Put Your Words On Paper

Last Thursday, March 4, we stood up for education. We carried signs and shouted, "Education!"

Now we must put our words on paper and send letters to the government to tell them how we feel.

Education is important, right?

Right! We know this. We know it helps people be better workers, get better jobs, help their children in school, stay healthy, become citizens, and help the community.

We must tell the people in the State Legislature because they make the decisions about money for education.

Can you write a letter if you are not a citizen? Yes, you can.

It is important that everyone write a letter.

You can ask your teacher to help you.

You can say, "Teacher, I want to write a letter about education. I want to send it to the State Legislature. Can you help me?"

Here are some things you can talk about in your letter:

1. How the Adult School helped you get a job, keep a job, or do better: Did you get a promotion? Can you help customers better? Did you learn new skills that you use at your job?

2. How the Adult School helped you be a better parent: Can you read to your children in English? Do you take them to the Public Library? Did a teacher at the Adult School help you understand American schools better, and learn how to help your child succeed? Do you volunteer at your child’s school?

3. How classes at the Adult School helped you become active in your community or become a citizen: Have you volunteered with anything? Did you join the Student Council? Did you help at Samaritan House, Coyote Point, or donate coats to the One Warm Coat Drive? Can you understand US culture better now? Can you read the newspaper or read the news on the Internet now? Are you a better neighbor now?

Here is where to send your letters:

Senator Leland Yee
400 South El Camino Real, Suite 630
San Mateo, CA 94402
Phone: 650 – 340 – 8840

Assemblymember Jerry Hill
1528 South El Camino Real, Suite 302
San Mateo, CA 94402
Phone: 650 – 341 – 4676

Maybe you have friends or family who study at Adult Schools in others parts of California. It is important for them to write their State Senator and Assembly Member, also.

They can go to http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html and put in their zip code to find out who their senator or assembly member is.

All Adult Schools - and all the other public schools - in the state of California need your help now.

Here are a few more things:

1. Adults Schools have been in California for 150 years.
2. We serve 1.5 million students each year.
3. 15,000 people work for Adult Schools.
4. When the economy is bad, many people go to Adult Schools for more job skills and better English
5. Adult Schools are very cost-effective. That means they don’t cost a lot of money.
We are good schools but we are not fancy. California can help many, many
people in a low-cost way through Adult School programs.
6. We teach ESL, Citizenship, and Job Skills. We help students who are 18 years old or over get their GED, ABE or High School Diploma. We teach Older Adults many, many things to keep them healthy and active. We provide Parent Education to all parents. We teach immigrant parents how to help their children in school. We work very hard to serve our community and to teach our students how to serve their community, also.

Tell your friends and family about our school. Tell them what you know about the power and value of education.

If think think the San Mateo Adult School has helped you... if you think education is important... if you want to have good public schools for children and adults... you must speak up and tell the State Legislature.

Put your words on paper.