SDS Call to Support and Take Action on March 4th

On March 4th, student groups and others across the country will be taking action to defend the right to education at all levels, from pre-K through 12, adult education, community colleges, to the university level. Budget cuts affect all, but especially the working class and oppressed nationality students that will be hit the hardest by further budget cuts that attack our right to education.

SDS supports the national call to action for actions on March 4th and is calling on all SDS chapters to take up the call to fight back and be a part of the nationwide resistance movement that is saying enough is enough – no more budget cuts on the backs of students and workers! While this country is continuing to spend millions on wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and giving our money to rich bankers, state universities are cutting scholarships for oppressed nationality and working students, and eliminating funding for women’s and cultural centers that focus on Black and Chican@ programming and education.

SDS works for the democratic transformation of education in this country through its national campaign, Student Power for Accessible Education. The goals of this campaign are:

1. Universal, free, equitably-funded schools at all levels
2. Schools run democratically by students, workers, teachers, and the
local community
3. Debt cancellation of all student loans
4. Affirmative action and a focus on anti-oppression to end all forms
of oppression in our schools and communities

We in SDS call on students across the country to stand up and take action against budget cuts at your university. Protest proposed budget cuts, sit-in at administrator or board of trustee meetings, call for walk-outs, host a teach-in, chalk or table on campus to educate your fellow students. Get out and make your voice heard against budget cuts and for accessible public education.

The national March 4th call states “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.”

• To get involved, check out www.defendeducation.org
• To learn more about SDS, check out http://www.newsds.org
• To learn more about the SDS Student Power for Accessible
  Education campaign, email spfae@googlegroups.com for more information

Participating SDS Chapters:

1. SDS- UCLA
2. SDS- Tuscaloosa, AL
3. SDS- College Park, MD

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4. Students for a Democratic Society, Animas, Durango, Coloardo
5. Students for a Democratic Society, Chicago
6. Students for a Democratic Society, College Park, University of Maryland
7. Students for a Democratic Society, Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill, California
8. Students for a Democratic Society, Gainesville Area
9. Students for a Democratic Society, Milwaukee
10. Students for a Democratic Society / Movement for a Democratic Society, Michigan State University
11. Students for a Democratic Society, Oklahoma
12. Students for a Democratic Society, Rochester
13. Students for a Democratic Society, Syracuse
14. Students for a Democratic Society, TFHS
15. Students for a Democratic Society, UNC-Asheville
16. Students for a Democratic Society, UNC-Chapel Hill
17. Students for a Democratic Society, UNC-Charlotte
18. Students for a Democratic Society, University of Houston
19. Students for a Democratic Society, University of Minnesota
20. Students for a Democratic Society, University of North Dakota
21. Students for a Democratic Society, University of Tuscaloosa
22. Students for a Democratic Society, West Chester, Pennsylvania