Solidarity is key against budget cuts

Students, faculty and staff from educational institutions across California numbered in the majority of the more than 600 people who were at the conference on Oct. 24 at UC Berkeley to discuss the impact of reduced state funding upon their respective schools and the options available to organize against the cuts.

A unified statewide "Day of Action" in protest of budget cuts to education was ultimately agreed upon and scheduled for March 4, 2010.

Different schools and individuals will decide how they participate--strikes, walkouts and marching in Sacramento were some of the more popular ideas--but the driving message was that the actions be done in solidarity.

"The fight for education is all of our fight --for workers that are getting laid off, teachers that are getting furloughs, students of color that are being left out of higher education, and for all students that see that [education] is the path for everyone," said Cal student and conference facilitator Luis Reyes during the opening statements.

Other speakers followed, sharing the budget woes from their schools or educational sectors. Berkeley City College student Jen Wood spoke out about the plight of California's community colleges:

"The community college system is vital to California public education. Over three million students attend the 110 community colleges… Some students work full time, are taking night classes, have families to raise and would have no other option [for education] should the community colleges not exist."

The decision to hold the "Day of Action" in March was reached through a series of deliberative processes, which began with the conference separating into the four main sectors of California's public education system--UCs, CSUs, community colleges and K-12.

Each group addressed the issues and concerns specific to its own sector through open discussion, and came up with a shortlist of eight actions its members thought would be most effective in protest The lists were then reviewed and compiled by the conference facilitators over lunch to create a master list of possible actions and dates.

When everyone reconvened, the list of actions was presented with two options: either there would be one day in which all schools would participate as they saw fit, or a vote would be held on each item on the list to decide a single action in which every school could participate.

Not everyone agreed that these should be the only two options, and it was proposed that an option to prioritize three of the actions be added, which the facilitators agreed could be voted upon as an addition to the first option, checking for general consensus by asking the crowd and seeing if there was any major resistance.

It was also suggested that people be allowed to argue in favor or against a particular option, which the facilitators also agreed to--again, by general consensus. The majority seemed to approve of both decisions with collective nodding, clapping or affirmative statements.

Two speakers each, in favor and against, were allowed to approach the microphones, and were picked based upon whoever came up first. Those in favor of the first option saw it better not to dictate what others should do and thus allow more people to participate, whereas those in favor of the second option felt that disciplined action would yield a stronger impact.

A vote was then held by having people stand in their seats to be counted. The first option passed by an overwhelming majority.

A second vote was held to decide whether or not to prioritize three actions for schools to participate in on the "Day of Action" with another debate of both options, which presented roughly the same views. The decision to prioritize was voted down.

The list of possible dates for the "Day of Action" ranged from late November to May, 2010 and numbered no more than 10. People were allowed to come up and speak in favor of a particular date, and a vote was held for each one. March 4 was chosen.

"We're here having this conversation because it's going to give us a chance to do something together in a democratic way," explained Cal student and facilitator Blanca Misse. "I know this is tedious, but it's the only way to do it--through discussion."

There are plans for a second conference to be held in February to provide a forum to discuss specific tactics on the "Day of Action."