Philly SDS Gives the Department of Education an “F”

On November 14, 2008 the Philadelphia chapter of Students for a Democratic Society held a rally at the Department of Education in order to attract public attention and that of the Department of Education, to the problem of student debt. Kicking off the organizations National campaign for Accessible Education, SDS chapters around the country organized similar events at the Department of Education in their respective cities.

The goal of the action in Philadelphia was to engage the Department of Education in conversation with students and student groups in order to start addressing the horrendous student debt crisis in the city. However, with the Department of Education ignoring requests to sit down and speak with Philly SDS, a rally where students presented the department with a giant report card failing them in the areas of affordable, accessible, and quality education as well as in student participation served to relay the message.

With a boisterous crowd wielding signs, banners, and noisemakers, the students eventually closed their rally with a march around city hall. Unsurprisingly, participants and observers alike overwhelmingly agreed with SDS’s demand that the Department of Education start to act on the issue of student debt in Philadelphia.

Currently, with the announcement of budget cuts effecting social and education services throughout the city, Philly SDS is focusing attention on supporting community efforts to counter-act or stop the budget cuts. The campus chapters at Drexel, Penn, and Temple continue to work on the issue of student debt and accessible education.

Huge Turnout!

PHILADELPHIA STUDENTS FOR A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NOV. 14, 2008

Contact: Jeff Rousset, (845) 642-8145, jeff.rousset@gmail.com

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PHILADELPHIA STUDENTS AWARD DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FAILING GRADE

Announces National Campaign: Accessible Education

PHILADELPHIA — Students from area universities and high schools converged on the local office of the U.S. Department of Education today, publicly awarding the agency an “F–” report card for their failure to act on the worsening student debt crisis. The students pressed the agency to meet with them about mounting costs that increasingly bar continuing education from those without financial resources.

“All we’re asking for is a voice in the process,” said Joanna Grim, a member of Temple University’s chapter of Students for a Democratic Society, which organized the event. “Here in Philadelphia, our high schools have a 50 percent dropout rate, and those who do graduate are finding college unaffordable.”

College tuition, which has doubled on average in the last decade, is proving to be a significant barrier for many. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the United States has the lowest university completion rate of any Western developed country, at just 54 percent — due in an overwhelming majority of cases to financial hardship. Students who do graduate face a daunting burden — in the past decade, the average student debt for a graduating college senior has more than doubled from $9,250 to $19,200, and more than two-thirds of students surpass $20,000 in debt.

Students from Temple, Penn and Drexel University filled out scores of postcards for the Department, each reading “BAIL ME OUT!” along with a Philadelphia student’s name and financial needs. Agency representatives did not return students’ phone calls requesting a meeting.

“The doors to the Department of Education are closed today, just like the doors to our universities. Students are being locked out of their education by debt,” said Pasha Mamontov, a sophomore at Drexel.

Today was a national day of action for Students for a Democratic Society at Department of Education offices around America, to announce their first national campaign: Accessible Education.

Philadelphia SDS is the city-wide chapter of the nation’s largest progressive student organization, Students for a Democratic Society, with more than 200 chapters around the United States working together to build student power for Accessible Education.

Press Release PDF:

Philadelphia SDS Press Release

more: http://www.flickr.com/photos/phillysds/

 

from Washington DC:

Coverage coming in from Philly SDS’s student debt action at the Department of Education!

Metro Coverage:

Citypaper coverage in the crossword section:

One of the questions on todays paper is “1960s student group revived in 2006″

hot shit, anyone know the answer?

NOVEMBER 14th. 3:00PM.

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BUILDING

MEET BY THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF CITY HALL

ON JUNIPER STREET, BETWEEN MARKET AND CHESTNUT

We are delivering an F- report card to the Department of Education for their inaction on the Student Debt Crisis! We will be asking for a meeting with Department of Education Officials to deliver hundreds of “BAIL ME OUT” cards, signed by students across Philadelphia, with their education and financial aid needs.

This is a national day of action! SDS chapters around America are demonstrating at local Department of Education Offices to announce our new campaign for STUDENT POWER and ACCESSIBLE EDUCATION.

Sign up on our facebook right now to make sure you get event updates!
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=49304790518

Here’s a map to the site:

View Larger Map

Join Philly SDS for Drexel’s breakout celebration!

Join DREXEL SDS as we

CRASH CONVOCATION with a DANCE PARTY

to demand STUDENT DEBT RELIEF!

Friday, Oct. 17, 10:30 AM

Main Building  (3141 Chestnut)

Sign up on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=44176968232

Convocation is boring, but at least classes are canceled!! Lets build student power together! 

And hit up the party after!

DROP BEATS NOT BOMBS

POST ACTION PARTY

FREE DRINKS + MUSIC

Right nearby Drexel!

Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 9:00pm

437 North Napa St.

Map:
View Larger Map

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=30505925901

The SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) is hosting a party Saturday night, the day after their Convocation Dance Party on the Quad! Come join us, get to know about our campaign, have a few drinks, chill out after a long week! All are invited, especially freshmen!!
Everyone’s invited to come, have fun, and get to know our cause a little more!

SDS Party June 14th!

Drexel SDS is hosting

a slamming summer celebration.

This is a great opportunity to meet the organizers of the Drexel SDS chapter, make some new friends, have some free drinks, and celebrate the summer.

JUNE 14

SPRUCE + 42

8:30PM

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=28160532088

 

Where Were You?

Some clips from our Drop Debt — Not Bombs dance party.

Here is a slideshow:

90 SDS ACTIONS AROUND THE NATION

FOR THE FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE WAR IN IRAQ

THOUSANDS OF YOUTH DEMAND STUDENT POWER

DREXEL, UPENN, + PHILLY SDS LAUNCH NEW CAMPAIGN

This week, over 90 chapters of Students for a Democratic Society took action to end the war in Iraq and hold our universities and elected officials accountable to the student power agenda.

Locally, Philadelphia SDS busted into the Wharton business school, celebrated the Drexel Dragon, and hollered at Penn University President Amy Gutman’s campus mansion with a mobile soundsystem and a 35 student dance party. Singing “Drop Debt, Not Bombs”, alongside booming speakers, Students for a Democratic Society launched their two-campus effort to unite Penn and Drexel students for a university commitment to debt relief.

Check out www.newsds.org/march20/ to see much much more from actions around the nation!

MARCH 21: STUDENT POWER DANCE PARTY : Drop Debt Not Bombs!

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Meet us on FRIDAY, MARCH 21st:

UPENN MEETUP: 12 noon at the Compass (37th + Locust)

DREXEL MEETUP: 1 pm at MacAlister Hall (33rd + Chestnut)

Join us on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=10449978635

Check out our article in the Drexel Triangle: http://media.www.thetriangle.org/media/storage/paper689/news/2008/03/14/EdOp/Drexel.Student.Debt.Crisis.May.Be.Near.Unless.The.University.Acts-3269690.shtml

You bring the friends, we bring the funk!

FUNK THE WAR with Philadelphia Students for a Democratic Society on March 21st as we dance through Penn and Drexel Universities to demand an end to war and student debt! We are celebrating the launch of our Drexel and Penn chapters with a sonic boom for the 5th anniversary of the War in Iraq. Across the nation, Students for a Democratic Society is holding walk outs, nonviolent actions for student power, peace, and affordable education.

The $500 billion dollar war in Iraq has been paid for with cuts in education and student aid. A struggling economy, rising tuition, predatory loan companies and expensive textbooks have shouldered more than 2/3 of students with an average of $19,000 in individual debt. Universities should be actively rejecting the Federal cuts to education by funding loan education programs, providing more need based financial aid, freezing tuition, and creating more opportunities for low income students.