The life-sized cutout of Darth Vader in Barbara Kerr’s office is more than just a decoration. It represents her dark side in the battle against Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger over three education measures on the November ballot.

Barbara Kerr, the president of the California Teachers Association, sees the character from "Star Wars" as a metaphor for her own fierce determination. Despite her pleasant and nice demeanor, she is ready to become a wartime president if necessary.

The campaign over the California propositions is a high-stakes political battle between a fading political superstar and the state’s most powerful education group. The outcome could severely hinder the loser’s power.

Earlier this year, Gov. Schwarzenegger called for a special election and endorsed three measures that have qualified for the statewide ballot. One proposal would increase the time it takes for a teacher to become a permanent employee. Another would restrict public-employee unions from using dues for political contributions without annual consent. The third would allow policymakers to disregard constitutionally guaranteed funding levels.

The governor argues that these measures will improve the education system and bring fiscal stability. However, opponents believe that they unfairly target teachers, weaken union activism, and endanger public schools.

While some observers question the potential impact of the proposals, they recognize the political significance. The battle over who has the upper hand with voters is crucial, regardless of the actual changes these measures might bring.

The CTA, with its strong influence and substantial funds, is determined to defeat the measures and deliver a blow to the governor. Despite the declining power of labor unions nationwide, the 335,000-member CTA remains a force to be reckoned with in California.

They will spend approximately $50 million, raised through increased dues, to fight against the governor’s proposals alongside other conservatives.

The outcome of this political confrontation will be decided at the ballot box, where the CTA hopes to demonstrate its power and significance.

The CTA demonstrated its power early in the campaign season through extensive advertising campaigns and protests that have significantly decreased the governor’s approval ratings by over 20 percentage points. This activism has earned Ms. Kerr praise from other education groups in California, including the California School Boards Association, the California PTA, and other education unions that have been her adversaries in the past. However, Governor Schwarzenegger’s aggressive approach is unparalleled in California’s history, as he is a Hollywood action hero who won the office through a recall in 2003. The governor has referred to the teachers’ unions as "special interests" and released a video cartoon on his website depicting union members mistreating a teacher. Nevertheless, experts believe that the governor may have underestimated the difficulty of garnering public support for his policy proposals, which many Californians view as unnecessary.

Political observers note that while previous California initiatives on school vouchers and union member protection have sparked teachers’ opposition, it is highly unusual for a governor to simultaneously attack a former ally on three different issues. Representatives from education groups argue that these measures amount to a significant power grab. Proposition 76, in particular, grants the governor complete control over the budget every year, to the detriment of public schools, according to Kevin Gordon, the president of School Innovations and Advocacy, a research and lobbying group in Sacramento representing most of the state’s school districts.

Surprisingly, last year the CTA and Governor Schwarzenegger appeared to agree on school spending. After taking office in November 2003, the governor held discussions with the CTA and officials from other education groups to address the state’s fiscal problems. The plan suspended funding levels guaranteed by Proposition 98, approved by voters in 1988, but stipulated that the money would be restored once the state’s economy improved. However, the governor deviated from this agreement in his State of the State Address in January, announcing that the $2 billion promised to educators would be allocated to other state priorities, primarily transportation.

In recent months, Governor Schwarzenegger has denied the existence of such an agreement. He and his supporters claim that the CTA and other unions are disconnected from their members and have misused dues for partisan purposes. Alan D. Bersin, California’s Secretary of Education and the governor’s top education adviser, argues that the state is stuck in budget gridlock and cannot recover financially without implementing a new school finance system to avoid repeating past mistakes. The deficit in fiscal year 2004 exceeded $35 billion out of a $100 billion annual budget, and K-12 education spending accounts for over 40 percent of the state’s budget. Despite knowing that the proposed ballot measures would incite controversy, Governor Schwarzenegger believes he is making the right choices for the state. Bersin states that the governor’s message will resonate with people’s perception that the government is not functioning properly and that there is a need to address the existing problematic arrangements that hinder California’s quality of education. Bersin himself had clashes with the teachers’ union during his tenure as superintendent of the San Diego school district.

While Proposition 74, which extends the timeframe for teachers to obtain tenure, may appeal to administrators and educators outside of the CTA, representatives from these groups, including the CSBA, refuse to work against the CTA despite encouragement from the governor’s aides.

Leading State

Ms. Kerr, the president of the union, is currently spending a significant amount of her time traveling across the state to campaign against the proposed measures. The CTA has also organized phone banks, where teachers call potential voters. Recently, around 20 teachers from the San Francisco area attended a phone bank to make calls and participate in a press conference, expressing their outrage over the offensive cartoon targeting the union.

Supporters of Proposition 76, the school funding measure, recently sent teachers emails claiming that the CTA is facing bankruptcy. This move further angered the union. Later in the week, Ms. Kerr held a meeting with hundreds of local union leaders at a leadership conference. During the conference, she addressed the accusations made by the pro-Proposition 75 group, stating that the costly media campaign against the governor’s proposals will not lead to bankruptcy for the union. She assured around 400 members at the conference that the union is financially stable and committed to fighting for their cause.

Additionally, the union leaders believe that defeating these initiatives is crucial to prevent the spread of similar ideas in other states. They view California as a bellwether state, where the success or failure of such ideas greatly impacts the wider movement. Joann M. Waller, an NEA consultant assigned to organize members in California, echoed this sentiment, stating that the issues faced in California are often seen in other parts of the country. The outcome of these initiatives in California empowers those who advocate for similar measures elsewhere.