Students walk out of class and into resistance

David Schub/Roundup

Streets around California State University at Northridge were temporarily shut down between 3 and 8 p.m. yesterday to protest the rise in education costs and slashing of classes.

Students, teachers and the rest of the community came to support the “National Day for Public Education.”

The statewide protest was sponsored by:

• The California Faculty Association
• The United Teachers of Los Angeles
• The California Teacher’s Association

“We have never before witnessed this much participation and outrage about the dismal state of education on our state campuses and in our public schools,”  said Lillian Taiz, in a media press release. “The call for today’s protests have hit a nerve.  It is a historic moment.”

Taiz is the president of the California Faculty Association, which represents faculty in the 23-campus California State University.

At yesterday’s protest, there were people of all ages, chanting in unison and carrying signs, young and old.

Cristina Carmona, a freshman from Cleveland High School, was there to participate also.

“This is very important to me.”  said Carmona. “Some of my parent’s friends worked in the Los Angeles Unified School district and were recently laid off.”

Carmona wants to be a teacher.   However, with all the recent cuts, she doesn’t know if that dream is still obtainable.

David Case, 19, a CSUN film major, felt good to be a part of the event.

“I have fallen a year behind in school because we are not getting the classes we need,” said Case.  “We have to wait until next semester to enroll in them.”

Many students have had to move off campus and get part time jobs to help pay for their educational expenses.

Ashlie Neilson, 22, a Music Education Major at CSUN, has three jobs and commutes to CSUN from Palmdale.

“The more peoples’ voices, the better it is for us.” said Neilson.

Closing classes result in having to wait longer to graduate.  Alex Standke, a Computer Science Major is no stranger to this.

Standke said that he went from being a full-time student with 15 units down to 6 units.  The decrease of units forced him to lose his health insurance.

He recently had to go to the hospital, where he wound up paying $2,500 out of his own pocket.

Graduating May, Senior Fred Earles, 24, was more concerned with the younger generation.

“This is a very productive rally,” said Earles.  “if we don’t speak up now, they won’t pay attention to us in the future.  It’s not about me, it’s about our kids.” 

David Klein has been a Professor of Mathematics at CSUN for over 20 years.  He is worried as well.

“We are here to send a clear signal to our government, whose priorities are backwards,” said Klein.  “They are cutting everything and spending more on less important things, when they should be putting money back in our education system.”

As the march came to an end with a calm sit-in near the intersection of Reseda blvd. and Prarie st., CSUN Police, California Highway Patrol and the Los Angeles Police department were ready in riot gear with their face masks on and batons in hand.

Protesters hoped for a peaceful march, by chanting “All we are saying, is give us a chance.”

However, that was not the case.  Five students were arrested and a CSUN teacher was injured with a broken arm by falling between clashing students and law enforcement officers.

 

 

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