Civil Action

This is interesting:

[The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee] was among dozens of nationwide campuses hit with marches, strikes, teach-ins and walkouts in what was billed as the March 4th National Day of Action for Public Education. Organizers said hundreds of thousands of students, teachers and parents were expected to participate in the demonstrations.

The steep economic downturn has forced states to slash funding to K-12 schools, community colleges and universities to cope with plummeting tax revenue while implementing tuition hikes. Schools and colleges could face more severe financial trouble over the next few years as they drain federal stimulus money that temporarily prevented widespread layoffs and classroom cuts.

In Wisconsin, more than 25,000 students have been put on a waiting list after the state's premier financial aid program ran out of money because of increased demand. 

Recently, I told a friend that I thought any serious and/or prolonged civic unrest in the next few years was going to come from students (and, possibly, their parents) as post-secondary education became less and less affordable.   If you look at the differences in the unemployment rate by educational attainment, you can see why.  If budgets and financial aide are slashed to the point where thousands of students are on waiting lists and/or unable to afford to attend college, they're looking at a future that's potentially not-so-rosy.   I might go into the streets, too. 

Update: I see there were some local protests, too.  GO STUDENTS!