Over the past year, teachers and peace activists from around the state have rallied to demand that CalSTRS divest from war profiteer General Dynamics and invest in life-affirming programs. After meeting with General Dynamics, CalSTRS has decided that one of the top five weapons manufacturers in the world meets their investment guidelines. We urge you to write a letter to your local papers as we hope CalSTRS will take notice when people take the time to speak up about this important issue.
KEY TALKING POINTS:
- As the largest educator-only pension fund in the world, CalSTRS has a responsibility to divest from companies like General Dynamics which shows such brazen disregard for the sanctity of human life — in particular, the attack on the Yemeni school bus on August 9, 2018.
- As an educator, my heart aches every time I learn a child is being restricted from the basic human right of an education. However, in this insistence, the most unspeakable crime has been committed with the attack on the Yemeni school bus.
- I object to the roughly $89 millions worth of investments in General Dynamics. I urgently demand an immediate and complete divestment of our retirement funds from General Dynamics.
- General Dynamics arms sales only contributes to the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Yemen, which creates strong resentment towards our country and contributes to the rise of violent extremism.
SAMPLE LETTER:
CalSTRS: Largest educator-only pension funds war
Dear editor,
The largest educator-only pension fund in the world, CalSTRS, has invested millions in General Dynamics, which has been implicated in the loss of countless innocent lives around the world. In August of 2018, 44 Yemeni children were killed and 77 wounded in a brazen attack on a school bus. General Dynamics, the company that manufactured the guided metal fin that is normally attached to a 500-pound bomb has yet to be held responsible. As the largest educator-only pension fund in the world, CalSTRS has a responsibility to divest from companies like General Dynamics which shows such brazen disregard for the sanctity of human life.
As an educator, my heart aches every time I learn a child is being restricted from the basic human right of an education. However, in this insistence, the most unspeakable crime has been committed with the attack on the Yemeni school bus. I object to the roughly $89 millions worth of investments in General Dynamics. I urgently demand divestment of my retirement funds from war profiteer General Dynamics.
Sincerely,
[your name]
[your email address]
[your location]