The California Teachers Association was joined by other groups who are demanding the continuation of tax extensions to fund education in the state budget.  The CTA held a rally and march, much like the one Monday, to call attention to the plight of schools.

At Sacramento's McClatchy High School, students, parents, teachers and alumni demonstrated outside the campus holding up signs that said without more funding, sports programs and elective classes would be cut.

At the Capitol the Campaign for quality Education brought parents and students together in a rally to call attention to the effects budget cuts have on low income families and students of color.


"There should be equal opportunity for all kids to be taught," said Doroghy Carney, a mother from Oakland.

Students say their classes have already been impacted by two years of budget cuts.

"Classes are over-crowded.  My biggest class has 38 students in it," said Jackie Hernandez, a high school freshman from Long Beach.

Assembly member Julia Brownley of Santa Monica who is chair of the Education Committee said besides teacher layoffs, school districts are in danger of cutting the school year.

"We're not talking about a week.  We're talking about a month, six weeks is the only way to bring our budget in alignment," said Brownley.

Republicans are refusing to vote for extending a temporary tax extension that's been in place for several years. They say an unexpected boost in tax collections of $2.5 billion should prevent deep cuts in school programs.

But Assembly member Felipe Fuentes of San Fernando says that's not enough.

"You have to put it in the context of the cuts we've already passed, $9 billion in cuts," said Fuentes.

But Republicans raising taxes would further hurt the economic recovery.

"If you can grow the economy and give people a job and get people paying into the system, then we believe that the money will be there," said Assembly Republican leader Connie Conway.

Teacher and CTA member Betty Olson-Jones spoke at the rally.  She spent the night in jail following a raucus demonstration in the Capitol Rotunda staged by U-C students, members of the anti-war and social justice group "Code Pink," and the CTA.

"There are 84 billionaires in state.  Why are we not taxing the wealthy? Why are corporations still getting tax breaks?  it's just not fair, my kindergarteners can tell you that it's just not fair," said Olson-Jones.

She said teachers are frustrated and that over the course of the week CTA members will continuing standing up for their students. More protests are planned each day this week, including in the districts of key Repbulicans.

When asked if that meant more arrests, she said "It's a definite possibility."