Los Angeles Indymedia : Activist News

Thousands of UC students walked out of the first day of classes throughout the state in protest of the proposed 30% increase in tuition. Solidarity actions were also held at several CSU and community college campuses. Many unions representing employees of the UC authorized single-day strike actions to protest furloughs, layoffs, and bad-faith negotiating on the part of the UC leadership. Other local unions supported their brothers and sisters by attending the rallies, speaking out against the injustices, and providing food and water to the participants. The Los Angeles Independent Media Center has received reports from the actions at UC Riverside and UC Los Angeles.

From the newswire: Furlough? Hell No! Cutback? Fight back! UCR Walkout by Rockero, photos by A.M. | | California-wide Walkout, Thousands Joined Protests Against Cutbacks and Higher Tuition Fees by Echo Park Community Coalition

Reports from Northern California: Strikes and Walkouts Against Budget Cuts, Fee Hikes, Layoffs, Furloughs at UC | | UC Santa Cruz Students Occupy Graduate Student Commons

SACRAMENTO March 16, 2009 - Students and educators from public colleges all over the state converged on Sacramento on March 16th to demand that California fully fund higher education and not raise tuition. An estimated 6,000 students, teachers, administrators, and education workers converged on the State Capitol. They came to demand, "Keep the doors open," "No budget cuts," "Bail out colleges, not banks," "Fund education, not war," and "Money for schools, not prisons."

Students from Los Angeles Mission College boarded buses before 3 am to arrive in Sacramento in time to march from Raley Field to the steps of the Capitol. Fully Story: College Students March on State Capitol to Protest Budget Cuts by Sharat G. Lin

In response to the disastrous cuts to the LAUSD budget, community members have taken a number of actions in opposition and protest.

A roving campout of hunger-striking teachers, eager to add their life experience to their in-class pedagogy, along with their supporters, traveled from campus to campus. They eventually set up in front of the downtown district office, where they were visited by veteran activist Dolores Huerta.

High school students walked out of class and marched to neighboring schools and to the LAUSD office, where some engaged in direct action at a board meeting.

After nearly a month, the teachers moved their encampment to the front of Supertintendent Cortines' house, breaking their fast the next day. While the teachers have ended their strike, the dancers of Danza Cuauhtémoc have take it up, and are currently camped in front of the LAUSD office. The danzantes, who are present at almost every march, rally, and action that occurs in the Los Angeles area, normally give willingly of their feet, voices, and talent to provide their blessing. But this time, inspired by the teachers and impressed with the urgency of the situation, they have taken the extra step of sacrificing their own bodies as well.

Reports on the hunger strike: Los Angeles Teacher Hunger Strike Carries On. Days 14,16 and 17 Photos Part 1 and Part 2 | | Hunger Strikers Picket Cortinez Home Day 21 | | Los Angeles Hunger Striking Teachers Stop Action by Robert Stuart Lowden | | Judith de las danzas aztecas Cuauhtemoc se puso en huelga de hambre por Rodrigo Argueta

Teacher testimonies: MESA Program for Math and Science Kids To Close With Schwarzenegger's Budget Cuts and Los Angeles Teacher Marco Flores Outlines Hungry For Education's Continuing Campaign by Robert Stuart Lowden | | Mensaje de un huelguista a la comunidad por Martin

Student walkouts: Santee Students Walk Out and March in Support of Hunger Strikers Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 by Robert Stuart Lowden

UPDATE: Day 28 of LAUSD Protest:LAUSD Board Votes 5 to 2 for School Cuts Part 1 and Part 2

LOS ANGELES, UCLA Campus - November 19, 2009 -- An estimated 2,000+ students and union workers took part in various actions campus-wide this week. Covel Commons where the UC Regents held their last day of meetings was completely surrounded by students and workers with arms locked together. They formed a human chain of solidarity against the regents complicity in the ongoing privatization of the UC system. Latest from the Newswire: Students and Workers Resist Privatization at UCLA Regents Meeting | Reports of Arrests | Eye Witness Reportback

Photos: UC Strike - UCLA Nov.19th by Tae | | UC Students Fight Tuition Hike, Occupy Campus by A
Audio: MP3 AUDIO � Interview with UCLA Student on Protesting the Regents By A
Video: Students Pepper Sprayed | Whose University? Our University! (Via vozmob.net) | UC Police break up UCLA protest by Richard Bamattre

Special Section: Report Back From Inside the Occupation of Campbell Hall, UCLA | A few pictures from inside occupied Campbell-Huggins Hall | Students Occupy Campbell Hall

Coverage from other independent media sites: Indybay coverage of actions across the CA education system | Protest at UCLA against the theft of our education | Estudiantes se unen y marchan | Video :Maria's Dilemna (en español)

Background & More info: UCSolidarity.org | UCStrike.com