“If we allow these layoffs to go forward, it will not only mean hundreds of thousands fewer teachers in our classrooms, firefighters on call and police officers on the beat, it will also mean less tax revenue and less demand for the products and services provided by other workers. “
- President Barack Obama to Congressional leaders, June 12, 2010
Members of Congress will soon vote whether to include the basic tenets of the Keep Our Educators Working Act (.pdf) in a supplemental appropriations bill. It is emergency legislation that, if passed, would provide aid to the states to prevent more than 300,000 education workers from being laid off. It also includes almost $6 billion dollars to cover the shortfall in Pell grants. But as of June 15, it does NOT include any funding to stop the layoffs of higher education faculty and staff.
Funding postsecondary education is a necessity
The AAUP strongly supports expanded public investment in K-12 educators. At the same time, we strongly believe that such investment must extend to postsecondary educators as well if we are to reap the full benefits of that public investment. To exclude postsecondary educators from the Keep Our Educators Working legislation is to deny tens of thousands of qualified students the essential opportunity for a college education. Massive layoffs deny us the human capital to accommodate growing numbers of students with the quality education so essential to our economic, social, and political vitality as a knowledge-based economy, society, and democracy.
There is little time remaining, we must act now.
Unless Congress acts now, we will be facing an education crisis in the fall when the doors to colleges, universities, and K-12 schools open. Even the most robust, stable, and well funded of systems would have a difficult time absorbing the impact of hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of staff cuts. Unless we act now, students will be forced to bear the burden of the crisis brought about by failed economic policies. A reduction in teaching staff means larger class sizes, fewer course offerings, and an overall negative impact on the ability of colleges and universities to provide quality education.
Investing in education jobs IS a way to reduce the deficit
Lost jobs and foreclosed homes have led to a dramatic decline in revenue for states, counties, cities, and school boards, as well as the most severe financial crisis of the last few decades. If we are to recover from this crisis we need to stop these layoffs that threaten to undermine any hopes for our fragile economic recovery. Saving and creating jobs is a direct path to reducing the deficit.
It only takes a moment to help keep our colleges and universities strong. Please call your Members of Congress and ask them to support higher education jobs in the House supplemental appropriations bill.
Become a Higher Education Advocate in three easy steps:
- Go to http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml Here you will find links to the email address, postal address, and phone number for your member of Congress.
- Click on the link marked “U.S. Representatives”. It will take you to the United States House of Representatives website, where you can put in your zip code, and be automatically taken to the website for your Representative. There you will find their phone numbers in Washington, D.C. as well as the home district.
- Call your Representative
Some Things to remember:
- Look over the script, and feel free to personalize it with your own story.
- Introduce yourself to whoever answers the phone. Let them know what city you live in and make sure to tell them if you are a voter
- Be Polite, respectful, and clear.
- If you get a busy signal, please call again! Every call counts!
Save Higher Education Jobs Script
Hello My name is _____(Your Name)__________. I am a voter/resident/constituent and I am calling from________(City or town)______.
I am calling to speak with Representative/Senator_____________________ about restoring the funding in the supplemental appropriations bill for higher education jobs. While I strongly support expanded investment in K-12 educators, if we are to reap its full benefits, we must extend that public investment to postsecondary educators as well.
I am calling with students, parents, faculty, and staff from around the country to urge Representative/Senator __________________ to make sure that funding Pell grants is included in the supplemental appropriations bill, as well as funding for the jobs of those who educate the over 8 million students who received Pell grants this year.
Can I count on Representative/Senator _______________________ ‘s support for higher education in this supplemental appropriations bill?
Thank you for your time!