Governor Candidate Stewart Alexander: It’s Time to Defend Education

February 26, 2010

During the month of December, the California Socialist Party USA endorsed the March 4th national demonstrations to defend education; demonstrations will occur nationwide to protest escalating tuition fees, layoffs, cuts and attacks on education.

Stewart Alexander, the California SPUSA State Chair says, “March 4th is a day of solidarity with students, teachers, parents, workers, unions and organizations to unite against the attacks on education.” Alexander, a Candidate for California Governor, has spoken against the drastic tuition hikes that were recently approved by the University Of California Board Of Regents; the Regents approved a 32 percent increase in tuitions.

Rising tuition fees are occurring across the nation and some of the sharpest tuition hikes have occurred in California. Since 1999, tuitions at the 10 California UC campuses have tripled. The 32 percent tuition hike will drive the cost for one year of tuition up to $10,300; not to include text books, housing, food and other expenses.

Rising tuitions are not isolated to California; rising tuition fee are occurring in other states to include, Washington, Arizona, Oregon, Michigan, Florida, Virginia, New Jersey, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama and the majority of the 50 States. State and federal legislators have done little to curb rising tuitions during a time when the U.S. is in the worst recession the nation has experienced in over 75 years.

Many of the politicians are claiming that the economy is recovering; however, millions of students and working people can not find full-time or part-time employment. For those students who are able to secure student loans, they will be faced with debts for many years. Working families are also finding it difficult, if not impossible to assist with the cost of their children’s education during a time when most families are making severe cutbacks.

In California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has done little to offer students any relief and has supported the most recent tuition hikes. While running for governor in 2003, Governor Schwarzenegger pledged to support public education and spoke against state leaders favoring special interest groups; however, within the past seven years Governor Schwarzenegger has done little to protect jobs for working families and has failed to defend public education. To the contrary, Governor Schwarzenegger has failed on most of his promises to working families and has repeatedly called for billions of dollars to fund California’s prison system.

Alexander says “Students nationwide should also be angry with the Democrats and Republicans in Washington. Within the past two years, this Congress has spent more than $3 trillion on war, bank bailouts, special interest programs and Wall Street rescues and has left our kids holding an empty bag to pay for their education.”

It was 40 years ago that student demonstrations were erupting throughout the U.S. that helped to bring an end to the Vietnam War. With the support of a national working class that is demanding change, the March 4th demonstrations will empower students and working people to demand their human rights.

Members of Socialist Party USA will be joining students and demonstrations nationwide on March 4th to defend education and to support the rights of students and working people.

For more information search the Web for: Stewart A. Alexander

defendcapubliceducation.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/national-call/

Socialist Webzine: Solidarity with UC Student Protests: Education is our right!
socialistwebzine.blogspot.com/2009/11/solidarity-with-uc-student-protests.html

California- Socialist Party USA
socialistparty-usa.org/states/california.html