Feature Archives

On June 25th, United Public Workers for Action (UPWA) called for a demonstration against the privatization of public education when it was announced that US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan would be the keynote speaker at Foothill Community College's graduation ceremony. After the UPWA initially received permission from the college administration to stage a peaceful protest, Foothill College president Judy Miner called organizer and Skyline Community College instructor George Wright to ask that he cancel the planned demonstration. Wright was also contacted by counsel at the office of the Education Secretary.

A proposal at the Peralta Colleges in the East Bay to establish “free speech zones” has evoked Orwellian visions of the campuses' futures. Yet others see the proposal as a necessary procedure to protect free speech. Speakers would be limited to the 150 foot x 150 foot main quad at Laney College, as well as the outdoor quads at College of Alameda and Merritt College, and the Student Lounge on the fifth floor at Berkeley City College. Fliers would be restricted to bulletin boards. All fliers would also require an English translation.

In the recently released itemized receipts for repairing Kerr Hall, following an occupation of the building in November 2009, there appears to be evidence that the UC Santa Cruz administration filed a claim for damages that occurred, and may have been reimbursed for the costs. This implies that the UCSC students being held responsible for participating in the occupation are being charged for expenses that have been covered by the UC's insurance policy. This raises questions about the validity and legality of those restitution charges.

On Monday, May 3rd, the Chican@/Latin@ community at Cal, which includes RAZA, Mecha, Xinaxtli, and others began a hunger strike in front of California Hall in response to the new Arizona SB1070 Law and to the charges imposed on student protesters this school year. The six demands issued include that President Yudof and other UC Chancellors publicly denounce Arizona’s SB1070 and that charges be dropped against student activists. Strikers issued a call to action against racism and oppression for Friday, May 7th. On May 10th before dawn, police moved in to clear strikers from the lawn they were occupying. Demonstrators then massed at the Chancellor's house. The strike continued through May 12th.

After having worked for over two years without a contract, Oakland teachers watched the Oakland Unified School Board unilaterally impose a labor contract last week. The new contract largely ignores the recommendations of a recent fact-finding panel, allows for no pay raises for teachers, increases class sizes, lays off teachers, and threatens adult education programs. A one-day city-wide strike was called for April 29th. Oakland teachers, students, and community members picketed at neighborhood public schools in the morning then rallied at Frank Ogawa Plaza.

An Academic Senate meeting at UC Santa Cruz on April 23rd turned into a heated forum to criticize Chancellor Blumenthal’s hesitancy in changing the student judicial proceedings. Various faculty members voiced concerns about the current judicial proceedings relating to the three day protest at Kerr Hall in November 2009, saying they violate students’ right to due process and also have a chilling effect on political protests.

On April 16th, veteran Indybay reporter David Morse moved to quash a search warrant issued for photographs he took at a December 11th protest on the UC Berkeley campus. The photographs were taken while Morse was covering the protest for Indybay. Despite clearly identifying himself as a journalist, Morse was arrested along with seven others, had his camera and photographs seized, and was charged with multiple felonies. The charges were dropped within days. On June 18th, Judge Yolanda Northridge quashed the warrant, ordering the UC Regents to return the original photographs and all copies.