Rhett Jackson gazed upon the throng that gathered Saturday at the State House to demand more funding for public schools and pledged: “This march is only the beginning. We’re going to stick together.”

Sunday, Jackson and fellow organizers of the March for Education Equity were brainstorming ways to capitalize on the buzz generated by an event that drew 5,000 people on a picture-perfect day.

Lawmakers wrapping up the 2004 legislative session can expect to hear from marchers over the next several weeks and on the campaign trail , rally organizers said.

A six-member legislative committee is working to craft a new state spending plan, and marchers want that panel to add money to the 2004-05 education budget.

With party primaries June 8, rally co-chairman Lonnie Randolph of Columbia said he intends to keep his pledge to publicize candidates’ positions on education.

“We want to let people know what they can do as citizens, and what politicians should be doing as elected officials,” Randolph, president of the state NAACP, said. “We’re going to give people the information as to how (candidates) voted and let them decide.”

For Jackson, a retired Columbia businessman, his thoughts turned to expanding the membership beyond the coalition of civic, political and education leaders that staged the rally.

Jackson is hopeful the coalition can build an Internet site for people to get news about activities.

“We want to keep in touch with these people,” Jackson said. “That would be a wonderful vehicle, and help us elect some people who believe in a good education for South Carolina.”

Bud Ferillo, a Columbia public relations executive who helped produce the march, was overwhelmed by reaction to the event.

“Many leaders (of sponsoring groups) approached me for information about what’s next,” Ferillo said. “I think they found themselves surrounded by advocates for education of such great diversity that they to want to continue what was started (Saturday). There was a lot of goodwill there.”

Leni Patterson of Laurens, president of the S.C. School Boards Association, said one of the coalition’s priorities should be refining its message.

“Where we go from here is ... those of us who understand this issue and funding challenges have to do a better job of explaining it to other parents and community leaders,” she said. “We’ve got to find a way to communicate in a way the public understands.”

Marchers want policymakers and taxpayers to know the state’s 1,100 public schools face greater expectations and need more money to reach those goals.

“Money spent on public education is not an expense, it’s an investment,” Patterson said.

Ferillo, Jackson and Randolph will try to meet this week with other coalition leaders to talk strategy.

Ferillo said he’d like to see the organization mobilize people to attend the school funding trial in Manning, where eight rural districts are suing the Legislature for a greater share of state aid to pay for basic education needs.

“We don’t want to let the court adjourn without being visited by members of this coalition in some numbers,” Ferillo said.

There’s also the matter of paying the bills for Saturday’s rally, which cost about $15,000. Jackson is optimistic the coalition can generate $4,000 in donations needed to settle its debts.

“The coalition is going to stay together,” Randolph said. “It is bigger than any one person, event or organization.”

Tax deductible contributions can be sent to S.C. Christian Action Council, c/o Education Equity March; P.O. Box 5975, Columbia, S.C. 29250