A Program of Struggle for Youth and Students

Free, lifelong education

Free education from pre-school through all levels of school, including trade and vocational schooling, college, graduate school, and doctorate-level education!

For quality schools

Fully fund all public educational institutions. End “No Child Left Behind.” No to segregated school districts, overcrowded classrooms, crumbing facilities, and school closures. For all education dollars to be spread evenly across the nation’s schools, regardless of each district’s tax base. Protect and expand public schools, nationalize private learning institutions! No to privatization and charter schools. No to corporate control of the classroom.

For quality universities and trade schools

All students to receive a living stipend so they can study without being distracted or exhausted by having to work an outside job while in school. For free childcare for parents who are seeking education; having children should not be a barrier to training and learning!  For fully funded study-abroad programs, so all students have the opportunity to learn from other cultures!

Quality public education for all

Private colleges and universities have billions of dollars in endowments.  Harvard alone has an endowment estimated at $27.4 billion!  One way of increasing funding for public colleges and universities is to nationalize the private universities and merge them into one united public system of higher education. Why should the children of the rich have more right to an education than the rest of us?

For the immediate cancellation of all student debt

Immediate forgiveness of all student debt for working families and their children. Nationalize the banks and education lenders under public and workers’ control. Educated youth deserve better than indentured servitude!

For a fighting student movement

Students must organize to fight back against attacks on the education system. For the formation of militant student unions at all high schools, trade schools, colleges, and universities, and the creation of a national student union based on these local and statewide organizations. Students must link up with the educators and staff at their schools to struggle to protect and improve education!

For student and worker control over education!

All educational decisions, priorities, and policies to be determined democratically by students, educators, and the trade unions, not by corporate boardrooms or unelected university bureaucrats. For union rights, protections, and wages for all education workers.

Quality jobs for all

For a guaranteed job upon graduation with a sliding scale of union-level wages. Young people deserve quality employment so they can put their education to use for the betterment of society. No to unpaid internships. For a massive jobs program to end youth unemployment. Lower the retirement age so older workers can retire comfortably and give the youth a chance to enter the active workforce.

Fight for a labor party!

Energetic young activists must not be drowned in the dead-end of Democratic Party “activism.” For the political independence of the youth and student movement from the twin parties of the capitalist class.  For a mass party of labor based on the unions to fight for and win demands that benefit working class youth!

Fight for socialism!

Youth deserve a future! Real gains for youth and students are not possible on the basis of capitalism, which can no longer afford to offer real, meaningful reforms.