Youth and Allies to Testify in DC to Stop School Closings
Posted by Dana Bennis on Jan 23, 2013 - 10:15 AM
On January 29, youth, educators, and community members from grassroots organizations around the United States will testify in Washington, D.C. at the U.S. Department of Education to speak out against the closing of public schools and raise awareness about the damaging impacts of closings on the lives of young people -- most especially youth from low-income and working class communities, communities of color, students with disabilities, and English language learners.
Under the name Journey for Justice 2, the representatives traveling to DC to testify at the US DOE come from youth-led, parent, and community-based organizations in 18 different cities, including organizations such as the Baltimore Algebra Project, thePhiladephia Student Union, Make The Road NY, Alliance for Education Justice, Project South, and many others. This follows the National Journey for Justice of September 2012 during which hundreds of youth, educators, and activists first traveled to DC to speak with members of the DOE and arrange this ground-breaking hearing.
From a press release by the groups announcing the hearing:
Cities across the country are experiencing the results of neglectful actions by the closing of schools serving predominantly