STUDENTS AND WORKERS TO TAKE PART IN NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION MARCH 2ND, KICK OFF MONTH OF ESCALATING ACTIONS, SPRING SEMESTER

UC Berkeley/Calif 2009

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contacts:Will Klatt Ohio/Midwest 614-915-8896 will.b.klatt@gmail.com

Wes Strong National Organizing 860-916-2761wcstrong@gmail.com

Larry Hales New York City 720-979-9491 hcrazycat@yahoo.com

Crystal Sudano California 619-922-2355 statewidecoordination@gmail.com

National Website: http://defendpubliceducation.org

On March 2nd, students throughout the country will take part in a national day of action to defend public education. Actions are expected in several states including California, Georgia, New York, and elsewhere. With a reported $125 billion budget gap in state budgets this coming year, students are gearing up to wage a serious fight back against continued austerity measures put on the backs of students and workers.

March 2nd, the third national day of action following March 4, 2010 and October 7th, 2010, will be the kickoff of a month of escalating actions through March, consolidating in a national day of walkouts and strikes on March 31st. Students are also supporting major anti-war actions on March 19, April 9 and 10, actions in defense of Ethnic Studies programs, and actions onMarch 11 in solidarity with striking students at the University of Puerto Rico. Students are actively coordinating with international efforts, taking part in the Spring of Resistance Project, part of the International Student Movement Platform.

Over the past few months, we have seen major actions take place in the Wisconsin, Tunisia, Egypt, and across the Arab world. The role of youth in these struggles has inspired many students in this country to step up our efforts to fight back against this economic crisis. On top of these actions, students in the United Kingdom and Puerto Rico have shown us how we must fight back. Students in the UK and Puerto Rico have been bold – and it is this bold action that students in the US want to bring to their campuses. If we are to learn anything from the struggle in Wisconsin, we must be bold if we want to win.

The massive budget deficits states have faced over the past few years were caused by decades of tax breaks for the rich, attacks on students and workers, the continuation of wars and occupation overseas. The continued wars and occupations have costs communities schools, healthcare, jobs, and much more. Martin Luther King Jr. once said that the bombs dropped in Vietnam explode at home – and this holds true today.

March 2nd is just the beginning of a much bigger fightback that students and workers are gearing up to wage. Students plan to continuing organizing throughout the spring semester to inspire fellow students into action and begin to strengthen a national movement to defend public education.

 For questions or to interview students in your area, contact Wes Strong 860-916-2761