Thousands of teachers, parents, students and others participated in rallies and marches across the Southland Thursday as part of a state and national "Day of Action" to protest cuts in education funding.
Outside Farmdale Elementary School in the El Sereno area, members of United Teachers Los Angeles handed out leaflets to parents urging them to get involved in the fight against budget cuts.
"It's a bad sign. I mean, I can see people getting laid off from work, but not education-wise. That's ... it's the future of America," John Contreras, who has seven grandchildren, told KTLA outside the school.
Protesters began gathering in downtown Los Angeles this afternoon for a march from Pershing Square to the Ronald Reagan State Building. The rallies across the state are aimed at stopping the governor and Legislature from cutting billions from a public school system already reeling from $17 billion in cuts over the past two years.
"These are the largest cuts our students have seen since the Great Depression and they will hurt a generation of students, robbing them of the future they deserve," said David A. Sanchez, president of the California Teachers Association.
Mike Naples, spokesman for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, said education remains a top issue for the governor.
"In the face of a $20 billion deficit, the governor is prioritizing education," Naples said in a statement. "His budget proposal fully funds K-14 education at the same levels as last year and his proposal also increases funding for higher education."
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On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education authorized sending layoff notices to nearly 5,200 employees, including teachers, administrators, counselors and nurses. The move is aimed at cutting into the district's anticipated $640 million budget deficit for the coming school year.
