Thousands of Education Supporters Engage in Community Outreach Events

Yesterday thousands of teachers, education support professionals, parents, students, and other public education supporters took part in the AEA March4Schools Statewide Day of Action. Reports are still coming in from all over Arizona about activists reaching out to community members to share their stories about the impact of budget cuts on our schools. AEA Lobbyist Jennifer Loredo heard from many legislators throughout the day who asked her about receiving several phone calls from constituents. Here are the highlights from March4Schools:

• 600 people, including parents, staff, and administrators attended a rally at Tumbleweed Park in Chandler to get together to share information about current legislative actions. AEA recommended candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction, Penny Kotterman, spoke at the event.
• In Tucson 400 people gathered at a rally in Reid Park to promote the role of public schools in the community.
• A voter education event with 400 in attendance was held at Higley High School. Activists helped people register to vote, passed out voting records of current legislators and presented new candidates.
• 300 education supporters attended a rally at Kiwanis Park in Tempe in a celebration of public education that will help increase awareness about what the legislature is doing. Penny Kotterman also spoke at this event.
• 300 attended a rally at Rillito Park in Amphitheater to support public education. AEA Vice President Andrew Morrill spoke at this event.
• 300 people attended a picnic at Riverview Park in Mesa for a rally and to make 2,000 phone calls to legislators.
• In Marana about 240 AEA members and their children, parents, and education supporters held rallies at eight polling sites to display positive messages about Prop 400. There was great support from the community with traffic honking and waving as they drove by.
• In Glendale about 180 people took part in the Unity Rally at Murphy Park to bring the Glendale community together to support public education.
• 100 education supporters marched at the Town Square in Prescott.
• Another 100 marched in Dysart to promote their district override.
• In Cartwright and Washington Elementary school districts activists walked door-to-door to educate the community about the impact the state legislature is having on public schools.
• In Parker about a fourth of the people who vote came out for a rally. The rally raised visibility of education issues in the community.
• Each school site in Paradise Valley had an activity planned throughout the day, such as handing out legislative voting records to parents, door knocking, flagpole meetings, or calling legislators to tell them their actions will have an effect on voters in the primaries.

The list goes on and on. Check out the media coverage of March4Schools. View photos from the day online. Share your photos by e-mailing them to sheenae.shannon@arizonaea.org. Tell us your story about March4Schools!