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Just as the AFL-CIO is calling for us to call 1-888-355-3588 and speak to our congresspersons against CAFTA:School Employees Rally Against Texas Legislature CutsMembers of the Alliance for Education rallied at Town View Magnet School in Dallas right after school hours on May 23. President Aimee Bolender presented School Board member Ron Price and several officers from the American Federation of Teachers. About 200 school employees enthusiastically supported speakers while television cameras recorded the story. The State of Texas is constitutionally obligated to provide quality education, but the Legislature has steadily cut their own share of school financing from 33% to 18%, according to Bolender. The rest was dumped onto local property taxpayers. "Do no harm"The enthusiastic crowd chanted with Bolender, "Do no harm!" because of the many threats from the Legislature. They want to make it harder to retire and easier to get fired. They pretend there's no money for quality education while actually cutting taxes for the wealthiest Texans and raising taxes for everybody else. They want to continue squandering taxpayer money on poorly-performing charter schools and start throwing away even more money on a voucher system for private schools. While school employees see their retirement possibilities suffering, the legislators are rewarding themselves with a fat new pension plan! Their new pension plan would give them $6,000/month, but a 26/year teacher would only get $2,000, Bolender said. "Textbooks yes, vouchers no"
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