Anti-public education state legislators are trying to steal the rights of school employees. As an American citizen we have the right to freedom of speech and the right to assembly. These legislators can’t take these rights away. It’s unconstitutional!

So what makes these legislators think they can get away with trying to pass language taking away free speech rights from teachers and support staff in a budget bill? This week the senate appropriations committee passed budget bills with massive cuts to public education funding. Read a summary. In addition these bills include policy changes that can limit YOUR efforts to lobby at the state legislature:

• Requires the governing board to remove union representatives from the school district payroll. The language is ambiguous, but as written could virtually eliminate site level association representatives that work for a school district, not to mention local presidents or state officers. It would surely mean no more release time for Association leaders.

• Requires a teacher to repay a school district for the cost of a substitute teacher if the teacher engages in a lobbying activity. In essence, this “fines” a teacher who visits the capitol using their own earned and district approved leave time to express their views to their elected officials.

• Removes current statute that requires a school board to notify a provisional teacher of nonrenewal by April 15. This means RIF notices can be sent any time throughout the year, even one week before school starts so you can’t find a new job in time for the new school year.

• Removes the contract dates (between March 15 and May 15) in which districts are required to offer teaching contracts for those teaching over three years. This means teachers could go into a new school year not knowing what their teaching contract says.

This legislation is petty and a direct attack against public school employees for daring to voice their opinions about the budget cuts at the state legislature. It’s insulting to all teachers and support staff and shows the lack of respect these legislators have for public education.

There have been over 7,400 RIF notices sent to teachers and education support professionals across the state. In addition, many school employees are facing salary reductions and furloughs to make up for the massive budget cuts state legislators are proposing to make to public education funding.

Anti-education legislators think they’re just “cutting the fat” that cuts are the only way to fix Arizona’s budget deficit. They won’t listen to reason and the alternative budget options proposed by the Arizona Budget Coalition, so maybe they will listen to personal stories.

Tell us your story about how the RIFs are impacting you and your family. Share your experience with budget cuts in your classroom or work site and the impact it’s having or will have on students. Then maybe legislators will listen and see the real-life impact of these budget cuts.

March4Schools turned out a huge number of teachers, education support professionals, students, parents, working families and other public education supporters. The rally launched a statewide grassroots movement to change the course of a state legislature that up to now, has failed to make public education a priority in Arizona. The rally forced our Governor to reverse earlier statements against considering new taxes.

Much is left to be done. The March4Scools rally that ended with education supporters completely circling the Capitol grounds will now move into communities throughout Arizona. Stay involved and tell you friends to join us as we continue to “march for schools, march for students, march families” until public education becomes the priority of Arizona’s elected officials.

Tell us about what you plan to do back at your school and your community to build support for public education. Tell us about your experience at the rally; what you saw and heard.

View video of rally

We need you to March4Schools and tell state legislators not to balance the budget on the backs of children. View the video below and share with others to rally education supporters to the Capitol on March 4.



Visit march4schools.com to get the day’s agenda, maps and directions, rally toolkit, bus instructions and directions, and more. It’s time to March4Schools!

Learn more about how the Arizona legislature balanced the state's Fiscal Year 2009 budget on the backs of children by watching the following report from AEA Vice President Andrew Morrill. Also, find out ways to help protect public schools as lawmakers begin to determine solutions to the $3 billion deficit facing Arizona in Fiscal Year 2010.



Take action now by joining the AEA in its mission - Keeping the Promise of a Quality Public Education. Sign up for our Legislative Update to stay informed of what's happening at the Capitol.

Arizona’s legislature is facing a budget deficit nearing $2 billion for FY09 and $3 billion for FY10. Last week the public education advocates and AEA members stopped a House leadership attempt to force a “cuts only” strategy by cutting $1 billion from education funds to balance the budget.

Now the Senate leadership is attempting the same thing this week. This reality makes it imperative that state legislators hear our message on methods to solve the budget crisis without harming Arizona’s public schools and those who work and learn in them.


Click on the video to see a message from AEA President John Wright.

Watch PowerPoint presentation about AEA's call to action.

Watch video from the rally at the Capitol this past Sunday.

View photos from the rally.

Call your Senator today to stop budget cuts to education.

Actions for individuals
- Sign up for the AEA Legislative Update
- Contact your State Legislator
- Join the AEA at Education Day at the Capitol

Actions for local associations
- Host an AEA Local Association Shadow Day at the Capitol
- Engage and Inform Local Members
- Make this presentation to your School Board, Local Chamber of Commerce, and Other Community Organizations

All across the state, teachers and education support professionals are organizing members to take action about the Republican state legislative leadership’s decision to cut nearly $1 billion from education.

In the southern region, members are organizing with the parent group Care and the advocacy group Voices for Education to take a bus trip to the Capitol and voice their concerns with legislators over the budget cuts. East valley members are planning an Education Summit and inviting legislators to address budget issues and be held accountable for decisions about cuts to education funding. Washington District Education Association members are organizing with parents to do door-to-door canvassing.

Tell us what you or your local association is doing to make your voice heard at the Capitol about the budget cuts.

Arizona’s Republican leadership announced today its plan to cut more than $900 million from current public school funding. The cuts of almost a billion dollars, nearly 20% of the state’s annual education budget, would be implemented over the next 17 months.

John Wright, Arizona Education Association president, decried the proposal, saying “Arizona’s leaders are willing to shoulder the burden of their own financial mismanagement over the years on the backs of our students. This kind of false solution is worse than shortsightedness; it borders on malice. The decision to keep Arizona at the bottom of education funding continues to be a deliberate one.”

State lawmakers have not been specific about what programs they would eliminate. The specifics of the proposals will be developed by the Legislature’s Appropriations Committees, chaired by Republicans Russell Pearce in the Senate and John Kavanaugh in the House. At that time legislative committees will determine the breakdown of the billion dollar cut.

What are your thoughts on this issue? How will budget cuts impact your school, your job? Let us know in the comments.

Among the first ten bills to be introduced and discussed by Arizona’s 49th Legislature is a repeal of the State Equalization Rate, a tax investment contributed mostly by large corporations which benefits Arizona’s public school children. The legislation, designed by Senator Jim Waring, will eliminate state revenue totaling nearly $250 million.

Building new schools and roads, upgrading state technology for 21st-century proficiency, and meeting the needs of all Arizona families are issues incoming legislators will face this January. More than a third of Arizona’s legislature will be made up of first-time Representatives and Senators, and they will be asked to deal with these issues while also solving the state’s $1.5 billion deficit.

Read whole story.

California math teacher, Tom Farber, is selling ads on his test papers as a result of budget cuts to school funding. Read the story.

With the economy in recession and state budgets across the nation facing huge deficits, it isn't surprising that public school employees are resorting to creative means to ensure students' learning.

Arizona is facing a $1 billion budget deficit and everyone is sure to feel the squeeze when cuts are made. AEA wants to hear from teachers and education support professionals about the impact cuts to public schools will have on your lives and your classrooms.

What changes to your lifestyle or your classroom have you made because of the declining economy?

What creative ways have you found to save money at home and in the classroom?

What impact have you seen on your students and in your community?