Educators are urging the California State Senate to Defeat AB 934 (Bonilla Bill) both as an attack on teachers’ rights to advocate for their students and an unnecessary complication to an effective, experienced-based system of lay-offs.

Educators throughout California are deeply committed to educating each and every one of their students and believe every student has the right to a caring, qualified and committed teacher. 

Assembly Member Bonilla’s AB 934 seeks to change current law to do away with the professional rights of educators, eliminates transparency in layoff decisions and does nothing to protect educators from arbitrary firings. No one’s rights should be taken away. Educators have earned professional due process rights and they need them to advocate freely on behalf of their students.

Having these rights also gives teachers the ability to speak out on behalf of their students over issues like safety, class sizes, and adequate supplies, or to teach about sometimes controversial national and world issues without fear of retribution. AB 934 seeks to strip teachers of their due process rights, and at a time of significant teacher shortages throughout the state, is silent on issues of student learning and will make it harder to attract and retain quality teachers in our classrooms. 

Concerned educators and education professionals should contact their state senators and express their opinion the bill should be defeated.