As part of a national day to defend education, New Yorkers marched half way across Harlem from the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building to City College. Hospital workers, teachers, high school students, and allies protested in solidarity with student strikes in California and similar actions across the country as a continuation of the March 4th Movement. In New York, activists protested the consistent cuts to New York public schools and rise in tuition -according to an email blast, "Over the past six years, tuition fees have increased 46% at SUNY and 44% at CUNY,"- charter schools -"In the name of excellence they are creating islands of exclusivity," said second grade teacher, Brian Jones,- cuts to hospitals and they protested gentrification. The March 4th Coalition of New York City demands:
*No budget cuts, school closures, tuition hikes, layoffs, privatization, or union-busting.
*A restoration of all education funding.
*An elimination of systems of racism in the publics school system.
*Real education, not testing
*Smaller class sizes.
*Cancel all student debt.
*Equal pay for equal work and job security for all faculty and teachers
*Free and equal access to quality education from kindergarten to university for all
*No MTA fare hike
*Money for education - not war and incareration
The coalition invite all to join the ongoing struggle and organizing. Find out more at DefendEducationNYC.wordpress.com or contact March4NY@gmail.com.
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