On Jan. 31, 100 Washington, D.C. parents, students, teachers, activists and community members marched and rallied against planned school closings in the district. Mayor Adrian Fenty and D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee have pushed for the closings as part of a broad campaign that would lead to the firing of non-union employees, the sale public school buildings to private developers and the destruction of public schools in working-class neighborhoods across the city. No schools in Ward 3—a wealthy part of the city—are slated for closing.
Organizers of the action, the D.C. Coalition to Save Our Neighborhood Schools, are working with a wide array of organizations, including the Party for Socialism and Liberation, with the aim of condemning the closings and opening a real dialogue on “school reform.” The coalition rejects the right-wing solutions pursued by Fenty and backed by the charter school movement.
Participants first gathered for a rally in front of the chancellor’s office building, and then marched to the site of another school administration building for a second rally. There were speeches from parents and teachers from both affected an unaffected high schools, as well as from a number of high school students from M.M. Washington Technical High School. They spoke about how the school had “changed their lives,” helping many on the path to college and into careers.
The rally followed a strong protest meeting of 200 supporters. It is a part of the growing effort to inform the public about the true substance of the school closure plan and to demand that the people’s voices be heard.
