In mid-December, two calls for a national day of action to defend education were issued, building on a state-wide call for action to defend public education issued in California. On December 14th, the California Coordinating Committee released a National Call for a March 4 Strike and Day of Action To Defend Public Education. Two days later, on December 16th, an ad-hoc body comprised of students, workers, and other activists from many states, including California, released a call of their own for a March 4 National Day of Action to Defend Education. This body consisted of students who participated in the New School occupations, students and workers from across the country, student activists from ongoing campaigns in North Carolina, Chicago, Milwaukee, and various other locations.

The website you are reading is hosted by the ad hoc committee that produced the December 16th call. We do not see the two calls as being in competition or opposition with one another in any way. The dual calls were produced not out of any political, strategic or tactical disagreement, but because the two groups were not in contact with one another when they were drafting the calls. We encourage all students, teachers, workers and parents to forward the text of both calls to their friends, peers and allies, and to organize actions in their schools and communities to defend education for all. The text of both calls is reprinted below, along with a list of endorsers for the December 16th call. A form that can be used to submit endorsements for the December 16th call is located at the bottom of the page.

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March 4 National Day of Action to Defend Education

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.

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!

Visit the Web site for more details at http://www.defendeducation.org.

Endorse the call at the bottom of the page or by sending an email to march4nationaldayofaction@gmail.com.

Find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=213637229312.

To join the national discussion, please visit the March 4th Google Group at http://groups.google.com/group/march4thaction.

ENDORSED BY (list in formation):

Organizations

The Adjunct Project, CUNY Graduate Center, New York City
AFSCME 3800, University of Minnesota Clerical Workers
All Nations Alliance
Anakbayan Los Angeles
Anakbayan New York/New Jersey, Jersey City, NJ
Bail Out the People Movement
Baltimore Algebra Project
Baltimore Solidarity Center
California Prison Moratorium Project
California State University Employees Union
Campus Antiwar Network (CAN)
Chicago World Can’t Wait
Chop from the Top Coalition, University of Minnesota
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
CUNY Campaign to Defend Education
Democracy Insurgent, Seattle
DestroyIndustrY, Raleigh,  NC
Education For All, San Diego
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 Student Employees Union, SUNY Stony Brook
Graduate Student Workers United, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis-St.Paul
Hawai’i Solidarity Committee
Human Rights Action Committee, Framingham State College, MA
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
League for the Revolutionary Party, 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
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
NYC Anti-War Coalition
Oakland Education Association
Olympia Coalition for a Fair Budget, Olympia, WA
People’s Organization for Progress, Newark, NJ
Peoples Video Network
p.o.n.d. records
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
Queer People Of Color Action
Radical Student Union, Bard College
Rebel Diaz Arts Collective, Bronx, NY
Recreate ‘68 Alliance
The Silent Radio DJs
Small Schools Workshop, Chicago
Social Justice Alliance, SUNY Stony Brook
Socialism Now!, Chicago
Socialist Alternative
Socialist Organizer
Socialist Party of Connecticut
Socialist Party USA
Solidarity
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
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, TFHS
Students for a Democratic Society, UNC-Asheville
Students for a Democratic Society, UNC-Chapel Hill
Students for a Democratic Society, University of Houston
Students for a Democratic Society, University of Minnesota
Students for a Democratic Society, University of Tuscaloosa
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 Taking Action to Reclaim our Education, University of Maryland
Teachers for a Just Contract, New York City
Teachers Unity Forum, Kerala, India
UCSD Coalition for Educational Justice
United In Campaign Against Budget Cuts, University of Illinois-Chicago
United Socialists of Pittsburgh State
University of Massachusetts-Lowell Coalition for Social Reform
University of Washington Student Worker Coalition, Seattle
UTLA / Project Great Futures / CAMS
UW-Milwaukee Education Rights Campaign
Workers Action
Workers World Party
Young Democratic Socialists, William Paterson University, Wayne, NJ

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*

Endorse the Call by clicking the link below or selecting the page above

Endorse

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National Call for March 4 Strike and Day of Action To Defend Public Education

California has recently seen a massive movement erupt in defense of public education — but layoffs, fee hikes, cuts, and the re-segregation of public education are attacks taking place throughout the country. A nationwide resistance movement is needed.

We call on all students, workers, teachers, parents, and their organizations and communities across the country to massively mobilize for a Strike and Day of Action in Defense of Public Education on March 4, 2010. Education cuts are attacks against all of us, particularly in working-class communities and communities of color.

The politicians and administrators say there is no money for education and social services. They say that “there is no alternative” to the cuts. But if there’s money for wars, bank bailouts, and prisons, why is there no money for public education?

We can beat back the cuts if we unite students, workers, and teachers across all sectors of public education — Pre K-12, adult education, community colleges, and state-funded universities. We appeal to the leaders of the trade union movement to support and organize strikes and/or mass actions on March 4. The weight of workers and students united in strikes and mobilizations would shift the balance of forces entirely against the current agenda of cuts and make victory possible.

Building a powerful movement to defend public education will, in turn, advance the struggle in defense of all public-sector workers and services and will be an inspiration to all those fighting against the wars, for immigrants rights, in defense of jobs, for single-payer health care, and other progressive causes.

Why March 4? On October 24, 2009 more than 800 students, workers, and teachers converged at UC Berkeley at the Mobilizing Conference to Save Public Education. This massive meeting brought together representatives from over 100 different schools, unions, and organizations from all across California and from all sectors of public education. After hours of open collective discussion, the participants voted democratically, as their main decision, to call for a Strike and Day of Action on March 4, 2010. All schools, unions and organizations are free to choose their specific demands and tactics — such as strikes, rallies, walkouts, occupations, sit-ins, teach-ins, etc. — as well as the duration of such actions.

Let’s make March 4 an historic turning point in the struggle against the cuts, layoffs, fee hikes, and the re-segregation of public education.

- The California Coordinating Committee
California Contacts (also refer to the contacts list in development):

http://defendcapubliceducation.wordpress.com/
march4strikeanddayofaction@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=184333923808&ref=ts

Endorsed by:

October 24 Statewide Mobilizing Conference to Save Public Education
California Labor Federation
California Faculty Association
California Federation of Teachers
United Teachers of Los Angeles
United Educators of San Francisco
AFSCME Local 444