Local school leaders joined Williams at Oxnard press conference announcing support
OXNARD, CA — Joined by local school and education leaders, Santa Barbara City Councilmember Das Williams announced today that the California Teachers Association (CTA) has chosen to exclusively endorse his campaign for the 35th Assembly District.
CTA is the largest education organization in the state, representing 325,000 educators from public schools and colleges. There are several local affiliates in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties.
“Das Williams has a proven record in fighting for education. He believes that investing in public education is the best investment we can make for the future of our students and our state. That is why CTA recommends Das Williams for State Assembly. He will stand with teachers, parents and college students to restore the devastating education cuts and put our children on the pathway to success,” said CTA President David A. Sanchez.
“I think Das understands the idea of ‘think globally and act locally,’” said Layne Wheeler, President of the Santa Barbara Teachers Association, a CTA affiliate. “He sees what has happened to our schools at a local level. I think, being on a school board, he is in tune with that. He has better first hand experience and is keenly aware of how cuts effect the classroom. I very much believe in Das, and very much support Das.”
Das Williams has a long and proven track record of fighting for education. As a Santa Barbara City Councilmember he was instrumental in the successful effort to provide free child care during the summer, expand after school programs for local children and secure funding for the first new Youth Center in over a decade in Santa Barbara. As a board member of Peabody Charter School, he helped craft a budget solution that avoided layoffs to certificated teachers and classified employees. Das has also been an outspoken critic of the Governor’s and Legislature’s consistent budget cuts to education funding and has stood alongside California’s students time and again in calling for an end to tuition fee hikes at our state’s universities and colleges.
“Das gets it,” said Steve Blum, President of Ventura United Education Association. “Das’ number one issue is education, and as such he’ll fight hard to ensure adequate funding for our schools and to give local teachers, parents and school employees a say in the future of our education system.”
Throughout the CTA’s 147-year history, the organization has built a reputation of standing up for improved teaching and learning throughout California. CTA now joins a growing number of local school board members, student groups and other education leaders supporting Das Williams’ candidacy, including the California Federation of Teachers and UPTE-CWA 9119-4, which represents employees at UC Santa Barbara.
“I am honored to have the endorsement and support of California’s teachers,” said Das Williams. “These are the folks who work every day to put our children on the path to success, and I can’t wait to continue working with them to preserve and improve the provision of education in California. Teachers are central to our economic recovery and California’s overall competitiveness in the global economy of the 21st Century.”
