March4Ed Student Organizers Share Their Stories

Across the nation today, members of the education community are marching for public education. They march to support the nearly 100,000 public schools in the United States. They march to show their community leaders and elected officials that public schools are the backbone of prosperity that drives America forward. And, of course, they’re marching in solidarity with the 50 million public school students that are the future leaders of our democracy. Learn about five student organizers that have risen out of their desks to plan today’s March for Public Education.

Xavier Maciel is in his third year at Pomona. Over the past eight years he has worked representing unrepresented communities in education.

“Public education is important now and in the future” especially given the all encompassing threat that DeVos poses on public education. “It’s a privilege to be able to march” he said.

However, he began his involvement in the march after having planned his own march which had around 3,000 planning to attend, since they have consolidated to one march.

Often you hear those who are marching explain that they want to give their kids the education that they had, but being from Newark, NJ, Xavier explained that he didn’t necessarily have an education quality enough to want to pass on. In 2010, there was a city wide walk-out where they protested budget cuts at city hall. While that led to a large donation from Mark Zuckerberg, the money was unregulated, which led to the further decline of those school systems.

“Those who are marching tomorrow have the privilege to do that. Those who need the education system to change can’t go out. Many of these students, both rural and urban, lack access to proper foods, face challenging environments, and possibly broken homes.”

Xavier is marching for the voiceless, the intentionally silenced. As Community Outreach Coordinator, he sees the intersectionality of education, the issues facing students, with LGBTQ groups and others such as United We Dream. He’s not just “marching for education but for students who will be affected by these [DeVos’s] policies. Education is the backbone of this country, and allows mobility between classes.”

“The American Dream revolves around public education. My mom never got an education and my parents came here 20 years ago so that I would. I wasn’t supposed to make it where I did. These communities are growing; A lot of people don’t want to recognize students in poverty and marginalized students but it will take their perspectives to solve the problems that we face. At the end of the day these students are the ones who will be running the country, and they need to be well equipped.”

Nicholas Zaborowski will be attending Temple University in Philadelphia, his home state, this Fall as a Music Therapy major. He is a student speaker at the March for Education on Saturday.

“I’m speaking at the March for Education to raise awareness of the importance of music and the arts in our education system and how a lack of funding towards not only important programs such as STEAM but also teachers and school staff is putting America’s future at a disadvantage by not providing a well-rounded and quality education. Education, one of the most powerful tools a society can attain, is an integral aspect of the American Dream, where people are able to have equal opportunity and overcome issues such as hunger and poverty in order to determine their own future. Education is a right, and it’s time to demand that we as a country treat it as such.”

Veronika Konovalova grew up in a suburb of Philadelphia and now attends Temple University. She serves as the College Campus Outreach Director for the March for Public Education.

In high school she was paid for SAT tutoring then ended up being a volunteer tutor for low income students. From her experiences tutoring, she was made aware of the disparities some students face.

”It puts it in perspective: What resources does this child actually have to accomplish their dreams?” Furthermore when a student performs poorly on a standardized test, their score may be more of a testament to their access to resources than their intelligence. She explained that, “It comes down to resources and the negative effects of this score on their life and the way they view themself.”

Education, in her opinion, is bipartisan and universal but we still face inequities and some students face disproportionate amounts. The most remarkable part about the organization of the march so far for her has been the solidarity between students and teachers.

“To all students, remember that you are investing in your own future and the future of your fellow classmates. We are advocating for a push that will benefit us all, uplifting us as individuals and as a community. And to those who are not students by title, you are all students of the present, as each day you learn new things from the people around you who care about you and want only the best for you. To recognize the need for high quality, equitable education is to understand the fundamentals of caring for yourself, the people you surround yourself with, and the world.”

Leslie Templeton is a student at Boston College, an intern at the National Education Association, and a speaker at the March for Education!

“I am a student with disabilities. I’m marching to remind people that those with disabilities can contribute to society if they are given the right resources. If it weren’t for special education in my public school, I would not be writing, I wouldn’t be reading, and surely wouldn’t be speaking tomorrow. My community has sat patiently waiting for someone to notice us, and it hasn’t happened as much as it should have. We need full funding for special services by the government, but the 40% that the government should be contributing to these services under law is not even closely met. A little less than half of what the government has promised has been met, and that means students like me all across the country are suffering because of it. I come from a place of privilege, so I hope that being one of the lucky ones who received decent special educational services that I can show what happens when you do invest resources in students like me.”