Letters in Solidarity: Fight for Our Schools on May 17

Fight for Our Schools on May 17

We hope that everyone returned from spring break rested and recharged as we head into the final stretch of this school year. These have been challenging months for all of us as we continue to absorb the impact of the threats from the federal administration to target our most vulnerable students and communities. The illegal directives from the US Department of Education to end equitable practices in our schools have generated fear and uncertainty and it has been tough to stand strong as union educators with the constant attacks on public education.

Alone as school communities feeling the weight of defending ourselves from those who seek to weaken us, we can feel isolated and powerless. What gives us hope is our history as unions, allied with community organizations, in successfully pushing back on attempts to dismantle public education and rollback the gains of the civil rights era to combat systemic inequities. Today, this movement for education justice is manifested in our statewide We Can’t Wait contract campaign for fully staffed, stable and inclusive schools that we are taking on with 31 other unions and nearly 80,000 union educators throughout the state.

In line with our We Can’t Wait contract platform, our SDEA bargaining team proposed a package of solutions on March 27 to address our district’s special education staffing crisis like monthly case management days and a pathway for educators to be reimbursed for obtaining a Special Education credential. Our students with disabilities struggle to overcome obstacles when the district can’t fill vacancies for special education teachers who tailor instruction to their individual needs. Unfilled positions increase the workload for the rest of the educators in a school, impairing our ability to get all students in our classrooms the support they deserve. Cuts to special education funding from the federal government would add to the instability for our highest need students.

We won’t stand by while the Trump/Musk administration seeks to undermine public schools. Education is a non-partisan issue. Students in poverty and students with special needs deserve resources and support in our schools – we can all agree on that. The Trump/Musk administration is targeting students and families in our communities with vicious plans to dismantle public education. It’s unacceptable and we’re fighting back. 

On May 17, we’ll be mobilizing in San Diego and joining union educators and allies across the state to demand that Congress protect funding for our schools and our students’ civil rights. Join us!