Tuesday, October 4, 2011
From: Educators for Immigrant Rights
Subject: Petition to Governor to Sign CA Dream Act
October 2, 2011
Dear Colleague:
We are writing you to ask you to join this petition to urge Governor Brown to sign AB 131, The California Dream Act Part II. AB 131 would make undocumented/AB 540 students eligible for Cal Grants and other state financial aid for college. This bill was passed by the state legislature and has been on the governor’s desk since September 13. Governor Brown has one week — until October 9 to — take action and he is receiving much pressure from conservatives to veto the bill. As educational professionals, we see that financial aid is a formidable obstacle faced by undocumented youth in their pursuit of higher education. AB 131 would help thousands of undocumented students attend college and contribute to California’s future prosperity. This is an important step in the fight for social justice in California.
There are two ways that you can pressure Governor Brown to sign this important piece of legislation. First, open the attached letter and click on the link (http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2119/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=8269) to add your name to the list of signatories. To present your perspective as an educator, please feel free to cut and paste the letter included here into the letter box to be sent to the Governor. Secondly, please forward this email to five other educators urging them to do the same.
Dear Governor Brown:
We are educators in California signing in support of AB131. We teach children from infancy through college and see every day how undocumented students are engaged in our society, how they contribute and want to expand their active participation in civic life. We watch our students grow and strive towards an education in spite of the enormous obstacles they face. Too often we lose students because they are stopped in their tracks when they are denied access to a higher education. There are kids who are leaders in their schools, achieving success in their classrooms, contributing to their families and building their communities. We witness that financial need is the single largest obstacle faced by undocumented students in their transition from high school to college, especially in this time of rising educational costs.
AB131 is not just about helping students, it is about helping ourselves as a state. California has invested in providing education to these young people for up to 12 years. It doesn’t make sense to stop now and throw away that investment. In order to rebuild California’s strength we will need to educate all of our young people. Education should be a right for all Californians regardless of their place of birth or immigration status.
For all of these reasons we stand united in support of AB 131. We urge you to follow the legislature in passing this bill by signing AB 131. Help these dreamers achieve their dreams. We all will benefit by opening the door for these young people to continue their paths to success.
Respectfully
We have less than one week to pressure Governor Brown to do the right thing. Let’s mobilize to ensure that AB131 becomes California law!
Respectfully,
Educators for Immigrant Rights
Cynthia Cortez
College Adviser
Destination College Advising Corps at Silverado HS
Jesse Henderson
Real Estate Consultant
Ester Hernandez
Associate Professor of Chicano Studies
California State University Los Angeles
Paige Leven
Teacher
Ed Roybal Learning Center (HS) LAUSD
Alejandra Marchevsky
Professor of Liberal Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies
California State University Los Angeles
Enrique Ochoa
Professor of History and Latin American Studies
California State University Los Angeles
Francesca Ochoa
Retired Middle School Teacher
Fred M. Sparks Middle School, HLPUSD
Gilda Ochoa
Professor of Sociology and Chicano/a-Latino/a Studies
Pomona College
Maria Gutierrez de Soldatenko
Professor of Chicano/a Studies
Pitzer College
Michael Soldatenko
Professor of Chicano Studies
California State University Los Angeles
