Oakland Adult Ed under the gun

An email that was forwarded to me from an anonymous teacher in Oakland reads, in part:

As of late last week, state appointed administrator (in other words, Schwarzenegar lackey) Randy Ward has declared that he will SHUT-DOWN the ENTIRE OAKLAND ADULT EDUCATION program, effective immediately.
As an adult English-as-Second-Language (ESL) teacher, this means that I will lose my job without notice, quite possibly tomorrow. That sucks. So will hundreds of other teachers, clerical workers, custodians, and babysitters. That sucks more. But of even greater importance is the fact that 30,000 students who relied on Adult education for free essential classes will be left with no educational opportunities.

[snip]

What can you do? Well, for starters, make noise about this- alert those around you since the corporate media will surely won’t. If possible, please attend the SCHOOL BOARD MEETING, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, AT 4PM at 1025 2nd Ave, near Laney College/Lake Merritt in Oakland. In addition, by all means, demonstrate your rage in any other ways that you see fit…

According to today's Chronicle Coverage, Ward's threat is essentially an attemt to intimidate the union.

The $13 million adult education program is a state-funded program that serves as many as 30,000 students who are, among other things, earning a high- school diploma, learning English or computer skills or taking senior citizen enrichment courses such as cooking. The program has 360 employees, including 82 full-time teachers and 200 part-timers.

While the program is not losing money, it has in the past. Ward said contract negotiations with the union involved issues that could push the program into the red. He wouldn't elaborate on the particulars but said rising health care costs were a factor.

Yet again, health care rears its ugly head...