“SAVE TEXAS SCHOOLS” RALLY: LET’S SAY NO TO UNDERFUNDING AND OVER-TESTING OUR KIDS.
Last week, I urged you to be active and get involved to make changes in our world. Here’s another way to do that: join the “Save Texas Schools" rally this Saturday, March 24, 11am-2pm at the Texas State Capitol (Austin) South Steps. From the Save Texas Schools website: “Last March, over 13,000 concerned Texans gathered to protest budget cuts to education. Despite our best efforts, the legislature chose to cut an unprecedented $5.4 billion from public education over two years. Over 12,000 teachers are gone in just the first year, leaving overcrowded classes, shut-down schools, and vital programs cut. To add insult to injury, the legislature refused to delay implementing the new STAAR/EOC exams (update: public pressure resulted in the 15% rule being delayed by one year!). With one-third of the Texas Education Agency laid off, districts have been left unprepared for the new tests. We need thousands to come back to Austin on March 24 to say, once again, NO! to budget cuts, NO! to over-testing and YES! to our children’s future. Without our efforts, we WILL see another round of deep cuts to education in 2013. Join us to demand that our lawmakers (and candidates in the upcoming elections) put education first. The future of Texas depends on it!”
You can also sign their petition here. Save Texas Schools is a nonpartisan statewide volunteer coalition of parents, students, educators, business leaders, concerned citizens, community groups and faith organizations. Their goal is to educate our state’s elected officials about the importance of maintaining funding for Texas public education – from pre-K through college – to the maximum degree possible, within the context of the current state budget crisis and beyond.
