What did you do on this beautiful Sunday afternoon?
We took the afternoon and marched on the Capitol. Seems our new Governor thinks that Virginia doesn’t need to ensure the future viability of our workforce and has slashed public school budgets – with an emphasis on programs targeted at the poor and disadvantaged. A few of the parents, Kirsten Grey most notably, took it upon themselves to create a little Facebook page to bring people together and inform them of this hobbling of our public schools. What started from there quickly spread, got notice outside Richmond in other affected communities and even a little media interest.
With the rumblings of a protest a hearing for HB30 was identified and, between the FB page and a few school phone trees, the word went out. Sunday the place to be was in front of the Capitol to show our displeasure with the mortgaging of our children and their futures. It started small at a little after 12 with the first couple of dozen people but soon swelled to nearly 500 – hard to tell since so many of the protesters were small children and they take up much less space. Signs appeared and chants went up. Cars drove by honking in support and more then a few legislators drove by giving us the thumbs up.
Beyond the media cameras there was definite feeling of being watched. We were. A small contingent of Capitol Police were watching us from behind their dark glasses. The did not look pleased. Each attempt to move closer to the Capitol, to gain access to our elected representatives was greeted with their presence and demands that we disperse. Really? A disorganized group of Soccer Moms and Dads, having arrived in a fleet of minivans loaded with mostly elementary school children were somehow a threat to the security of the Capitol. Dozens of West-End tweens walking together and chanting ‘Save Our Schools’ were causing men in paramilitary garb and automatic weapons to fear for the stability of the Commonwealth? Please, this was not a crowd of tattooed anarchist (although a few arrived about half-way through the protest), these people and their kids were wearing Brook Brothers and the latest Paul Frank from Nordstroms. Not exactly the beginnings of a riot.
Eventually, a few of us were allowed to go upstairs to wait outside the hearing room where the legislators discussing the fate of our children were sequestered. The hallway was crowded, the kids allowed up were quickly cranky and thirsty in the claustrophobic environment. A half dozen heavily armed police patrolled us, ensuring our representatives safety from this mob of parents and kids. The legislative assistants, waiting for the written results of the hearing were disdainful of us – referring to us as ‘amateurs’, failing to recognize the reason for their work – the people. A few were happy to see us. Glad that people were standing up for something we disagreed with and whispered they wished this happened more often.
In the end, I couldn’t wait to look our legislators in their eyes and ask ‘why’. Finn was falling asleep and Elias had been waiting outside, cooped up in a stroller for far too long. As we left the crowd was still large. Police had been escorting legislators through the unruly crowd of soccer moms and children – protecting them from their constituents. I wondered if they listened.
February 21st, 2010 at 2:34 pm
It was great to finally put a face with a name by meeting John Murden and Kirsten Grey – although absent were a couple of other “psuedo” radical bloggers – or some that portray themselves as such – yet they were absent from this event…..makes you wonder who really cares about their community, etc.
February 21st, 2010 at 7:26 pm
I was there but left before folks went inside. Didn’t even realize that was part of the plan. I think the protest would have better served if the organizers had gotten a permit as required for all formal protests. I have a feeling that this is this is but the first skirmish in a long war.
February 21st, 2010 at 7:37 pm
Richard – I would agree – I told Piet we needed a bullhorn out there…..
February 23rd, 2010 at 8:08 am
Thank you Piet for taking the time to write, therefore promote this rally and cause.
Just a few corrections: The facebook page was posted Thursday by a fellow Holton parent, William Bruce Smith. I discovered it on Murden’s CHPN. On Thursday evening another Holton parent, Barbara Haas, suggested to me that we gather on the Capitol Sunday. I told her to give me a paragraph and I’ll see what I can do; figure out time and place and get on the horn. That same evening I attended the Albert Hill district meeting and announced the possibility of a rally and School Board member, Kim Bridges, said that was a good idea. Early Friday morning the real work began. I called a handful of School Board members…Maurice Henderson returned my call immediately and I told him our plan. Kim Gray also responded immediately and it turned out a group from Fox was heading over to Carver to meet with her to see what they could do. I hooked up with Sarah Gross (Fox parent) and we coordinated our efforts. Once everything was set, RPS downtown received our flier and all of us, including folk I don’t know, hit the press. Much of the meeting, decision making, and process occurred on the fb page. The entire rally was planned in less than a day. We didn’t have time to acquire a permit. I didn’t have time to go out and find a bullhorn (note – for those who know me, my voice is booming and my throat suffered for it until today).
This was a spontaneous rally brought together by individuals, taking it upon themselves to do something. The beauty of the rally is that we aren’t affiliated with any system or organization but were brought together by our common belief in the possibility of a good public education in all of our schools.