Detroit Students Fight For Their Education – State They Aren’t Dollar Signs

Out of the mouths of babes.

On hearing that the schools emergency manager would use his unilateral authority to close nearby Southwest High School, a couple of hundred kids last week walked out of Detroit’s Western High (Mark Maynard’s got video). The students were suspended, so instead, on Friday they started a “Freedom School” across from Southwest.

Wow, the students were suspended.  For fighting for their schools?  For daring to question the powers that be?  For pointing out that adults running all the educational sideshows are making decisions that hurt them and their communities?  For demanding a quality public education for every child?  Demanding that we invest in education? Suspended?  Really?

Seventeen year old, Raychel Gafford, gave a speech on the walkout that should have everyone paying attention.

The speech:

Hi my name is  Raychel Gafford. I’m 17 years old and i am in the 11^th grade. We are the students of Western International standing in solidarity with the students of southwestern. We are here not only in solidarity with southwestern but to draw the line and take a stand for our education.

We are walking out to fight for quality education and to protect our public school system. We are here demanding better education and that our voices be heard. Our school system should work WITH US not against us. I’m sick and tired of being pushed around. WHAT ABOUT YOU??

All I hear when I hear about DPS schools is closings, chartering, MONEY MONEY MONEY and LACK OF MONEY! To be honest, I don’t think our education should have a price tag. I thought schools are supposed to be about educating students so we can be the best members of the community and grow to be successful adults.

Schools are assets to the community. What’s going to happen when all our assets are privatized?? 80% of charter schools are for profit. THAT’S NOT WHAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS. Schools are not supposed to be ran as businesses, education is a long term investment. We should not be making money off of our students. We are children, WE ARE PEOPLE! NOT—DOLLAR SIGNS!

The solution is not to close public schools. It’s not a quick fix. It only does long term damage to our neighborhoods. (When schools close, our families, and our neighbors leave the community so that their kids can have access to quality schools and opportunities elsewhere.) We need to improve the public school system here, not shrink it down or sell if off to charters until it disappears completely.

Our community thrives off of public education. Without our proper education we are less prepared for life. We are the future! WE ARE THE NEXT GENERATION OF ADULTS! WE’RE HERE TELLING YOU THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM! We’re done choosing the lesser of two evils, or accepting solutions that are not good for our communities. This time we’re leading the way. We are demanding respect!

The kids get it.  They get that educating them has become an afterthought.  It’s about the money – who gets the money and who doesn’t.  I would suggest keeping an eye on Ms. Gafford.  She’s going places.  She also knows what she’s talking about – Public education is turning into a business that’s all about money, and not all about the kids.