Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/129419
> H A P P Y B I R T H D AY C TA ! It's time to celebrate… OURSELVES! The CTA ads all stress that, for 150 years, California's educators have stood up for what happens in our classrooms, and CTA has been their voice. The three-week ad campaign includes print ads in eight languages in more than 47 ethnic newspapers, website ads, and radio and TV spots on scores of stations in all major media markets. "Today, our values of fairness, public service and commitment to all of our children remain exactly the same," CTA President Dean E. Vogel says in one radio ad. "And that's why the California Teachers Association paid for this message — celebrating 150 years advocating for all students, educators, and our public schools." CTA's theme for the state's Day of the Teacher is "California Teachers: Honoring our past. Guiding the future." Events are planned to celebrate the work of all school staff, education support professionals and community college faculty. The "educational society" that became CTA was founded by crusading state schools chief John Swett. Generations of CTA members won the state's first class size legislation in 1895; a 1927 court victory preventing the firing of a female teacher simply for getting married; the state's landmark 1988 law establishing minimum funding levels for public schools; and the passage of the CTA-sponsored Quality Education Investment Act (QEIA) of 2006 to ensure that at-risk students can thrive. There will be many opportunities to "toot our own horn," says Vogel, "and I hope all members will participate or attend celebrations at the local and state levels." CTA's media fund promotes the great work of educators in California public schools. The campaign is paid for by the media fund and a grant from the NEA. View and listen to TV and radio spots and see the print ads at www.cta.org/150media. 40 California Educator May 2013 CTA's print ads appear in eight languages. Rotating website ads (right) tell of CTA's achievements. Photos by Becky Zoglman CTA's 150th birthday celebration was officially kicked off with a news conference unveiling a major television, radio, print and Web ad campaign about CTA's historic achievements that reach back to the Civil War era. Thanks to the members who gave their time to appear in CTA's media campaign: Adriana Saavedra, New Haven TA; Doreen McGuire-Grigg, Lakeport Classified EA; Jose Rivera-Chavez, Hollister Elementary School TA; Junelle Mallari, New Haven TA; Keith Lark, New Haven TA; Marianna Aguirre, Tracy Educators Association; Sebastien Paul De Clerck, Ventura Unified EA; Susan Green, CFA, CSU Chico; and Tracy Jimenez-Bedolla, Hollister Elementary School TA.