gregoire

On Dec. 9, Gov. Gregoire released a budget proposal that drastically cut state tuition assistance, including the State Need Grant program. About 20% of the Evergreen student body relies on the State Need Grant. Testimonies to the Governor from students poured in. Below is one such testimony. It is important to recognize that LeAnn Brinkman’s story is not unique.

I’m a single mom to six children, four of them still school age (16, 9, 7 and 6) and in the home.

This year tuition has gone up 14%, half of the proposed 30% increase, which was instated by Gov. Gregoire in an attempt to balance Washington’s mismanaged budget. With this “all-cuts budget,” the Governor is exchanging the education of students who could previously afford tuition for a balanced budget. This exchange is a blow to the diversity of our schools as well as a blow to the future of equality in this country.