March 5 Walkouts! March 17 Rally In Sacramento

Here is the text of the motion...

Whereas, the Oakland Education Association recognizes
that Oakland schools are 95% youth of color and
predominately students of working class parents.

Whereas, the OEA recognizes that youth of color and
youth of working class parents are more likely than
white youth to be recruited into the military. For
example, 10% of the US population is Black, while 20%
of the military is Black.

Whereas, the Oakland Education Association recognizes
that youth of color are more likely to be targetted by
the prison sytem. (In California youth of color are
6.2 times more likely to be sent to juvenile hall than
white youth.

Whereas, President George Bush has proposed
significant increases in military spending and
Governor Gray Davis has proposed an increase in prison
spending, while our schools are in ecnomic crisis.

Whereas, the OEA ants our students to have access to
quality education and affordable higher education and
we do not want our students incarcerated or sent to
die in an unjust war to kill other poor people of
color around the world.

Whereas, the OEA stands firmly against a war on Iraq.

Whereas, a teacher and student walk-out and march in
Selma, Alabama played a major role in acheiving the
Civil Rights Act.


The OEA discourages teachers and administators from
taking disciplinary action against those who choose to
participat in student-led walkouts on March 5 and

The OEA endorses and encourages teachers and students
to attend, as field trips, the Monday, March 17 rally
from 11AM to 2PM at the Capitol Building in Sacramento
calling for funding for education, called for by
California’s Communty Colleges and the Education Not
Incarceration Coalition.

(Further text was added to lobby California Teachers Association for their support for the rally on the 17th!)