On July 9, thousands marched down Market Street in San Francisco to the Department of Education to protest the privately run Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges' (ACCJC) revelation that they aim to terminate City College of San Francisco’s accreditation. Thousands of students could be cut off from this educational resource by 2014.

The ACCJC is currently under investigation by the Department of Education, following a complaint filed by the California Federation of Teachers and the AFT 2121 union, which cited the accreditation body’s violation of Federal and State laws, violation of their own policies, conflicts of interest, violation of due process and lack of transparency. “Our city, state, and federal representatives must step in immediately to reverse this outrageous announcement,” stated CCSF Student Trustee Shanell Williams.

The march on Market Street and rally at the US Department of Education was called by the AFT 2121 and the Coalition To Save City College. The pro privatization chancellor of the Community Colleges of California Brice W. Harris, who was appointed to the position by labor supported Governor Jerry Brown, has dismissed the elected CCSF board of trustees. He imposed a special trustee Robert Agrella with full powers to take over the operations of the college with no oversight by any local bodies. Agrella has a record of union busting and outsourcing of community colleges, and representing the corporateers who want to privatize public education.

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See Also: Statement by the Steering Committee of the CA-AAUP on the Revocation of Accreditation of City College of San Francisco | Save CCSF Rejects Legitimacy of ACCJC Ruling