National and State Latino Leaders Unite for Florida School Choice

“WHAT: The Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Washington, D.C.-
based National Hispanic CREO, and the National Coalition of Latino
Clergy & Christian Leaders (CONLAMIC), will join Step Up for
Students at a march for education in the Capitol Courtyard to
bring attention to Florida’s education and workforce crisis and
its impact on the state’s Latino population.

WHEN: Education Rally – Thursday, April 12, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Interview opportunities – 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
(Visit Media Tent at event for interviews or call now to
schedule.)

WHERE: Florida State Capitol – Capitol Courtyard
Tallahassee, FL

WHY: Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic CREO, and
CONLAMIC have joined forces:

1) To advocate, protect, and expand initiatives that will allow
Florida parents to choose a school that will best meet their
children’s needs regardless of their socio-economic condition;
and

2) To inform legislators of the crisis in low achievement rates
among Latino students and the urgency in which they must act to
better prepare Florida’s future workforce.

“Fifty percent of Florida’s Hispanic children are not graduating
high school, and a staggering 94 percent of Florida’s Hispanic
students who go to college drop out. This is happening at a time
when our nation needs to provide our young people with an
extraordinary education, yet our school system is failing to
properly equip our youth,” reports Julio Fuentes, President of the
Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Satellite Feed Coordinates will be issued Tuesday,
April 11. Spanish- and English-language interviews and rally b-roll will be
available from 3:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. EDT, Thursday, April 12, 2007.
CONTACT: Margaret Garcia or Denise Herrera-Wieters, 210-226-2827/”

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