CALL NOW TO SAVE HOPE!!!!

ALL THE CALLS OVER THE WEEKEND HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE!

Yesterday Governor Deal restored the pre-k(though he did still cut several weeks off the year). We have also heard rumblings from the hall of Senate, THIS BILL MIGHT NOT HAVE ENOUGH VOTES TO PASS! Last night governor Deal wined and dined members of the senate in an effort to win support.



TODAY WE NEED YOU TO MAKE A CALL TO YOUR SENATOR!

WE NEED YOU TO HAVE YOUR NEIGHBOR, CO-WORKER, SPOUSE, UNCLE, EVERYONE CALL!

WILL YOU MAKE THE CALL!




TODAY is a crucial day for Georgia as a bill that would deliver massive blows to Georgia's public education system is going to be voted on in the senate. It has already passed in the House and passed through the Senate Higher Education Committee--it will most likely be voted on on TODAY. We're calling on all Georgia residents to make a quick phone call to their state senator. This bill has been rushing through the legislature, and it's critical that the members of this committee hear the voices of the public as they consider which path to take.

This bill signifies the beginning of the end of the HOPE scholarship. The only people receiving full HOPE aid will be those who graduate from high school with at least a 3.7 GPA and 1200 SAT score. These changes would push tons of young people out of public colleges, particularly students of color and students from low income families. Our office has fielded dozens of calls, countless emails, and several personal visits for students and parents who will be priced out of an education if this bill passes.

CAN YOU HELP SAVE HOPE?

We need you to call your state senator and ask them to vote NO. To find your senator's contact info, you can go to congress.org and type your zip code into the box on the right. (If necessary, you can then enter your full address if there multiple senators for your zip code). If you click on the senator's name, you will see a tab that says "contact": this will have their phone number. Take a few minutes to call. All the talking points you need are included below.

An idea of what to say:
"Hi my name is ______________. I'm a constituent of Senator _______, and I'm a __________ (worker, student, parent, etc). I'm calling in opposition to HB 326, the bill to cut funds for the HOPE scholarship. This bill will price out working families who are already struggling. Students and young people did not cause the financial crisis, and they should not have to pay for it."


JOIN US AT THE CAPITOL
Today join students on the steps of the Capitol as they demand the Senate kill HB326

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Tim Franzen 404-414-5521.


TALKING POINTS:



This is a crisis of priority, not resources. We know that there have been several sound proposals that would have kept the HOPE scholarship intact. They were all rejected in favor of dismantling one of the few education programs that provides real opportunity to hard working regular folks. We find it a cruel irony that the military and prison industrial complex drain the majority of our state and national resources, but education is the first place politicians go for cuts.



Under HB 326 once a student loses HOPE, they can never get it back. No matter how well a student does once they less HOPE they lose it forever. HB 326 also takes effect immediately. Current students will have the rug pulled out from under them.

The new SAT requirements ensure that low income folk, especially people of color, will have much less access to hope. The SAT test is proven to be culturally biased. We also know that high income families can afford expensive SAT classes that regular working families cannot. Demanding a 1200 SAT course to qualify for HOPE will guarantee that those who need HOPE the most will have the hardest time getting it.

HB 326 will price out low income folks. No question about it. The change in book fees alone will price out anyone that struggles to keep food on the table and electricity in the house. It would seem that this bill, by design, disenfranchises low income folks, especially people of color.
We are not fooled; HB 326 DOES NOT save hope. HB 326 dismantles HOPE. We keep hearing folks say that 90% of hope will be available to students with a 3.0 or above. Not true. Nathan Deal himself admitted that that number is likely closer to 80% and that as soon as next year it could go down to 60%. The HOPE scholarship is certainly savable, the question is whether or not Georgia legislators are willing to make it a priority or not.

The Hope scholarship is wildly popular. We will be paying attention to who’s voting to dismantle it. We hope our elected officials remember who they’re here to represent. There will be another election.


Tim Franzen

American Friends Service Committee

404-414-5521

Last Minute PUSH to Save HOPE!!

Tonight our office has been like a bee hive filled with busy bees! Last minute phone calls and e-mails being sent out, discussion on logistical information on tomorrow's press conference, speeches being written and practiced by youth, and of course the huge work of sifting and separating ALL of the failing grade postcards that have been collected over the last six months.

We also had several committed Dekalb County mothers, Kim Ault, Annette Jackson, and Latasha Walker, passing out fliers and getting report cards signed all week at churches and board of education meetings.

I'm happy to say that we have a nice stack of fail report cards for EVERY Senator in Georgia. I'm also excited to say that we have some pretty dynamic young people that are excited about speaking at the capitol tomorrow. We hope YOU will stand with us as we deliver thousands of failing grades to the Georgia Senate for making public education the first stop for budget cuts.

If the dismantling of HOPE moves forward it will literally price out low income folks and the new SAT requirements ensure that non-whites will have even less access to higher education as the SAT is proven to be culturally bias.

We want to give a special thanks to Tamice Gates who worked for countless hours organizing massive amounts of postcards. Tamice had to individually enter each cards address into congress.com to figure out which senator it needed to go to. Thanks Tamice!


Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee

Take Action to Save HOPE!!!

This weekend is a crucial period for Georgia as a bill that would deliver massive blows to Georgia's public education system is going to be voted on in the senate. It has already passed in the House and passed through the Senate Higher Education Committee--it will most likely be voted on on Tuesday. We're calling on all Georgia residents to make a quick phone call to their state senator. This bill has been rushing through the legislature, and it's critical that the members of this committee hear the voices of the public as they consider which path to take.

This bill signifies the beginning of the end of the HOPE scholarship. The only people receiving full HOPE aid will be those who graduate from high school with at least a 3.7 GPA and 1200 SAT score. These changes would push tons of young people out of public colleges, particularly students of color and students from low income families. Our office has fielded dozens of calls, countless emails, and several personal visits for students and parents who will be priced out of an education if this bill passes.

CAN YOU HELP SAVE HOPE?

We need you to call your state senator and ask them to vote NO. To find your senator's contact info, you can go to congress.org and type your zip code into the box on the right. (If necessary, you can then enter your full address if there multiple senators for your zip code). If you click on the senator's name, you will see a tab that says "contact": this will have their phone number. Take a few minutes to call. All the talking points you need are included below.

An idea of what to say:
"Hi my name is ______________. I'm a constituent of Senator _______, and I'm a __________ (worker, student, parent, etc). I'm calling in opposition to HB 326, the bill to cut funds for the HOPE scholarship. This bill will price out working families who are already struggling. Students and young people did not cause the financial crisis, and they should not have to pay for it."

JOIN US AT THE CAPITOL
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=171317916250013
Please also come to the press conference on Monday, March 7, from 4:00pm - 6:00pm. It's a the Georgia State Capitol, in the Senate Mezzanine room (3rd Floor across from the Secretary of Senate office). Elementary, Middle, and High school students will speak out against the defunding of their future, will you stand with them? We are delivering the failing report cards that people from all over the state have signed. Georgians demand that the legislature bring its grades up this legislative session by addressing the following demands:

1. Recognize that education is a human right.
2. No more fee hikes, tuition hikes, or budget cuts!
3. Reassess Georgia's budget priorities.
4. No more furloughs or layoffs!
5. Take local action for better education!

This is a crisis of priority, not resources. Several alternative solutions have been purposed but the Governor, and others in his party, seem dead-set on making public education the first thing on the chopping block.

When they need money for corporate welfare, war, new prisons, or wall street bailouts it always rains cash. Why is it that education and other programs of social uplift are always the first to have their budgets cut?

After the press conference there will be a candlelight vigil outside the capitol until 12am.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact Dell MacLean 404-939-7699 or Tim Franzen 404-414-5521.