She has been teaching 26 years. Carol Robb teaches at Alvord Continuation High School in Riverside and is a member of the Alvord Educators Association. She has been teaching 31 years. Tom Rogers , president of the Sacramento City Teachers Association, taught for 25 years before assuming the presidency full time. He last taught at Ethel I. Baker Elementary School in Sacramento.
Students enter the school system at a disadvantage when they come from low socioeconomic situations.
We need universal preschool, so all children can come to kindergarten with the phonemic awareness that will prepare them for reading. Just hearing songs, stories and nursery rhymes gives children an advantage. In addition to promoting early education, we need to make our urban public schools the center of the community - not just a place to educate children. Schools can be a place where parents take classes, perhaps to learn English. Schools can provide health information and referral services.