Burlingame, CA…In a groundswell of get-out-the-vote activities for Propositions 55 and 58 to protect students, public education and their neighborhood schools, California educators will gather at 18 CTA offices this Saturday and Sunday for news conferences, media availabilities, precinct walking and community events.

Normally, this weekend would be the gathering of the nearly 800 teacher-delegates for the regular meeting of the CTA State Council of Education, the union’s top governing body, in Los Angeles. Instead, the delegates will be joined by hundreds of other local educators for community-based mobilizing and GOTV campaign events. CTA Board members can be interviewed at each site, and educators will be reminding everyone that Monday, Oct. 24, is the last day to register to vote online.

“Educators are mobilizing this weekend to stand up for our public schools and a better future for our students,” said Bay Area teacher Eric C. Heins, president of the 325,000-member California Teachers Association. “This election can be a turning point. We are reaching out to voters across the state because passing Proposition 55 will prevent billions in funding education cuts that will hurt our classrooms, and Prop. 58 will give our students more advantages by making it easier to learn a second language.”

Proposition 55 will prevent $4 billion in cuts to public education funding each year simply by maintaining the current tax rates on the wealthiest Californians, enacts no new taxes on anyone, and has strict accountability requirements. Proposition 58 is the Language Education, Acquisition and Readiness Now (LEARN) initiative to expand opportunities for California’s students to become proficient in English while having the chance to learn in other languages.

MEDIA NOTE: Each CTA Regional Resource Center (RRC) site’s agenda each day includes a morning volunteer welcome, phonebanking, and precinct walking. Call local contacts first about covering media availabilities. Here is a rundown of media events planned for Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 22-23, at CTA offices:

San Francisco Bay Area

San Jose
Saturday, Oct. 22: CTA President Eric Heins will host a news conference with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, state Senator Ricardo Lara (the main sponsor of Prop. 58) and local teachers at 10:30 a.m. at the CTA Regional Resource Center, 4810 Harwood Road, San Jose, 95124.
Sunday, Oct. 23: CTA Board member Gayle Bilek will host a day of GOTV events from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at same San Jose location. Weekend contact: Mike Myslinski, 408-921-5769.

Concord
Saturday: CTA Board member Terri Jackson will host a day of precinct walking and phonebanking from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., at the CTA Concord RRC, 2177 Diamond Blvd., Concord, 94520.
Sunday: 10:30 a.m. news conference with CTA President Eric Heins, State Treasurer John Chiang, CTA Board member Terri Jackson, state Assembly District 14 candidate Mae Cendaña Torlakson, and other lawmakers and local teachers. Same location: 2177 Diamond Blvd., Concord, 94520. Weekend contact: Mike Myslinski, 408-921-5769.

Burlingame – CTA Headquarters
Saturday: Starting at 9 a.m., CTA Board member Greg Bonaccorsi will host the day’s GOTV precinct walks, phonebanking and other election activities with teachers, and a media availability with CTA President Eric Heins is set for the afternoon at CTA’s statewide headquarters, 1705 Murchison Drive, Burlingame, 94010.
Sunday: In addition to GOTV activities, CTA Board members Curtis Washington and Greg Bonaccorsi will join teachers who will meet up and go out to the Burlingame farmer’s market, corner of Park Road and Burlingame Avenue, to promote Props. 55 and 58 from 10:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Weekend contact: Mike Myslinski, 408-921-5769.

Santa Rosa
Saturday: Media availability with State Senator Mike McGuire, CTA Board member Jerry Eaton and local educators starting at 9 a.m. at the Santa Rosa RRC, 2490 Guerneville Road, Santa Rosa, 95403.
Sunday: Media availability with CTA Board member Jerry Eaton, Windsor Unified Superintendent Steven Jorgensen, and local teachers at noon, when educators will also walk with Yes on Prop. 55 signs in front of the same location, 2490 Guerneville Road, Santa Rosa, 95403. Weekend contact: Len Feldman, 916-502-1820.

San Leandro
Saturday: Media availability all day with CTA Board member Curtis Washington at the CTA Eden RRC, 14523 Catalina St., Suite A, San Leandro, 94577.
Sunday: CTA Board member Terri Jackson media availability, same location. Weekend contact: Mike Myslinski, 408-921-5769.

Salinas
Saturday: Attention Spanish media: Several Spanish-speaking teachers will be on hand for a 10 a.m. news conference with CTA Board member Gayle Bilek and local CTA chapter leaders about Props. 55 and 58 at the CTA Salinas RRC, 928 East Blanco Road, Salinas, 93901. Speakers will include Oscar Ramos, president of the Salinas Elementary Teachers Council; bilingual education teacher Ernestina Gutierrez and George Lopez, current and past presidents of Alisal Teachers Association (ATA), respectively; and Estela Mercado Rodriguez, CTA State Council delegate for ATA.
Sunday: From noon to 2 p.m., sidewalk rallies for Props. 55 and 58 will take place in Salinas at the corner of Highway 68 and Blanco Road, across from Nob Hill supermarket. Weekend contacts: Jonathan Goldman, 415-509-1654, or Susan Midori-Jones, 831-594-4228.
Sacramento, Central Valley

Sacramento
Saturday: CTA Board members Toby Boyd, Susan Green and Mike Patterson will host a 10 a.m. news conference at the offices of the Sacramento City Teachers Association with local educators, 5300 Elvas Ave., Sacramento, 95819.
Sunday: Media availability during the day with CTA Board members Susan Green and Mike Patterson during GOTV events, same location. Weekend Sacramento contact: Claudia Briggs, 916-296-4087.

Ceres
Saturday and Sunday: Media availability with CTA Board member Elana Davidson to welcome and rally the members during GOTV activities at CTA Ceres RRC, 3900 Mitchell Road, Ceres, 95307. Board member Toby Boyd will join the media availability with Davidson on Sunday. Contact: Cyndi Menzel, 650-380-8553.

Fresno
Saturday: CTA Vice President Theresa Montaño, who is fluent in Spanish, to host 10 a.m. news conference with Fresno Teachers Association President Tish Rice and local teachers at the CTA Fresno RRC, 5330 North Fresno St., Fresno, 93710.
Sunday: Media availability with CTA Board member George Melendez during GOTV events, same location. Weekend contact: Cyndi Menzel, 650-380-8553.

Los Angeles Region

Culver City
Saturday: CTA Secretary-Treasurer David Goldberg will host a 11 a.m. news conference with Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, Senate Pro Tem Kevin de Leoń, CTA Board member Leslie Littman and local teachers. Location is the CTA Culver City RRC, 6095 Bristol Parkway, Suite 100, Culver City, 90230. News conference will be followed by a Yes on Prop. 55 precinct walk through the Westchester and Ladera Heights neighborhoods.
Sunday: Media availability during GOTV activities with CTA Board member Leslie Littman, same location as above. Weekend contact: Frank Wells, 562-708-5425.
Los Angeles

Sunday: Media availability with CTA Secretary-Treasurer David Goldberg and educators at the United Teachers Los Angeles offices, 3303 Wilshire Blvd., 10th floor, Los Angeles, 90010. UTLA contact: Anna Bakalis, 213-305-9654. CTA contact: Frank Wells, 562-708-5425.
Oxnard

Saturday: NEA Director Colleen Briner-Schmidt, a teacher in Conejo Unified School District, will welcome educators Saturday for voter mobilizing activities and will hold a media availability at the CTA Oxnard RRC, 1930 Outlet Center Drive, Oxnard, 93036. Contact: Arleigh Kidd, 805-485-1706.

Hesperia
Saturday and Sunday: Media availabilities will be held by CTA Board member George Melendez Saturday and Board member José Alcalá Sunday at the CTA Hesperia RRC, 9329 Mariposa Road, Suite 215, Hesperia, 92344. Contact: Frank Wells, 562-708-5425.

Monrovia
Saturday: CTA Board member Sergio Martinez will hold a media availability Saturday amid GOTV events at the CTA Monrovia RRC, 1333 South Mayflower Ave., Suite 150, Monrovia, 91016. Weekend contact: Frank Wells, 562-708-5425.

Santa Fe Springs
Saturday and Sunday: CTA Board member Margie Granado will welcome local educators and hold media availabilities Saturday and Sunday at the CTA Santa Fe Springs RRC, 11745 East Telegraph Road, Santa Fe Springs, 90670. CTA Secretary-Treasurer David Goldberg may attend as well. Weekend contact: Frank Wells, 562-708-5425.

San Diego, Orange County, San Bernardino

San Diego
Saturday: CTA Board members Roberto Rodriguez, Barbara Dawson and Marty Meeden will host Saturday welcome for local teachers and hold a media availability at San Diego RRC, 5333 Mission Center Road, Suite 200, San Diego, 92108. Media will be invited to join members as they set out to walk precincts.
Sunday: All aboard the “Prop. 55 Drive to Thrive” bus! CTA Vice President Theresa Montaño, Board members Roberto Rodriguez and Marty Meeden will host a highly visual news event with local teacher leaders on a double-decker bus that will drive throughout downtown San Diego to promote Props. 55 and 58 (Spanish speakers available). The 12:30 p.m. news conference is next to the bus at the same location as above, 5333 Mission Center Road, Suite 200, San Diego, 92108. The bus tour event is 1-3:30 p.m. Media are invited to board the bus at 1 p.m. and ride with local teachers. Weekend contact: Ed Sibby, 951-225-2048.

Orange
Saturday: CTA Board member Kendall Vaught will welcome teachers Saturday and hold a media availability at the CTA Orange 281 North Rampart, Suite A, Orange, 92867.
Sunday: CTA Board member Barbara Dawson will hold a media availability at the same location. Weekend contact: Ed Sibby, 951-225-2048.

San Bernardino
Saturday: CTA Board members Robert Rodriguez and Jose Alcala to host a 10 a.m. media availability with local leaders at the San Bernardino RRC, 430 East Vanderbilt Way, San Bernardino, 92408. (Spanish speakers available.)
Sunday: CTA Board members Kendall Vaught and Robert Rodriguez to host a media availability, same location. Weekend contact: Ed Sibby, 951-225-2048.