Enough is Enough Rally

Reminder from MEA

June 22, 2010
Countdown to the Capitol
School is out and it’s time to devote your full attention and energy to the biggest pro-education event this summer—the Enough is Enough rally on the Capitol lawn. Continue to make a difference—for your students, your school and your community. Join thousands of MEA members and other public education supporters at the Capitol this Thursday to send the message to lawmakers: “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!”
· Be sure to get to the rally as early as possible to get a good view.
· Red is the color for the day, or you can wear your MEA Proud Union Member T-shirt and fit right in.
· Bring along any signs, banners or flags from your May 24 rally.

Don’t miss out! We’ll be on the Capitol lawn come rain or shine!

Getting there
· If you’re coming by charter bus, you’ll be unloading directly at the Capitol. The buses will then park at Union Missionary Baptist Church on Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard. After the rally, shuttle buses will take you back to your charter bus.
· If you’re caravanning by car, you can park either at the Lansing Mall satellite lot behind Macy’s or at Lot 89 on the MSU campus. The lot is off Mount Hope Road, right before you reach Farm Lane. Shuttle buses will be there to take you to and from the Capitol. More parking information is available at www.mea.org/enough.

Rally schedule
9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Pre-rally events – music and entertainment

11 a.m.
Rally kickoff with MEA Vice President Steve Cook as Master of Ceremonies, Welcome by MEA President Iris K. Salters; You’ll hear from pro-education supporters from A Better Michigan Future, Ann Arbor PTO, AFT-Michigan, legislators, MEA members and students
Special guest – Virg Bernero, Lansing Mayor and MEA-recommended candidate for Governor

1 p.m. Closing

In between the official events you’ll have a chance to:
· Meet with legislators and send a message to lawmakers via cyber-lobbying or postcards.
· Contribute to PAC and take a swing at MEA’s punching bag or pose with “Rosie the Riveter.”
· Sign up to volunteer for Election 2010.

But there’s time for fun, too!
· Visit the “Family Fun” tent for face-painting, balloons and clowns.
· Grab a bottle of water or a snack.
· Get in the running for a new Apple iPad or a Nintendo Wii—you have to be present to win.

And why should you be there?
There really aren’t any excuses for not being on the Capitol lawn on June 24. School is out. The weather forecasts are good. There’s plenty of free, convenient parking. There’s shuttle service to the Capitol. There’s plenty to do for everyone once you get there. There will be refreshments to purchase and stations to take care of all of your needs.

But most important. . .
You need to be at the rally because we aren’t out of the woods yet. The Legislature and the governor aren’t done playing games with school funding and the budget. They aren’t through tampering with your wages, your benefits—your livelihood.

We haven’t heard the last of the Dillon health care plan, or the idea of taking money from the school aid fund to balance the budget.

You need to be at the rally to show that you’ve had enough of the attacks. Michigan students and school employees deserve adequate, equitable and stable funding for public education. This is just the beginning. From the Capitol lawn… it’s on to our communities… to our friends and families, and finally… on to the ballot box in November.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
Check out Rally Central at www.mea.org/enough for more details and updates.
See you Thursday.