And some of that money was for schools.

As Principal of San Mateo High School Yvonne Shiu wrote in November of 2008:

 School districts in California are required to deposit their cash with the county in which that school district resides. The schools in San Mateo County recently lost $155 million due to the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy. SMUHSD’s estimated loss will be approximately $5.8 million; including interest not gained. The loss will be spread across all the District’s funds including the General, Cafeteria, Adult, Building, Capital Facilities, Special Reserve and Trust funds, with the greatest impact on the General and Building funds.

And that, my friends, was the beginning of where we find ourselves now... fighting to justify our shrinking right to a shrinking slice of an ever-shrinking pie. 

But... there is good news.

Today, The San Mateo Daily Journal's headline read:

Legal Victory for County in Lehman Case:  Court Rules Entities Can Pursue Claims in 2008 Financial Collapse.

Click here to read the article in full.

In our crazy, busy world, it's easy to forget what happened yesterday, let alone four years ago. 

But knowing what happened four years or forty four or four hundred and forty four years ago often tells us why something is happening today.

That's one of the benefits of public education.

A good free public education helps everyone understand why we have the choices we have today and empowers them to make the best choices possible for tomorrow.

Presentation on Privatization Wed Oct 17

Reminder:

Wednesday, October 17th, from 3:30 to 5:00 pm, at the San Mateo Adult School, in Room 42, there will be a presentation and discussion on the privatization of education hosted by the Teachers Union AFT Local #4681.

Jack Gerson will speak on the subject and field questions.

Click here to read the full post on the subject.

If you can't make the event, you can catch it on video later.  We will post it here.

You can also watch this video, which includes Jack Gerson and others speaking on the same topic.

What We Agree On

Articles of interest:

"Will The Munger Kids Kill California Schools?"  The American Prospect, Oct 11, 2012.
More on how Molly and Charles, Jr. while engaged in what appears to be sibling rivalry, work in common purpose to ensure the defeat of Prop 30.

Prop 30's Donors Include Big Companies,"  The San Francisco Chronicle, Oct 15, 2012.
A new interesting twist:  Big Business seems to be coming around to the idea that public education is good and important.  One can analyze that many ways but in all ways this development is important.

"Prop 38 Proponent To Stop Airing TV Ad Critical of Prop 30,"  The Los Angeles Times, Oct 16, 2012.  Looks like Munger's own supporters pressured her into removing the attack ad on Prop 30. 

My own take-away on all this:

Millions and millions of Californians - young, old, rich, poor, big business, small business, coastal, inland, north, south - are recognizing that education matters.

How we pay for what we pay for - we do not yet agree on.

But we all agree:  Education matters.

That's a good place to start.

                                                           Where this blog started.

At Risk: Adult Schools in California

EdSource has an excellent article, "At Risk:  Adult Schools in California."

Click and download to read the entire article.

Here's the opening overview:

Adult schools are facing the biggest threat to their existence since the first school was founded in California a century and a half ago.  An EdSource survey in October-November 2011 found that 23 of the state's 30 largest school districts had made major cuts to their adult education programs, including Anaheim Union High School District, which eliminated their 73-year-old program in 2010-11.

This spring, the Los Angeles Unified School District threatened to close its entire adult education program.  But in a tentative agreement with union negotiators reached on June 8, the district agreed to maintain the program, though at a much smaller level.

Adult education programs are an important strand in the state's safety net, offering community-based classes to some of the state's neediest adults ranging from the unemployed, the disabled, and the elderly to ex-offenders re-entering society and immigrants trying to learn English and become citizens.

In California, English as a Second Language (ESL) is by far the largest adult education program.  The second-largest is the GED/high school diploma program, followed by job training classes through career-technical programs.  In recent years, adult schools have served more than 1 million students annually, but there is no accurate count of how much enrollments have declined as a result of the state's budget crisis.

Click on the link above to read the full article.

Priorities: Schools, not Prisons!

NorCal and SoCal understand and agree: 

Our priority should be schools - not prisons.

Sam Davis tells a powerful story and makes many good points, including:

1.  Education can prevent crime by giving people options

2.  Over the past 30 years, prison spending has gone up 30 times

3.  Many adult schools closed.

4..  And tuition (at the CSU system) has tripled.

5..  The state is spending way more on prisons than on education.

6.  Our priorities have reversed.

Two Teachers and a Microphone lay it out straight:  We need preschools - not prisons.

For Adult Ed Supporters: New Listserve

We have a new listserve for everyone who cares about Adult Education.

Yes, I know, we had a list serve.  But it was yahoogroups and it was not a good fit for our needs.  You had to have a yahoo email to join.

This is better.

And what is a listserve, you ask?  A good, bad or better one?

A list serve is a way for many people to communicate, as a group, through email.

If you send an email to the group on the listserve, everyone in the group gets the email.

So it's an easy way to share information quickly with many other people.

In this case, people - teachers, students, administrators, alumni, community members - who care about Adult Education.

Here is more info:

Adult Education Matters is dedicated to improving communication among
California adult schools, all those who support adult schools, and all
supporters of public education in order to fight more effectively against
devastating budget cuts and closures. Adult Education Matters supports all
public education and advocates full funding for public education at all
levels, including K-12, colleges and universities, ROP, and adult schools. We
welcome teachers, students, administrators, school staff, parents, children,
and anyone who wants to make California's schools a paragon of public
education.

The list homepage: https://lists.riseup.net/www/info/adulteducationmatters

General informations about mailing lists:

https://lists.riseup.net/www/help/introduction
If you want to join the listserve, please visit the homepage and follow the instructions to join.

Why Do We Need City College?

Reminder:  City College of San Francisco provides Adult Education classes to the people of San Francisco (and beyond).

Adult Education is provided under the shelter of either High School Districts or Community College Districts.

The San Mateo Adult School is under the shelter of the (very wonderful) San Mateo Union High School District.

Most Adult Education programs are set up this way, including the very, very big Adult Education program in Los Angeles, which was recently cut waaaaay back but thanks to the hard work of thousands of people, not slashed to the bone.

But in San Francisco, Adult Education is provided by the Community College District - and called non-credit.

CCSF (the Mother Ship) is under several guns.

Gun Number One:  Like all forms of public education in California - State Preschools, K-12, Adult Education, Community Colleges, State Universities, and the University of California - it faces big cuts if Proposition 30 doesn't pass.

Gun Number Two:  CCSF faces disaccreditation.

Gun Number Three: Because it provides Adult Education, and because with the relatively new "flexibility" policity, Adult Education is always the "expendable" chair leg, CCSF's non-credit classes (the Adult Education classes) are sitting ducks.

As has been said here before: 

These are difficult times. 

Choices must be made. 

What do we choose?

CCAE Sounds The Alarm

CCAE - The California Council of Adult Education - sent out this alert this morning:

Hello CCAE Bay Section Members:  

 

This is an ACTION ALERT! Prop 30 needs our support & urgent action. Please see the EdBrief update on Prop 30, yellow-highligted in the newsletter below. Join in your local community events now & make sure all know that our professional associations, CCAE & CAEAA, which represent Calfirornia Adult Education public support Prop 30.

 

And here is the EdBrief update on Prop 30:

 

Proposition 30 Still Favored by Slim Majority of Voters, But Support Continues to Erode

October 4, 2012

A majority of California voters support a November ballot initiative that would temporarily increase the state’s income tax on high earners and raise the sales tax to support education – but this support has taken a tumble in the last few months, according to the latest results from the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll.

Backed by Gov. Jerry Brown, Prop. 30 would raise the state income tax on those earning more than $250,000 a year for seven years and increase the sales tax by a quarter of a cent to fund public education and public safety.

In the latest USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll (released on Sept. 28), 54 percent of voters said they support Prop. 30, while 37 percent oppose the measure when read the ballot language. This is a decline in support of nearly 10 percentage points since March 2012, when the poll showed 64 percent of Californians in support of the measure, and 33 percent opposed.

Support for Prop. 30 declined even more when voters were read two brief statements outlining positions for and against the measure. The first statement said, “after years of deficit spending, Governor Brown has cut billions in spending. We have made progress but we still have serious budget problems” and argued we should take a stand against further cuts to education and public safety, make the wealthy pay their fair share and help balance the budget.

The second statement said “Sacramento politicians need to cut wasteful spending before raising our taxes” and mentioned high-speed rail and salary increases in Sacramento. When read these statements, support for the initiative dropped to 48 percent of voters in favor, and 43 percent against the measure.

“Californians are usually very resistant to raising taxes on themselves, but the prospect of big spending cuts to public education has helped Proposition 30 preserve its lead,” said Dan Schnur, Director of the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll and Director of the Unruh Institute of Politics at USC. “But any initiative that that is so close to 50 percent in the polls is vulnerable, and these results show that the opposition message is convincing. The question is whether the opposition has the money to make sure their message is heard.”

But while overall support for Brown’s ballot proposition has declined, the intensity of support for the measure has increased slightly. In March 2012, 37 percent of voters strongly favored Prop. 30, compared to 41 percent who strongly favor it in the latest poll, conducted Sept. 17-23.

“Intensity matters in a ballot issue and who votes, and while the level of support for Prop. 30 has gone down over three polls and there is still a majority, this one looks to be very close,” said Stan Greenberg, CEO of Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, a Democratic polling firm that conducted the poll with Republican polling firm American Viewpoint.

Support for Prop. 30 was starkly split along age, with 75 percent of 18-29 year-old voters supporting the measure, compared to 46 percent of those 50 and over.

Overall, Democratic voters were 69-20 in support of Prop. 30, Republican voters were 28-64, and voters who indicated no party preference were 58-32.

“The news out of Sacramento has been creating downward pressure on Proposition 30, and the more voters hear about it, the less likely they are to support it,” said Dave Kanevsky, Research Director of American Viewpoint. “This is a ballot measure that could die a death by a thousand cuts.”

PROPOSITION 38

One of those thousand cuts could be the competing November ballot initiative backed by attorney Molly Munger, which would raise income taxes for most Californians on a sliding scale. Munger’s initiative, Prop. 38, was opposed by a majority of voters in the latest USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll.

Fifty-two percent of voters oppose Prop. 38, while 34 percent support it. When read an additional statement describing the fiscal impact of the initiative — including $10 billion in new revenues over the next two years — the numbers barely budged, with 50 percent opposing the initiative and 39 percent in favor.

“It’s very rare to see support for an initiative grow as the campaign goes on,” Schnur said. “Munger’s chances are slim, but with her first ads directly engaging Prop. 30, this could have an effect on the Governor’s initiative.”

PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PENSIONS

Voters largely support the recent law limiting public employee pensions and raising the retirement age – and they may have the appetite for more, according to the latest USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll.

Forty-five percent of voters agreed with a statement that the law is a fair, balanced solution that makes some much-needed changes to balance the budget long-term, while also protecting public employees.

But 39 percent of voters said that the largest pension reform in California history did not go far enough, arguing that public employees continue to receive much more generous pensions than people who work in the private sector and that the reforms only tackle a fraction of the state’s pension obligations.

The law also caps benefits for the highest-paid employees. Overall, 20 percent of voters said the reform went too far, including 34 percent of Latino voters. Thirty percent said the law did not go far enough, and 31 percent said it struck a good balance between reforming the pension system and reducing the impact of pensions on the state debt.

“Jerry Brown needed a pension reform package that passed the smell test with voters in order to pass his ballot initiative,” Schnur said. “It appears he got enough to help him in November, but in the long run there is further appetite for pension reform.”

The USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll was conducted from Sept. 17-23, 2012, by Democratic polling firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner and Republican polling firm American Viewpoint. The full sample of 1,504 registered voters has a margin of error of +/- 2.9 percentage points.

Additional poll results and methodology are available at http://gqrr.com/index.php?ID=2790

Editor's Note:  USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll

Mercury News on Props 30 and 38

The Mercury News has many articles on Props 30 and 38, as well as a full-hour interview with Gov. Brown on Prop 30.

Check them out:

Oct 10:

Mercury News editorial: Molly Munger, put a lid on it

Oct 9:

Reality Check: Anti-Prop. 30 ad is misleading because it implies it won't help schools

Wealthy schools backer Molly Munger launches attack ad against Gov. Jerry Brown's tax-hike measure

Oct 4:

    Teachers stump for Prop. 30; PTA parents push for Prop. 38

Oct 3:

Reality Check: Gov. Jerry Brown's Prop. 30 ads leave out key details

Sep 29:

California's Prop 38 income tax measure headed for defeat, poll shows

Reality Check: Pro-Proposition 38 ad mostly true, but ignores some facts

Sep 28:

Mercury News editorial: Vote yes on Prop. 30, no on Prop. 38

Sep 21:

Poll shows Brown's tax initiative just squeaking by

Sep 18:

Infographic: Comparing Props. 30 and 38, California tax measures

Sep 16:

Reality Check: Anti-Proposition 30 ad twists the facts

Sep 14:

Propositions 30 and 38 go head to head

Sep 11:

California governor pleads with voters to pass tax-hike measure

Sep 8:

Video: Editorial board interviews Gov. Jerry Brown about Proposition 30

Aug 22:

Document: Survey on California tax initiatives

More Than A Game

Prop 30

Prop 38

Prop 32

What do those propositions have in common?

Besides the fact that they are all somehow related to education - Props 30 and 38 being different ways to fund it and Prop 32 affecting Teachers' and all other Unions - they have something else in common.

A sister and a brother with a lot of money from their father.

Charles Munger, Jr - who is spending a lot of money to defeat Prop 30 and promote Prop 32.

And Molly Munger - who is spending a lot of money to promote Prop 38.

They are the children of Charles Munger, the billionaire vice-chairman of Berkshire Hathaway.

And for the record, Molly is the daughter of Charles' first marriage and Charles Jr. is the oldest son of his second marriage.

Here are a few articles about what is coming to be known as "The Munger Games."

"Prop 30 Backers Worry That Munger Is Preparing To Attack."

Matier and Ross's Bit Entitled "Torpedo To The Bow."

It's confusing, isn't it?

One thing we can take away from all this is this fact:

It takes a LOT of money to raise money for schools.

Why is that?

CCAE Needs Documentation

CCAE - California Council of Adult Education - is looking to document the work that the Adult Education community is doing to promote Yes on Prop 30.

Here's the bit from the CCAE website:

The Future of California Adult Schools and Proposition 30

The current status of Adult Education in California is precarious at best.  Chris Nelson, CCAE State President, and I have been working closely with our counterparts in California Adult Education Administrators Association and Dawn Koepke, our policy advisor and advocate.  We have weekly conversations to identify crucial issues and a multitude of strategies and efforts have been conducted over the past many months. While inroads have clearly been made with the legislative bodies, it has become abundantly clear that we have huge walls to climb in the Governor’s office.  We are continuing our dialogues and work, but need everyone to understand how critical it is that we be able to deliver a message to the Governor’s office that California adult education supporters worked diligently to ensure that Proposition 30 passes. 

We all understand the direct connection between fiscal challenges faced by K-12 and High School Districts that are also the “homes” for an adult education programs or schools.  We have many challenges ahead of us, but if Proposition 30 does not pass – these efforts may become moot as school districts are forced to make more reductions.  All educators know the potential “hits” will be devastating.

That is why it is critical that we all do everything we can to help the public understand the importance of voting yes for Proposition 30.  Equally as important is that we are able to let the Governor and his staff know that California Adult Education supporters were influential in the success of Proposition 30.

There are many local campaign efforts for Proposition 30. 

Please seek those out and participate.  Organize your own local events, specifically hosted by your CCAE Chapters and Sections.  THEN, document, record, photograph, video – show how adult education supporters specifically worked to support Proposition 30 and send that documentation to Chris Nelson and me.  We will compile it all and make sure that the message is delivered to the Governor.

Joanne Durkee, CCAE State Leg Chair

My email address is joadurkee@comcast.net

The Privatization of Public Education - Presentation & Discussion

The AFT Teacher's Union, Local # 4681    Presents:

A Presentation & Discussion on
the Privatization of Public Education

Wednesday, October 17, 3:30 PM

San Mateo Adult School, Room 42

789 E. Poplar Ave, San Mateo, CA 

The San Mateo Adult School is next to San Mateo High School,

between Humboldt and Delaware

Presenter:   Jack Gerson, 30 year Oakland high school teacher (now retired), member of the Oakland Education Association, writer and speaker on education issues, one of the leaders of the Lakeview Elementary school struggle to prevent the closure of Oakland schools. 

Note for those who can't attend:

We will be videotaping the events - and will post the video here.

Also:  Consider forming your own discussion group to discuss the following questions and any other questions that come up for you around the topic of public versus private.

Some of the questions posed by Adult School teachers: 

Who are the major players in the privatization movement, and what evidence is there to show what they are doing?

How do you answer those who say, public schools are not all good & charter schools are not all bad.  

What do you say to parents who send their kids to charter schools because the public schools are not doing a good job for their children.

Are there progressive charter schools?      How much privatization is too much?

What can you do when the desired benefits of public education begin to slip away? 

We are playing catch-up to a well-orchestrated hijack of public education. How do we ever catch up to their well-organized coalition and strategy?  

How do we fight against something labeled "reform" without coming off as naysayers only defending the status quo?

We've been thrown on the defensive. How do we take reform in a positive direction as opposed to a negative one?  How do we take the offensive in demanding what we know is right for students and the community?

How do we generate the public will for the funding to support public education at a much more adequate level?

Are there better arguments against austerity than general statements such as we are a rich state or corporations don't pay their share?

What's the difference between a charter school and a magnet school?

Town Hall On Education

Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, will host a Town Hall Meeting on education Saturday with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools Anne E. Campbell.

The Town Hall will take place Saturday, Oct. 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the San Mateo City Hall Council Chambers, located at 330 W 20th Ave. in San Mateo.

With the 2012-2013 school year underway, Hill, Torlakson and Campbell are calling together parents, teachers, and school administrators for a discussion about the state of education – and its future -- in California and the community.

Hill will facilitate the conversation among the school chiefs and community members, who have been invited to bring their concerns and ideas to the forum.

The San Mateo Patch

<http://sanmateo.patch.com/articles/jerry-hill-to-hold-education-town-hall-in-san-mateo>

AEM Video Story Bank - Invest Now!

Please visit, share, promote, and add to our story bank of testimonials about the power and efficacy of Adult Education.

You can find this story bank at

www.adulteducationmatters.com

We need to get the word out to as many people as possible as soon as possible that

Adult Education matters!

It's never been more important to put our energy into education - restoring it, maintaining it, investing in it.

Teachers 4 Social Justice Conference

This weekend, Oct 6 & 7, 2012, Teachers 4 Social Justice will hold their Annual Conference in San Francisco.

Registration is open.

Keynote speakers are Sonia Nieto and Sean Arce.

This quote from Sonia Nieto will give you a feel for the ideals of Teachers 4 Social Justice:

"Although for over a century our nation has advanced the
ideal that a high-quality and excellent public education is the
birthright of all children, our schools cannot fulfill this ambitious
and noble purpose unless all of us—parents, policymakers, and
the general public—commit ourselves to sustaining education as
a public trust and a promise to future generations. "

This conference is open and welcomes any and all of the following:

• Classroom Teachers
• Paraprofessionals, Administrators, Support Personnel
• Parents and Youth
• After-school Youth Workers and Youth Workers in general
• Credential Candidates
• Aspiring Educators
• The Public!!

Come and get educated about education.  Share your knowledge, wisdom and questions.

Strengthen yourself by spending time with others who care about public education.

Sharpen your wits and skills through discussions and workshops.

In times of crisis, it is easy to feel alone.

But we are not alone.

Act on that truth by attending this conference or through some other action.

Public education is about the group and in California that is a very big group, indeed.


Note:  It's a very busy weekend in San Francisco, so public transit is highly recommended.

Voting - Why and How

Props 30 and 38

This is do-or-die election where education is concerned.

On the ballot for Californians are Prop 30 and Prop 38.

Both attempt to deal with the crisis in funding for public education.


Here's the LA Times' editorial opinion on Prop 30 and 38.

And here's the San Francisco Chronicle's editorial opinion on Prop 30 and 38.

And here's the San Jose Mercury News' editorial opinion on Prop 30 and 38.


And here is the official Stop Prop 30 website for a view from other side.


Here are two takes on Prop 38 - once known as the Millionaire's Tax:

Here's California State PTA President Carol Kocivar's stance for Prop 38.

And here's State Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg's stance against Prop 38.


Here are two takes on Prop 30 -

Here's 2012 Teacher of the Year Tom Collet's stance for Prop 30.

And here's


And because money is involved, here's San Francisco Chronicle Money Columnist Kathleen Pender's breakdown on both Prop 30 and Prop 38.


One thing you should know, without some sort of influx of money, Adult Education is in real trouble.

All public education is in crisis but Adult Education is in the most vulnerable. 
And...  even if more funds are secured, Adult Education is still not secure because of flexibility.

Until Adult Education has a dedicated funding stream, it is vulnerable to cuts and closures.


But... one step at a time... first, we need secure funding for all public education...

and then we need to ensure that funding for Adult Education, specifically, is dedicated and secure.

Why?

Because Adult Education matters!