<p>Word in the Town- By Larica Jacko</p><p>Word in the Town </p><p>Education has been limited </p><p>And all scholars want to do is be gifted</p><p>Somehow the funds for education has been shifted</p><p>Word in the town </p><p>Teachers pay checks have been dropped</p><p>Leaving them at a standstill with minimum guap</p><p>It’s just a change cycle to the minimum wage drop </p><p>Go to school, attend college, and get your doctorate </p><p>But at what cost?</p><p>It’s sure not to be struggle free and well off</p><p>Word in the town</p><p>She’s 60 with 60,000 dollars in debt</p><p>And has a 2nd mortgage as a pet</p><p>With a Doctorate and masters she should be set</p><p>Long hours</p><p>Frustration with test</p><p>Just so the government can test your intelligence and STILL NOT GIVE YOU THE BEST!</p><p>Word in the town </p><p>There are graduation expectations </p><p>And bills are over due</p><p>Some students sleeping in their car without a clue</p><p>No method of survival </p><p>So they say Forget College I AM THROUGH Check the dropout rates FOR PROOF</p><p>And I can tell you it is some truth to that </p><p>Struggling has become a fact </p><p>Word in the town</p><p>Classrooms are over loaded and teacher’s knowledge is being soled </p><p>At a sacrifice, gender equality</p><p>And racial discrimination has become the price</p><p>Have you ever heard of a teacher not being able to keep on the lights?</p><p>I’ll tell you it is some truth to that </p><p>That’s a fact</p><p>When the government overruled</p><p>Not leaving enough room</p><p>For our histories to be taught in our schools</p><p>They’re not playing fair by the rules</p><p>And part of that battle has been won</p><p>But teachers’ buckling is no fun</p><p>3% that aint just</p><p>What if they all quit </p><p>Forcing the government </p><p>To create promotions to get rich </p><p>Word in the town </p><p>The government wants to discriminate </p><p>They like to segregate </p><p>Word in the town </p><p>They government will hate, they never will appreciate Teachers and students interlocked </p><p>Man that is no shock</p><p>We stand together like socks and shoes</p><p>Career benefits are what we choose</p><p>Now, pay teachers their dues</p><p>Not to conclude, but I stand here with the truth</p><p>That contract is 99 days over due</p><p>And we are not through </p><p>That drama the government can keep, like MLK I will preach </p><p>Hold hands get acquitted </p><p>And just think </p><p>The education barriers are steep </p><p>So we as a community must teach </p><p>Equal education and teacher solidarity</p><p>Is all we speak</p><p>The drama the government can keep </p><p>The system will beat </p><p>Word in the town </p><p>They like to hate, they never cooperate</p><p>And they say schools a democracy</p><p>This is not hypocrisy </p><p>More like a sovereignty amongst the richest</p><p>And unlike God I will never forgive this</p><p>Word in the town</p><p>They don’t want us to self-rule our schools Word in the town</p><p>They say they get the picture </p><p>WELL THE PICTURE HAS GOTTEN BIGGER</p><p>The financial hold of teachers has taken a toll </p><p>Leaving their pocket books in a crisis</p><p>Man this fights getting old, give teachers what is theirs </p><p>Reconstruct, Rebuild</p><p>Start by funding human affairs</p><p>On down to education repairs</p><p>Word in the town </p><p>She is not being paid fair </p><p>Where the hell is her share?</p><p>Word in the town she and he is on the same ballet</p><p>Nominated for the greatest IQ balance</p><p>Word in the town </p><p>She is going broke and her bank account has been chocked</p><p>Chaining her to the unemployment line </p><p>Like a slave chained to the poll</p><p>She is told to play a woman’s role</p><p>Word in the town </p><p>His pocket books have gotten fatter </p><p>I mean is it gender </p><p>The education system is after?</p><p>Or is it the mind with goals that matter?</p><p>Word in the town She is not getting paid what she deserves</p><p>1600 dollars a class less than him </p><p>Is it what’s dangling between his legs that helped him get ahead? </p><p>Or the knowledge in his head</p><p>Or is it the books that fed them both, helping them to Equally climb </p><p>The same education rope</p><p>They are swinging with the same degree</p><p>Yet equal pay is burning people of color more</p><p>And yes, RACISM AND SEXISM still go that deep</p><p>In the country</p><p>We so call believe is based on equality beliefs</p><p>Word in the town </p><p>LET’S TURN THE HEAT UP </p><p>BEAT ON </p><p>THE DRUM </p><p>AND KICK FOR WHAT </p><p>WE BELIEVE!</p>