May 28, 2008

Lt. Governor John Garamendi and California education leaders representing nearly 10 million students, educators, and educational staff, met today at Fresno State united in a call to protect California students from $5 billion in proposed state budget cuts for education. At the forum, representatives from California’s K-12 schools, California Community Colleges and California State University joined forces calling on the Governor and Legislature to protect California’s future by funding educational investment in California’s students.

“California is at grave risk of leaving our children behind by underfunding their education and shifting to them and their families an increasing share of the cost of education,” said Garamendi, “Our state and its people cannot prosper in the 21st Century if we force our schools to live on a fiscal starvation diet.”

Organizations joining today’s call to action include: California Federation of Teachers, California Teachers Association, California School Employees Association, University of California, California State University, California Community Colleges, California Faculty Association, Community College League of California, Faculty Association of California Community Colleges, California State Student Association, University of California Student Association, Student Senate for California Community Colleges, Association of California School Administrators.