Educators and Students Unite in Actions to Save Education

Photos: Leon Kunstenaar

(San Francisco, May 17) - Incredibly, Trump has eliminated the nation's Department of Education. As he continues his assault on the American people, their health, their environment, their economy, their education, and especially their rights, a core group is serious about fighting back. Called Bay Area Educators United, they organized in March 2021.

The goal has been:

“To encourage greater solidarity, organization, and mobilization between educators across District lines. The educators that formed BAEU believe that "so long as the fight is confined to what locals acting by themselves can wring from their respective Districts we are doomed to a perpetual battle for scraps".

Their commitment to solidarity and united action and activism was evident on Saturday morning at San Francisco's Embarcadero Plaza. Thousands showed up determined to press their demands. Large banners in English and Spanish emphasized unity, solidarity and urgency in the "fight for our schools."

After the rally they moved over to Market Street to begin the march to the building that houses the ICE office. A driverless Waymo car on Market Street, confronted with thousands of marchers approaching with huge yellow banners, did not know what to do. Apparently its AI was not "I" enough to account for mass public protest. The car started a U-turn, then thought better of it and was last seen sitting diagonally across Market Street.

The march ended on Sansome Street at the ICE Building.

See all high resolution photos here.