The Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace (ICUJP) has committed itself to supporting our teachers in their struggle to save public education. It is only natural that we, who believe in justice and peace, would support public the teachers tasked with raising the consciousness of children and that we would oppose the turning over of our public school system to profiteers, as is the plan of LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner.

This is what has happened to post-Katrina New Orleans and is currently in the process in other cities. 

United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) is determined to thwart that happening here, and we support them.

UTLA President, Alex Caputo-Pearl spoke at a recent ICUJP Friday Forum making it absolutely clear that this is about saving public education and creating the schools that our students deserve.

The union is eager to get their message out to faith institutions and would like to send an officer out to speak to your congregation or leadership team.

L.A. teachers have voted 98% to strike if they don’t get a contract that will allow them to teach all students.

Click here to learn more about the "Give Kids a Chance: Stop starving our public schools" campaign. 

We encourage you to join the ICUJP in supporting our teachers. There are two things you can do to show that faith communities stand with them:

• Print the flier, “Organization support sign-on.” It is attached, or it can be downloaded from their website.
  Fill out the tear-off portions along the bottom, scan or photograph it, and email it into the union at [email protected].
  (CC us on the email and please mentioning you heard of this campaign through the ICUJP.)
• Join the ICUJP contingent at the UTLA march and rally on December 15.
  Bring your people and your banners.