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CONTACT FOR MEDIA: Website: californiachildrensrally.com
Sandra Tsing Loh Youtube channel: RallyMoms
FIRST-EVER "CALIFORNIA CHILDREN'S
RALLY"
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 17, 2008 at the Sacramento
Capitol (front)
SACRAMENTO - 2008 marks both the 30th anniversary
of the passage of Howard Jarvis' Proposition 13 (June) and
the 160th anniversary of California public schools. On Tuesday, June 17, parental
frustration over perennial public education budget cuts (California
currently ranks 46th in the U.S.) will be transformed into
a rally celebrating a group who has no lobbyists, California's
future, and the most important "special interest" in
the world--our children. Also celebrated will be some
extraordinary heroes of California public school culture whose
hearts, despite many odds, beat strong.
A passionate advocate for child literacy,
Julie Andrews adds her voice to the alarm over California's
budget cuts. Says
Andrews about her home town: "Of the nation's twenty-five
largest public libraries, the Los Angeles library system lies
near the bottom of the book buying list. Los Angeles
is the wealthiest city in California--its economy ranks ninth
in the world--so how is this possible? Libraries are
our great teachers and storytellers, and a vital adjunct to
our schools. Those schools nurture our children, whose
hearts and imaginations hold our future. We must insist
upon a government that provides the very best for its most
precious citizens. . . our children." Ms.
Andrews' letter, written especially for the rally, will be
hand-delivered by the children to their legislators June 17.
WHO: A grassroots group of California public school families,
and friends
WHEN: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
WHERE: Capitol Steps on L Street at 11th
WHAT: The California Children's Rally - Working Schedule (subject
to change):
10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Children visit their legislators, invite
them to lunch
Traditional music hour featuring Tina Louise Barr and others
11 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. Kid's cafeteria-style lunch provided for
all, building begins of
"ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM"* led by Trash for Teaching, also
"Mission Impossible!" ("Are You Smarter than A Fourth Grader?
Can you build a mission out of clean recyclables?")
Music: The Kids of Widney High, Grateful Dads (w/ Foremen)
Children sing "California Public School Songbook"
California Autoharp Gathering - Fresno Migrant Scholars
**** JUST ADDED!!!! 11:45 a.m Disney's "CHOO CHOO
SOUL!" with Genevieve!
12 noon - 12:40 "Barndance!" with Evo Bluestein (Learn
to squaredance!)
12:40 - 12:55 The Angry Tired Teachers of Hayward (with
special guest "performance art troupe" The Burning
Moms) in "Low Budget High School Musical!"
12:55 - 1:00 p.m. "This Land is Your Land" group
singalong w/ "Guitar Army"
(legislators invited to bring instruments and jam!)
* "THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM" will be a giant group-built
elephant sculpture (created by Beth Elliott) upon which participants
can sit and pose for a photo. Democrat, Republican, Independent--everyone
has a different "elephant in the room" re: public
education funding. The Elephant (non-partisan, chosen
only for structural stability) welcomes all--as in the barndance,
all comers are invited to take a whirl.
PARTICIPATING GROUPS:
The Angry Tired Teachers Band (Hayward,
CA): This group of public school teachers from Hayward Unified (lowest paid
teachers in the Bay) have plowed the slings and arrows of their
superintendent, school board, administrators and even students
into their rock 'n' roll music. A fun--yet pointed--dance
party for anyone who feels, like Rodney Dangerfield, that they "don't
get no respect."
The Burning Moms (Everywhere, CA): The
Burning Moms are underpaid, overstressed public school moms
tired of gluing their California public schools' funding
together by baking endless pans of Snickerdoodles. They
join the Angry Tired Teachers as back-up dancers, doing the
swim and the pony in their own special way, working in such
theatrical mediums as sugary desserts and cash.
The California Autoharp Gathering (Mendota,
CA): The CAG was founded in 2003 at the Mendota Unified School
District, enabling students to take classes in autoharp,
folkloric dancing and more. An inspiring example of
the synergies possible, Fresno Unified, the Fresno Folklore
Society and the Fresno migrant scholars program all work
together to bring traditional American arts to a new generation
of California public school students.
Evo Bluestein (Clovis, CA): Evo Bluestein
is a legendary fiddler, as well as music and dance educator
in Central Californian public schools. His "barn dances" timeless,
fun, and uplifting. Bluestein's Four "C's" of
squaredancing include Courtesy (politeness--the ability to
dance with anyone in the room with a good attitude), Cooperation
(willingness to try new things), Concentration (staying on
the beat), and. . . Community!
The Grateful Dads (Everywhere, CA): In California
public schools where music programs have been cut and teachers
are frantically busy teaching Open Court for standardized testing,
who sometimes steps into the musical void is a brave volunteer
dad with a guitar. (Or a piano.) While this is
no substitute for the real music programs other states have,
we still love our balladeer dads (and moms!) who teach our
kids to sing.
The Kids of Widney High (Los Angeles):
The Kids of Widney High are a group of students from Widney
High School, a special education high school in Los Angeles,
who write and perform original songs. The group started in
1988 as a song writing class and changes as the students
come and go from Widney. These incredible "Kids" record,
gig and have their own you tube channel, to the delight of
enthusiastic audiences.
Trash for Teaching (Los Angeles): TFT collects
clean and safe cast-off materials from manufacturing (that
would otherwise become trash) and repurposes them to provide
comprehensive arts education programs. TFT's Treasure Trucks bridge
the gap between the excess of waste created in manufacturing
processes and the lack of materials in public education. TFT's
Motto: "Education and environmentalism through creative
reuse."
NEWS ADVISORY -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS ADVISORY -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- May 29, 2008
CONTACT FOR MEDIA: Website: californiachildrensrally.com
Sandra Tsing Loh, (818) 426 1240 Youtube channel: RallyMoms
FIRST-EVER "CALIFORNIA CHILDREN'S
RALLY"
Tuesday, June 17, 2008 at the Sacramento Capitol (front)
SACRAMENTO - 2008 marks both the 30th anniversary
of the passage of Howard Jarvis' Proposition 13 (June) and
the 160th anniversary of California public schools. On Tuesday,
June 17, parental frustration over perennial public education
budget cuts (California currently ranks 46th in the U.S.)
will be transformed into a rally celebrating a group who
has no lobbyists, California's future, and the most important "special interest" in
the world--our children. Also celebrated will be some extraordinary
heroes of California public school culture whose hearts, despite
many odds, beat strong.
WHO: A grassroots group of California public school families,
and friends
WHAT: The California Children's Rally - Working Schedule (subject
to change):
10 a.m. - 11 a.m. Children visit their legislators,
invite them to lunch
11 a.m. - 12 noon Kid's cafeteria-style lunch provided for
all, building begins of
"ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM"* led by Trash for Teaching,
also
"Mission Impossible!" ("Are You Smarter than
A Fourth Grader?
Can you build a mission out of clean recyclables?")
Music: The Kids of Widney High, Grateful Dads (w/ Foremen)
Children sing "California Public School Songbook"
California Autoharp Gathering - Fresno Migrant Scholars
12 noon - 12:40 "Barndance!" with Evo Bluestein and
company
(Learn to squaredance on the Capitol Steps!)
12:40 - 12:55 The Angry Tired Teachers of Hayward (with special
guest "performance art troupe" The Burning Moms)
in "Low Budget High School Musical!"
12:55 - 1:00 p.m. "This Land is Your Land" group
singalong w/ "Guitar Army"
(legislators invited to bring instruments and jam!)
WHEN: Tuesday, June 17, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
WHERE: Capitol Steps on L Street at 11th
* "THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM" will be a giant group-built
elephant sculpture (created by Beth Elliott) upon which participants
can sit and pose for a photo. Democrat, Republican, Independent--everyone
has a different "elephant in the room" re: public
education funding. The Elephant (non-partisan, chosen only
for structural stability) welcomes all--as in the barndance,
all comers are invited to take a whirl.
PARTICIPATING GROUPS:
The Angry Tired Teachers Band (Hayward,
CA): This group of public school teachers from Hayward Unified
(lowest paid teachers in the Bay) have plowed the slings
and arrows of their superintendent, school board, administrators
and even students into their rock 'n' roll music. A fun--yet
pointed--dance party for anyone who feels, like Rodney Dangerfield,
that they "don't get
no respect."
The Burning Moms (Everywhere, CA): The Burning Moms are underpaid,
overstressed public school moms tired of gluing their California
public schools' funding together by baking endless pans of
Snickerdoodles. They join the Angry Tired Teachers as back-up
dancers, doing the swim and the pony in their own special way,
working in such theatrical mediums as sugary desserts and cash.
The California Autoharp Gathering (Mendota, CA): The CAG was
founded in 2003 at the Mendota Unified School District, enabling
students to take classes in autoharp, folkloric dancing and
more. An inspiring example of the synergies possible, Fresno
Unified, the Fresno Folklore Society and the Fresno migrant
scholars program all work together to bring traditional American
arts to a new generation of California public school students.
Evo Bluestein (Clovis, CA): Evo Bluestein
is a legendary fiddler, as well as music and dance educator
in Central Californian public schools. His "barn dances" timeless, fun,
and uplifting. Bluestein's Four "C's" of squaredancing
include Courtesy (politeness--the ability to dance with anyone
in the room with a good attitude), Cooperation (willingness
to try new things), Concentration (staying on the beat), and.
. . Community!
The Grateful Dads (Everywhere, CA): In California public schools
where music programs have been cut and teachers are frantically
busy teaching Open Court for standardized testing, who sometimes
steps into the musical void is a brave volunteer dad with a
guitar. (Or a piano.) While this is no substitute for the real
music programs other states have, we still love our balladeer
dads (and moms!) who teach our kids to sing.
The Kids of Widney High (Los Angeles):
The Kids of Widney High are a group of students from Widney
High School, a special education high school in Los Angeles,
who write and perform original songs. The group started in
1988 as a song writing class and changes as the students
come and go from Widney. These incredible "Kids" record,
gig and have their own you tube channel, to the delight of
enthusiastic audiences.
Trash for Teaching (Los Angeles): TFT collects
clean and safe cast-off materials from manufacturing (that
would otherwise become trash) and repurposes them to provide
comprehensive arts education programs. TFT's Treasure Trucks
bridge the gap between the excess of waste created in manufacturing
processes and the lack of materials in public education.
TFT's Motto: "Education
and environmentalism through creative reuse."
Week ending 5/12/08
Carthay Center Elementary
(Miracle Mile, Los Angeles), Encino Elementary (Encino), Lowell
Elementary (Long Beach), Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies
(Sherman Oaks)
.
. . Thanks to "Cool Ivanhoe
Mom" Kelly Hargraves for putting together a JukeBox Jury of "Mothers" to
somberly discuss the California education budget cuts and multi-layered
state tax implications with Jonesy (see PHOTO GALLERY)
Punker and radio host, Steve Jones, joins in budget cuts protest
with rally moms! Listen
here!
New Rally Collaborators/Performers include:
Whole Child
Whole Planet Expo
Heidi
Duckler's Collage Dance Theatre
The
Kids of Widney High!
Congrats to Victoria
Rierdan Hurley and Maria
von Hartz organizing a fantastic rally in L.A.! www.moms-unite.com
Week ending 5/5/08
Almondale Middle School (Little Rock), Alpine Elementary (Little
Rock), Canfield Avenue Elementary (Los Angeles), Ivanhoe
Elementary (Silverlake), Mark Twain Middle School (Los Angeles),
New West Charter (Los Angeles), Woodland Hills Academy (Woodland
Hills)
June 16 Trips
to Sutter's Mill and/or Sacramento's train museum
June 16 "Pony Express Cookout" dinner followed by "Mining
Camp Theatre" (vaudeville fun starring our rally kids
and families)
(2nd grade and up)
Kids Make History: A New Look at America's
Story by Susan Buckley and Elspeth Leacock
Center for the Study of Political Graphics (politicalgraphics.org)
Trash for Teaching (trashforteaching.com) (see "trashosaurus" in
photo gallery!)
CCR welcomes Steve Barr (greendot.org) and the LA Parents
Union (laparentsunion.org)
Week ending 4/28/08
Dixie Canyon (Studio City), Edison Language Academy (Santa Monica), Forest Grove (Pacific Grove), LACHSA--LA County High School for the Arts (Los Angeles), Lanai Road (Encino), Marengo Elementary (South Pasadena), Valley Alternative Magnet (Van Nuys), Van Gogh (Tarzana)
Autoharps, Beatles Songs ("Say You Want A Revolution"), Books, Classroom Pets on Parade, 4th graders and their California curriculum (Sacramento!), Guitar Hero Dads, "Hula of Hawaii (and Van Nuys)," Kindergarteners, Protest Art-Making, Tai Chi, Upright Piano (on wheels)
Mother/Teacher Pre-March Weekend Spa Package in Cool: Brunch, Massage and Winetasting
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