As people throughout the country struggle under the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, public education from pre-K to higher and adult education is threatened by budget cuts, layoffs, privatization, tuition and fee increases, and other attacks. Budget cuts degrade the quality of public education by decreasing student services and increasing class size, while tuition hikes and layoffs force the cost of the recession onto students and teachers and off of the financial institutions that caused the recession in the first place. Non-unionized charter schools threaten to divide, weaken and privatize the public school system and damage teachers’ unions, which are needed now more than ever. More and more students are going deep into debt to finance their education, while high unemployment forces many students and youth to join the military to receive a higher education. And all of the attacks described above have hit working people and people of color the hardest.And previously:
In California, students, teachers, workers, parents, and faculty have taken action against these attacks. They took to the streets in a one-day strike on September 24th, organized strikes and actions across the state during the University of California Board of Regents meeting from November 18th to 20th, and have called for a state-wide day of action on March 4th. These actions have created a broad mass movement in California, drawing in students from all over the state to create a powerful struggle. As the effects of the economic crisis continue to spread into the education system nationally, it’s time to join our voices with students and workers in California and draw inspiration from their example.
We support each group or coalition organizing in the manner and for the duration of their choosing. In solidarity with those in California, we the below-signed individuals and organizations call on students, teachers, workers, parents, faculty, and staff across the country to join together on March 4th to Take A Stand For Education!
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ENDORSED BY (list in formation):
Organizations
The 1212 Community, Bronx, New York
5c Cultural Center, Lower East Side, New York City
The Adjunct Project, CUNY Graduate Center, New York City
AFSCME 3800, University of Minnesota Clerical Workers
AFT Local 1839, New Jersey City University
All Nations Alliance
Anakbayan Los Angeles
Anakbayan New York/New Jersey, Jersey City, NJ
Anthropology Graduate Student Association, UT Austin
Associated Students of Portland State University Executive Staff
ASU Resist, Arizona State University, Tempe
Augusta State University Political Science Club, Georgia
Autonomedia
AZ Education Association
Bail Out the People Movement
Baltimore Algebra Project
Baltimore Solidarity Center
BAYAN-USA
Cal Poly Unite to Save Public Education, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
California Prison Moratorium Project
California State University Employees Union
Californians for Justice, Oakland
Campus Antiwar Network (CAN)
Chicago World Can’t Wait
Chop from the Top Coalition, University of Minnesota
Coalition for Community Justice, Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, FL
Coalition for Equal Quality Education, Boston
Coalition for Public Education / Coalición por la Educación Pública, New York City
Coalition for Social Reform, UMass-Lowell
Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration, and Immigrant Rights and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary (BAMN)
Committee for Revolutionizing the AcaDemy (ComRAD), University of Minnesota
Community Organizing Center for Mother Earth, Columbus, Ohio
Connecticut Students Against the War
Cornell Organization for Labor Action, Ithaca, New York
CUNY Campaign to Defend Education, New York City
Democracy Insurgent, Seattle
The Democratic Left @ GWU, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
Department of English, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, Pennsylvania
DestroyIndustrY, Raleigh, NC
East Village Community School Parents Association, New York City
Education For All, San Diego
Feminist Students UNITED UNC-Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Fight Imperialism, Stand Together
Free UCR Alliance, UC Riverside
Freedom Road Socialist Organization
Freedom Socialist Party
Georgia State University Progressive Student Alliance
Giant Record Corporation, Amherst, MA
Graduate Employee and Student Organization, Yale University
Graduate Employees’ Organization, AFT/IFT 6300, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Graduate Student Employees Union, SUNY Stony Brook
Graduate Student Workers United, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis-St.Paul
Grassroots Education Movement, New York City
Hawai’i Solidarity Committee
Human Rights Action Committee, Framingham State College, Massachusetts
Indiana University of Pennsylvania Council of Chairs, Indiana, Pennsylvania
Institute for Critical Animal Studies
International Socialist Organization
International Workers and Students for Justice, University of Washington in Seattle
The Kennebunks Peace Department
L.A. County Peace & Freedom Party
La Voz de los Trabajadores- LIT, California
Latin American Students Association at UCR, Riverside, CA
League for the Revolutionary Party, New York City
Liberty Tree Foundation
Low-Income Student Alliance, New School University, New York City
Lucha, New York City
March 4 Organizing Committee, CSU Monterey Bay
Massachusetts Student Action Coalition
Massachusetts Students Uniting
May 1st Coalition for Worker & Immigrant Rights, New York City
Million Worker March Movement
Movement for a Democratic Society
National MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán)
Movimiento Estudiantil Chican@ de Aztlán (MEChA), Milwaukee
Movimiento Estudiantil Chican@ de Aztlán (MEChA), UC San Diego
Movimiento Estudiantil Chican@ de Aztlán (MEChA), USC
National Assembly to End the Iraq & Afghanistan Wars & Occupations
Network to Fight for Economic Justice
New School in Exile, New York City
New York State Youth Leadership Council
NYC Anti-War Coalition
New York City Labor Against the War (NYCLAW)
Northbay Uprising, Vallejo, California
Oakland Education Association
Olympia Coalition for a Fair Budget, Olympia, WA
Pan American Solidarity Organization (PASO), Portland State University
People’s Organization for Progress, Newark, NJ
Peoples Video Network
p.o.n.d. records
Pride and Equity Faculty and Staff Association, UT Austin
Progressive Democrats of America, Ohio
Progressive Faculty Network of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Progressive Student Alliance, University of Florida
Progressive Student Alliance, University of Memphis
Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts (PHENOM)
Purchase Polis, SUNY Purchase
PUSH: Ideas into Action, SUNY Purchase
Queens College Antiwar Coalition
Queer People Of Color Action
Radical Student Union, Bard College
Radical Women
Rebel Diaz Arts Collective, Bronx, NY
Recreate ‘68 Alliance
Rhode Island Unemployed Council
Riverside Latino Voter Project, Riverside, CA
Santa Monica College Students for Social Justice
Save LSU, Baton Rouge
Seventh Generation Nation, Putatoi
The Silent Radio DJs
Small Schools Workshop, Chicago
Social Justice Alliance, SUNY Stony Brook
Social Justice Alliance, UC Riverside, California
Socialism Now!, Chicago
Socialist Alternative
Socialist Organizer
Socialist Party of Connecticut
Socialist Party USA
Solidarity
S.O.S. Save Our Schools Coalition, Providence, RI
SOUL School of Unity & Liberation, Oakland
Space, Time, Research Collective, CUNY Graduate Center
SpeakOut – the Institute for Democratic Education & Culture, Oakland, CA
Straight and Gay Alliance (SAGA), City College of New York
Students Promoting Engagement Through Activism and Knowledge (SPEAK), Georgia State University
Student / Farmworker Alliance
The Student Insurgent, Eugene, Oregon
Student Labor Action Project (SLAP)
Students for a Democratic Society
Students for a Democratic Society, Animas, Durango, Coloardo
Students for a Democratic Society, Chicago
Students for a Democratic Society, College Park, University of Maryland
Students for a Democratic Society, Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill, California
Students for a Democratic Society, Gainesville Area
Students for a Democratic Society, Milwaukee
Students for a Democratic Society / Movement for a Democratic Society, Michigan State University
Students for a Democratic Society, Oklahoma
Students for a Democratic Society, Rochester
Students for a Democratic Society, Syracuse
Students for a Democratic Society, Temple University, Philadelphia
Students for a Democratic Society, TFHS
Students for a Democratic Society, UNC-Asheville
Students for a Democratic Society, UNC-Chapel Hill
Students for a Democratic Society, UNC-Charlotte
Students for a Democratic Society, University of Houston
Students for a Democratic Society, University of Minnesota
Students for a Democratic Society, University of North Dakota
Students for a Democratic Society, University of Tuscaloosa
Students for a Democratic Society, Waukesha, Wisconsin
Students for a Democratic Society, West Chester, Pennsylvania
Students for Educational Rights, City College of New York
Students for Quality Education, Cal Poly Pomona Chapter
Students for Social Action, Virginia Commonwealth University, VCU
Students for Unity, Portland State University
Students Taking Action to Reclaim our Education, University of Maryland
Students United for Palestinian Equal Rights, Portland State University
SUNY Downstate College of Health Related Professions Council
Take Back NYU!, New York City
Take Back WBAI Coalition, New York City
Teachers 4 Justice Now, New York City
Teachers as Leaders in Newark, New Jersey
Teachers for a Just Contract, New York City
Teachers Unite, New York City
Texas State Employees Union
Third Coast Activist Resource Center, Austin, Texas
TWU 100, New York City
UCSD Coalition for Educational Justice
Undergraduate Graduate Alliance (UGA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)
United Council of UW Students, Wisconsin
United In Campaign Against Budget Cuts, University of Illinois-Chicago
United Socialists of Pittsburgh State
United States Student Association (USSA)
United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS)
University Democrats, UT Austin
University of Massachusetts-Lowell Coalition for Social Reform
University of Washington Student Worker Coalition, Seattle
USC Students for Justice in Palestine
UT Austin Stop the Cuts Coalition
UTLA / Project Great Futures / CAMS
UW-Milwaukee Education Rights Campaign
UW-Whitewater P.E.A.C.E., Whitewater, Wisconsin
Workers Action
Workers World Party
Young Democratic Socialists
International Endorsers
Anakbayan Philippines
International League of Peoples Struggle Youth, Philippines
League of Filipino Students
National Union of Students of the Philippines
Student Christian Movement of the Philippines
Student Representative Body of the University of Marburg, Germany
Teachers Unity Forum, Kerala, India
Individuals (*all organizations listed for identification purposes only, listed in order recieved)
Ed Childs, Chief Steward UNITE/HERE L. 26 (Harvard Univ.)*
Frantz Mendes, President, United Steelworkers L. 8751 – Boston School Bus Drivers Union*
Steve Gillis, Vice President, United Steelworkers L. 8751 – Boston School Bus Drivers Union*
Andre Powell, Delegate, Baltimore, Maryland AFL-CIO Metro Central Labor Council*
Phebe Eckfeldt, Harvard Union Rep., Harvard Union of Clerical & Technical Workers (HUCTW)/AFSCME L. 3650*
Mike Gimbel, Local 375, AFSCME delegate to the NYC-CLC & Chairperson of Local 375, AFSCME, Labor/Community Unity Committee*
Heather Cottin, Adjunct Lecturer, History Department, LaGuardia Community College, PSC member*
Peter Cook, Boston Teachers Union, Local 66 MFT AFT, AFL-CIO*
Julia La Riva, member of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA)*
Martha Grevatt, Chair, Civil Rights Committee, UAW Local 122*
Andy Griggs, United Teachers Los Angeles; Co-chair, California Teachers Association Peace and Justice Caucus; Steering Committee, US Labor Against the War*
Susan E. Davis, National Writers Union, United Auto Workers Local 1981*
Robin Anderson, Graduate Employee Organization (GEO) at UMass-Amherst, Part of UAW Local 2322*
Barry Eidlin,UAW Local 2865, University of California Academic Student Employees Union*
Geoff Carens, Union Representative, HUCTW/AFSCME Local 3650*
Dan La Botz, Spanish teacher, Cincinnati Waldorf School, Cincinnati, Ohio*
Robin McCubbin, professor, Southwestern College, Chula Vista, CA*
Minnie Bruce Pratt, Professor, Women’s & Gender Studies, Syracuse University*
David Sole, Prof. of Chemistry, Wayne Co. Community College, Detroit.*
Nicholas Camerota, Professor of Philosophy & Political Theory, Springfield (Mass.) Techical Community College*
Cindy Bui, Social Justice Alliance at UC Riverside*
Ana del Rocío, CCNY Students for Educational Rights, New York City*
Sarah Meunier, student, UMASS
Jessica Hollinger, student, University of California, Berkeley School of Law
Katherine Johnson, doctoral student, University of San Francisco, middle school teacher
Susan Massad, Associate Professor, Framingham State College*
Eleanor J. Bader, writer and adjunct faculty member, Brooklyn*
Chuck Turner, Boston City Council*, District 7
Colia Clark, Guadeloupe-Haiti Tour USA, Grandmamas For the Release of Mumia Abu Jamal, Richard Wright Centennial 2008-2010*
Dr. Sue Harris, Co-Director, Peoples Video Network*
Imani Henry, Playwright/Performer*
The Most Rev. Filipe C, Teixeira, OFSJC, Diocese of Saint Francis of Assisi*
Billy Wharton, National Co-Chair, Socialist Party USA*
Todd Vachon, Low Society Music*
Christopher Hutchinson, General Strike Comics*
Gloria Rubac, Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement*
David Harding, New Brunswick, NJ
Eric Acedo
Abayomi Azikiwe
Jane Chischilly
Jesse Lokahi Heiwa,Hawai’i Solidarity Committee, UN in New York City*
Hon. Charles Barron, New York City Councilmember *
Teresa Gutierrez, International Migrant Alliance, Deputy Secretary General, New York City*
William J. Neville IV, Billings, MT, currently serving in Iraq
Michael Shane,Michigan Emergency Committee Against War & Injustice,Detroit, MI*
Marisa, LAUSD, LA*
Cindy Sheehan
Maria C. Federico Brummer, Tucson, AZ
Dan McDowell, Massachusetts Students Uniting, UMass Boston Student Senate*
Tatiana Guerrero, Young Democratic Socialists, New Jersey*
James Tarr, Coalition for Social Reform, Lowell, MA*
Mary Lou Finley, Peace and Freedom Party, San Diego*
Tony Van Der Meer, Adjunct Prof., Africana Studies, UMass Boston*
Gina M. Sartori, Boston Teachers Union*
Chai Montgomery, unit steward, Teamsters Local 214, Ann Arbor, Michigan*
Michel DeMatteis, adjunct lecturer, philosophy, CUNY, New York, NY*
Vanessa Vaile, New Faculty Majority, Mountainair, NM*
Marvin Gentz, Ukiah, CA
Bryan G. Pfeifer, M.S., Union of Part-Time Faculty-AFT, Detroit, Michigan*
Patricia McAfee, California
Mike Alewitz, Labor Art & Mural Project, Central CT State University*
Michael Klonsky, Small Schools Workshop, Chicago*
Cindy Varela Henderson, Peace & Freedom Candidate, 26th S.D., Los Angeles
John Catalinotto, Professional Staff Congress–Bronx Community College, New York, N.Y.*
Anthony J. Nocella, II, Central New York Peace Studies Consortium, SUNY Cortland*
Yves Nibungco, Anakbayan New York/ New Jersey, Jersey City, New Jersey*
John Neal, Charlotte, NC
Tiffany Huang, NewCLA, UCLA*
Nick Theodosis, San Francisco State University, San Francisco*
Martin Rzeszotko, Hunter College*
Luis Roman, McNair Research Scholar, MEChA de UCLA, La Joteria, UCLA*
Vickie Hay, CalWORKs at Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa, CA*
Steve Fox, Hoosier Writing Project, Indianapolis, Indiana*
Tim Hawks-Malczynski, Duarte, California
Nicolle Dunnaway, Hammond, LA
Rosa A. Eberly, Penn State U*
Denise Beck, Indianapolis, IN
Austin Jacobson, Philadelphia
William Calathes, Criminal Justice Department, New Jersey City University*
Carolina Garcia, Student Government Organization, New Jersey City University*
Kinte Allah, New Black Panther Party, Atlanta*
Edwina Smith, San Francisco
Bobbi Jo Chavarria, Chavarria for Fontana Mayor 2010, Fontana, California*
Micah Littlefield, Lafayette, IN
Carolyn Jacobson, United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA)*
Kyra Pearson, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA*
Leticia Garcia, Education Advocate, Fontana, California*
Lina Montes, Rialto
Dan Esposito, Manhattan Beach, CA
Laura Howard, Educational Paraprofessionals, South Carolina*
Ben Manski, AFT 6100, Sociology Instructor, Madison College, Wisconsin*
William Reid, London, Ontario
Robert Zech, South Amboy, New Jersey
Jason Belch, Raleigh, NC
Roger Marheine, President Pasadena City College Faculty Association*
Mike Hill, Associate Professor & Department Chair, English University at Albany, SUNY*
Joel Scott, Detroit Public Schools, Cass Tech High School*
Viridiana Mora, UC Riverside*
Mark Clinton, Dept. of Critical Cultural Studies, Holyoke Community College, Holyoke, Massachusetts*
Joshua Yoerger, Tyler, TX*
Kaye Peters, St. Paul, MN
Nancy Welch, United Academics AFT/AAUP, University of Vermont*
Marva Berry, Washington, D.C.
Michael Friedman, Professional Staff Congress/AFT, New York*
Marco Abe, Lincoln, NE
Tyler DeRubio, Babylon, New York
Marc Engel, New York City
Sarah Holmes, Los Angeles, CA
Madonna Lee, New York
Marc Bousquet, Higher Ed Columnist, Los Gatos, CA*
Ghazal Khan, New York
Zach Martin, Tifton, GA
Noah Rubeling-Kain, Stevenson Univeristy, Baltimore, MD
Thomas A . Robinson, TWU Local 100, Jamaica, NY*
Meera Sitharam, University of Florida*
Riad Azar, William Paterson University Young Democratic Socialists, Wayne, NJ*
Christopher Searles, New York City
Matthew Porter, Torrance, California
* "Education Protests Add to School Problems."
* "No Cuts to Education! Collectivize!"
* "Unions, Radicals to Protest Education Cuts Across U.S."
* "Shut it Down! March 4th Mobilization - Protest, Strike, Solidarity!."
* "California March 4th Protests: 'Berkeley Pre-Game Communiqué'."
* "Teachers Unions, Anarcho-Communists Launch 'Day of Action' to 'Occupy California!"
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