Defend Education! Statewide Organizing Meeting for March 4th: Feb 7th Noon CCSU Barnard 108 - National Day of Action to Defend Education
Wesley Strong
Students, teachers, workers, parents, and faculty - Everyone is Welcome
Connecticut Statewide Organizing Meeting
February 7th 2010, Noon (12pm), Food Provided
Central CT State University, New Britain, CT 06050
Barnard room 108 (look for the signs)
Directions to CCSU
Lunch Provided by CT Students Against the War
Why should I come to the statewide organizing meeting to build for actions on March 4th, the National Day of Action to Defend Education?
In CT, 1,200 teachers are out of work, tuition hikes at public universities threaten accessibility, class sizes grow while resources and quality of education diminishes, costs of education beyond tuition are rising limiting accessibility, privatization grows as a "solution" to the crisis all the while the public funding disappears. In the face of this crisis, people throughout the country. Students, teachers, workers, parents, and faculty throughout the country are standing up to say no more.
Join the Discussion! March 4th organizing is open and democratic for everyone. By participating, you help build it's character.
Join the CT March 4th Listserve here: http://groups.google.com/group/ctmarch4th
Email for more info: ctmar...@gmail.com
Temporary Phone contact for the 4th (until we can formalize some positions on the 7th):
Wes @ 860 916 2761
National March 4th campaign organizing website and endorsers list: http://www.defendeducation.org
Draft Call to Action for Statewide actions on or around March 4th
Take a Stand! Defend Education
March 4th!
Statewide Meeting Feb. 7th
Noon at CCSU Barnard room 108 (Lunch Provided)
To Organize for March 4th
National Day of Action to Defend Education
The costs of education are on the
rise. From kindergarten to the
university classroom, the cost of attaining a base level of education necessary
to attain living-wage employment (up to and including a 4-year college degree)
has never been more expensive. At the
same time, budgets in public school systems and at universities both public and
private are being slashed, teaching staffs are being reduced, and access to
further academic enrichment is virtually nonexistent.
Even in Connecticut, one of the
wealthiest states in the country, spiraling education costs are dealing blows
to the dreams and aspirations of students throughout the state. In the
Connecticut State University system alone, (Central, Southern, Western, and
Eastern), tuition has risen consistently since 2003. The raise scheduled for the 2010-2011 school
year will make the increase 50% over the past 8 years (2003). The spike in tuition costs in the CSU system
is not out of the norm. The Project on Student Debt, a California based
research and data collection project that compiles statistics on student loan
information, found that CT students graduate with the 3rd highest
debt-by-state of all students in the country, surpassed only by Iowa and the
District of Columbia. (http://projectonstudentdebt.org/)
As tuition costs spiral out of
control, putting higher education out of reach of many, massive budget cuts are
happening simultaneously at all CT universities, including the over 300 jobs
the CSU system has left open for the past year, wage freezes, and furlough days
for professors. At the same time this
has been happening, Administrators in both the UCONN and CSU systems have
accepted bonuses, being praised for their ability to cut education.
Connecticut’s public schools
struggle to provide quality education as Gov. Rell freezes and reduces
education funds. School systems already struggling have made drastic cuts that
threaten the future of Connecticut’s youth. 1200 teachers lost their jobs last
year, many from underprivileged districts such as Hartford that depend largely
on Federal funds. (http://inthistogetherct.org/2009/08/survey-1200-conn-teaching-jobs-lost-this-year/)
School administrations at all levels have executed cuts leading to an increase
in class size, an increase in workload on education workers, and a decrease in
the extracurricular programs that can provide important life skills to CT’s
youth.
These
systems are welcoming
private finance and influence to cover costs, a path that will lead to
greater
privatization. At private schools and universities, students and
workers are
under attack as democratic rights are being taken away, and their
working
conditions and the quality of their educations are diminishing.
Students, teachers, workers, parents and faculty throughout California
have already begun to stand up for their rights.
On March 4th, there will be a National Day of action to Defend Education, with actions happening simultaneously throughout the country. We can no longer sit by while our public schools are threatened with privatization and the rights of students and workers at private schools are stripped away. Now more than ever, it is critical that we join together and demand a better future. We call for those interested in participating in the March 4th Day of action and the continuing struggle to join together at a statewide meeting February 7th at Noon on the CCSU campus (food will be provided).
--
Wes Strong
CTSAW Organizer
ctsaw.org
860 916 2761