Take A Stand! Get On the Bus! March 22, 2010
On March 4th, students, faculty, staff, and the SF State community participated in an historic peaceful outpouring of support for public education. (see M4 story)
Get on the Bus! Rally in Sacramento!
As such we are doing our part to build a larger movement to reclaim the public role in shaping public education in California. At that day’s rally at the state capitol, legislative leadership addressed the students and showed their awareness of the power of our demonstrations. The governor’s office has also already acknowledged the importance of student demonstrations for public higher education, saying it was the reason they raised CSU’s allocation when they released their budget in January. March is a critical month in the state budget cycle as many of the big decisions are still pending, but close to being made. So, we’ve got to keep up the heat on the governor and legislative leadership. Say no to increasing privatization of public education.
Our next opportunity is a March 22nd rally for public higher education at the state capitol. The SF State chapter of the California Faculty Association is helping to sponsor buses to send students, faculty, and staff to that rally. They will leave from South State Drive, at 6:30 AM. Coffee, pastries, bagels, and fruit (donated by by Chartwells Catering) will be served before the buses leave and box lunches will be available after the 11 AM rally at the state capitol. All should be back on campus by 3 PM. City College of San Francisco is also sending buses to the capitol and many of their faculty have arranged to have their students’ participation count as class field trips. Once in Sacramento, students will disembark from buses at Raley Field in West Sacramento and march to West Steps of the Capitol. Check out a map of the area from the I Will March website
Puppets from Theater Arts Dept. in March 4 political theater production against budget cuts to public education
In addition, SFSU’s now famous “giant puppets” will be making the trip by bus as well. The performers and puppets will be heading to Sacramento on the Mexican Bus, a moving folk art museum. Prof. Carlos Baron and the theater students will do another version of their political theater skits in Sacramento. If you didn’t see them before or just want to enjoy them again now is your chance.
- Map and detail of boarding area on March 22, 2010
To register in advance, email cfa@sfsu.edu In the Subject line, enter “March 22″ In the message area, list your first and last name and your cell number. You will receive either a phone call or email confirmation. Pre-registering does not guarantee a spot, but if you are registered and present you are likely to get on the bus. Once you are registered, show up at SFSU at 6:30 am at the University Towers on South State Drive (across from Lot 20/19 Parking Garage). Find a monitor and show your SFSU ID. Your name will be checked off and a seat secured. (Don’t Forget: Breakfast will be provided before boarding.)
M4 Statewide Day of Action Events at SFSU
SFSU is widely acknowledged as one of the more creative California State Universities and that creative spirit was clearly in evidence for the March 4 Statewide Day of Action Events on campus. A sweeping picket line of faculty, staff and students was led to the Campus Rally site by gigantic puppets. Singing, chanting and drumming the procession marched from 19th Avenue and Holloway through campus to the Malcolm X Plaza. The March 4 Campus Rally was dedicated to creative expression regarding the massive budget cuts to public education. John Calloway from Creative Arts and Ethnic Studies began the program with Afro-Cuban resistance drumming. As the puppets came to the fore, a short performance capped the procession and led into the spoken word performances of students from Alejandro Murguia’s creative writing class. With the congas as backdrop, the powerful, and at turns angry and hopeful, words spilled out into the receptive audience.
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Following in the tradition of Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Cesar Chavez, 
on February 25, 2010 the California Faculty Association (CFA) – SFSU Chapter adopted a statement of non-violence regarding all events they are co-sponsoring for the March 4, 2010 Statewide Day of Action. Catherine Powell of the SFSU Labor Archives drafted the statement because violent actions infringe on the Constitutional right to protest. She strongly believes that social change must be non-violent in order to make real lasting positive changes. The statement reads as follows:
- California Faculty Association (CFA), San Francisco State University Chapter shares in the anger and frustration of students, faculty and staff regarding budget cuts that are destroying public education. We believe that peaceful protest and civil disobedience are powerful forces for change in a democratic society, and we defend the rights of individuals and organizations to practice them. However, CFA does not support or condone violence in any form. We oppose any vandalism or destruction of property. We also oppose the excessive use of force by law enforcement. This is our university – students, faculty, staff, and the community – and such acts undermine efforts to protect San Francisco State from those who would dismantle it. We seek a university founded upon mutual respect, social justice and accountability.
According to Ramon Castellblanch, President for the CFA -SFSU chapter, “Our March 4th political actions are about showing state and federal politicians that Californians want them to fully fund public education. Our actions are also about building public support to put more pressure on these office-holders. We know that non-violent mass action is an indispensible way of showing Sacramento and Washington how much we support education.” Because of threats of violence and violent actions that have occurred on other campus the CFA and other organizations coordinating with the CFA on March campus activities have pledged to avoid any acts of violence or vandalism to keep these events informative and engaging as opposed to violent and dangerous. For more information contact Catherine Powell at cpowell@sfsu.edu or Ramon Castellblanch at ramonc@sfsu.edu.
SFSU participating in the March 4 Statewide Day of Action
Students, staff and faculty from San Francisco State University are all joining together and participating in the March 4 Statewide Day of Action against cuts to public education from Pre-K through Ph.D. They are joining an unprecedented number of organizations representing parents, employees, students, and other concerned residents who realize that access to quality public education is critical to California’s future. Lawmakers need to recognize the fiscal irresponsibility of not providing for an appropriate tax base through progressive taxation.
The Governor’s recent efforts to “stabilize” education funding by cutting other needed services and privatizing prisons is disingenuous. Public schools, colleges and universities have already had their budgets cut to the bone – how is that stabilization? The CSU’s alone have already lost over a billion dollars in cuts. These are funds that provide the instructors to teach the classes students need to graduate and become productive. Instead, we have less classes, increased faculty to student ratio, and little educational resources to support learning. One of the manifestations of the budget cuts this semester: 40,000 students were denied access to the CSU across the state.
Be a part of the solution – join us on campus until 3:30 and at the Civic Center on March 4, 2010 at the S.F. Civic Center. All events listed below are committed to non-violence and the organizers have signed a statement of non-violence.
SFSU plans events both on and off campus on March 4, 2010. Scheduled plans include:
- 10:00 am to 12:15 pm: Informational Picket Line on 19th and Holloway Avenues.
- 12:15 to 12:30 pm: Picket Line March to the Malcolm X Plaza for Campus Rally
- 12:30 to 1:30 pm: Political Theater & other acts performed by SFSU talent addressing the budget cuts.
- 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm: DIY Protest signs and T-shirt stenciling (bring a t-shirt, if you can)
- 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm Teach-ins scheduled around the Malcolm X Plaza (Check listing in stage area)
- 3:30 pm to 4:00 pm: Three ways to get on the bus to go to the Civic Center Rally
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- Board MUNI M-Oceanview inbound to Civic Center (First 100 students boarding MUNI with a March 4 t-shirt or protest sign will receive a free pass for boarding. Check in with coordinator at 19th Ave. Station)
- Cable Car Shuttle to Balboa BART (only $1.75 from Balboa to Civic Center or you can use your Fast Pass.
- Campus Shuttle to Daly City BART ( the fastest route to BART)
- 4:00 to 4:45 pm: SF State community will gather and meet at the steps of the Asian Art Museum in the Civic Center before proceeding to the stage area.
- 5:00 pm to 6:30: Massive Rally Protesting Budget Cuts at San Francisco Civic Center; join your brothers and sisters from Bay Area schools, colleges and universities to support public education and services
Schedule subject to change, please check back. There are a number of ways to be part of this effort from signing a commit card to investing time and effort leading up to and the day of March 4, 2010. Your support is truly needed and appreciated as we prepare for this historic event. Please contact Brigitte Davila at lawebjefa@gmail.com, 415-531-9743 or Jon Bibayan at cfa@sfsu.edu, 415-338-3262 for more information.
Report on the Decisions of the 10/24 Mobilizing Conference to Save Public Education
This report is a summary of the day long activities and decision making among the faculty, staff and students representing K-12, California Community Colleges and the University of California systems. There appeared to be nearly 1000 folks gathered for the event at Pauley Ballroom on the UC Berkeley campus. (Also, a shout-out is in order to the organizations donating coffee and pastries in the a.m and free lunch in the p.m.) The day was a combination of chaos, high spirits and sobering reality, but consensus was arrived at and the Report on the Decisions of the 10/24 Mobilizing Conference to Save Public Education summarizes the result. One of the best things about the event is that we now have a date to organize around: March 4, 2010. (Please note that I have made minor modifications in the interest of clarity to the original text.)
B.D.
Report on the Decisions of the 10/24 Mobilizing Conference to Save Public Education
- Introduction
- Thanks to all of you, the Conference was a tremendous success! While we recognize that we stand in the beginning stages of our struggle and acknowledge that we have much work ahead of us, we are certain that the Conference on October 24, 2009 was a pivotal event in the building of a statewide movement to defend public education. More than 800 students, workers, and teachers from over 100 different schools, unions, and organizations from all across California and from all sectors of public education – Pre K-12, Adult Education, CC, CSU and UC – participated, discussed, debated, and democratically voted on how to advance the struggle to defend and transform public education in California.
…[T]he principal decisions of the Conference [are listed below]. Please share them with your member groups, General Assemblies and all those concerned with defending public education! Spread them far and wide!
- Thanks to all of you, the Conference was a tremendous success! While we recognize that we stand in the beginning stages of our struggle and acknowledge that we have much work ahead of us, we are certain that the Conference on October 24, 2009 was a pivotal event in the building of a statewide movement to defend public education. More than 800 students, workers, and teachers from over 100 different schools, unions, and organizations from all across California and from all sectors of public education – Pre K-12, Adult Education, CC, CSU and UC – participated, discussed, debated, and democratically voted on how to advance the struggle to defend and transform public education in California.
- Solidarity With November Actions
- The Conference endorsed the UC and CSU strike and mobilization on Nov. 17th– 20th and decided to call for statewide solidarity actions on these days. On these dates, the University of California Regents will meet in UCLA to impose a 32% student fee increase and the California State University Board of Trustees will meet in Long Beach to begin the development of a list of programs to be eliminated in anticipation of major budget cuts next year. Throughout the state and across the different levels of education, we must act together against all attacks on public education. The conference calls for all activists and organizations to organize solidarity actions on Nov. 17th – 20th.
- These November actions — and other similar upcoming actions — are crucial building blocks towards the united Strike and Day of Action on March 4th.
- March 4 Strike and Day of Action To Defend Public Education
- After much passionate discussion and debate, the conference democratically voted, as its principal decision, to call for a “Strike and Day of Action that is inclusive of all different tactics, including: walkouts, rallies, march to Sacramento, teach ins, occupations, and all other forms of protests chosen by schools and organization. It starts on this day ______ and its up to each school and organization if and how long to continue it.”
After passing this resolution, different dates were discussed and March 4 was overwhelmingly chosen as the date for the united Spring action. - The call for the March 4 Strike and Day of Action To Defend Public Education is copied below and attached to the original email. Please send this out widely and get organizations and activists to endorse it!
- CALL:
March 4 Strike and Day of Action To Defend Public Education
On October 24, 2009 more than 800 students, workers, and teachers converged at UC Berkeley at the Mobilizing Conference to Save Public Education. This massive meeting brought together representatives from over 100 different schools, unions, and organizations from all across California and from all sectors of public education – Pre K-12, Adult Education, CC, CSU and UC – to “decide on a statewide action plan capable of winning this struggle, which will define the future of public education in this state, particularly for the working class and communities of color.”
After hours of open collective discussion, the conference democratically voted, as its principal decision, to call for a statewide Strike and Day of Action on March 4, 2010. The conference decided that all schools, unions and organizations are free to choose their specific demands and tactics – such as strikes, walkouts, march to Sacramento, rallies, occupations, sit-ins, teach-ins, etc. – for March 4, as well as the duration of such actions.
We refuse to let those in power continue to pit us against each other. If we unite, we have the power to shut down business-as-usual and to force those in power to grant our demands. Building a powerful movement to defend public education will, in turn, advance the struggle in defense of all public-sector workers and services. We call on all students, workers, teachers, parents, and their organizations across the state to endorse this call and massively mobilize and organize for the Strike and Day of Action on March 4.Let’s make this an historic turning point in the struggle against the cuts, layoffs, fee hikes, and educational segregation in California.
To endorse this call and to receive more information, please contact march4strikeanddayofaction@gmail.com and consult www.savecapubliceducation.org
- CALL:
- Spring Statewide Conference
- The next Statewide Conference was called for Spring 2010 and will be held in Southern California. We hope that the upcoming Conference can move forward in democratically deciding on unifying demands, as well as build for the statewide actions on March 4. The exact location and date are TBA and will be sent out ASAP!
- Demands
- Throughout the day of the October 24 Conference, individuals and organizations had the opportunity to raise the demands they felt were most crucial to this struggle. All written and spoken demands are compiled in the document “Demands 10/24/2009” attached to the original email. We hope that the upcoming Spring Conference can move forward in democratically deciding on unifying demands for the statewide actions on March 4!
- Coordinating Committee
- A volunteer coordinating committee met after the conference. To join the Coordinating Committee listserve — oct24coord@lists.berkeley.edu — please contact oct24list@gmail.com if you would like to be added to the email list.
We encourage other individuals and activists to join the coordinating committee. It is open to all!
The next in-person coordinating committee meetings will be on November 7th at 1pm. NorCal Location: San Jose State; SoCal Location: TBA by participants from the region. Details will be sent out ASAP!
- A volunteer coordinating committee met after the conference. To join the Coordinating Committee listserve — oct24coord@lists.berkeley.edu — please contact oct24list@gmail.com if you would like to be added to the email list.
- After much passionate discussion and debate, the conference democratically voted, as its principal decision, to call for a “Strike and Day of Action that is inclusive of all different tactics, including: walkouts, rallies, march to Sacramento, teach ins, occupations, and all other forms of protests chosen by schools and organization. It starts on this day ______ and its up to each school and organization if and how long to continue it.”
Dia De Los Muertos Actions
Dia de los Muertos is celebrated in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and other Latin American counties. Rooted in indigenous expression, the ceremony is based on the belief that death is a transition in the continuum of life. November 2 is the day when spirits speak from the grave to their loved ones.
Don't miss it!
Listen carefully as the spirit of the Master Plan for Higher Education speaks to us. The message is to organize now! The future of California is too important to allow short-sighted greed to kill access to quality public education. But, listen to your ancestors, quality public education does not have to die! There are many solutions, once we get past the greed. AB 656 is one way to support higher education, another proposal is
Join us at two “Dia de los Muertos” events resisting the devastating cuts to our public universities.
SFSU Event:
12:00 to 2:00 pm, Malcolm X Plaza, Cesar E. Chavez Student Center, San Francisco State University:
Come by and check out the graveyard listing all the cut classes, the ceremonial Altar. Visit with historic figures, back from the dead, commenting on our current budget crisis. Coordinated by La Raza Student Organization. Free pan dulce & chocólate.
Mission District Event:
7:00 pm, 24th Street & Bryant, San Francisco
Join the procession with our “calaveras” in cap & gown. All students, parents, faculty and staff, and anyone else who cares about educating our future are invited to take part and send a message from the grave to save public education. Free skull and mortarboard masks available. Take BART to 24th St., walk east on 24th to Bryant. The procession will take about 45 minutes and covers approximately 10 blocks. Come at 6:45 to get your mask and candle.
Dia de los Muertos Procession map
For more information, go to www.TakeaStand4PublicEd.org or call 415-338-6232
Co-Sponsors: La Raza Student Org, Students for Quality Education, California Faculty Association, La Raza Theatre Class at SFSU
Take A Stand!
THURSDAY • OCTOBER 15, 2009 •12:00 pm, San Francisco City Hall :: Students, faculty and staff demand that state and federal office holders keep California’s promise of public education, including higher education, for all. Education adds wealth to California, but corporations get bailouts and tax breaks while schools, colleges and universities are cut to the bone. We demand that our elected officials take a stand for public education. We also demand that all declared candidates for Governor take a stand regarding their plans to support public education.
Rally for Public Education, S.F. City Hall, 10-15-09
For more info: 415-338-6232; cfa@sfsu.edu
Partial list of sponsors: Students for Quality Education-SFSU, California Faculty Association – SFSU, AFT 1221, Education Budget Advocacy Committee- SFSU, California State University Employees Union – SFSU, United Educators of San Francisco, Associated Students of CCSF.
