The California Teachers Association (CTA) is running a TV ad criticizing Governor Gavin Newsom. The ad says that the governor’s budget cuts could lead to larger class sizes and thousands of teacher layoffs, creating a crisis in California classrooms. It urges lawmakers and Newsom to pass a budget that protects public schools.
This ad follows the CTA’s contributions to Newsom’s campaigns in the past. Lance Christensen, from the California Policy Center, disagrees with the ad, saying it exaggerates the budget situation. Newsom’s budget includes cuts of $150 per student compared to the earlier proposal and delays $8 billion in cuts to the future, which some experts criticize as a budget trick.
The ad is airing this week, and the CTA has also threatened to sue over the school cuts. The final budget agreement deadline is June 15.