The National PTA has issued the following
action alert on the proposed Bush Budget. Sent yesterday to the PTA's extensive email list, the alert calls on the organization's members to contact their senators and representatives today to tell them "that we need a budget that invests in America's children and to oppose any budget that cuts programs that help children and families."
Founded in 1897 as the National Congress of Mothers, the National PTA is the oldest and largest volunteer child advocacy organization in the country.
More text from the alert after the break.
The PTA action alert reads in part:
Budget Cuts Will Hurt Children Take Action!
Contact Congress Now!
The U.S. Congress will begin working on its 2006 budget tomorrow. The budget sets funding levels for 2006 as well as provides a budget blue print through 2010.
That's why we're asking you to join a "National Call In Day" tomorrow, Tuesday March 8, to tell your Senators and Representative that we need a budget that invests in America's children and to oppose any budget that cuts programs that help children and families. Use this toll-free number, 1-800-247-2971, to be connected to your Senators and Representative or directly call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
If Congress approves the Bush Administration's budget, it would lock in a budget blue print requiring $214 billion in domestic spending cuts between 2006-2010, causing real hardship for struggling children and families. By 2010, this could mean:
300,000 fewer children getting child care assistance.
118,000 fewer children getting Head Start, which provides early learning and care to 3- and 4-year olds.
360,000 fewer struggling families receiving help heating their homes.
370,000 fewer families receiving rental assistance.
$11,500,000,000 in funding cuts to education programs, including Education for the Disadvantaged, Special Education funding, and School Improvement programs.
One cut not specifically mentioned by the PTA is the proposal to completely eliminate the state grant portion of the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities (NCLB - Title IV) funding that many school districts have relied on to provide supplementary health and mental health related programs and initiatives. These programs are designed to remove some of the barriers to learning that kids bring with them into the schools.
I'm talking about peer leadership development programs, social skills curricula that emphasize the very skills (critical thinking, decision-making, problem solving) that pave the way to academic success as well as to healthy life choices, speakers and field trips that open some kids' eyes for the very first time to the possibility of attending college (some kids desperately need something to happen to give themselves permission to dream), and positive alternatives like substance-free post prom parties that save lives every year.
Under Bush's budget, these programs will be gone.
As a long time PTA activist and substance abuse prevention profesional, I'm using my first diary here to call on my fellow members of the Dailykos community to join the PTA in calling our senators and representatives today to speak on behalf of our children and their schools. Thanks for reading and considering my request.