Educators from throughout Alameda County joined students, parents and the community on the steps of the State Capitol today in demanding better public school funding. Organized by the East Bay Coalition for Public Education, hundreds traveled from the San Francisco Bay to spotlight California’s school funding inadequacies and demand action from legislators.

“As educators who care about our students and our communities, we are deeply committed to the success of our students,” said Alameda Education Association President Judith S. Klinger. “Locally, we are working together to provide the resources and opportunities our students need to succeed. We need state lawmakers to do the same – California ranks 44th in the nation in per-pupil funding.”

Educators and school officials from the 18 school districts in Alameda County participated in the rally, which called attention to the woeful underfunding of California public education that has contributed to the environment that has seen strikes this year in Oakland and Los Angeles and potential job actions in Dublin, San Ramon and beyond. Across the state, educators, parents and community members are standing together for the schools all students deserve.

“Funding public education adequately is at the core of fixing many of the problems in our society,” said Marci Nettles, an Alameda Education Association member who attended the rally with her two daughters. “We owe it to our students to provide the quality schools they deserve.”