PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
California's Teachers Shouldn't Pay Out-of-Pocket for Classroom Materials
  1. Signatures
    129 out of 200
    Petitioning
    1. California Department of Education (Communications Officer)
  2. Created By
    Sara Bernard
    Berkeley, CA
About this Petition Petition Letter

It's not a new story, but it's worse than ever: Teachers are paying larger and larger amounts out of their own pockets for basic classroom needs.U.S. teachers paid $1.33 billion for intstructional materials during the 2009-2010 school year, according to the National School Supply and Equipment Association. In California, the per-teacher amount has risen to $1,500, and doesn't seem to be getting any better. It's unjust to require public servants to fund public education. Let's tell the California Department of Education that this is unacceptable.

Recent Signatures

Teachers Shouldn't Have to Fund Their Own Classrooms

Greetings,

Cuts to the public education budget in California are getting out of hand. The fact that, in addition to layoffs, furloughs, school closings, and program eliminations, teachers who've kept their jobs have to pay $1,500 or more per year to buy materials for their own classrooms is ridiculous.

This not only unfair to teachers, but it sends the wrong message to students as well. Students will see this constant scrounging for funds as the state's undervaluing of public education -- and they wouldn't be far off.

Please prioritize public education by creating a tangible plan that will set aside funding to mitigate out-of-pocket expenses for teachers. Superintendent Jack O'Connell is quoted in Time magazine as recognizing this pattern in California and being concerned about it. It's time to take a real step and move that concern from feeling to action.

Value teachers and value students. Don't make funding so scarce that teachers have to resort to their own slim wallets for pens and note cards. California's children deserve it.

[Your name]

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