To the California State Senate:

I'm writing to implore you to uphold your duty as elected officials and to advocate for the passing of The Pregnancy Leave for Educators Act (AB2901). Voting "yes" on AB2901 affirms California's commitment to providing the best education possible.

Teachers should have the best parental leave in the state. There are many reasons for this, but it comes down to this: teaching is the most important job in the world. We must allow teachers to recover from birthing their children and give them time to bond with their newborns—so they will return to the profession.

Working with students on a science project in Arusha, Tanzania - November 2019

Without teachers, we don't have astronauts, engineers, doctors or lawyers. Good teachers are fundamental to a strong education, the prerequisite for skill and knowledge acquisition. Without teachers, our future disappears because we are unable to educate and train the next generation.

Because here's the elephant in the room: teaching is hard, and people are leaving the profession. California has the 4th largest teaching shortage in the country. We can debate the causes of this distressing trend, but the bottom line is we are losing teachers precisely when we need them more than ever.

What's one way to reverse this trend? Create incentives for people to join and remain in the field. If teachers are granted the humane perk of fair parental leave, they'll want to return to their classrooms. With proper parental leave, teachers can rest and recover from childbirth, one of the most profound moments of their lives, before returning to their important, and inherently stressful, jobs.

Because the fact of the matter is teachers are tired. “Burnout” is the buzzword among teachers. And who can blame them? They are accountable to the children they teach, those children's parents, the administrations and school districts, and society at large. Providing sufficient parental leave will help combat burnout and incentivize retention.

Teachers are called to the profession, but they're barely hanging on right now. AB2901 is being closely followed. If it doesn't pass, thousands will be angry, and California cannot afford the resulting dire consequences. California can't afford this runaway train of teacher shortages. Our future depends on it. We need to bring people back to the profession by providing reasons to come back. And shouldn't teachers have the same perks as everyone else?

It's time for the Golden State to lead again; to lead the country, and the world. California created the first public library in the 1800’s and led the charge in protecting the environment through emissions standards legislation in the early 1960’s. It's 2024—in these uncertain times, California should resume its place as a world leader in public policy and as a force for good.

You have the power to take the first step. You can vote "yes" on AB2901 to show teachers you value their service and sacrifice. You can incentivize more people to join the teaching ranks, so that California provides the best education possible to its citizens. You can change the world for the better. Will you?

Thank you,

Trevor, Trevor Allen Vision