Actor Luke Perry Marches in Support of Schools

Actor Luke Perry, who starred in the hit TV series Beverly Hills, 90210, joined teachers, students and parents at a rally held in support of public education at Millkan Middle School in Sherman Oaks at 7:30 a.m.

The event was part of a multi-city protest to increase awareness for the crisis facing California public schools. Organizers for Wake Up California- Educate Our Children hope to motivate legislators to pass revenue extension measures to secure school funding, according to the organization’s website.

“We have a school system were 30 percent of the students are drop outs,” Perry said. “One in eight students in this country is educated in California. We spend $37,000 on each inmate in this state and $3,000 on each student. What’s wrong with that math?”

Two teenage girls, who attend Millkan, said they were excited about seeing Perry, but admitted that an older sister had to explain who he is. Perry, a teenage heartthrob in the early 1990s, has been involved in a number of films, the most recent being a Hallmark Movie Channel production called Goodnight for Justice, which aired earlier this year.

 The two teens, Emma Sloan and Serina Elman, said they were happy to be participating in the rally.

“Our dance teacher and our English teacher have been laid off,” Serina said.

Emma added that soon there will not be enough teachers and it will be hard for them to learn.

Later in the day, after appearances at schools in central Los Angeles, Perry is to join parents at a 4 p.m. rally in support of public education at the Federal Building in Westwood.