I am working for the No on 1A Campaign, however, I am not working for any other No campaign. My opinions should not be construed to be those of the campaign, especially when it comes to the remaining measures.

For a while, there have been stories in the media about a fracture in the education community about Prop 1A. And that certainly won’t change today as the United Teachers Los Angeles joins United Educators San Francisco and the Oakland Education Association in opposing Prop 1A. The reasons should be familiar by now:

“In voicing their opposition to Prop. 1A, UTLA leaders voiced their concern over a spending cap that would permanently affect state social programs while providing no real solution to the State’s torturous budgetary process,” said Josh Pechthalt, American Federation of Teachers Vice President of UTLA. “We need to build lasting alliances between education and other social service communities rather than allow us to be pitted against each other, as Prop 1A would do, in the struggle for limited state resources.”

Unfortunately, the cap placed on the budget by Prop 1A would force an even greater level of competition for those rarer than platinum state dollars. That’s why UTLA and UESF are opposing the measure, despite whatever promises were made by the Governor about funding committments.

Meanwhile, student activists are gearing up at campuses across the state to fight Prop 1A. Through grassroots activism, students are self-organizing to encourage voters to either vote on May 19 or fill out that ballot that is sitting at home.  In fact, they prepared this outstanding video that gives some details on what the measure would do and why students should oppose Prop 1A.