BOSTON (WHDH) - Four New England Patriots players took center stage at the State House Friday to champion a major overhaul of the Massachusetts education system.
Devin McCourty, Jason McCourty, Duron Harmon and Matthew Slater testified before the Education Committee in support of the Promise Act, which calls for funding reforms to be phased in over a period of multiple years by raising taxes to the tune of over $1 billion.
While studies show that Massachusetts is ranked number one in education, there are disparities between rich and poor communities.
In 2015, the Foundation Budget Review Commission found that Mass. public school systems were underfunded by $1 billion to $2 billion a year.
“I think it goes to equality,” Jason McCourty said. “I think the Promise Act allows the communities that don’t have enough resources to get more resources.”
Mathew Slater said, “Our hope today has been to lend our voices to thousands of children. In particular, impoverished children of color who need all of our help.”
The four are members of the Player’s Coalition, a group founded by NFL players to tackle social justice issues and racial inequality.
“To whom much is given much is required,” Slater said. “I have no problem giving my money to the government if I know that it is going to go to helping kids.”
Mayor Martin J. Walsh also testified before the committee Friday, bringing forward his own education reform proposal that he says would not raise taxes.
Several mayors were also in the room to show their support for reform.
“We are here just to say that this is really important for us,” Walsh said.
The Pats players said they felt like fish out of water in the hearing today. Saying they may have been more nervous to testify than play in the Super Bowl last month.
“We were nervous walking into the Super Bowl,” Jason McCourty joked. “At the Super Bowl, you can walk in and say ‘Hey when the ball is kicked off it is just football’ it is just something we have done since we were little kids. At no point today was it like riding a bicycle.”
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