Greater Orange News Service

OUSD’s Fred Kelly Field will host OC’s focus
on Statewide Day of Action for Education

The local epicenter for a Statewide Day of Action to protest statewide education cuts will take place Wednesday May 19, 2010 at OUSD’s Fred Kelly Field from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. Everyone who is a supporter of local schools and opposed to the stalemate in Sacramento is encouraged to show up and participate.

The Statewide Day of Action, with thirty-six events planned throughout the state, is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of education supporters statewide in an effort to send a message to California leaders in Sacramento to save public schools statewide. The events are being coordinated by a new umbrella group called California Advocates United to Save Education (C. A. U. S. E.) that is attempting to unite diverse public education advocates and groups into a coercive long term movement with the goals to fix California’s broken school funding process and return California from the bottom five states in school funding to the top 10 nationwide. The group has it’s work cut out for it with Governor Schwarzenegger having cut $17 billion in educational budget cuts at all levels of education in California over the last two years.

C.A.U.S.E. has trained 1,000 education “advocates” statewide to use existing social networks to generate ongoing action aimed at lawmakers in Sacramento. The grass roots model trains advocates use business associates, relatives and friends to generate an educational support buzz aimed at lawmakers. Advocates are targeting local merchants, Scout leaders, civic leaders, youth sports team coaches as well as traditional educational advocates such as PTA members, teachers and public school employees.

In addition to the Fred Kelly Field rally, actions are planned from 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm on May 19, 2010 in: Apple Valley, Bakersfield, Calexico, Carlsbad, Cerritos, Chico, Eureka, Fresno, Glendale, Glendora, Lake Elsinore, Linda Vista, Livermore, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Merced, South Orange County, Oxnard, Palm Desert, Petaluma, Rio Linda, Riverside, San Diego, San Jose, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Stockton, Turlock, Ukiah, Vallejo, Visalia, Whittier, Yuba City and Yucaipa (see link below for a complete list).

OUSD's Fred Kelly Field Statewide Day of Action link: FRED KELLY

State wide May 19 Events link: C.A.U.S.E. STATE EVENTS

California Advocates United to Save Education website: C.A.U.S.E.