Call for March 4th.

[Wesley Strong]

Folks-

Paul and Ashley drafted a call for March 4th (attached) which I trimmed to fit down to one page (without sacrificing content/meaning). Attached are both the previous call and the one-page edit. Below, I have also pasted the one page edit that we can hopefully review, generally agree on, and begin to distribute to build for the February 7th meeting. Please review and propose edits.

-Wes

Connecticut Ad-Hoc March 4^th Coalition

Take a Stand! Defend Education March 4^th!

Statewide Meeting Feb. 7^th Noon at CCSU Barnard room 108 (Lunch Provided)

To Organize for March 4^th 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 3^rd 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.

 

On March 4^th, 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, the undersigned individuals and organizations, call for those interested in participating in the March 4^th Day of action and the continuing struggle to join together at a statewide meeting February 7^th at Noon on the CCSU campus (food will be provided).

On 1/17/10, Ashley Chameides <freela...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hey Wes, Attached you will find the call for March 4th that Paul and I wrote. We took some of our own thoughts, and some of what you had drafted and mashed it all together and made it look pretty. Check it out and email us back with your thoughts. 

--
Wes Strong
860 916 2761

[Wesley Strong]

Forgot to attach 1 page draft.

[Wesley Strong]

Given that there has not been much discussion on this, I propose that we accept it as it stands so we can hand it out in the coming weeks, especially as schools come back in session (last ones come back tommorrow). Marissa, can you make a flier for this? Maybe just use some of the statistics in short on the front (and possibly the call on the back, if neccessarry. I am working on an email to send to a bunch of union contacts tommorrow.. Thoughts?

-Wes

[Paul Comeau]

Seconded.

[Wesley Strong]

Resending out the draft call for folks that missed it. I have also attached a long list of union contacts which I will attempt to make some progress on. I know some folks are building for the 30th anti-war conf in boston, but would folks - especially those at ccsu and other schools - be able to commit time next week to building for the 7th? I am not sure at this point what my capacity could be in helping with that, but I could offer assistance in designing a flier and making calls to unions and junk. I am not a student, so it would be best for students to be doing most of the face to face outreach on campuses. This is a seriously hot issue that can mobilize large numbers if folks prioritize and take the energy to do it. I am willing to help coordinate efforts, but have other commitments I am currently juggling as well. Could also offer my printer (its laser) for copies if folks have no other resource. Will repost this onto the Fb group as well.

Below and attached is the draft call. If you have any concerns, please bring them up so we can tailor this and start on viral email campaigns, phone calls, outreach with a united message to build for the feb 7th mtg and the 4th: