Detroit Demonstration on March 4: Fund Education, Not Banks & The War Machine

New York City students and their supporters protesting the Metropolitan Transit Authority fare hikes that will raise the cost of K-12 education by $1,000 per year in the largest municipality in the United States.
Originally uploaded by Pan-African News Wire File Photos

FUND EDUCATION, NOT BANKS & THE WAR MACHINE

Students, youth, educational workers and community activists are all
joining together to participate in the National Day of Action to Defend
Education on Thursday, March 4 2010. The politicians and administrators say that there is no money for education and social services. They contend that there is no alternative to the massive layoffs of teachers, clerical workers, custodians, social workers and counselors.

However, everyone knows that there is plenty of money and resources for wars, bank bailouts, mass incarceration of people of color and the poor. We must take a stand to demand that local, state and federal governments fund education, not military occupations and wealthy financiers.

We must demand the end to privatization of public education and the
usurpation of local control and self-determination. Education is a
fundamental human right, not a privilege for the rich and powerful.

Join us on March 4 for a march and rally from Wayne State University to the New Center area.

Please note: The people of Michigan will pay $18.7 billion for Total
Defense Spending in FY2010. For the same amount of money, the following could have been provided:

--1,924,702 Scholarships for University Students for One Year OR

--7,037,020 People with Health Care for One Year OR

--338,748 Music and Arts Teachers for One Year OR

--3,372,216 Students receiving Pell Grants of $5550 OR

--150,871 Affordable Housing Units OR

--264,394 Elementary School Teachers for One Year

See http://www.nationalpriorities.org/
for
more ways that your money is wasted on war.

Rally at Gullen Mall on the Wayne State University Campus in Detroit, MI -- 4 p.m.
March to Cadillac Plaza and Detroit Public Schools Headquarters --
4:30 p.m.
Picket and Rally Outside Cadillac Plaza and the Fisher Building (Grand Blvd. & 2nd Ave.) -- 5 p.m.

Join us on March 4 for a march and rally from Wayne State University to the New Center area where we will demand:

-- Full funding of public k-12 education and the restoration of music,
arts and sports programs;
--The reduction of class sizes to 16 students in all schools;
-- A halt to all tuition hikes in higher education and the rolling back
of recent tuition increases;
-- Increased funding for breakfast and lunch programs in all K-12
educational institutions;
-- Stop the privatization and charterization of public schools;
-- Restore state funding for the Michigan Promise Scholarship, not a
phony tax credit;
-- Increase funding for state universities and community colleges and university workers;
-- Stop layoffs of secondary school, community college and university
workers;
-- Rehire all workers laid off in the current crisis;
-- Hands off unions and student organizations;
-- Fire the DPS Emergency Financial Manager; restore local control to Detroit Schools;
-- Increase African-American, Latin@, Middle Eastern and Native American enrollment in higher education

Sponsored by FIST Detroit, the Michigan Emergency Committee Against War & Injustice (MECAWI) and the Moratorium NOW! Coalition To Stop Foreclosures, Evictions & Utility Shutoffs. Endorsement list in formation.

For more more information:
313-671-3715;
313-559-7074; 248-990-0275;
email: fist.detroit@gmail.com ;
or see: www.defendeducation.org