This past Tuesday we were invited to meet with members of Dalton State University student group, Students United for Peace, about the current crisis facing publicly funded education and ways that Dalton State students can plug into the campaign to defend public education in Georgia.
We've been planning on making as many of these trips as possible in an effort to make Georgians aware of the impact that cuts to education have already had and the looming threat of even more threats.
Our Trip to Dalton provided us with another exciting opportunity. Dalton State has the highest percentage of Latino students in the state, and while the recent Board of Regents decision to bar undocumented students from attended several publicly funded colleges does not yet apply to Dalton State, It certainly looks like it eventually will if there's not some serious push back from students and community. Eva Cardenas, with the Georgia Dreamers, was able to connect us with local Dalton organizer American Guner with Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights(GLAHR). America talked about the recent Board of Regents ban and ways that GLAHR and student groups in Dalton can support each other. By the end of the meeting it seemed clear that future collaberation between GLAHR and Students United for Peace is enevitable.
So members of Students United for Peace committed to get at least 100 report cards signed to be delivered to the Georgia house and senate and continue to brainstorm ways to build a base at DSU in defense of public education.
If you or your cmmunity/student/church group is interested in exploring ways that you can pressure the power holders to make education our youth a priority lets us know! We'd love to schedule a visit!
Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee
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