"The power we have as students is strong and when
we unite everything is possible!"
Youth Leaders from the Chelsea Collaborative
On
Thursday May 16
th
, Youth on Board/
Boston Student Advisory Council
joined thousands of students, parents, and teachers, to rally to change the foundation budget which would increase education funding across the state, especially in low-income and gateway cities. We organized the Youth Speak out and one of our young people emceed the event.
The 2015 Foundation Budget Review Commission found that the Commonwealth's public schools funding formula is outdated. This has resulted is the budget being underfunded
by 1 billion dollars. The campaign is pushing district legislators to support the Promise act, co-sponsored by Senator Sonia Change-Diaz and the Cherish Act,
increasing the state budget by more than $1.5 billion a year.
T
he series of events at the rally included a segment to uplift student voices like Chelsea Fatima and Brandy, who said they are "really glad to see so many students here today, but the fact that we have to be here today to demand access to equitable education is a disgrace. The fact that we have to ask that our legislators invest in our public schools is embarrassing. This should not be a debate, our education is non-negotiable."