Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The California Conference of the American Association of University Professors (CA-AAUP) supports your struggle to defend not just your rights as teachers and trade unionists, but the right of all Mexican people to the public education guaranteed by your federal constitution.
The CA-AAUP represents all four divisions of higher education in California: community colleges, California State Universities, the University of California system, and private colleges and universities. Together, we are California's higher education professionals: we are adjuncts, lecturers, graduate students, researchers, scientists, tenured and tenure-track faculty. With members at more than 130 universities and colleges across the state, AAUP leads the fight for academic freedom and shared governance, and for the respect we deserve as higher education professionals.
We applaud your courageous resistance to implementation of changes to your constitution. We join you in rejecting the use of standardized tests deciding which teachers will be hired or keep their jobs. We reject linking faculty retention to problematic measurements of student "success." We believe standardized testing of students will limit their future opportunities in life, and will significantly reduce federal funding to state and local schools. These changes will have the worst possible impact on the poorest states and communities, especially those whose populations are mainly non-Spanish speakers.
You have clarified for the world that the forces behind these so-called "reforms" mask powerful corporate interests determined to profit by privatizing public education. Your struggle for educational and union justice is an inspiration to us. It shows all of us how faculty, students, and communities can unite to defend their rights to a high-quality public education.
We stand in support and solidarity,
Steering Committee, California Conference of the
American Association of University Professors
Secretary/Treasurer and Acting President:
Mary Ann Irwin, Diablo Valley College (2013-2014)
Past President:
Ivan Evans, University of California, San Diego (2012-2013)
Vice President for University of California:
Ivan Evans, University of California, San Diego (2013-2014)
Vice President for California State University:
John Halcón, California State University, San Marcos (2012-2014)
Vice President for California Community Colleges:
Mary Ann Irwin, Diablo Valley College (2012-2013)
Vice President for California Community Colleges:
Samantha Francois, Diablo Valley College (2013-2014)
Vice President for Private Colleges and Universities:
Robin Balliger, San Francisco Art Institute (2012-2014)
California Faculty Association North:
Wendy Ng, San Jose State University (2012-2014)
California Faculty Association South:
Kimberly King, California State University, Los Angeles (2011-2015)