PCUE RALLY A HUGE SUCCESS

“GRADUATION FOR ALL” CAMPAIGN KICK-OFf RALLY A HUGE SUCCESS!

Parents & Communities United for Education, PCUE, the Jersey City chapter of SEOC, launched our city-wide Campaign, “Graduation for ALL,” by hosting a spirited rally in front of PS 11, Martin Luther King School # 11, in Jersey City on Tuesday, September 8 – the same day President Obama spoke to the nation’s children about the importance of education.

The noon-time rally drew over 70 parents, residents and school children to call on the Jersey City Public Schools and the Board of Education to make serious changes to improve the city’s high schools and respond to the drop out crisis. At the basis of the Campaign is the alarming fact that one in four of the class of 2008 did not graduate from Jersey City’s high schools and, at the same time, the NJ Department of Education has recently imposed even tougher graduation requirements without adding new resources to help all students succeed.

Not content simply to raise public awareness of the crisis faced by too many of our youth, PCUE has developed a four step program of high school reform, focused on building a true partnership between schools and parents, creating a far more effective student support system, significantly improving teacher training and coaching, and bringing Jersey City schools’ computer labs and training up to date and accessible to all students.

The Rally’s chants, marching, colorful signs and steady growth as more parents and residents joined in was a powerful message to local administrators that a new day is coming for Jersey City high schools. “We want tutoring centers, Now!” and “Dr. Epps, Don’t drop the ball, Graduation for ALL!” were among the chants that came from the growing crowd in both English and Spanish. Among the demands raised by PCUE in fact is that the Jersey City Public Schools greatly expand its publication of materials about high school graduation requirements for parents in the languages they use and understand at home.

Press coverage was substantial as well and reached many thousands with our message of hope and determination to make change for our youth: The Rally was covered by the Jersey Journal, FIOS TV, one Radio station and Fox News.

Please check our blog to learn more about our "GRADUATION FOR ALL! Campaign" and updated information and picture from the rally:
http://www.pcue-graduation4all.blogspot.com/