A Message from Jan Resseger of the United Church of Christ, National Office in Cleveland

Posted Thu, 05/13/2010 - 2:14pm by Gary Percesepe

 

Dear Ohio Public School Supporters,
 
I am hoping that you and others you know will contact Senator Sherrod Brown and Senator George Voinovich this week about Senate Bill 3206, the $23 Education Jobs bill that would allocate federal funds to try to help states and local school districts save public education jobs.  This bill is sponsored by Senator Tom Harkin, Iowa, chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
 
I do not know precisely when this bill will be introduced on the Senate floor as an amendment to the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill, but perhaps within the week, or the next couple of weeks.  Please make your contact now.
 
Here as background is a link to a little opinion piece I had on UC News last week about the crisis in teacher jobs:  http://www.ucc.org/news/opinion-pray-for-teachers.html . 
 
When you write to Senator Brown, please thank him for co-sponsoring this bill.  Send your e-mail to Senator Brown’s public education aide, Moira Lenehan-Razzuri:  moira_lenehan@brown.senate.gov .
 
When you write or call Senator Voinovich’s office, please contact Dana Smullen:  dana_smullen@voinovich.senate.gov .  Here is the message I sent by e-mail to Dana this morning.  I will be following up again later in the week by phone.  You should personalize your message any way you like.
 
 
I work here in Cleveland in the Justice and Witness Ministries of the United Church of Christ… to advocate for justice in public education policy. 
 
Today I write to ask Senator Voinovich to vote for Senate Bill 3206, Senator Harkin’s $23 billion Education Jobs bill.  It is expected that this bill will be introduced on the floor as an amendment to the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill. 
 
Secretary Duncan has projected that as many as 300,000 jobs among public school teachers and other school district employees will be lost across the country as states continue to experience recession and as the ARRA money runs out.  The Cleveland Municipal Schools are anticipating class sizes of 40-45 students following extensive pink slips that have gone out this spring.
 
This is an emergency and will affect the future of a whole generation of children. 
 
Thanks so much.
Ms. Jan Resseger
Minister for Public Education and Witness
Justice and Witness Ministries
700 Prospect, Cleveland, Ohio 44115
216-736-3711
http://www.ucc.org/justice/public-education
"That all citizens will be given an equal start through a sound education is one of the most basic, promised rights of our democracy.  Our chronic refusal as a nation to guarantee that right for all children.... is rooted in a kind of moral blindness, or at least a failure of moral imagination....  It is a failure which threatens our future as a nation of citizens called to a common purpose... tied to one another by a common bond."   —Senator Paul Wellstone, March 31, 2000
Groups: