This Week in Education Organizing - June 30, 2017
Welcome to the Fight-Back!
For the next few weeks, in addition to our usual news and organizing round-up, the AROS NewsBlast will feature information about our new initiative to fight the Trump/DeVos budget proposal and privatization agenda. Please watch the NewsBlast for information about upcoming opportunities for local action!
MOST VOTERS OPPOSE TRUMP'S EDUCATION BUDGET, AFT POLL FINDS:
Nearly three quarters of voters oppose the Trump administration's proposal to cut education funding by more than 13 percent, according to a poll commissioned by the American Federation of Teachers. The poll found that 74 percent of respondents oppose the budget proposal, with more than half of them - 54 percent - strongly opposed. The poll also found that nearly half of Trump voters (48 percent) opposed the proposal.
PHILADELPHIA STUDENT UNION CONTINUES TO PRESS FOR STRONGER SCHOOL POLICE COMPLAINT PROCESS
As reported in an earlier NewsBlast, members of the Philadelphia Student Union (PSU) have been fighting for a school police complaint process within the Philadelphia public school system. Since PSU member Brian Burney was allegedly attacked at Ben Franklin high school in 2016, the group has been demanding a formal complaints process. The District Superintendent William Hite created a task force to develop such a process—but did not include any PSU members on it. A complaint system was launched in early April. PSU has hailed the victory, but is arguing that the process does not go far enough. With the backing of the ACLU and Education Law Center, PSU is demanding additional components to strengthen the process, including a community review board. On June 6th, PSU presented their recommendations to the members of the Superintendent’s task force, which has agreed to another meeting to iron our final language. Read more here.
INDIANAPOLIS AROS TABLE FIGHTS SCHOOL CLOSURES This Week in Education Organizing - June 30, 2017 | Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools: