We’re making politics work for us! SEIU Local 99 members testified on April 3, 2013 before the Education Committee in Sacramento in support of a bill that will give classified employees a voice in the process of converting traditional schools to charters. (AB917).
Local 99 Members Shawn Bowden and Hilda Guzman in Sacramento to testify for AB917: A Voice for Classified School Workers.
Hilda Guzman, a Health Care Advocate at The Accelerated School and Shawn Bowden, an Occupational Therapy Assistant at LAUSD, spoke before legislators today and urged them to support the bill.
“There are many dedicated classified school workers like me who need a voice,” Shawn told the legislators. “Classified employees are being left out of decisions that affect the children we care for and our own futures.”
“School workers bring a different perspective to the charter school process,” said Hilda Guzman. “As an employee, I have knowledge about school operations that a parent or a teacher would not have. From the custodians to the cafeteria workers, to everyone who works with students, we know how things run. … We can offer valuable input to help improve services and save the school money.
Under current law, only parents and teachers can sign a petition to convert a traditional school to a charter. This bill, written by Assembly Member Steven Bradford, would require that at least 50% of all employees at a school sign a petition in order for a school to be converted to a charter school.
The Education Committee voted 6-1 to approve the bill. It moves forward to the next step in the process to becoming a law.
Let’s continue to stand strong. We have another important bill for classified workers that will also be heard by legislators soon: AB615. This bill will grant us summer unemployment insurance benefits. Stay tuned for information about how we can continue to make our voice heard in Sacramento!
