Background
On Thursday, February 9th, the Panel for Educational Policy (PEP) will hold an open meeting and then a vote to close down dozens more schools. The PEP is an un-elected 13-member body (the majority of whom are appointed by Mayor 1% Bloomberg) whose decisions dramatically affect the lives of the 99%. Every time a vote for school closings has come before the panel, they have voted on behalf of their puppeteer, Mayor Bloomberg. No matter what impassioned students, parents, educators or elected officials have said in the past, the PEP has ALWAYS voted against the people. PEP meetings are open to the public.
We, students, parents and educators from the 99%, invite you to join us in having our OUR OWN VOTE on the fate of our schools.
Ways YOU can Occupy the PEP:
Option A: Are you a student, parent, educator or elected official from a school that the PEP has targeted for closure? Members of your school community should plan to use THE PEOPLE'S MIC to speak out about the mayor's policies and about your school! To see how the people's mic works, click here.
EXAMPLE: I am here because the panel shouldn't be voting without the community's consent to close down schools. In my school...
EXAMPLE: I am here because what is happening here is wrong! Because the people have spoken and they say enough is enough!...
Option B: Not from a closing school? Well then we need your help to support the occupation of this undemocratic meeting! There are definitely ways you can participate. We need your voice to help amplify the voices of those speaking on behalf of their schools. We also need folks to sit near the aisle to protect the people's mic. And we're asking folks to wear shirts or stickers that identify who the occupiers are and what we stand for. For example, you might consider wearing a shirt or sticker that says "Student Against School Closings" or "Parent for Community Control of Schools", etc. There will be speeches, performances, skits, signs to hold, and more! Join us.
1 comment:
" City officials have vowed not to let the protests disrupt the panel’s
proceedings, suggesting that panel members and protesters alike could be
in for a long and potentially combative night." Have they thrown down the gauntlet? The school has to open in the morning, you would need all those people off campus, to have time for the custodians to clean, and security to check the room before students could be let in.
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