Schools are facing incredibly challenging circumstances right now: inadequate funding, lack of effective statewide support, burdensome NCLB requirements, and more.
Thank you to our members who spent the day in Salem advocating for ALL children in Oregon to get a quality education!
On February 2nd, Stand members met with 17 key legislative leaders who are responsible for making decisions about education funding and policy in the 2012 Legislative Session.
At noon, we joined about 200 people to raise awareness about the growing achievement gap and low graduation rates for students of color and English Language Learners.
Along the capitol steps, we lined up nearly 300 graduation caps. Each of those caps represented just over 20 Oregon students who dropped out of school last year. We displayed the caps to help communicate to our leaders that far too many children – specifically students of color - are being left behind with little hope for future success.
Representatives from more than 20 organizations – including Stand, Salem-Keizer Coalition for Equality, Asian Pacific Islander Network of Oregon, Self-Enhancement Inc., the Chalkboard Project, Confederated Tribes of the Grande Ronde, the NAACP, OCHA and many more – assembled to speak up for our students of color and English Language Learners and demand that state leaders take real, tangible steps to close the achievement gap.
Governor John Kitzhaber was our keynote speaker and aptly described the urgency of this work.
“When in crisis, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.”
Check out the photos from our 2012 Lobby Day and reflections on the day from Stand members.
Latest News on Lobby Day:
2012 Lobby Day: Our Message to Oregon Legislators
Equity in Education Action: Standing up for Equity in Oregon’s Education System
Why Lobby in Salem: Our Members Reflect on 2012 Lobby Day
