SHUT HAPPENS: Schools, Government and Depressed Tax-Payers.
PHILLYACTIVE™ (NEWS THAT GETS PHILLY ACTIVE) Students, Tax-Payers Protest, shouting
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An elementary school students holds up a handmade sign during yesterday afternoon’s BRING THE NOISE – Disrupting Corporate Education Reform in Philadelphia Rally, organized by the Philadelphia Student Union. (Photo Credit: C. Norris – 2013)
By Christopher “Flood the Drummer”® Norris
10.1.13: Philadelphia – (Politics/Activism): One the eve of a Government shutdown, depressed tax-payers and students gathered in front what used to be a Patriotic Society that supported the policies of Abraham Lincoln to mourn the death of democracy and to re-enact its murder.
(Photo Credit: C. Norris – ©2013)
Standing in front of the Union League of Philadelphia, more than 50 people booed as young people – assuming the characters of local politicians – took turns beating the dollars and cents out of public education.
With trash cans, buckets, sticks and anything else that would make noise, the angry activists chanted and drummed with the intent of disrupting a meeting going on between “edu-entrepreneurs” and politicians who’ve invested in and legislated policies that have led to school closings and privatization of neighborhood schools.
(Photo Credit: C. Norris – ©2013)
A flyer handed to me by a protester reads in part:
“Philadelphia is now ground zero for the corporate attack on public education.”
The Alliance for Philadelphia Public Schools suggests that “The Philadelphia School Partnership has actually lobbied the Governor not to fund Philadelphia’s schools.”
“I feel betrayed,” yells one student in response to the teen speakers question “How do these budget cuts make you feel?”
Another student screamed out