Altadena Elementary Students to Take Part in Budget Protest

Some students and parents will be in front of the school on Thursday blowing bubbles as a way of protesting budget cuts to education, according to Cushon Bell, a parent at the school.

Why bubbles?  According to Educate Our State, the group organizing the protests, the bubbles send the following messages: "This Budget Blows!,” and “Don’t blow it!  Pass a budget that fully funds education now!"

The protests take place on Thursday, March 15 because it is the state deadline to notify teachers that they may be laid off before the beginning of the next school year.  Pasadena Unified School District for full-time teachers, though in the past the district officials have ended up laying off far fewer teachers than they originally notify.

According to a press release from the group, Educate Our State is urging legislators to pass a budget the better funds education now, and not to simply rely on tax initiatives on the November ballot that could increase tax revenue for education in the state.  The deadline to pass a budget for the next fiscal year is July 1, but legislators often go beyond that date for a final agreement.

Educate Our State describes itself as a "parent-led, grassroots movement with 40,000 supporters statewide.