Interview with organizers for Nov. 10 Education Rights Day of Action
As students and youth across the country prepare for the November 10 day of action for education rights, Fight Back! sat down with Josh Sykesof UNC-Asheville Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Sallie Linfrom the Bay Area in California and Stephanie Taylorfrom University of Minnesota SDSto discuss the day of action, organizing the student movement and the movement to demand education as a fundamental right, not a privilege. All three organizers have been deeply involved in building for the day of action, and led the workshop at the Oct. 3 “We Say Fight Back!” conference in Chicago that launched the initiative for the Nov. 10 day of action for education rights.
Since the near collapse of the banking system, Americans have paid billions to banks that are now making record profits. Meanwhile, students, workers and homeowners are facing unforgivable unemployment, homelessness and debt. In spite of this, the Obama administration continues to escalate the occupation of Afghanistan and maintain troops in Iraq, adding trillions to this country's deficit and financial crisis. It is the working people who will pay for these wars, just as we are paying for bailouts to greedy banks.
The following is a statement from the Minnesota / Madison District of Freedom Road Socialist Organization on the attempt by the University of Minnesota to shut down the General College.
Asheville, NC – After several months of investigation into the University of North Carolina-Asheville (UNCA) budget situation, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) met with Chancellor Anne Ponder to address students’ grievances against the administration. The statement, What We Want & What We Believe , was presented by an SDS delegation of students and community members on May 1, International Workers Day.
Asheville, NC – One hundred students gathered on the steps of the University of North Carolina-Asheville’s (UNCA) Ramsey library today to protest against the administration cutting days out of the 2009-2010 academic calendar. With banners reading “Transparency now!” and chanting, “Let the students have your say, give us back our reading day!” students rallied for accountability, transparency and more student participation in decisions that affect them and the university community. The Coalition for Education Rights, made up of several campus organizations including Students for a Democratic Society, Student Government Association and HOLA (Hispanic Outreach for Learning and Awareness) organized the action.
