Solidarity with California students
WE, THE undersigned individuals and organizations, would like to express our solidarity with the college students currently protesting 32 percent tuition hikes at California's public universities. As activists who believe in young people's ability to fight for change, this is precisely the kind of civic engagement we strive to achieve.
In a time of economic crisis, young people are especially hurt. We are the least-insured and least-employed age demographic in our country. We understand that hard times demand fiscal prudence and sacrifice. However, to add such a sudden and steep increase in tuition to the already heavy economic burden facing our generation is unjust and excessive.
University administrators and the state of California must address the students' concerns as equal partners. These and future decisions about the education system must be made in consultation with all stakeholders, especially students.
Furthermore, we ask our federal government to consider the plight of states facing such tough choices regarding the education of our generation. As we make policy choices on a national level regarding war and peace, stimulus and deficit, we encourage lawmakers to heed the plight of students in California and across the nation and help them.
Our generation is facing the greatest economic crisis in over 50 years. To build a successful 21st century American economy, our leaders must encourage education, not discourage it by piling on student debt with massive tuition increases. We support these students' efforts to make education affordable and within reach for all Americans.
Signatories:
Matt Adler, co-founder, Young Americans for Healthcare Reform
Ian Mackey, co-founder, Young Americans for Healthcare Reform
Sarah Burris, Future Majority
Thierry Dongala, vice president, Americans for Generational Equity
Meredith Segal, co-national director, Students for Barack Obama
Aaron Smith, co-founder, Young Invincibles
Ari Matusiak, co-founder, Young Invincibles
Hans Riemer, former National Youth Vote director, Barack Obama Campaign, UCSC 1995
Black Youth Vote
Matt Singer, executive director, The Bus Federation*
Campus Progress
Matthew Segal, executive director, Student Association for Voter Empowerment
Nick Shalosky, Charleston County South Carolina Constituent School Board
Colin Kurtis, president, Kansas Young Democrats
JoAnne Diaz-Beckett, Oklahoma Student Activist
Shawn Phetteplace, former field organizer, Ohio Barack Obama Campaign
Hannah Kranzberg, Berkeley, Calif.
Janine Carmona, co-founder, One Struggle One Fight
Samantha Ames, One Struggle One Fight
Ellen Shaffer, MPH, University of California-Berkeley 1986, PhD
Alex Steed, Youth Education Rights Advocate
*Title for identification purposes only
