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On the National Action Day on Thursday students and teachers of all levels of education from coast to coast got together to protest the tuition hikes and teachers' layoffs.

 

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National Student Action Day

Protesters come out on March 4 against further Budget Cuts to Education

Steve Alvarez, Paul Febo

Published: Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Updated: Wednesday, March 10, 2010 14:03

National Student Action Day 3

(c) Christopher Schad

National Student Action Day 4

(c) Christopher Schad

National Student Action Day 2

(c) Christopher Schad

National Student Action Day 1

(c) Christopher Schad


The day started with faculties and student bodies organizing some form of demonstration at their own campus.

In the National Action Day on Thursday students and teachers of all levels of education from coast to coast got together to protest the tuition hikes and teachers' layoffs.

Some campuses had walk-outs, like University of California Santa Cruz, which had to close down due to the lack of students in class and their sit-in at the main entrance, blocking out any vehicle that would come in.

Also using sit-ins, UC Davis students closed down an intersection peacefully and about 150 were arrested in Oakland for closing down a freeway lane.

Another demonstration technique used was marches. At California State University of Fullerton students marched around campus from one building to another stopping to hear each other speak on the issues at hand.

Even assemblies on corners with signs, posters and a band to catch the attention of passers-by were fair game as with Fullerton Junior College.

Our Future, Our Choice” at Fullerton JC

Hundreds of protestors comprised of students and faculty from the district's community colleges Fullerton and Cypress gathered Thursday afternoon on Lemon Street and Chapman Avenue at Fullerton College to protest the state’s budget cuts on education.

As protestors shouted, “Our Future, Our Choice!” cars honked, and some marched from street corner to street corner. Rally organizers even passed out free donuts to those gathered around the rally.

Miguel Diaz, a Psychology major at Fullerton College said “Some of us struggle to pay the tuition fees as it is. Books are also another issue of cost. Raising the fees on these utilities needed to gain a basic education is unreal,” Diaz goes on, “we need protestors across the state to unite so we can fight this battle to attain a cost efficient education, and even lay down a school system our children can benefit from.”

The Orange County school district is planning on cutting education funds by more than $327 million next year. This doesn’t only hurt the students attending school, but the jobs of teachers.

Mary Parker, another student at Fullerton College, “many of our teachers are losing jobs. We really have to appreciate our professors who are going through a hard time trying to make ends meet and still have the yearning to be in a field that’s having so many issues right now.” Rally’s were held all through California Thursday, and had thousands of protestors.

Dr. Marcus Wilson, Fullerton Faculty Senate President was passing out water to protesters "In my twenty years at Fullerton College I had never before seen so many students so passionate to protect their education which is so vital to their future success.  I hope that the leaders of California listen to the students and address their concerns."

CSUF Marches on

There was a demonstration at California State Fullerton on Thursday put on by students to show upheaval in how their school board has proposed to cut arts in education and conform to “the University of Phoenix” format.

The Board proposed to have only business and administrative degrees offered at the CSU. About 40 students started the march around and went through the quad and buildings calling out to the student body to join them in protest.

It climaxed in front of their humanities building with two students leading the 200 student march and a history professor who gave an energetic speech to the student body.

After the rushed speech some students still went on in a march; however this rally or demonstration felt like children trying their best to gain the attention of a neglectful parent that will in turn still give no response to the crying child.

LA unites for less education budget cuts

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