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Hello EFA,<br><br>The statewide call to action has organically manifested into a national call. In fact some would say international since the US call has been receiving solidarity from worldwide education movements such as those occurring in Europe and Latin America. Below is the website which was launched yesterday as the internet front. Please take a moment to look into the website, its very empowering to see the magnitude of what we are involved in. Notice EFA is a listed endorser!<br><br>In Solidarity,<br><br>-Wayne<br>Education For All, San Diego<br><br>http://www.defendeducation.org/<br><br><br><strong>March 4 National Day of Action to Defend Education </strong><br>
<strong> </strong><br>
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<strong>.</strong> And all of the attacks described above have hit working people and people of color the hardest.<br>
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.<br>
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!<br>
<br><br>Visit the Web site for more details at <a href="http://www.defendeducation.org/">http://www.defendeducation.org</a>.<br>
Endorse the call at the bottom of the page or by sending an email to <a href="mailto:march4nationaldayofaction@gmail.com">march4nationaldayofaction@gmail.com</a>.<br>
Find us on Facebook at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=213637229312">http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=213637229312</a>.<br>
To join the national discussion, please visit the March 4th Google Group at <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/march4thaction">http://groups.google.com/group/march4thaction</a>.<br>
<strong><br></strong><br><strong><br></strong><br><strong>ENDORSED BY:</strong><br>
<strong>Organizations</strong><br>
All Nations Alliance<br>
Animas Students for a Democratic Society (Durango, Coloardo)<br>
Bail Out the People Movement<br>
Chicago Students for a Democratic Society<br>
College Park Students for Democratic Society (University of Maryland)<br>
Community Organizing Center for Mother Earth (Columbus, Ohio)<br>
Connecticut Students Against the War<br>
CUNY Campaign to Defend Education<br>
Education For All, San Diego<br>
Fight Imperialism, Stand Together<br>
Georgia State University Progressive Student Alliance<br>
Graduate Student Employees Union (SUNY Stony Brook)<br>
Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society<br>
National Assembly to End the Iraq & Afghanistan Wars & Occupations<br>
New School in Exile<br>
NYC Anti-War Coalition<br>
Peoples Video Network<br>
Progressive Democrats of America-Ohio<br>
Radical Student Union (Bard College)<br>
Recreate ‘68 Alliance<br>
Socialist Organizer<br>
Socialist Party of Connecticut<br>
Solidarity<br>
SPEAK (Students Promoting Engagement Through Activism and Knowledge) at Georgia State University<br>
Student/Farmworker Alliance<br>
Students for Educational Rights (City College of New York)<br>
Students Taking Action to Reclaim our Education (University of Maryland)<br>
UNC-Chapel Hill Students for a Democratic Society<br>
UW-Milwaukee Education Rights Campaign<br>
<strong><br>
Individuals (*all organizations listed for identification purposes only)</strong><br>
Frantz Mendes, President United Steelworkers L. 8751 – Boston School Bus Drivers Union*<br>
Steve Gillis, Vice President United Steelworkers L. 8751 – Boston School Bus Drivers Union*<br>
Susan Massad, Associate Professor Framingham State College*<br>
Ed Childs, Chief Steward UNITE/HERE L. 26 (Harvard Univ.)*<br>
Phebe Eckfeldt, Harvard Union Rep., Harvard Union of Clerical & Technical Workers (HUCTW)/AFSCME L. 3650*<br>
Eleanor J. Bader, writer and adjunct faculty member, Brooklyn, NY*<br>
Peter Cook, Boston Teachers Union, Local 66 MFT AFT, AFL-CIO*<br>
Heather Cottin Adjunct Lecturer, History, LaGuardia Community College, PSC member*<br>
Susan E. Davis, National Writers Union, United Auto Workers Local 1981*<br>
Mike Gimbel, Local 375, AFSCME delegate to the NYC-CLC & Chairperson of Local 375, AFSCME, Labor/Community Unity Committee*<br>
Martha Grevatt, Chair, Civil Rights Committee, UAW Local 122*<br>
Andy Griggs, United Teachers Los Angeles; Co-chair, California
Teachers Association Peace and Justice Caucus; Steering Committee, US
Labor Against the War*<br>
Dr. Sue Harris, Co-Director, Peoples Video Network*<br>
Imani Henry, Playwright/Performer*<br>
Dan La Botz, Spanish teacher, Cincinnati Waldorf School, Cincinnati, Ohio*<br>
Julia La Riva, member of United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA)*<br>
Robin McCubbin, professor, Southwestern College, Chula Vista, CA*<br>
Minnie Bruce Pratt, Professor, Women’s & Gender Studies, Syracuse University*<br>
David Sole, Prof. of Chemistry, Wayne Co. Community College, Detroit.*<br>
The Most Rev. Filipe C, Teixeira, OFSJC, Diocese of Saint Francis of Assisi*<br>
Billy Wharton, National Co-Chair, Socialist Party USA*<br>
Todd Vachon, Low Society Music*<br>
Christopher Hutchinson, General Strike Comics*<br>
Robin Anderson, Graduate Employee Organization (GEO) at UMass-Amherst, Part of UAW local 2322*<br>
<strong>Others who are supporting March 4th Actions:</strong><br>
California Coordinating Committee<br>
US Labor Against the War<br><br> <br><hr>Hotmail: Trusted email with powerful SPAM protection. <a href="http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141665/direct/01/">Sign up now.</a> <br /><hr />Hotmail: Trusted email with Microsoft’s powerful SPAM protection. <a href='http://clk.atdmt.com/GBL/go/177141664/direct/01/' target='_new'>Sign up now.</a></body>
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