Alert #1 Protest ALEC - May 11th - Charlotte NC

FIRST of many notices to come this week.
Looks like parents and citizens concerned with public education will be there.

From Mecklenburg Acts

Who is Mecklenberg Acts?

Mecklenburg ACTS is a grassroots coalition of parents and citizens working to build community commitment to equity and excellence in ALL schools.

Friday, May 11, Westin Hotel,

601 S. College St.

, 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.

We will be demonstrating outside of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) national summit meeting. ALEC is a group of corporations and individuals that sponsors high dollar “educational” meetings for legislators that write model legislation to be introduced in state legislatures across the country.  Pearson (the big test producer) is a major player. Pearson is responsible for absurd test questions about the “Hare and the Pineapple” now dubbed “Pineapplegate.”  ALEC is pushing lots of education legislation in North Carolina and elsewhere, including (surprise) lots of high-stakes testing. Read the-hare-and-the-pineapple test questions.

The demonstration will involve our “High-Stakes Testing Drill,” featuring bubbles and giant pencils. (If you’re feeling creative, we would appreciate your help with choreography, etc – contact Carol.) We’ll be doing the drill at 11:45 a.m., and at 3:45, 4:45 and 5:45 p.m. It should be a lot of fun. We hope you will join us at the Westin some time during the day. Kids welcome!

The best way to get to the Westin is by light rail — the  Stonewall Street
station is right next to the hotel. There are also a number of decks and surface lots, and you should plan to spend about $10 for parking if you drive. We’ll be on a sidewalk somewhere near the Westin. Look for the yellow pencils. There will be several other groups demonstrating as well.

If you would like to participate in any of these events, please contact us (although you can come even if you don’t get around to e-mailing).

Having been in Snottsdale for the protest there I caution anyone who would think about taking kids to this event.

IF you are thinking about taking kids - be sure to separate your group from the main protestors.

If this is anything like Snottsdale - and I'm sure that it will be - because ALEC profit sector members have a lot of money to spend on police and security - at Snottsdale this is what we had:

  Massive police presence in riot gear

  Pepper Spray

  Batons

  Military grade tear gas

Nonviolent protest - does not necessarily mean an equal and nonviolent response from police.

THIS IS NONVIOLENT PROTEST at Charlotte NC ALEC Task Force Summit Meeting.

Charlotte NC ALEC Task Force Summit Meeting will be a PEACEFUL PROTEST.

If violence is YOUR intent - stay away from the ALEC protest - we don't need you in Charlotte.

YOUR potential acts of violence - FUCK UP OUR MESSAGE!!!!