FWD: FROM PARENTS UNITED NETWORK www.parentsunitednetwork.org
STATEWIDE VIRTUAL RALLY
Thursday March 31, 2005
7am-1pm
They saw us at the rally in February, now they need to hear us.
Even if you have talked with your House member and Senator this week, you need
to be part of the unified effort this coming Thursday.
If each of you gets five people to call,
we would have over 20,000 calls in 6 hours.
Flyer Attached - print and broadly distribute!
Please send it on to as many others as you can.
What's a Virtual Rally?
A virtual rally is when parents, students, teachers, community leaders and
other friends of public education make their voices heard at the State Capitol
by calling lawmakers on one day, at one time, with one unified message.
Our goal is to let legislators know that we didn't go away after the Statewide
Rally for Public Schools in March. We're watching them work. And we will
remember what they do for our public schools.
When is the Virtual Rally?
7 a.m. - 1 p.m. Thursday, March 31
Why a Virtual Rally Now?
Time is running out on the legislative session-and on our opportunity to secure
adequate funding for public schools.
Lawmakers saw us at the Rally for Public Education in February, now they must
hear us Thursday, March 31-before important budget decisions are made.
How Can People join the Virtual Rally?
It's easy to get involved. All people have to do is pick up the phone between
7 a.m. and 1 p.m. Thursday, March 31 and:
Call your state representative and state senator;
Call Gov. Tim Pawlenty at (651) 296-3391;
Call House leader Steve Sviggum at (651) 296-2273;
Call Senate leader Dean Johnson at (651) 296-3826; and
Invite friends and family to join the Virtual Rally.
What's Our Message?
a.. We demand that lawmakers focus on our children's future. We're tired of
smoke & mirrors and tricks & gimmicks. We are focused on our children's future
and expect the same of our elected officials. We are watching and we will
remember.
b.. We are tired of our schools losing ground. Inadequate funding over the
last five years is eroding the quality of our schools. If the legislature
doesn't invest in our schools now, we'll lose more teachers, class sizes will
continue to rise and more opportunities for students will be lost.
c.. We demand that lawmakers invest in public schools. Our schools need an
increase of $250 per student in each of the next two years.
Need More Information?
- See www.parentsunitednetwork.org
- Check Parents United for Public Schools for Tips on Calling Your Legislator
- Contact your local school district.
VIRTUAL RALLY TIPS
Get involved
Participating in a VIRTUAL RALLY is easy. All you have to do is join the
thousands of other friends of education from around the state and call your
elected officials.
Expect to leave a message
Chances are, you won't get a lawmaker on the phone. It's likely that you'll be
asked to leave a message with a staff member or on an answering machine.
That's OK, lawmakers track their messages.
Use your personal phone
Please don't use your employer's phone to participate. The message we're
sending is personal and should come from personal equipment.
Don't hold back
If you get a busy signal, keep trying. It means lawmakers are hearing our
important message.
Be polite
Sponsored by the Alliance for Student Achievement.
P.S.-With the rally and all of the attention on school finances in the media,
we have done a good job of raising awareness. We need to keep up the momentum.
If your legislator is having a town meeting or gathering, make certain your
school is represented. If you see your legislator at a community event, take
the time to politely thank them for their hard work and urge them to do right
by education.-------------------------------------------------
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