Rally for children draws hundreds to State House
Hundreds of people representing more than 60 communities descended on Beacon Hill today as Stand for Children held its second annual rally for support of public school funding and programs for children. Members representing communities as diverse as Worcester, Gloucester, Lowell, Arlington, and Winthrop joined forces to lobby legislators and gather in front of the State House to give voice to the unmet needs of our children. 
Whether they came from urban, rural or suburban communities, one theme consistent with all the speakers was the need for further investment in the education of our children. Speakers included Marian Wright Edelman, founder of the Children’s Defense Fund, and Governor Deval Patrick, who campaigned heavily on more funding for public schools, but speakers also included regular folks–parents from Worcester and Lexington, teens from Boston and Winchester high schools, a Boston teacher, and a representative from Lowell’s African Assistance Center.
Edelman, who is also on the board of Stand and has been often quoted as saying, “If we don’t stand up for children, then we don’t stand for much,” spoke to the crowd about the government’s responsibility to our children and our collective future. “We don’t have a money problem,” said Edelman. “We have a priorities problem.” (This seems particularly poignant considering a National School Board Association assertion that less than one percent of the entire federal budget is spent on education.) Governor Patrick, who also spoke at last year’s Stand rally, emphasized the need for continued citizen involvement—“not only on election day, not only at rallies, but every day,” and that it would only be through the persistent efforts of groups like Stand and its members that we will see the change our children’s futures demand. “I look forward to working with you on the issues that we both care about so deeply—improving the quality of schools in Massachusetts,” said the governor. The most compelling speeches, however, were from the regular folks, young and old from across the state, who shared their frustrations with years of cuts to the public schools, added fees and mandates, and less resources amid rising student needs. Many of the speakers’ concerns reflected what has been happening in Lowell schools: less reading teachers and paraprofessionals, inadequate science programs, more students with special needs without additional funding, limited after school opportunities—the list goes on. (In 2003, the Lowell schools cut 12% of its staff–positions that have yet to be re-instated.) For more information about this advocacy group and how you can get involved, contact Stand for Children. Below photos, from left: Governor Deval Patrick speaking at the rally, some of the Stand members from Lowell who attended the event, and Marian Wright Edelman, founder of the Children’s Defense Fund and Stand board member.
