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'Keep Our Educators
Working Act’ South Dakota Senator becomes the 24th co-sponsor of timely legislation that could prevent larger class sizes, deep cuts to education programs
Sen. Johnson’s official support came the day after more than 200 members of NEA’s Board of Directors lobbied members of Congress, calling for support of Harkin’s bill on the eve of Teacher Appreciation Week. “The National Education Association commends Senator Johnson for stepping up to bat for students by lending his support of the Keep Our Educators Working Act,” said NEA President Dennis Van Roekel. “Balancing budgets should never happen on the backs of students and public schools. Senator Johnson knows that parents—like educators—don’t want their children to lose their music or arts programs, or see 35 or 45 students in the classroom. They don’t want their kids to walk across town because of fewer bus routes and drivers. They don’t want a shorter school week. They want a great public school for their child.” Many states are still putting together budgets for the next fiscal year, but NEA anticipates “funding cliffs” that could negatively impact public school employees and their ability to provide all students with a world-class education. NEA is now projecting more than 150,000 educator layoffs in the next three months, which would affect millions of public school children. As a result, school districts across the country have announced increases in student fees to make up for lost revenues. Some districts have moved to four-day school weeks or cutting programs while others have implemented mandatory furloughs to avoid closing schools. Sen. Johnson joins a total of 24 co-sponsors of the “Keep Our Educators Working Act,” including Sens. Mark Begich (D-Ark.), Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Roland Burris (D-Ill.), Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.), Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.). Ted Kaufman (D-Del.), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Arlen Specter (D-Pa.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), and Tom Udall (D-N.M.). The legislation also has garnered broad-based coalition support from the nation’s 45 leading education organizations. “We can’t ask schoolchildren to tighten their belts and accept a substandard education because of the tough economy,” added Van Roekel. “As school comes to a close, hundreds of thousands of students don’t know if their favorite teacher, or nurse, or bus driver will be there when school opens in the fall—if it opens it all. By supporting the Keep Our Educators Working Act, our elected officials are doing what’s right for our students.” For more resources on education funding, please go to http://www.nea.org/funding For more information on saving educators’ jobs, visit http://www.educationvotes.nea.org/ Follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/NEAMedia |
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| SDEA Lobbyists.... You are the lobbyists that are the most effective, but working for you full time are SDEA/NEA President Sandy Arseneault and SDEA/NEA Executive Director Bryce Healy and General Counsel Anne Plooster. Please e-mail us with your questions or concerns. |
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Sandy Arseneault, SDEA/NEA President
Bryce Healy, SDEA/NEA Executive Director Anne Plooster, SDEA/NEA General Counsel - Constitutional and Legal Issues Sandra Waltman - SDEA/NEA Loren Paul, UniServ Director - Post Secondary Issues |
WASHINGTON—An
education jobs bill that could prevent larger class sizes, deep cuts to
education programs, and massive educator layoffs as a result of the
worst economic crisis in generations received the strong endorsement of
Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD). The “Keep our Educators Working Act of 2010”
(S. 3206), introduced by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) earlier this month,
would inject much-needed funds into states’ coffers to stave off the
states' economic crisis. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a
similar bill in December.
