We need to GROW our college – Not cut classes!
Our Community turned out at the February 28th Board of Trustee Meeting to protest the deep class cuts in the Fall 2019 schedule. Dozens gave public comment to the trustees, demanding that the cuts be reversed. The testimony was compelling, citing the harm to students that will come by cuts to departments such as Computer Science and Computer Networking and Information Technology, as well as departments such as Asian-American Studies, American Sign Language, and Latin American and Latinx Studies. Not only will our students be denied classes that will ensure their success in the job market, but also classes that increase student equity.
Later in the meeting, Chancellor Rocha, in an apparent attempt to rebut the testimony, told the board, “We are not cutting ethnic studies!” If you
go to the 3:35:00 mark on the video of the meeting you will see the Chancellor made multiple claims and misleading statements:
- He claims that Asian studies is being cut only “0.4 of 1 FTEF.” It is true that the FTEF was cut from 1.0 to 0.6, but this represents a 40% cut
- He cites that Asian-American Studies is being cut from 2.4 to 1.8 . He doesn’t point out that this is a 25% cut.
- He cites Labor Studies is going from 1.2 to 2.0 [he meant 1.0] . This is a 17% cut
- He says LGBTQ – no cuts . In fact, the face-to-face sections have been cut by 25%
- He cites Latin American & Latinx Studies 3.13 to 2.8 “a cut but relatively quite light.” This is an 11% cut
- He said Philippine Studies stayed the same. True enough. However, he then says Women’s Studies: “same”. Women’s Studies is being cut 17%
We will continue to fight the downsizing of our college and the loss of access to our vulnerable communities. Join us at the next board meeting on March 21, 2019. Stay tuned for more information.
(3/6 & 3/11) Know your rights!
All AFT 2121 members are invited to join these upcoming workshops on
** Assignment Rights for Faculty Working Part-time: Seniority, Modal Load, and Re-Employment Rights
Wednesday 3/6, 4:00
Ocean Campus, MUB 353 (in the conference room inside 353)
For access by Zoom: See the Zoom Invitation.
** How to Read Your Paycheck
Monday 3/11, 12:10
Mission Campus room 318 (at the back of the Valencia building, facing the balcony)
Want a workshop at your location? Talk to your precinct rep!
(3/7) SEIU: International Women’s Day Action in SF
Income inequality hurts all of us but attacks on the public services and programs that we provide hurt women disproportionately. Women are still 35 percent more likely than men to be in poverty in America.
March & Rally – 1 South Van Ness
Thursday, March 7, 12:00pm
In honor of International Women’s Day, join us in a march and rally to urge Mayor London Breed and our Board of Supervisors to do the right thing: strengthen our city’s poverty and homelessness prevention programs, prioritize services to women and families, and negotiate a fair contract with workers.
Oakland Education Association educators reach a tentative agreement
We congratulate members of the Oakland Education Association who voted on Sunday to ratify their tentative agreement. With over 70% of OEA members voting, the results were 64% YES for the 2017/18 contract term, and 58% for the 20/21 contract term. With gains in every key area, their contract lays a solid foundation for the challenging fight ahead to ensure that all Oakland kids have access to fully-funded, well-resourced public schools in their neighborhood with great educators and support staff that can afford to live in the Bay.
The real victory of this historic strike for the schools our students deserve lies in the power and unity built between teachers, students, parents and community members from all over the Bay Area. Tens of thousands of people joined teachers on the picket lines and at mass rallies and actions. Only 3% of OUSD’s 37,000 students attended school during the strike, a tremendous act of solidarity from Oakland families.
OEA thanks:
- its teachers for making a huge sacrifice by going out on strike to win for students,
- parents for keeping kids at home or sending them to solidarity schools,
- the thousands of Bay Area residents who came out and supported the picket lines and mass rallies.
AFT 2121 looks forward to continuing our support to help keep this unity and momentum going!
Follow Us!