Reznet

City College of San Francisco students march across Sacramento bridge. Reznet photo by April McGill

'Education Is Our Fight'

By April McGill

SACRAMENTO, Calif.-Buses unloaded tens of thousands of community college students and other Californians who marched to the state Capitol here to fight education budget cuts proposed by Gov. Gray Davis.

Students all the way from Compton Community College in Los Angeles to the Bay Area crossed the Sacramento bridge and flooded the streets of downtown waving banners and signs and chanting, "Fee fy foe fung, Sacramento here we come!"

Davis plans to cut $1 billion in education funds in California that will come out of 108 community college budgets. The cutback will double fees from $11 a unit to $24 a unit. The cuts already have led to the cancellation of 115 spring classes and a reduction in the summer session by 50 percent or more at City College of San Francisco.

City College of San Francisco students will suffer from the proposed cuts because of reduced counseling, material and programs that the library offers and other services for low income and disabled students.

As the march got closer to the Capitol, the chants grew louder: "Don't believe the hype! Education is our fight!"

One student from City College of San Francisco named Miko wore a shirt with the message, "I got my degree from San Quentin State Prison."

According to Kerry Mazzoni, California's education secretary, Davis has no choice but to make the cuts in education.

"The governor hates making cuts to any part of education, but we are in a situation where no program can be spared," said Mazzoni.

Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante thinks differently about the cuts.

"Raising your tuition by 120 percent doesn't make any sense," he said. "It's outrageous, short-sided, and kids will have no vision. It is our job to educate every child."

Christina Gonzales flew to Sacramento from San Bernardino with her husband, Michael Gonzalez, to speak to students at the rally about her struggle in the system.

Gonzalez said she had a child at a young age and returned to school at age 30 to get her diploma at San Bernardino Adult Education. Michael Gonzalez said his wife wants to improve her life by getting her education but without affordable classes she will have more of a struggle financially.

"I hope they don't cut the school funding, because it is really helping my wife including others," said Gonzalez.

 

April McGill, Yuki, attends City College of San Francisco. She is a 2002 graduate of The Freedom Forum's American Indian Journalism Institute.