Call to Action: Monday, May 22, 2017
DEVOS-TRUMP BUDGET DAMAGES PUBLIC EDUCATION
#SaveOurPublicEducation
#AmericaLastBudget
President Trump is expected to send Congress his final budget this week http://politi.co/2r1Hk9h. The proposed federal cuts follow a familiar pattern of shifting resources away from low and middle-income people and undercutting bedrock social institutions in favor of get-richer-quick schemes and tax cuts for wealthy people.
—Cuts to education spending overall are likely to hit 13.6 percent.
–Pre-college schools are slated for less funding for Title I students, and zero-funding for mental health services, teacher recruitment and training, and community centers
— School choice and voucher programs could gain about $1.4 billion in funding
http://wapo.st/2r1EXTV.
— Student loans, loan forgiveness and supplemental grants for low-income students are facing steep cuts or zero funding http://bit.ly/2q568Il.
— Donors to charter schools could get a new tax credit.
—Oregon would lose an estimated $312 million for pre-college schools. These cuts would worsen Oregon’s current $1.6 billion state deficit.
— All but one of Oregon’s MOCs champion education. Senators Wyden and Merkley voted against Betsy DeVos’s nomination. Reps. Bonamici and Schrader, Blumenauer, and DeFazio are on record opposing Trump’s overall budget; Bonamici and Schrader singled out education cuts (http://bit.ly/2rrT5W2, http://bit.ly/2qJbuNr, http://bit.ly/2qa9RV9, http://bit.ly/2qMnMTk).
WHERE’S WALDEN!?!
Oregon MOC’s must fight for education now more than ever. Tell your representatives “Don’t weaken our education system, STRENGTHEN IT!”
**ACTION 1: CALL SENATORS WYDEN AND MERKLEY**
Please tell a personal story, if you have one, about how federal support for education made a difference to you or to someone close to you.
SAMPLE SCRIPT [with personal story if possible]:
“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon. I want to thank Senator [–] for his longtime advocacy for education and for his opposition to the nomination of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education. We need a budget that will maintain or even expand public education at all levels. I ask that the Senator oppose further funding for charter schools and school vouchers in the FY 2018 budget. Also, I ask that the Senator vote to continue all of the other programs in the FY 2017 budget at current or higher funding levels.”
**ACTION 2: CALL CONGRESSMAN WALDEN**
Please tell a personal story, if you have one, about how federal support for education made a difference to you or to someone close to you.
SAMPLE SCRIPT [with personal story if possible]:
“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon. I am deeply disappointed in the Administration’s proposed budget for education. We need a budget that will maintain or even expand public education at all levels. I ask that Congressman Walden oppose further funding for charter schools and school vouchers in the FY 2018 budget. Also, I ask that the he vote to continue all of the other programs in the FY 2017 budget at current or higher funding levels.”
**ACTION 3: CALL FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN RED DISTRICTS**
Alert your friends to the upcoming Trump-DeVos education budget. Urge them to call their Members of Congress to support the FY 2017 education funding levels, except for charter schools and vouchers, which should be de-funded. Ask them to include their personal experience with how federal education funding made a difference in their lives.
SENATOR MERKLEY
Portland: (503) 326-3386, DC: (202) 224-3753
Salem: (503) 362-8102, Eugene: (541) 465-6750
Medford: (541) 608-9102, Bend: (541) 318-1298
Pendleton: (541) 278-1129
SENATOR WYDEN
Portland: (503) 326-7525, DC: (202) 224-5244
Salem: (503) 589-4555, Eugene: (541) 431-0229
Medford: (541) 858-5122, Bend: (541) 330-9142
La Grande: (541) 960-7691
CONGRESSMAN GREG WALDEN
DC (202) 225-6730, Medford: (541) 776-4646,
Bend (541) 389-4408, La Grande (541) 624-2400
