E.V. teachers plan March4Schools rallies: Budget cuts are big concern this year

Mar 3, 2010 — East Valley Tribune

Michelle Reese

Mar. 3, 2010 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Budget cuts. Contract language. Kindergarten funding.

These are just a few of the issues education supporters hope to bring attention to Thursday during the annual March-4Schools sponsored by the state's largest teachers' union, the Arizona Education Association.

This year, local teacher groups will sponsor their own rallies in their communities, including events in Mesa, Gilbert and Chandler.

"We normally have 10,000 to 12,000 people in one day, one place, one voice. If we have that same number in dozens of locations around the state talking to their community members about their local issues, concerns and aspirations, you can imagine the impact," said AEA President John Wright. "You're not just talking to each other, but to Arizona."

The Mesa Education Association will hold its event at Riverview Park. MEA President Kirk Hinsey said teachers and students will be there. His group hopes participants will then call state lawmakers to address some of the issues, including the policy language passed last summer that makes changes to teacher contracts.

Some of those changes include eliminating the deadline to inform teachers that they might not have contracts for the following year and eliminating seniority as a way to conduct reduction-in-force.

"Our hope is to generate 2,000 phone calls to the Capitol to various legislators and the governor talking about our concerns with education," Hinsey said. "Some of what I believe people would like to share is the job they're doing and the work they're doing with students. With continual cuts you're not making the investment into the future of Arizona."

Bob Harpur, president of the Chandler Education Association, said he hopes the event sponsored by his group at Tumbleweed Park informs people about how schools are funded in Arizona and encourages them to get involved. The event will include voter registration and a chance to sign up for e-mail updates on legislative issues relating to education.

"We're at a point now where we're trying to get parents involved, trying to get the message out that schools will not look the same in the near future than they have in the past. With more funding cuts there will be fewer teachers, fewer programs. We're just trying to bring attention to that across the state. It's not just a Chandler issue," Harpur said.

In Chandler, he said, class sizes may increase if the budget shrinks more. Harpur said it's evident at his school, Payne Junior High School, where he teaches reading.

"It's been changing for several years. It's getting worse with the lack of funding," he said. "Here at Payne we have as many as 30 to 36 in our academic classes."

Even a slight change in the district's allotment of teachers to students could raise those class sizes to 35 or 40, he said.

"Class size is a major issue and will be until we get proper funding," he said.

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March4Schools events

Mesa Education Association When: 4 p.m. Thursday Where: Riverview Park, 2100 W. Eighth St., Mesa Chandler Education Association When: 4 p.m. Thursday Where: Tumbleweed Park, 2200 S. McQueen Road, Chandler Higley Education Association When: 4:30 p.m. Thursday Where: Higley High School amphitheater, 4068 E. Pecos Road, Gilbert

Newstex ID: KRTB-0132-42523250