Statement Supporting Public Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: justin adkins, Publications & Communication Chair, [email protected]

During the past three years, publicly funded higher education has been the target for numerous cuts in an effort to balance state and local budgets during these difficult economic times. Recently, public education and those who are employed in the public sector have again become the targets for additional cuts. Some government officials (e.g., governors, legislators) have portrayed public employees as people who are overcompensated in terms of money and/or benefits. In several states (e.g., Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio) government officials have also tried to reduce or prevent the ability of public employees to organize to negotiate the rights such as safe working conditions, class size limits, and overall employee benefits.