Preventing the state budget crisis from driving California into an "education recession" is one of the main topics in a speech California Teachers Association President David Sanchez is giving at the 58th annual Good Teaching Conference Saturday in Burlingame, according to spokesman Mike Myslinski.
According to the teachers association, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed to cut $5.2 billion from K-14 schools, eliminate five school days and cut California State University and University of California budgets by 10 percent.
"This monumental state budget crisis will drive teachers like these out of the profession - and drive California into an education recession - if lawmakers don't agree quickly to a budget solution that provides new revenues and keeps cuts away for the classroom," Sanchez said in a prepared statement.
Sanchez is also discussing Saturday the teachers association's filing of a statewide ballot initiative to raise sales tax by a cent to generate up to $6 billion a year for public schools, Myslinski said.
The 850 Northern California teachers in attendance are also sharing teaching methods and topics such as the importance of story telling, the latest tricks to make math fun and exciting, and how humor in the classroom can relieve stress.
Sanchez was scheduled to speak at noon in the Grand Peninsula Ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Hotel near San Francisco International Airport.
