Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

March4thMovement

By Daniel Ginsberg

March 4th protesters in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee, WI – Milwaukee Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the movement for education rights at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) is celebrating a victory just as school begins. UWM Chancellor Carlos Santiago declared he is resigning by October 1, 2010.

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By Grace Kelley

U of MN Students, Staff and Faculty Unite!

March 4 protest for education rights at the University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, MN – On April 28, the Save Our School and Chop from the Top coalitions held a community forum called “The People’s State of the University” in Coffman Memorial Union at the University of Minnesota. Initiated by Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), the event served to counter President Bruininks’ State of the University address (which was only presented as a written document online) with alternate viewpoints from the University community.

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By Jacob Flom

Milwaukee, WI – The Milwaukee 16 went to court to plead not guilty, April 15. Outside, a host of TV cameras and news crews were covering their case. When asked to comment on the case, the lawyers and arrestees demanded, “Drop the charges!”

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By Daniel Ginsberg

Protest in Milwaukee against university threats

Milwaukee, WI – On March 11, over 70 students, professors and teachers assistants picketed outside the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee chancellor’s office, as several organizers met inside with the chancellor to demand that he drop the threat of academic punishment for the 16 student protesters who were arrested during the March 4 National Day of Action for Education Rights.

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By staff

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement of solidarity from student groups in the Philippines with the participants in the March 4 day of action.

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By Freedom Road Socialist Organization

Occupation of an administration building at UCLA.

The March 4 national day of action for education was a huge success! Over 100,000 people marched, rallied and took action at over 100 schools and colleges. The biggest protests were in California, both on college campuses and in city streets. College students and union members joined parents with their children, as well as high school students, to demand education funding from the state government. Across the country, students, union workers and faculty marched across campuses and rallied outside administration buildings, while administrators hid or snuck out the back door. In some cases university chancellors and presidents locked themselves inside their offices surrounded by police while students tried to deliver petitions.

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By Eric Gardner

Los Angeles, CA – The March 4 National Day of Action to Defend Education saw a strong turnout at UCLA, with about 1000 attending a noon rally on campus against the budget cuts.

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By staff

Banners outside Coffman hall

Minneapolis, MN – About 500 union members, students, and faculty, came together for a spirited rally and march here, March 4. Organized by the Chop From The Top Coalition and the Save Our School Campaign, protesters first gathered at the central administration building, Morrill Hall, where Phyllis Walker, president of AFSCME Local 3800 was among those who addressed the crowd.

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By Masao Suzuki

Skyline students walkout March 4

San Bruno, CA – Hundreds of Skyline College students left class and gathered on the campus quad for their Day of Action protest against budget cuts, on March 4. The action was organized by Skyline Against Cuts, which grew out of the students’ struggle against budget cuts last fall. After a short song, Skyline Against Cuts leader Michelle Araica led off the march. As student marshals held open doors, led chants and stopped traffic, nearly 500 students and a dozen or more faculty and staff supporters marched through almost all the buildings on campus, chanting “Hey hey! Ho ho! Budget cuts have got to go!”

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By staff

Protest at Univ of Illinois-Chicago on March 4, 2010

Chicago, IL – There was a forceful protest of over 250 people at the University of Illinois-Chicago who came out to defend education and to fight for fair contracts, March 4. Chanting, “Chop from the top!” and “Whose university? Our university!” students, members of SEIU Local 73, the Graduate Employees Organization and faculty joined in unison against the administration placing the budget crisis on their backs. Earlier in the day, there was a forum by several professors speaking on the budget crisis, followed by a rally and march through the campus to the administrators’ building. The day closed with a soup kitchen provided by SEIU to demonstrate for a fair contract.

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By Kati Ketz

March 4 protest at UCLA

Thousands of students, workers and faculty at over 100 campuses in at least 39 states participated in a national day of action March 4. One demand was that administrators and chancellors must quit raising tuition and fees. Another demand was that theycut the salaries of the highest-paid administrators instead of the lowest-paid staffers on campus. Many of the protests opposed layoffs. Actions ranged from walkouts and marches, to occupations and shut-downs, to teach-ins and movie showings.

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By staff

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

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By Eric Gardner

UC Berkeley Black Student Union protestors

Los Angeles, CA – As the March 4 Day of Action draws closer, campuses across California are getting restless.

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By Network to Fight for Economic Justice

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the Network to Fight for Economic Justice.

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By Freedom Road Socialist Organization

Organize! Fight Back!

Today education is under attack. Tuition and fee hikes are closing the doors to higher education. Working class and even many middle class college students are being forced out or are taking on crushing debts. Cuts in financial aid and student services and extra fees for undocumented students are limiting access. Furthermore, programs won through past struggles such Ethnic Studies and campus Women’s Centers are coming under attack. We say “Education is a Right, Not a Privilege”!

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