Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Mrs. Lowe went to Washington
Laid-off St. Helena Central High guidance counselor urges Sens. Landrieu and Vitter to save education jobs
By: Stacy Grissom
WASHINGTON—With the start of school just around the corner, many educators are in serious planning mode for the upcoming school year. That's not the case for Carla Lowe, a guidance counselor who was recently laid-off from St. Helena Central High in Greensburg, La. Rather than heading back to her high school, she is headed to the nation's capitol to urge Louisiana Sens. Mary Landrieu and David Vitter to pass the "Education Jobs Fund," a $10 billion emergency aid package that would help keep teachers in classrooms and provide educational support services targeted to low-income and at-risk students.
Without this infusion of money into state education budgets, the National Education Association (NEA) estimates up to 130,000 educators across the nation could lose their jobs. In Louisiana, the bill could bring $147 million, funding some 2,242 jobs. The House passed a similar measure before the Fourth of July recess.
When Lowe, who lives in Kentwood, La., with her husband and seven-month-old son, was told that her contract would not be renewed, she worried both about her students and her family.
"My students need me and other educators to be with them in school, not on the unemployment line," said Lowe. "My community needs me to be able to pay my mortgage, and my family needs health insurance and groceries. Louisiana has been through so much these last few years so I hope that Sens. Landrieu and Vitter will get behind this bill because this is one disaster that can be avoided."
WHO: Carla Lowe of Kentwood, La., laid-off guidance counselor at St. Helena Central High School
WHAT: Lowe is traveling to Washington, D.C., meeting on Capitol Hill with Sens. Mary Landrieu and David Vitter to urge their support for a $10 billion emergency aid package to save education jobs.
WHY: This bill could help keep upwards of $130,000 educators in the classroom. NEA estimates the bill would bring $147 million to Louisiana, funding some 2,242 jobs.
WHEN: Wednesday, July, 21, 2010
WHERE: Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
For more resources on education funding, please go to www.nea.org/funding
For more information on saving educators' jobs, visit www.educationvotes.nea.org/
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LSUnited and LAE gears up ‘Defend Public Education Day at LSU
LSUnited and LAE gears up 'Defend Public Education Day at LSU
(Baton Rouge) Louisiana educators will remind elected officials that public higher education is an engine of economic growth that benefits all communities at large during "Defend Public Education Day," October 7, 2010 at Louisiana State University. The event will use the sacred Louisiana tradition of a jazz funeral procession to illustrate how the current budget crisis facing higher education results in "loss" of funding, educators, and access for working families.
The historic actions and protests of last Fall and Spring demonstrated that Louisiana students, teachers, staff and communities stand in solidarity to fight against the cuts, layoffs, fee hikes that shrink access to public education and services.
In addition to LSUnited and LAE, Proud Students, LSU Graduate Student Association, and the LSU Faculty Senate, with the support of concerned students and faculty, sponsor this event.
WHO: Joyce Haynes, LAE, Patricia O'Neill, LSUnited, Ryan Orgera, LSU Graduate Student Association and Bradley Wood, Proud Student Organization
WHAT: Defend Public Education Day
WHERE: October 7, 2010, Louisiana State University Parade Grounds, 12pm Noon
WHY: The event will use the sacred Louisiana tradition of a jazz funeral procession to illustrate how the current budget crisis facing higher education results in "loss" of funding, educators, and access for working families.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Education Jobs Bill
NEA Alert:
Thanks to you, the Senate cleared a key hurdle to save 138,000 education jobs. Read more at educationvotes.nea.org and keep up the fight!
This morning, the U.S. Senate voted to move forward on a bill that would save 138,000 educators' jobs jeopardized by state budget cuts. By a vote of 61-38, senators voted for cloture, which allows debate on legislation containing $10 billion for education jobs funding to proceed.
"The educators, students and parents who have fought hard for crucial funding are now one step closer," NEA President Dennis Van Roekel said. "This bill is fully offset, and will actually reduce the budget deficit over the next ten years. It's a no-brainer."
According to a National Education Association analysis, the fund will preserve the jobs of approximately 138,000 educators. Both the education jobs funding and the FMAP extension are fully offset, The Congressional Budget Office confirmed yesterday that H.R. 1586 will actually reduce the budget deficit by $1.4 billion over the next decade.
NEA and a coalition of more than 180 education and community groups continue to push for a real, unobstructed vote on the education jobs fund in the Senate. The White House, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and Reid have all expressed their desire to pass this critically needed legislation before Congress leaves for recess.
Email your Senators and urge them to vote yes on final passage of the education jobs bill.
Urge your Senator to vote “YES”!
NEA ACTION ALERT!!!!!!!
Senate vote expected on $10 Billion for Education Jobs tomorrow morning.
The federal "Jobs Bill" is still very much alive and we need as much visible and vocal support as we can muster. This bill could save the jobs of some 135,000 educators and extend enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP) for six months.
We need to make sure that Senators Landrieu and Vitter "Do the Right Thing" and help keep public school employees working.
Phone calls & emails to Senator Landrieu and Senator Vitter DC will aid our effort in showing support. Please encourage colleagues, friends and family to help.
Urge your Senator to vote "yes" by calling (866) 608-6355.
Urge your Senator to vote YES on cloture and YES on the bill for the sake of compassion and sound economics. By voting YES, they will help:
- Contain class size and sustain vital programs in our nation's schools. Without this bill, many students, especially the most vulnerable, will have bigger classes (35 to 40); no after-school programs; and no art, music, physical education, reading specialists, librarians, technology experts, nurses, or counselors.
- Keep Americans working instead of raising the unemployment rate. For every 100,000 education jobs that are lost, local communities will lose an additional 30,000 private sector jobs, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
- Add not one penny to the federal deficit. Both the Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP) and education jobs provisions of the bill are fully offset.
Friday, July 30, 2010
CONTACT YOUR SENATORS TODAY!
The vote is Monday August 2 | |
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