>>Max Socol, co-founder of the Raleigh-based Carolina Jews for Justice, has organized weekly gatherings in front of the North Carolina state House to protest the defunding of the public school system.“Within a day or two of the Nov. 6 election, headlines about the effects of Proposition 30 appeared: community colleges adding classes to accommodate 20,000 more students; U.C. taking off the table a midyear $2,400 tuition hike; parents and teachers relieved of an additional three-week public school furlough. California had backed away from its own fiscal cliff, with voters taxing themselves to further the common good.”< The successes in New York and California took sustained effort, working through grassroots coalitions to harness the power of a broad base of citizens committed to a single cause. Whether it’s achieved through the courts or the ballot, Jews have found success in working with others to build proactive solutions that safeguard the funding and structures of public education. The work of defending public schools is an organic part of the larger, decentralized Jewish movement for social justice. Bend the Arc, JFREJ, JSAS and CJJ are uniquely Jewish organizations, providing members with an opportunity to incorporate social justice work into their Jewish practice. Though regional differences may flavor their work, it is natural that these activists are trying to safeguard the system of education that fuels our democracy. They recognize the modern relevance of an old concept: Individual knowledge and leadership skills were essential to uniting diverse tribes into a nation. And today, a system that guarantees everyone access to education is essential to a society that honors diversity and multiculturalism over family lineage, power and privilege. nationofchange.org/jewish-fight-public-education-1378476117
Posted on: Sat, 07 Sep 2013 02:33:05 +0000
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