Kitchen Table Activism

Background: Kitchen Table Activism (KTA) is a monthly project of the Rural Organizing Project. Often building on quarterly themes, short actions are described in each KTA. The theory is that basic steps and tasks can lead to powerful collective results as small groups of people gather to complete the same action throughout the state of Oregon.

ROP works to keep the basic tasks easily achievable so that groups with other projects or groups with limited immediate energy can still manage to complete the KTA each month.

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March 2002 Activity

Budget Cuts in Your Community's Schools

WHAT IS THE ACTIVITY?

The state's budget deficit will result in cuts to schools and social services. Set up a meeting with your school district superintendent's office to find out how state budget cuts will affect your schools (they are VERY willing to talk to community members). Share this information with your human dignity group and your base of supporters.

WHY THIS ACTIVITY?

The news is full of information about the state's $800 million plus budget deficit. However, this news can seem very dry, and confusing too. The purpose of this KTA exercise is to make the number-crunching battle in Salem real to us on the local level. The last ROP KTA gave us the background on why there is a state budget deficit -- how the legislature's ten year policy of tax breaks for the wealthy is finally presenting a bill for PAST DUE. This month's KTA asks you to find out what this means on the ground.

Schools are the major battle ground in state politics for one very good reason. The public school is the only place in our communities where everyone's children must spend time together and figure out how to succeed. School budget cuts often affect the most vulnerable students, with the potential of raising the drop-out rate. Dropping out of school has a direct relation to poverty, social insecurity, domestic violence, and crime. Here are some of the social groups most at risk of leaving school:

  • English as a second language students.
  • Students with learning disabilities.
  • Students from lower-income families.
  • Students who are sexual minorities.

STEPS TO COMPLETE:

1. Reach consensus that your group wants to do this activity.

2. Call the office of the superintendent in your school district and talk with the communications/public relations person. Introduce your human dignity group, saying that you are concerned about how cuts to the state schools budget will affect your district. Set up a meeting.

3. A small delegation from your group should go (3-4 folks). The meeting can be brief -- 20-30 minutes. Here are some questions to ask:

  • How will the state budget cuts affect the school district? How will the cuts affect class size?
  • What is the drop-out rate in the district today? Will efforts to reduce this rate be endangered by cuts?
  • What does the district see as a fair way to solve the funding issue?
  • What would the district want community members to understand about school funding?

4. The purpose of this meeting is to gain information, and to let the district know that there are organized citizens who could be allies on some level. Try to schedule your regular human dignity meeting soon after you meet with the district, so that the larger group can hear what was learned. Brainstorm follow-up steps. But even if all you do is acquire and digest the local impact of budgets we will be better informed to interview this year's candidates for the legislature.

Previous Kitchen Table Activities

Questions? Please contact us!