Rally protests cuts in education

Shouts arose across the office of Governor David Paterson as students and teachers rallied on Thursday, March 4, the National Day of Action to Defend Public Education.

Organized by The Adjunct project, an organization that seeks to help CUNY graduate students, Third Avenue and 41 St. was overcrowded with individuals demonstrating for their educational rights and teaching privileges in a massive protest.

"This is not just a national, but international day for youths, students and working people to demand that we have a right to education, and that is just one of the rights that we deserve in a society," said Larry Hales, a City College student and member of the CUNY Campaign to Defend Education.

According Hales, there were over 133 planned actions in 33 states around the country, and the protest near the governor's office was just a small fraction.

"[We] want to see this as a first step to building a broader movement to defend working people and students in this city," said Peter Ikeler, a member of the CUNY Professional Staff Congress and the CUNY Campaign to Defend Education.

Diane Smith, member of the Grassroots Education Movement of New York City, spoke on behalf of organizing the defense of quality and equal public education. Smith stated that public education from kindergarten to college level must be funded and serviced with resources, such as small class size, full staffing, creative curricula "not scripted and test-driven" and democratic governance by parents, community and educators.

Barbara Bowen, president of the CUNY Professional Staff Congress, attended the event and showed her support for students, as recently proposed budget cuts for higher education have made it diffifcult for students to attend college.

"CUNY and SUNY have been cut proportionately more than any other state agency in New York," said Bowen. "Someone has an agenda of your not getting a first rate education and we have to change that political agenda."

City Councilman Charles Barron made a guest appearance to the event, but was no stranger to the art of demonstration and taking a political stand.

"If you, the government, have $8 billion to bail out Wall Street, how dare they cut TAP for students?" said Barron. "We are not going to allow the state to tell us that the Boards of Trustees of CUNY and SUNY will be in charge of tuition hikes." Barron continued by stating that State should take the rich rather than increasing tuition for students.

Speakers from other coalitions and social movement organizations also addressed human rights, such as housing and health care.

Following the rally near Paterson's office, the crowd marched to the MTA Public Hearings to speak out against the cut in student metro cards for students from kindergarten to highs school.

"We have to fight for the funding and that's why we have to keep it running," said Hales.