UFT Provides Buses for SOS in Washington

Click above for info

It is time to start focusing on the big 4 day Save Our Schools event in Washington starting in two weeks. You can go for the workshops/events - GEM is doing one on Thursday afternoon (July 28) and film is shown the night of Friday July 29 - or just go down for Saturday July 30. There's even a bloggers meet-up on Friday night.

The UFT is prepared to offer both options and they have asked Yelena Siwinski to coordinate the project  – she asked Mulgrew at the June DA about the buses and to his credit he responded positively. But the buses are only available of they can be filled.

No matter how you get there, GEM would love to have you march with them. The meet-up spot on Saturday is currently (re-check my side panel for updates) at 10:30 at Freedom Plaza, 14th St. and Pennsylvania Ave. A bunch of GEMers are staying at the Hilton Garden Inn in Bethesda, the SOS HQ from July 27-July 31.

We are proud that Susan Ohanian and Washington State parent activist and button-lady supreme Juanita Doyon are marching with GEM. Juanita has already sent me a box of button to bring down for her. Some really good ones.

From Yelena Siwinski

The UFT will be providing 1 or 2 buses to the Save our Schools March in Washington, D.C.  We need 50 people to fill each bus.  The 2 travel options would be:     

1. Bus leaves New York around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 27th and returns Sunday, July 31st. This will allow participants to attend the activism workshops which will be given at American University all day, Thursday, July 28th and Friday, July 29th and on Sunday morning, July 31st.  There will also be keynote addresses given by Jonathan Kozol and Diane Ravitch and a viewing of the film, The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman. 

2. Bus leaves early Saturday, July 30th and arrives in Washington by 10:30 a.m. in time for speakers, performances and musicians.  The actual march begins at 1:30 p.m. and the bus will leave when it is finished.

If you need further information about the conference, accommodations and the march the SOS link is:  http://www.saveourschoolsmarch.org/

To reserve your seat either click on the link below or email Yelena Siwinski at ysiwinski@uft.org by Tuesday, July 19th to indicate your preference.  In your email please include your name, number of people you are reserving seats for, cell phone, email, and the borough you will be coming from so that we can determine the most convenient location for our departure and return.

Reservation link:

https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/gform?key=tRwzmU4yXHK3SBCG2B8w3WQ#edit

Thanks for your support and your willingness to take action to save public education in America!