Why we protest education cuts

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/03/04/layoffs.education/story.sharail.reed.cnn.jpg caption="Markham Middle student Sharail Reed says her history class has had at least 10 substitute teachers this year." width=300 height=169]

Doug Singsen
Special to CNN

Today, in California and other states across the nation, students, teachers, faculty and workers have been protesting, striking, walking out of classes and staging sit-ins and teach-ins. They are protesting budget cuts, tuition hikes, compensation reductions, layoffs and privatizations affecting public K-12 schools and universities.

This afternoon, I'll be heading to Gov. David Paterson's office in Manhattan, where our local protest will be held. We're expecting at least 500 people and are hoping for more.

Why? We believe that actions like these - across the country - are necessary to communicate to the politicians overseeing these cuts that we will not stand by while our public education system is being gutted.

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