More than 200 parents, students, teachers, and community members marched Saturday in Syracuse to demand education justice in New York, joining more than 10,000 marchers in eight communities throughout the state. In the wake of Betsy DeVos’ confirmation, the People’s March for Education Justice focuses resistance on the similarities between the Trump-DeVos attacks on public education and Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s education agenda.
The march kicked off with a rally at noon in Hanover Square, including speeches from students, teachers, community advocates and elected officials, before continuing to the New York State Office Building on Washington Street. In addition to the march in Syracuse, thousands turned out for solidarity marches on Saturday in Buffalo, Kingston, New York City, Schenectady, Rochester and Wyandanch.
Over 140 local, state and national organizations have endorsed The People’s March for Education Justice, joining with the march conveners Alliance for Quality Education, Citizen Action of New York, Metro Justice, Long Island Progressive Coalition, New York Communities for Change, Make the Road New York, and the NYC Coalition for Educational Justice. In Central New York, endorsers included the ACTS Youth Council, Pre-K task force, Community Violence & Youth task force and Criminal Justice task force; CNY Solidarity Coalition; Parents for Public Schools of Syracuse; Syracuse Students United; Syracuse Teachers Association; and many others. View the full list of endorsing organizations here.
Participants marched to demand:
- An end to the systemic racism and economic injustice that defines school funding in New York State.
- Fully and equitably funding public schools statewide, including the $4.3 billion in Foundation Aid owed to schools as a result of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity and rejection of Governor Cuomo’s plan to repeal this funding.
- Raise the Age and stop the criminalization of our youth.
- Resistance to DeVos-Trump plans for private school vouchers and federal education funding cuts.
- Ending the state’s over-reliance on high-stakes testing.
- An end to the privatization of public education and rejection of Governor Cuomo’s plan for a massive expansion of privately-run charter schools.
- Expansion of childcare funding and delivering on Governor Cuomo’s unfulfilled promise for universal full-day pre-K.
- Making SUNY and CUNY free for all.
- Ensuring all public schools, colleges and universities are Sanctuary Schools and will not aid federal officials in the detainment or deportation of students.
- Extending and expanding the millionaires’ tax, closing the Wall Street hedge fund carried interest loophole, and eliminating wasteful corporate tax giveaways made in the name of economic development. These plans would bring billions to fund high quality education for all and so much more.
“Every single child deserves an excellent education in a nurturing environment. Unfortunately, our teachers and our leaders are forced to do way too much with far too few resources,” says Aneesah Evans, march organizer and parent of children in the Syracuse City School District. “Our message to Governor Cuomo is, don’t shortchange our future — not on our watch!”
“Today, we witnessed thousands of parents, students and educators brave the cold and wind to send a clear message to Governor Cuomo that his education proposal to fund 10 cents on the dollar in Foundation Aid is disrespectful and unacceptable,” said Zakiyah Ansari, Advocacy Director, Alliance for Quality Education. ” Education justice is racial justice; as our state’s most vulnerable students are facing simultaneous threats from our federal government , they need New York State to invest in them now more than ever . The energy for education justice was felt all across New York today, and we are committed to this fight until our elected leaders are motivated to do right by our children, not billionaires.”