What do zombies and massive street demonstrations have in common? Philadelphia public school students. Young people in Philly have staged zombie flash mobs to illustrate the impact of budget cuts on their education. They have also packed school board meetings to protest school closures and, earlier this year, filled the streets with thousands in a deafeningly loud march. These are exciting and engaged young people – and we have much to learn from them.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer
Philadelphia student march, May 2013.
Know any high school students? Here is a fantastic opportunity for Pittsburgh area young people to meet some of those Philadelphia students and learn about our shared fight for education justice. Great Public Schools (GPS) Pittsburgh is pleased to host student activists from Youth United for Change and the Philadelphia Student Union this Thursday, Nov. 21st. We will feed everyone starting at 5:30PM (with the meeting at 6PM) at the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers building: 10 South 19th Street, on the South Side.
Please encourage the high school kids you know to join the conversation and be a part of the change we need in our schools. When students speak, adults listen. When students take action, anything is possible. Maybe even zombies in the streets of Pittsburgh.
This may be an excellent opportunity to show this brief but powerful video which culminates in Philly students courageously standing up for the rights of all students to have decent schools. I would encourage the students to watch this together and share this video through facebook and twitter. Together we can share best practices for speaking up for public schools and democratic values which are upheld in public schools.
OUR SCHOOLS ARE NOT FOR SALE
Thanks for sharing this!