Dozens of Charles W. Henry School parents joined a nationwide protest Wednesday against President Donald Trump's proposed elimination of the U.S. Department of Education.

The "walk-in" protest, encouraged by the National Education Association, started at 8 a.m. just outside the school in Mt. Airy, where students, parents and elected officials gathered to speak out against the threatened cuts to federal education funding.

Parents and kids crowded around the sidewalk in front of the school holding up signs and joining in chants, while cars drove by honking their horns to cheer them on. Taking place just across the street from High Point Cafe, attendees enjoyed free coffee provided for the event. 

State Sen. Art Haywood and City Councilmembers Nicolas O'Rourke and Kendra Brooks attended the protest, noting that because the department was established by Congress, Trump does not have the authority to close it.

"I want to start with the recognition that whether you are Black, brown or white, disabled, young or old, we all have dignity, and that is a God-given dignity. And the attack on public education is an attack on our dignity," Haywood said. "The Pennsylvania (Department of Education) is not following any unlawful, unconstitutional executive orders. We are following the rule of law. We are not following the rule of Trump."

The Department of Education is a cabinet-level agency created by Jimmy Carter in 1979 to oversee national education policy and administer federal assistance programs for schools across the country. 

Trump and his staff have said they seek to close the department so they can return control of education to the states. Advocates fear that its elimination would particularly impact schools in lower-income communities that rely on federal Title I funding and special education support.

Kim Massare, president of CW Henry's Parent Teacher Association, explained that their group began connecting with national advocacy efforts when the threat of funding cuts began to grow.

"It's hard to stay optimistic right now, but I will say that these kinds of events where we're coming together, we're all raising our voices together, standing up together, this is what gives us hope," Massare told the Local. "I was overjoyed and energized by the turnout. The rally brought out a vast network of community advocates who care deeply about public education and about children. I am inspired to see what we can do together next."

The potential impact on Philadelphia schools would be substantial, according to Orien Smith-Warren, a facilitator for the School Advisory Council (SAC), which helped organize the protest.

"Philadelphia receives $178 million of Title One funding and $56 million in special education funds," Smith-Warren said. "If this funding is cut, it will deeply harm our students and community."

Smith-Warren, whose son is in the seventh grade at CW Henry, added that current discussions about cuts have students his age worried. "I wouldn't say he's no longer optimistic, but he definitely has concerns because we're looking at high schools soon," Smith-Warren told the Local. "He's just wondering when he hears 'lack of funding or cutting funding,' what that means for him and his peers as he continues to school."

Massare shared similar concerns about explaining the situation to children. "It's really hard. It's hard to explain this to our kids," she said. "I think even as an adult, it's difficult to understand why someone would do something to harm students across our country this way."

Throughout the protest, attendees held signs with various statements such as: "Save our schools," "Support the Department of Education," and "Fund our Schools, not Elon." Younger students stood near a fence just behind the speakers, holding up their own signs and enthusiastically joining in chants led by the speakers.

Councilmember O'Rourke energized the crowd with his remarks about the administration's educational policies. "The gutting of the Civil Rights units across the Department of Education, really tells that whole story. It's discouraging to say it out loud, but right now, the federal government is working to make discrimination against students easier to get away with," O'Rourke said. "It is dismaying, but it is the truth and is the reality that we have seen voted into office at this time.”

Despite his concerns, O'Rourke ended on an optimistic note.

"There will be a day after this regime is in power, a day after these state arsonists slash and burn because no Empire lasts forever,” he said. “They all fall."

Councilmember Brooks followed by reminding attendees that Philadelphians have successfully mobilized to protect public education before. 

"I've seen this. I've seen us organize, I've seen us galvanize thousands of parents from across the city to fight for education, to support our teachers, to support our young people," Brooks said. "Philadelphia is resilient, Pennsylvania is resilient."

As the protest concluded, Massare issued a clear call to action for all participants.

"We want you to pick up the phone today, we want you to send an email today, we want you to connect with all of your elected officials and tell them why you came out this morning," she said. "Tell them what public education means to you, tell them what our children need. Speak up, use your voice, and let's keep coming out together."