Friday, May 17, 2013

Haymarket Tragedy

In connection with the nation-wide strike for the 8-hour workday, which began May 1, 1886, a mass meeting was held on the night of May 4th in the Chicago haymarket.

Its purpose was to protest a police attack on Union pickettes at McCormick Harvesting Machine Company in which workers were injured and killed.

When police ordered the protest meeting to disperse (peaceful though it was), a bomb was thrown toward the police by an unknown person.

The police responded by firing at the crowd.

This became known as the "Haymarket Riot," now more properly named the Haymarket Tradgey.

The 8-Hour Day Movement was destroyed in the nation-wide hysteria which followed.

Stand With North Carolina's Public Schools!

Strong public schools have been a key part of creating the modern North Carolina—a wonderful place to do business and raise a family.

Unfortunately, after years of budget cuts, North Carolina's public schools are in danger.

Join former Congressman and State Superintendent Bob Etheridge and local civic, education and business leaders for a press conference and rally in support of strong public education and opposed to the terrible ideas being proposed in the state legislature!

What: Stand With North Carolina's Public Schools!

When: Monday, May 20, at 3PM

Where:  Craven County Administration Building
               406 Craven St. New Bern, NC 28560

For more information and to RSVP: http://bit.ly/17qL4QF

State lawmakers are putting the squeeze on our schools.

They want to jam 30 or more students into a classroom.

They want fewer teacher assistants.

And they want voucher money drained from public schools.

Students will have less one-on-one time with their teacher.

And students will have fewer resources like technology and text books to make up for it.

But that's not the attitude that made North Carolina great!

Instead let's invest in Pre-K to give every student the opportunity to start off on the right foot.

Let's hire more teachers and TAs, reduce class size and give every student the one-on-one attention they deserve.

Let's stop the race to the bottom.