The Voice - Student Newspaper

GCC students 'speak up' and take matters into own hands

During a time when education is paramount to Arizona's economic growth, the education budget cuts proposed by the legislature have spurred a fiery reaction.

In response to these cuts to an already floundering education system, Speak Up Now Arizona, an organization that strongly opposes these cuts, has taken a stand to inform Arizona's public and call for immediate concern.

The Arizona Legislature is proposing to cut $1.5 billion from education over the next year and a half, despite the looming fact that Arizona is already 35th in state and local spending for higher education and 49th for Kindergarten through 12th grade.

Speak Up Now Arizona argues that the legislature "is looking at it [education cuts] the wrong way", and believes instead that cutting education so drastically will ultimately stunt Arizona's economic growth for years to come.

Haroon Saleem, an undergraduate student at Arizona State University who helped to put Speak Up Now Az's website together, puts it this way, "College Grads give back to the economy. Once they get their degrees, they are out in the job market…Companies that are here in Arizona…look for college grads…if we didn't have people with qualified degrees to fulfill those jobs, those companies wouldn't be interested in Arizona, and the economy would automatically suffer."

He adds in saying, "The ramifications for Arizona's future will be disastrous" and that these cuts will be "doing students a grave disservice".

The first education cuts have already been made to Arizona schools statewide.

From now till June, Legislature has already cut $133 million from K-12 education and $143 million from state universities.

Their proposal for the next fiscal year to cut an additional $800-900 million from K-12, and $388-400 million from the University system is what Saleem states will, "really be a crippling blow to our education system here in Arizona."

Speak Up Now Arizona's website (www.speakupnowaz.org) has links for Arizonans to contact their district legislators to speak out about this issue.

Robert Shelton, President for the University of Arizona, makes a call for action, "We encourage every citizen of this state who cares about their quality of life – who wants their children or grandchildren to have an opportunity to attend a quality university – to speak up now and to speak loudly."

Please send comments to amoody@gccvoice.com