Milwaukee High School Student
Speaks Out Against Budget Cuts
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| Youth
ROC member Kayla Isabell talked before community
activists last month at WISDOM’s “Rolling
Thunder |
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Rufus King high school senior Kayla Isabell addressed a crowd
of more than 3,000 at WISDOM’s Rolling Thunder event
on September 18th, 2004.
WISDOM is a multiracial, interfaith social justice organizing
group who organized Rolling Thunder to call for school finance
reform, treatment instead of prisons for non-violent drug
offenders, and civil rights for immigrants.
Kayla is a member of the Youth Reclaiming Our Communities
(ROC) organizing team and was the only student to speak at
the event.
As the only student to address the crowd, Kayla’s message
about schools was clear: Students in Wisconsin are being hurt
by endless budget cuts. Enough is enough.
“Schools across the state are in funding crisis,”
she said. “It is imperative that parents, school board
members, community members, and especially students speak
out against budget cuts. All children, no matter what race
or class, deserve a quality education.”
Kayla warned that the costs of funding shortages are too
high, leaving the most vulnerable behind.
“If large sums of money are taken out of schools budgets,
some students in college prep classes might have to pay for
their text books, but low income students will be kept out
of college prep classes completely.”
Students understand that a good education means more than
just the classroom. A wide range of extra-curricular activities
is equally important.
“Many schools are cutting out a number of sports, arts,
music classes, and many other extra-curricular activities
because they can’t fund them anymore,” Kayla said.
“Extra-curricular activities help keep kids in school
and off the streets. If these important activities are cut,
many of our young people may lose interest in school and possibly
end up on the streets.”
Kayla is one of many students who are fed up with budget cuts
that pile up year after year.
Summing up the Youth ROC message Kayla stated, “Educational
budget cuts don’t just affect students, they affect
the whole state. If students are the future, then treat us
as such. Don’t take away our right to learn!”
Learn
more about Youth ROC or request a school funding presentation
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