5/16/19 Day of action: get on the bus to Springfield to rally for funding for public education!
Next Thursday, May 16, is a day of action to pass bills increasing funding for our public schools and state colleges by more than $1.5 billion a year. We are organizing an MSP and UMass contingent to go the Springfield rally which will be held on the steps of the Springfield City Hall. We hope that you join us in demanding that our legislators take action on two key education funding bills- the Promise Act and the Cherish Act, which would reverse years of under funding of our public schools and colleges. Transportation will be provided and there will be a dinner afterwards!
The rally will have children's and creative actions and will feature speakers including: students, educators, community activists and leaders. For more information on the Promise Act and the Cherish Act, please see: https://fundourfuturema.org/get-the-facts/. Our students can’t afford another year of funding shortfalls and budget cuts. These bills are a once-in-a-generation chance to dramatically increase funding for public education in Massachusetts and we need your to help make this happen.
Family members and children are encouraged to attend!
MTA will be providing transportation from Northampton's Sheldon Field to Springfield City Hall. You should park and board the bus at the Sheldon Field commuter lot at the Sheldon Field Recreation Area at Bridge St/Route 9 and Ferry St (https://goo.gl/maps/p4L9gHyFND9LBgGK7). On the bus we will give a you red Fund Our Future t-shirt to wear. We need to know as soon as possible if you plan on riding the bus.
We are also planning an MSP dinner and get together after the rally at Mama Iguana's (http://www.spoletorestaurants.com/mama_iguanas/mama_iguanas.html) in Northampton. The bus will drop folks back off at Sheldon field and then people who want to join us for dinner are welcome to drive or carpool over to Mama Iguanas. Please also let us know if you want to join us for dinner as we need an accurate head count for our reservation and there is a limited number of seats available.
Please RSVP as soon as possible by emailing msp@umass.edu and letting us know if you will be riding the bus from Sheldon Field, what size t-shirt you want (they run small) and/or if you will be joining us for dinner.
Here is the schedule:
3:00pm- Meet at Sheldon Field in Northampton
3:30pm- Bus departs for Springfield
4:00pm- Arrive in Springfield and form MSP and UMass contingent
4:30pm- Rally begins
5:30pm- Rally ends
6:00pm- Bus departs from Springfield
6:30pm- Bus arrives back to Sheldon field
6:45pm- Dinner at Mama Iguanas in Northampton
For more information on the Fund Our Future Campaign see https://fundourfuturema.org/. Please also see our Fund Our Future Vimeo page at https://vimeo.com/album/5957402 to view MSP members talking about the need for more higher education funding while giving testimony on the Cherish Act and the Fund Our Future Campaign.
Please RSVP as soon as possible by emailing msp@umass.edu and letting us know if you will be riding the bus from Sheldon Field, what size t-shirt you want (they run small) and/or if you will be joining us for dinner.