Students March Through City Protesting Governor Corbett's Education Cuts
By Pat Loeb
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Students from three Philadelphia colleges marched through the city, yesterday, to protest cuts in state education funding. They converged at Governor Corbett's Center City office at the Bellevue.
Student leaders say the afternoon rush traffic snarls were not an intentional part of the protest, but they certainly got the attention of motorists squeezing by on South Broad Street -- many of whom honked approval -- as students chanted for a meeting with Governor Corbett.
The students shouted, "Hey, Corbett, where are you? We just want to meet with you."
Students, such as this Temple freshman, who identified herself only as Jessica, say the governor's proposed cuts could end their college education.
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"If they raise tuition again, I don't know that I'm going to be able to get my bachelor's degree. I just won't be able to afford it. I want to get a doctorate in biology so I can do research. I can't do it if I can't afford to go to school."
Others fear an increase in an already sizeable debt load.
"I am so far into debt. I don't know -- even if I get a job after college -- how I'm going to pay for it."
Students from Temple and Community College of Philadelphia, who'd be most immediately affected by the budget cuts turned out in force, but so did students from the University of Pennsylvania.
"I think it's really important for us to take a stand for public education. We need to direct our funds toward the way most people get an education."
