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Twenty-four
buses carrying members of National People's Action wrapped around the
U.S. Department of Education on the last day of the conference with
the demand to meet with Secretary of Education Rod Paige. Leaders approached
the building on all sides, but security was waiting and swiftly locked
all the entrances.
Over 1,100 people stood at the main entrances of the building and yelled
a series of chants demanding, "Where is Paige?"
As the leadership team negotiated with law enforcement, the crowd built
momentum, with kids leading many of the chants and the stuffed duck,
which had stood in for Paige at the earlier education workshop being
tossed through the crowd. The leadership team negotiated a meeting with
Paige's staff and the crowd waited for officials to make good on their
commitment.
After a series of promises by police that Paige's staff was on their
way to meet with the NPA leadership team, the Department of Education
recanted on their commitment of a meeting.
"NPA isn't going to settle for broken promises. We will get to Secretary
Paige, because this is about our kids' education," said Hyacinth Yennie,
a leader from Hartford, CT as NPA made their ways to the buses for the
next round of hits.
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