Students plan budget cut demonstration

The Laney College chapter of the No Cuts to Education group met on Jan. 26 in the Student Center.

The representatives of the student body, clubs, faculty, and staff sought consensus concerning the upcoming March 4 anti-cuts rally. Alessandro Tinonga presided over the meeting.

After 90 minutes  of deliberation, the group has decided that a speak out will be held a couple of weeks before the rally to inform the students about the budget cuts and the March 4 protest.

The group could not, however, agree on the precise measures to be taken at Laney before the March 4 rally. Those present at the meeting could agree neither on how much should, nor could, be done.

The representatives of the Laney Socialist Club advocated a radical protest. Club members pressed for a walkout at Laney before the San Francisco rally on March 4, and a subsequent march to the Oakland Civic Center.

On the other side, Susan Schacher, an instructor at Laney and Brian Nelson, an ASLC senator, made a motion to postpone the decision.

Their main argument was that the majority of the students who announced their participation in the organization of the rally could not attend the meeting due to conflicting schedules.

Ultimately, the group has voted that the decision should be postponed until all of those who want to participate in the preparations have a chance to do so.

At the October 24, 2009, Mobilizing Conference to Save Public Education, the March 4 date was established as the date for mass protests against budget cuts within the California education system.

A protest will take place on that day starting at 5:30 p.m. at the San Francisco Civic Center.

On the same day, Oakland high school students will protest at the Oakland Civic Center from noon to 4:00 p.m. Laney students can participate in the speak out that will be held from 11:00am to 1:00pm on the Laney Quad