Students Occupy Boston Holds March for Free Public Higher Education for All

BOSTON - Almost 100 students from several Boston area colleges held a protest march around Boston as part of a National Day of Action for Education - called by students in the Occupy movement around the United States. The local action was organized by Students Occupy Boston - a working group of the Occupy Boston movement - and its core demand reflected the main theme of the national action: free public higher education for all.

Nate Matthews, a Tufts University student and press representative for Students Occupy Boston, explained, "We held this march in solidarity with students in California, New York, and around the nation who called for action on these issues. Tuition has gone up by 900% since 1978, 650 points over inflation. Student debt has soared in recent years, nearing $1 trillion and passing credit card debt as the nation's leading form of debt. If this bubble bursts, the effects will be felt throughout the economy.

"With tuition so high, increasingly the number one factor that determines where a young person will go to school is how much money their family has. This trend is moving us towards a caste system of education that is not acceptable. The solution, as we stated, would be free public tuition for all. The idea that we can't afford free public education is patently untrue: When the banks asked for a bailout in 2008 they didn't have to ask twice: the money was printed for them. We ask that the government treats us the same way. It's a lie that we can't afford free public education; we can't afford not to have free public education."

The march proceeded from Dewey Square - the former site of the Occupy Boston encampment - through downtown Boston to the State House. Once there, students entered the building and demonstrated at various locations inside. The activists then left the State House, rallied briefly on the steps of the main entrance, and then began disbanding.

Numbers throughout the hours long event were lower than anticipated.

According to Matthews, "While the rain prevented us from having the numbers and media presence we hoped for, we accomplished what we came out to do. The people on the streets of Boston and those in the State House saw our faces, saw our passion, and saw that we will not sit down and let these injustices exist unchallenged."

When asked about Students Occupy Boston's future plans, Matthews said, "Our upcoming plans are still being formulated, so I don't believe I can comment on them at this time. We will however be continuing to focus on the themes expressed above."

There was a light police presence during the march. There were no significant incidents and no arrests.

 This article is a news brief.