Reds in Red Statement on May 30th Cancel the Rents Protest

By Reds in Ed May 27, 2020

Reds in Ed is calling on educators everywhere to join us in protest on Saturday, May 30 to send a message to the federal government: the people need rents, mortgage payments, and all debts to landlords to be canceled for the duration of the pandemic. 

The past two years of teacher strikes have shown what is possible when teachers unite with their communities to oppose the agenda of the banks and their bought-and-paid-for politicians bent on privatizing education. Those victories could only have been won through the massive support of the communities we serve and the organization of ourselves as workers. 

Because of the pandemic and economic crisis, state and local governments are proposing enormous budget cuts that threaten students’ education and education jobs. Corporate school privatizers are using this period to push their agenda forward and teachers are fighting back!  But we know the federal government has the money. There are more than enough resources in this country to fully fund public education. It is only through organizing and struggle that this dire threat to our students’ education can be defeated. 

We stand in solidarity with our students and families who are suffering from COVID-19 and the economic crisis. Over 40 million people have lost their jobs since March. Money from the stimulus check, however small it was, has already been spent. Evictions are starting up again. Rent and mortgage cancellation is not only completely achievable but necessary to prevent immense economic hardship for the masses of people. If the government can hand out trillions of dollars to banks and corporations, it can cancel the rents and mortgages for workers. Reds in Ed is mobilizing to provide much needed relief for our communities. We hope you will join us!

Go to canceltherents.org to get involved with the movement. Join a socially distanced, socially responsible car caravan in a city near you. Together we can force an end to rents and mortgages for tenants, homeowners, small businesses, and small landlords!