education

Students from across Pennsylvania rallied demanding Equity in Education.  This action was organized by Philadelphia Student Union, Project Peace, A+ Schools' TeenBloc & Juntos.  Over the course of the last year, Governor Tom Corbett has cut public education in Pennsylvania by more than $1 Billion, all the while increasing funding for prisons.  These unprecedented cuts have lead to school districts like Chester Upland laying-off fifty-three percent of their teaching staff, a precursor to the teachers finally working without pay beginning in January of this year.

Will you join students & parents from across Pennsylvania to demand that Governor Corbett make equitable school funding a top priority in the next budget?

Go to www.showloveforeducation.eventbrite.com to reserve your seat on the bus.

On February 7th, Gov. Corbett will announce his plan for the next state budget.  A week later, on February 14 (Valentine's Day) students & parents from numerous Pennsylvania school districts are holding a rally for public education in the State Capitol. 

The purpose of the rally is to speak out about the devastating effects of last year's cuts to education, and to demand that equitable school funding be a priority in the next state budget.

On this month's show:

• Students, parents & teachers unite to form One Voice
• Students reflect on their defeat of school vouchers
• A third grader speaks about the school to prison pipeline
• The importance of art & music in school

Plus music & other news.

Hear more at our podcast: www.onblast.podomatic.com

El Movimiento de trabajadores sin tierra (MST) de Brasil se fundó en 1984 y ahora es uno de los movimientos sociales mas grandes del mundo. Luchan por la reivindicación de la tierra, la reforma agraria y la transformación social. Les presentamos una entrevista con Janaina Strozake, quien nació, creció y se formó en el movimiento.

At a time when jobs, education and social services are being cut in the name of the economic crisis, we face a critical need to build a social movement that extends beyond major urban centers. The rapid growth of the Tea Party demonstrates the urgency of poor and working people coming together across lines of race, language, religion, age – and geography.

Today on June 23rd, 2011, I --Daesya Parker-- completed my first public speech for the Philadelphia Student Union. This speech was for the “No Vouchers Express,” a joint action that we completed with Action United and the Education Law Center. This bus tour was dedicated solely to stopping our state representatives and senators from voting yes on Voucher legislation.

Hundreds of teachers and workers rallied at the School District headquarters on Monday to protest massive layoffs and testify at the meeting of the School Reform Commission.

Close to 1,500 teachers and 3,000 school district workers received layoff notices last week. The School District says it has to cut the jobs to close a budget gap.

In this video, two recently laid off teachers speak about how the cuts will impact students.

Renaissance 2010 was Chicago’s school turn around model, just as Imagine 2014 is ours here in Philadelphia. These processes are what our districts think are going to help us. But, will they really help? Will our voices be heard?  Will our thoughts be implemented into the system?

The process in Chicago began in 2005, 4 years before Imagine 2014 was implemented by Dr. Ackerman in Philly. I interviewed Osha Dancy, a high school student and member of Kenwood Oakland Community Organization (KOCO), to learn about how the Renaissance 2010 process has played out in Chicago, and how students have been impacted by this reform. Based on what has happened in Chicago, we’ll see what may be in store for us here in Philadelphia.

The Philadelphia Student Union released a statment today stating their opposition to Senate Bill 1, also known as vouchers.  They stated various reasons from vouchers being about handing taxpayer money over to private enterprise and not about equity for students to the fact that they will do nothing to improve public education but will help private schools stay open while our public schools close.