June 17, 2005

Evergreen teachers join May 25 Sacramento rally

By Diana Messamer
Special to the Times

Clif Black, who will be Evergreen School District’s new superintendent as of July 1, joins teachers (from left) Diana Messamer, Judy Hodkiewicz, Rina Quijano, Janeth Mejia, Beth Collins and Debra Chong at the May 25 Sacramento rally.

(From left) Evergreen School District teachers Susan Roberts, Karen Lovaas, Diane Clemenson, Maureen McClintock, Ana Galvin and Karen Newmyer oppose Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s merit pay proposal.

Two days after District 8 took its annual community bus trip to Sacramento, more than 10,000 people from diverse groups—nurses, firefighters, teachers, public employee groups, parents and students—gathered at the State Capitol Building in Sacramento to protest the governor’s budget plans and proposed special election.

People traveled on chartered buses from as far away as Bakersfield and the northern California border. From 3- to 4:30 p.m., instrumentalists and several different singers entertained the crowds. The audience particularly enjoyed the parody of “Hit the Road, Arnold” sung to the tune of “Hit the Road, Jack.”

The firefighters’ Pipes & Drums Corps, dressed in Scottish Highland attire, also marched and played near the stage area.

From 4:30- to 5:30 p.m., a wide range of speakers addressed various issues of concern. Speakers delivered their messages in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Chinese and several other languages. Sign language interpreters translated English speeches.

A woman in a wheelchair addressed the governor’s proposed cutbacks in home care assistance for handicapped individuals. Firefighters, nurses, teachers and members from different public employee groups addressed how the governor’s proposals will weaken and detrimentally impact the services each provides to California’s communities and areas of “Special Interest.”

Diana Messamer is president of the Evergreen Teachers Association.