Teachers march in YC, across state against education cuts

More than 100 teachers marched Wednesday from Gray Avenue Middle School in Yuba City to Highway 20 as part of statewide demonstrations on the "Day of the Teacher" to oppose budget cuts in education.

Manuel Barajas, 26, a math teacher at River Valley High School in Yuba City, said many state lawmakers support education during political campaigns but act differently during their terms in Sacramento.

"They're all for education," Barajas said. But, he added, "The first thing they cut is education."

The "highways and byways" action followed a gathering at Gray Avenue school and speakers including Camzin Morrell-Stinson, 16, a Yuba City High School student who'll attend California State University, Chico in the fall.

"Even in a small city like Yuba City," she said, "education is our future."

Paula S. Campbell, president-elect of the California School Boards Association and a trustee for the Nevada City School District, spoke about the state being "blessed and challenged by the most diverse student

population in the universe."

"We will not accept," Campbell said, "a state budget balanced on the backs of our students."

The California Teachers Association and the Association of Mexican American Educators co-sponsor the California Day of the Teacher that began with state legislation more than 20 years ago, according to State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell. The legislation was based on the Mexican and Latin American "el Dia del Maestro" festivities held in honor of teachers, according to O'Connell.

Along Highway 20, Paula Manning, a seventh-grade teacher at Andros Karperos Middle School in Yuba City, stood on the sidewalk next to her daughter Taylor, a seventh-grader who held a sign reading, "Hey Arnold. Make me a priority."

Paula Manning said support for education is strong in this region.

"Our community sees that as a priority," she said.

Manning, whose 21 years as a teacher include two years in Texas, said teachers unions are not very strong in that state. Students in Texas are charged fees to attend summer school, she said.

The Andros Karperos school teacher said the staff learned last week of the loss of a teaching position. She said that her seventh-grade class, which now has 29 students, is expected to increase to about 35 next school year.

Rhonda Harville, 34, a paraeducator for severely emotionally disturbed students at Johnson Park Elementary School in Olivehurst, said bilingual aide and parent liaison positions are expected to be cut in the Marysville Joint Unified School District.

Bambi Mayfield, 51, who works at Butte Community College in Oroville and made the 45-minute drive to participate in the Yuba City event, said not just teaching and staff jobs are stake.

"It's the quality of education," she said. "We can't afford to lose our future."

The demonstration came as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger latest budget revision shows that "he listened to educators, parents and the will of the voters" by not suspending Prop. 98, the minimum school funding law, David. A. Sanchez, president of the California Teachers Association, said in a written statement. But the revised budget proposal still cuts billions of dollars from public education, Sanchez said.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Ryan McCarthy at 749-4707 or rmccarthy@appeal-democrat.com.