SF Stand Up for Small Schools!

Stand Up For Small Schools!
Wednesday November 8th -
5:45-6:45pm
June Jordan School for Equity - 325 La Grande@ Brazil St. (Excelsior District)

*Please arrive at 5:30*
Please join us in this action with over 200 families, students, teachers and community members as we ask San Francisco Unified School District Superintendent Gwen Chan and Board President Norman Yee to commit to:

Support for a strong Small Schools Policy and the autonomy of Small Schools by Design

Protecting unique leadership structures and innovative curriculum

A positive working partnership with school communities across San Francisco

In June 2006 the San Francisco School Board unanimously approved the formation of a Small Schools Policy Task Force with the charge of forming a policy for Small Schools by Design for SFUSD. Although San Francisco is one of the higher achieving urban school districts in California it has one of the highest achievement gaps in California.
Small schools by design are a nationally recognized progressive school reform that has a proven track record for closing the achievement gap for urban youth. The policy will be reviewed by the Board on November 14th and this is our opportunity to share why these schools are important to us and get them to commit to our vision.
For more information contact Allison at 415-452-4922
Forward this to as many folks as possible! Power in Numbers!

For more on the politics of San Francisco's small schools advocacy -
From my blog - blogging-from-mission-high-school
finding-common-ground
Other resources:
www.sfweekly.com - may 3 2006 A Study in Size
Mark Sanchez and Eric Mar's original SFUSD small schools policy from June 2006
www.smallschoolsworkshop.org national resources
Rethinking Schools resources on small schools
June 2002 Asianweek piece on our work with SFOP to bring about our current policies
San Francisco Magazine article with context of politics of SF's reform efforts

SF Chinatown - It's About Time for Prop 89! Stop Political Corruption - Clean Elections Now!

Amidst the pouring rain on Dia de los Muertos in SF's Chinatown this morning I joined nurses, parents, teachers and grassroots community activists who are part of a growing grassroots coalition for Clean Elections in California. Soon to be State Senator Elect Leland Yee and Assemblyperson Elect Mary Chung Hayashi, longtime labor leader Richard Leung, and dozens of others also spoke out in support of Prop 89.

Thanks to the courageous folks from CNA [CA Nurses Association] and many others for building this movement for electoral reform in our state. Excerpts of my comments included:

As a SF school board member, teacher and parent, I support Prop 89 because it will help ensure that our Chinese and immigrant communities will have a chance at electing accountable local and statewide officials, instead of those that are bought and sold by big business interests.

As communities are singing all over the STATE - it’s about time for 89!- we need to work together to stop political corruption in SF and throughout our state.

Prop. 89 creates a level and fair playing field for California elections by: Banning contributions to candidates by lobbyists and contractors. Restricting contributions by corporations, unions, and individuals to candidates and to outside groups running negative ads. Letting candidates who reject contributions from big money donors run for office using “clean money” public grants. And if politicians break the law, they can be thrown out of office and even put in jail.

Prop. 89 will help our schools by creating a dedicated fund, from a small increase in the corporate tax rate, so that resources are not diverted from our classrooms. In fact, more money will be available for education since politicians will no longer have the incentive - like Schwarzenegger has done - to divert billions of dollars in public revenues to corporate tax breaks and pork barrel projects to reward their biggest donors.

The broad grassroots labor and community coalition that has come together to support Prop 89 will not go away after we turn out to vote on November 7th.

This is a pro-DEMOCRACY movement to take back our electoral system from the big business interests that are trying to dominate us and our communities.

Immigrant communities – like Chinatown, Vis Valley, the Tenderloin, SOMA, Bayview and the Mission - face tremendous barriers to political empowerment. Our communities have the lowest voter turnouts not just because of language, immigration and other barriers, but also because of the barrier of corporate control and domination of the political process in CA – WE NEED TO CHANGE THIS and PROP 89 is a very good start in ending political corruption in our state!

...I want my students and young people in our schools and communities to see first hand how the political system in SF and in CA is driven by downtown money and big business interests. Pick any local initiative or candidate race for example, and you can see how money most often determines who will win or lose. Local school board candidates or supervisors are often placed for sale to the highest bidder in our City.
Proposition 89 can help even the playing field at the state level so that our communities can have a stronger voice to improve our environment, our schools and our state.

It’s about time for 89!
Vote Yes on Prop 89 on November 7th!

More info: http://www.cleanmoneyelections.org/

Phil Angelides joins high school students and alumnus Cornel West at Kennedy High - Sacramento

In the last stretch of his grueling challenge to Governor Schwarzenegger, Phil Angelides campaigned today with visionary leader Cornel West at West's and my alma mater - Kennedy High School in Sacramento. See Duane Campbell's Choosing Democracy Blog which links to today's LA Times blog.
West grew up not far from my old stomping grounds in the south area of Sacramento along Freport Blvd near the old airport.

The students at Kennedy seemed as sharp as I remember them in my high school days:

A student asked about Proposition 85, which would require parental notification if a minor seeks an abortion. Angelides told the students that Schwarzenegger supports it and called the initiative a right-wing plot to take away women's rights.

Another student, standing in the corner, asked about the "illegal immigrant issue" .... Angelides said "we need a real border" and spoke of his immigrant mother and grandparents.

Angelides said the state would "come to a grinding halt" if immigrants were to leave, because they provide so much for the economy. West, a graduate of Kennedy High, said: "I just wish we could be as scrutinizing of corporations that often don't pay their fair share of taxes." He mentioned Jesus' admonition to focus on the least of us.

SF Halloween protest of Mexican Consulate - the People of Oaxaca are not Alone!

On Halloween San Francisco teachers, parents and students will be foregoing our trick or treating to protest the Mexican Consulate here to condemn the government repression in Oaxaca and call for democracy in Mexico.
From the Mexico Solidarity Committee:
STOP THE REPRESSION IN MEXICO! Emergency Demonstration at the Mexican Consulate in SF to Protest the Political Murders in Oaxaca!
On Friday, the October 27, the Mexican federal police invaded the barricades in Oaxaca to take back control of the city after five months of occupation by APPO (the Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca).
As of midnight, 27th of October the death toll is 5 with 30 wounded. Among the dead are New York City Indymedia journalist Will Brad. Among the wounded is a media worker, Oswaldo Ramirez, a Mexican photographer.
We stand with the people of Oaxaca! We Demand: Mexican Federal Police Out of Oaxaca!
For a tribunal to investigate the murders by government troops and paramilitary!
5:00 PM, Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Mexico Consulate General - in San Francisco CA
532 Folsom Street, San Francisco CA 94105
Issued by the Mexico Solidarity Committee
Telephone: 415-864-3537
Email: mexicosolidaritycommittee@yahoo.com

Zapatistas Call for Solidarity and Resistance
A Call from the Zapatistas: Oaxaca Is Not Alone
Shut-Down of Roads, Highways and the Media on November 1; General Strike Called for November 20

The EZLN calls out to the Other Campaign in Mexico and north of the Rio Grande, so that these November 1st mobilizations happen wherever possible, completely, partially, at intervals or symbolically shutting down the major artery roads, streets, toll booths, stations, airports and commercial media.
The central message that the Zapatistas send and will continue sending is that the people of Oaxaca are not alone: They are not alone!
Ulises Ruiz out of Oaxaca!
Immediate withdrawal of the occupying federal forces from Oaxaca!
Immediate and unconditional freedom for all detainees!
Cancel all arrest warrants!
Punish the murderers!
Justice!Freedom!Democracy!

From the North of Mexico.For the Clandestine Revolutionary Indigenous Committee-General Command of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation.For the EZLN Sixth Commission.
Subcomandante Insurgente MarcosMexico, October, 2006.

From http://Indybay.org
At 5pm this evening, hundreds will gather to protest at the Mexican Consulate to condemn the repression in Oaxaca. Yesterday many protested around the world to keep Mexican consulates and embassies all over the world from opening.
List
In SF, protesters met at the the Mexican Consulate at 532 Folsom St. at 6:45am ( Photos: 1 2), to tell the government of Mexico "that we will not allow this savage attack on our brothers and sisters in Oaxaca to be taking place and have business go on as usual." People came together again at 4pm. People also gathered at the Mexican Consulate in San Jose (540 North First St.) at 7am on Monday morning.
There was an electronic blockade of Mexican Embassy and Consulate websites on Monday.
A film screening that will be a benefit for the Rebelión Popular will take place at Station 40 (3030b 16th St. in SF) on Wednesday night, November 1st, at 7pm. Monday: Today has been quieter than yesterday. Radio Universidad has called for people to gather to defend the Zocalo and to protect the radio station.
Reports from Oaxaca: Text by Tristan Photos and text by Danielsan
Sunday evening: Tanks and large machinery were used in Oaxaca today in the government's attempts to tear down barricades. Thousands of women, children, and men were protesting in the streets. There are reports that several more protesters were killed by the police, including one child. Many who have been abducted were taken to Ixcotel Penitentary and military camps and are being beaten there. They are also raiding and destroying homes in Oaxaca, as happened in Atenco.
Read breaking news in English y en español en Centro de Medios Libres Live Audio Stream Rough English Translation Of Audio Stream Ongoing coverage: Centro del Medios Libres Indymedia.org APPO UlisesRuizAsesino website, with list of vigils El Enemigo Común

Fighting for Small School Reform in San Francisco - advocates push for a new policy

The San Francisco Organizing Project [SFOP], June Jordan High School for Equity, and others this month are working with San Francisco Unified School District officials to develop a clear small schools policy which incorporates much stronger autonomies and support for the reform efforts. Despite tremendous challenges, the small schools movement here, has continued to work with the district to establish new rules for small schools in our City.

SFOP is organizing an accountability session for district officials on Wednesday November 8th at 6pm at the San Francisco Community School [125 Excelsior, SF]. Parent, student and community leaders from many of our small schools in SF will address district officials and Board of Education members at the session.

I am off to Washington, DC area this evening on a red-eye flight to serve as a judge for the American School Board Journal's Magna Awards which for the last 12 years has honored innovative school district projects involving school boards and districts in raising student achievement and closing achievement and opportunity gaps.
Thanks to the multi-talented dad/music-lover/Editor-in-chief Glen Cook and the great folks at the American School Boards Journal for sponsoring the awards!

Welcome to Lewis Cohen, the new director of the Oakland-based Coalition of Essential Schools.
CES is working on a new small high school for San Francisco's predominantly African American, and now also Asian immigrant Bayview District. Cohen brings tremendous experience from his small schools and policy work as an Assistant Superintendent across the Bay in Oakland Unified School District.
The Coalition is holding its annual Fall Forum in Chicago at the beginning of November. Our friend Mike Klonsky is on a panel addressing:
Dilemmas of Urban School Reform

Several large urban school districts across the U.S. – including Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and Philadelphia – have embraced large school re-design and the development of small schools as part of their overall reform efforts.
Despite significant resources from foundations and attention and support from city leaders, questions persist about taking small schools to scale in large urban systems.
How should urban districts go about implementing systemic reform through a small schools strategy? What are the struggles and competing pressures of doing small schools work in urban communities?
A panel of Chicago educational leaders - including Pat Ford from the Chicago High School Redesign Initiative, Michael Klonsky from the Small Schools Workshop, Don Moore from Designs for Change, and Margaret Small of Young Women's Leadership Charter School – will address these questions and other dilemmas faced by urban
districts working to restructure schools.

The lessons shared by the panel should be useful for San Francisco as we search for a new and hopefully :-) small school friendly superintendent and develop a much stronger small schools policy for our district in the coming months.
More from Lewis and CES - http://www.essentialblog.org/

SF Yes on Prop F - working families deserve sick pay

This morning in San Francisco's Chinatown I am joining District 6 Supervisor Chris Daly, Parent Voices, Coleman Advocates for Children, the Chinese Progressive Association, St. Peter's Housing Committee, Young Workers United, SEIU and many others to urge concerned parents and communities to VOTE YES on SF's Prop F -

What do 116,000 working San Franciscans do when they cannot take a sick day to care for themselves or for their family’s health?
They send their children to school sick. They forgo preventative healthcare. They go to work sick because there is no better option. Because they have to. Until now. Until Prop F.
Working families deserve paid sick days. Measure F will guarentee all workers paid sick leave benefits to take care of themselves and their families. Families say we want a more fair, healthy, and compassionate plan:
Fair: Paid sick days give workers time to heal and recuperate from illness.
Healthy: Paid sick days reduce the spread of contagious diseases in workplaces, e.g., restaurants, hospitals, & childcare centers.
Compassionate: Paid sick days allow workers to care for their children, elderly parents, & family members when they are sick.
---
How will paid sick days work under Prop F?:
1) Every worker in San Francisco will earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, and
2) Workers may use their paid sick leave to care for themselves, their families & their partners. Big businesses will provide up to 9 days or 72 hours while small businesses will provide up to 5 days or 40 hours.
Contact http://www.paidsickdayssf.org/index.html
415/621-4155 or email: RightToBeSick@gmail.com for more information and to support the campaign. Vote YES on Prop F!

Sick Kids & Yes on SF's Prop F, the Makibaka Hotel and learning about people's struggle

My 6 year old daughter Jade is sick today, so I had to quickly make arrangements to get the day off to care for her and get her to the hospital. Yet most low wage workers in San Francisco don't have that luxury, or even the luxury of getting a paid sick day for themselves. That's why low wage worker organizations like Young Workers United with their allies like Parent Voices, Chinese Progressive Association, St. Peter's Housing Committee [which just celebrated their 25th anniversary this past weekend], POWER, SEIU Local 790 and others in the May 1st Alliance and the labor movement placed Prop F on the ballot. See Sasha's great post from Left in SF.
The Yes on Prop F campaign is stepping up their Get out the Vote work these next 3 weekends. To plug in contact - www.paidsickdayssf.org/ or if you want to target low wage workers and their families in the Asian American and immigrant communities - contact the Chinese Progressive Association at www.cpasf.org/home.html. Parents can plug into the campaign too through Parent Voices at www.parentvoices.org/ or contact www.youngworkersunited.org/

As a parent and teacher with a sick kid at home waiting for our visit to the doctor, I had to come up with some kind of relaxed learning activity for us. Over the past month I had been teaching my SF State college students about the history of SF's International Hotel and our current ongoing anti-displacement struggles in San Francisco's SOMA, Bayview Hunters Point, Mission, Tenderloin and other neighborhoods in Seattle, Boston, NYC, and Philly.
So I needed a teaching resource that would help my 6 year old develop skills of empathy and some understanding of SF's Filipino and low income immigrant communities...
Luckily for me Manilatown poet, activist and father extraordinaire Tony Robles has just released his most recent children's book - Lakas and the Makibaka Hotel. Robles teamed up with painter Carl Angel for an incredibly beautiful and moving story that's also fun and serious at the same time. This children's book breaks down the complexity of displacement and gentrification to the level of elementary school kids like my daughter. Inspired by the recent struggle of the Trinity Plaza Tenants Association in SF's SOMA district, the story makes an important and inspiring political statement in support of Makibaka or the struggle of our communities for self-determination and the need for solidarity with other communities as well.

Filipino History Month Event with Tony Robles/Chris Daly - 10/19/06 -4-6 pm
Jade and I plan to join Tony, Carl, District 6 Supervisor Chris Daly, and others for a celebration of October as Filipino American History Month in City Hall, Room 273. Many of us are also rallying to support our ally progressive Supervisor Chris Daly in his re-election campaign as well.

Though my daughter is sick and I had to stay away from work with her, through Tony's book and our time learning together we have become more human, and I have satisfied my role as a parent, teacher and activist.
Makibaka! Huwag Matakot!
Struggle! Don't Be Affraid!
[and best wishes to Trinity Plaza Tenant leader Ken Werner in his recovery]

Teachers and Parents to Arnold - No More Lies about Your Broken Promises to Our Schools and Communities

The Alliance for a Better California blog notes the Governor's hypocrisy and lies regarding his real stance on education funding.

Arnold promised when he was running for office in 2003 not to touch education funding. In 2004 the state was facing a severe budget deficit. Arnold and the education coalition negotiated an agreement where he could borrow $2 billion, in a one time deal to help close the gap. He agreed to pay it back at a undetermined later date. Then he proposed a budget that took another $3 billion away from the school. He denied that he had made the original deal with the education coalition and refused to pay it back. CTA filed a lawsuit against him
for reneging on his deal.

...Now he is trying to run on his education record. Puuleaase. His record is full of broken promises and cuts to education.

See also Howard Blume's piece from the LA times on the Governor on schools as well.
Schwarzeneger swung through town here in San Francisco last week proclaiming his support for afterschool programs even though the money our state's communities will receive as a result of the passage of Proposition 49 is small peanuts to urban areas like ours which have been devastated by 5 years of budget cuts to our schools and human services. The hoopla and media-spinning by the Governor's camp caused some community-based organizations to really believe there was a lot more cash coming in for their programs causing some rifts as community groups, the City Hall bureaucracy and our school district fought over those crumbs.
Pictured here from www.indybay.org are Salinas High School students protesting the gropenator. To hear audio coverage from the demonstration and background information, please go to: WIN: Protesters Challenge '"The Terminator's" Education Policies.
At the top is a photo of Fresno teachers and students challenging the Governor's lies.

From Oaxaca to San Francisco - Teaching for Social Justice - Linking our movements

Some 600 progressive teachers will be meeting at San Francisco's Mission High School tomorrow for our 4th annual Teaching for Social Justice conference. Keynote speaker Dr. Asa Hilliard will help us link our individual acts of resistance to the building of broader and longer term social movements to change our schools and communities. See the website for numerous workshops and strategy sessions.
2 caucuses will be meeting during lunch time - one led by my colleague School Board Commissioner Mark Sanchez to establish an Education Not Incarceration chapter in San Francisco; and one that I will lead with Sandra Schwartz of the American Friends Service Committee on strengthening anti-war/social justice work in our SF high schools.
Lastly, many of us will be strategizing too on how we can support the Oaxacan teachers in their struggle for educational justice and a democratic society.
As the Oaxaca situation has hit a stalemate with the standoff in Oaxaca City, solidarity is growing in SF and other parts of the United States. Nancy Davis reports that APPO [the grassroots people's assembly] is moving towards a more permanent status having just completed Thursday their "Democratic Dialogue in Oaxaca", as an alternative to meetings called by the government.

Several days ago Narco News published a great piece by Erwin Slim with some inspiring statements from Oaxacan teachers during their Long March from Oaxaca to Mexico City.

Lastly, I first met Oaxacan activists over 10 years ago when I worked with immigrant rights organizations in the Central Valley. David Bacon in his Znet article - Oaxaca's Dangerous Teachers - links the Oaxacan people to California immigrant workers and the struggles of various indigenous groups in Mexico.
And I recommend another great article which gives deeper political perspective to the demands of the Oaxacan teachers and grassroots communities - see Gerardo Renique's Oaxaca Teacher's Strike Sparks Democracy Movement.

San Francisco Bayview/Hunters Point Communities March on City Hall -We Demand Self-Determination

As activists gather from around the world for the 40th anniversary reunion of the Black Panther Party in Oakland this weekend, San Francisco's POWER - People Organized to Win Economic Rights - is organizing with Bayview/Hunters Point community groups and allies to march on City Hall on Monday, October 16th to halt the gentrification, curfews, school closures and other attacks on African American, Latino and Asian Pacific Islander and working class communities in the City.
In the end of September, POWER and others organized a mass march and rally commemorating the 40th anniversary of the 1966 Hunters Point Uprising. Some longtime activists like Dr. Jimmy Garrett credit the SF Hunter's Point Uprising, the 1965 Watts Riots/Rebellion and Oakland resistance to police brutality with the 1966 founding of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense.

On Sept. 27, 1966, Matthew Johnson, 16, was fatally shot in the back by SFPD, and the people rose up in rage -- only to be put down by National Guard troops and tanks called in by City Hall. On Sept. 27, 2006, we demand that City Hall reinstate our referendum petition signed by over 33,000 San Franciscans to stop the redevelopment land grab and 'repeopling' of Bayview Hunters Point. For 40 years, we've demanded:No more police brutality, Living wage jobs, especially on City construction, and the right to develop our own community. Don't let City Hall shoot us in the back again!

Enough is Enough! -

We Demand Self-Determination for our Communities!

MONDAY, OCTOBER 16th

SAN FRANCISCO CITY HALL - 11AM-4PM

**SPONSORED BY: POWER, AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY POLICE RELATIONS BOARD, LATINO/ASIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER COALITION, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVOCACY, NATION OF ISLAM BAY AREA, SAN FRANCISCO BAY VIEW NATIONAL BLACK NEWSPAPER
TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED. FOR TRANSPORTATION, PLEASE CALL (415) 240-0313. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL POWER: (415) 864-8372 EXT. 302/303

POWER is a multi-racial, multi-lingual organization of no- and low-wage workers who are united in our commitment to fight for racial and economic justice. When we say “no- and low-wage workers”, we're talking about that section of people in the
economy whose ranks are rapidly growing. That section of people who do the work that is vital to the functioning of the economy and who work in the most dangerous and under-valued jobs- jobs which receive small wages, usually no benefits and no opportunity for advancement. These workers are welfare recipients, workfare workers, unemployed workers, domestics, day laborers, childcare workers, security guards, sex workers, farmworkers, housemakers and all other no- and low-wage workers.

SF's Coalition on Homelessness

Local artist Sloan Showalter donated her work to the 20-year old SF Coalition on Homelessness in September during one of their fundraisers. She did a portrait of my daughter Jade here. For more info on Sloan http://www.sloanarts.com . The Coalition continues their amazing work to give voice and political power to homeless people in SF.

The Coalition on Homelessness (COH) was formed in 1987 to foster the active participation of homeless and low-income San Franciscan residents and front-line staff in the struggle for economic and social justice. Through an integrated approach that combines outreach, peer support, leadership development, public education, advocacy, and community organizing, COH works to defend homeless and low-income people from attacks on their rights and their persons, while advocating for permanent solutions to homelessness that take into account not only poverty's devastating effects, but also its root causes.

SF Teachers, Labor leaders and community groups support demands of Oaxacan popular assembly - APPO

The crisis in Oaxaca is heating up as students march on the Anniversary of the 1968 Mexico City massacre, the PRD and others take the APPO demand that the Governor resign to a national level, the "legitimate President" of Mexico and others offer themselves as Human Shields for Oaxaca, and the marines and military are poised to brutally attack the teachers and popular people's assembly of Oaxaca.
Mexico watcher Nancy Davies writes:

[PRD Presidential candidate] Andrés Manuel López Obrador... [and other leaders of the] national movement pledged to mobilize their followers around the issue and to go to Oaxaca as “human shields” in the event of a military intervention.

In San Francisco's Mission District last night teachers, students, our SF Labor Council, LCLAA [Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, Open World Conference and many others gathered to meet representatives from APPO and to strategize on how to build solidarity and support.
The APPO representatives are on a quick tour of the United States to build support for the people's movement in Oaxaca.
Other great resources for info on APPO, Oaxaca and the fight for a democratic Mexico and global justice -
Department of Citizen Alice
Nancy Davies' reporting has taken a very critical view of the PRD but has been very insightful.
Contra G8 + 5 en Mexico - This blog does a great job linking global justice issues with climate change or "climate justice" as some folks call it. The blog provides great coverage of the recent Climate Justice Dialogue and Convergence Alternative to the G8+5 Climate Summit that just ended yesterday 10/4 in Mexico City.
http://contrag8.revolt.org/en

Support the Oaxacan Teachers/People's Encampment for Dignity and Against Repression

Conference in PantitlánPhoto: D.R. 2006 Erwin Slim
Narco News has excellent and up-to-date reports on the struggles in Mexico City, Oaxaca and throughout Latin America. APPO and others are calling for allies and supporters to defend the people's encampments. See Communiqué: Encampment for Dignity and Against Repression in Oaxaca; Donate Seventy-Two Hours for Peace - By Civil Society Organizations of Oaxaca

Reporter Simon Fitzgerald also links Oaxaca to the 1968 Mexico City Massacre - In the Other Mexico City, the Ghosts of Tlatelolco 1968 March in Defense of Oaxaca and Atenco in 2006 - After 38 Years, Government Repression and Media Simulation Still Fail to Silence the Voices from Below - [I see clear historical parallels also with the US-military backed Kwangju Massacre of May 1980 which followed a peaceful people's uprising in Korea as well. See Korea reporter Tim Shorrock's excellent analysis of the people's movement in Korea below.]

On Oaxaca - From October 4, 2006 Narco News:

On Monday, as is tradition every October 2nd, citizens and students from all of central Mexico’s colleges and high schools commemorated the 1968 massacre of
student protestors and bystanders by government forces. This year’s march, from the Aztec ruins, Spaniard colonial cathedral and modern skyscrapers of the Plaza of three Cultures in Tlatelolco to the Zocalo at the center of Mexico City, repeatedly connected the repression of 38 years ago and the situation today.

While the majority of the crowd consisted of young student activists, the march was headed by survivors of the student movements of the sixties and seventies, as well as those whose family members were murdered or disappeared in what is known as “the Dirty War” of that period.

For more on Korea's May 1980 Kwangju People's Uprising and the Subsequent Massacre by the US-Backed Dictator Chun Doo Hwan's military forces see analysis and reviews by Tim Shorrock and others at
www.kimsoft.com/korea/shorrok.htm
www.kimsoft.com/korea/kwangju3.htm
http://koreaweb.ws/ks/ksr/ksr00-12.htm

Oaxaca - NO PASARAN! San Francisco teachers, parents, labor leaders in solidarity

Enrique Rueda Pacheco, teacher leader Oaxaca, Mexico(AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)
As military helicopters buzz over Oaxaca City and Zapatistas and other supporters complete their 314 mile long walk from Oaxaca City to the Zocalo in Mexico City, San Francisco's Global Exchange, LCLAA [Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, the Open World Conference and others are holding an emergency forum in solidarity with Oaxacan teachers and APPO, the "Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca" on Thursday 10/4 [see below].
Teacher activists in the AFT are also urging their union leadership to become even more active in preventing bloodshed in Oaxaca. KPFA's flashpoints radio show this afternoon reported that while the EZLN supports the APPO demands, they apparently will not be entering Oaxaca because they fear the Mexican government would use their entrance as an excuse to use even more violence against the Oaxacan teachers and APPO. In Mexico City today for a national gathering to analyze the political situation in Mexico, Commandante Marcos stated that "Oaxaca Is Not Just an Emergency, It Is Also an Example to Follow.”
Global Exchange activist John Gibler also mentioned that although the PRD is against bloodshed and repression by the PRI government forces, that they have not played an active role in solidarity with the Oaxacan communities.
Oaxaca and the Anniversary of the Tlatelolco Massacre
The Oaxaca crisis falls also on the eve of the 38th Anniversary of the Tlatelolco Massacre of 1968 where the PRI government [apparently with CIA intelligence support] massacred some 300 students and workers in Mexico City's Tlatelolco Plaza on the eve of the Summer Olympics of 1968. For more on the CIA involvement in the Mexico Massacre see Phillip Agee's classic, "Inside the Company ­ CIA Diary."

EMERGENCY ALERT
*NO FEDERAL TROOPS TO OAXACA!*
MEET THE PEOPLE'S DEMANDS!
Public Forum Featuring José Alejandro Sandoval Torres & Juan Manuel López Sarsoza, Indigenous Leaders of the Peoples Assembly of Oaxaca (APPO).
These APPO representatives are currently on an Emergency West Coast Tour The Fox administration in Mexico is readying to send federal troops into the city of Oaxaca to crush the strike of more than 70,000 teachers and the resistance of an entire people, which has organized its own Popular Assembly of the Peoples of Oaxaca (APPO).

DATE, TIME AND PLACE
Wednesday, OCTOBER 4 @ 7 p.m.
Center for Political Education, 522 Valencia St., 3rd Fl., San Francisco(@ 16th Street; one block from 16th St. Mission BART station)
Donation Requested at door; No one Turned Away for lack of funds.
Forum Sponsored by Mexicanos En El Exterior, Global Exchange, S.F. LCLAA, Open World Conference, Comité en Defensa Del voto.
More info - www.corrugate.org/blog
John Gilber's Global Exchange Dispatches/
www.narconews.com/

Shameful Days of Anti-immigrant policies - Arizona groups struggle for human rights at the Border

The Arizona sun here in the Phoenix/Tuscon area is blistering. I can't imagine how horrible it must have been for the 171 migrants who died trying to cross the US/Mexico border this year. The Coalicion de Derechos Humanos estimates that some 3000 migrants have died since the 1990's militarization of the Border. From May 29 - June 4 this year the Coalicion organized a 75 mile walk from Sonora to Tuscon to highlight border human rights issues. More on the Migrant Trail We Walk for Life. The Tuscon-based group is an affiliate of the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

In response to the Senate's passage of the "Border Fence Bill" on Friday, the Immigrant Solidarity Network called it "one of the darkest and most shameful days for immigrant and human rights in U.S. history".

Despite repeat appeals from activists, the U.S. Senate, approved the outrageous and racist detainee bill (S. 3930) and another multi-billion dollars for the immoral war in Iraq and Afghanistan (H.R.5631). At the House, they passed the wire tap bill (H.R.
5825) and several other anti-immigrant bills (H.R. 4844, H.R. 6089, H.R. 6090 and H.R. 6091).
But the most shameful one, on Friday September 29, the Senate rushed to passed the shameful Border Fence Bill (H.R. 6061), calling for construction a multi-billion dollar 700 miles of fence along the 2,000-mile border with Mexico.

Just 2 years ago Arizona voters passed the anti-immigrant Prop 200 [also known as PAN - Protect Arizona Now!] which was a more legally defensible clone of our California Prop 187 which passed in 1994 but most of which was legally struck down in court. [Click here for a good analysis of the struggle against 187 in CA by the amazing Jan Adams ] The fledgling civil rights and human rights groups here are clearly struggling with an apparent juggernaut of rising racism and intolerance. Yet many of the local anti-PAN groups here continue to fight for human rights for immigrants and educational opportunies and social services for everyone, regardless of their immigration status.
Just a few miles south - local groups like Derechos Humanos this weekend are organizing with other immigrant rights groups and indigenous peoples organizations to strategize about the border and global human rights issues.

The call for the Border Summit of the Americas was issued by the Arizona Border Rights Foundation - Fundación de Derechos Fronterizos de Arizona Tohono O’odham communities, along with Derechos Humanos Coalition, American Indian Movement, International Indian Treaty Council.
The three day Border Summit was facilitated with assistance from M.C., Dennis Banks, and Bill Means. Participants also viewed the film “Crossing Arizona” yesterday. Directed by Joseph Mathew and Dan De Vivo, the film is an up-to-the-moment look at the hotly debated issues of 'illegal immigration' and border security on the US/Mexico border. The legendary Floyd Red Crow Westerman—artist, actor, and songwriter—also performed an evening concert in solidarity with Nations along la Frontera!

"Make your voices be heard!! Immigration policy proposals and homeland security have combined to create a volatile situation along U.S. international borders.
Increased law enforcement and vigilantism along the U.S.-Mexico border, in particular, has sparked a wave of reactions across the United States, from massive demonstrations to calls for voter registration campaigns and targeted actions."

The convenors of the Border Summit will be developing recommendations for border tribal governments and other affected parties to communicate with local, state and national as well as international bodies. This effort lays the groundwork for non-violence on Indian land and a more secure border.
More info: Contact Derechos Humanos
Also see Delete the Border.org or nomoredeaths.org

Los Angeles Immigrant Workers & UNITE-HERE make history on September 28th

Courage Campaign Blogger/activist Elliot Perry reports that LA immigrant and labor activists and UNITE-HERE made history Thursday. The LAPD called the immigrant workers' action the largest civil disobedience in Los Angeles in a generation and one of the largest in the city's history. The protest saw more arrests than any labor action in 60 years.
The spirited and growing labor/community alliance reminds me of the militancy and unity of SEIU's 1990 Los Angeles/Century City Justice for Janitors campaign which was memorialized in the June 15th 1990 police attack on the peaceful workers and community allies.
Perry says that contrary to some media reports there were more than 300 arrestees and close to 3,000 folks who marched beside them this past Thursday. See also LA Times reports.
Organizers included the Somos De America (We Are America) coalition, Hotel Employees Union Local 11, and LAX area clergy.

California Nurses Association turns heat up to terminate Schwarzenegger and stop political corruption by passing Prop 89

Deborah Burger and the California Nurses Association are turning the heat up to fight the "coalition of the corrupt" by terminating Gov. Schwarzenegger and stopping political corruption by passing Proposition 89 on November 7th. Good to see CNA, SEIU and others taking the lead on building a progressive movement to take back our state. Where's CTA when we really need them to build a broader community/labor alliance?... Even UTLA, the country's 2nd largest teacher's union, has endorsed Prop 89!
Thanks to Duane Campbell's Choosing Democracy blog for this.

The coalition of the corrupt—including Governor Schwarzenegger, much of the Legislature, and California’s high-paid lobbyists—have ganged up to defeat bills that would improve California’s healthcare, education system, and environment.
They usually like to kill these bills in the dark of night—but we’re bringing it into the light this Tuesday at Noon with a special bill-vetoing ceremony.
That’s this Tuesday,
Noon, the West Steps of the State Capitol in Sacramento
Yes on Proposition 89 and Stop Political Corruption!

http://www.YesOn89.org

See also the Alliance for a Better Calfornia blogger Julia Rosen's posting on Schwartenegger's corporate donors: Corporate Cash Pays for Ceremonies

Arizona schools - Goldwater Country - RIP bilingual education?

Barry Goldwater - "In your heart.. you know he's right"

In 102 degree weather...deep in the heart of Goldwater country - Phoenix, Arizona - I am visiting schools, dialoguing with hundreds of other school board members, Superintendents and policy wonks at the Council of Urban Boards of Education's 38th Annual Conference.

Despite the passage of Arizona's anti-bilingual education Proposition 203 in 2000 and the rigidity of NCLB some schools keep trying to strengthen bilingual education and arts and music programs here in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. Only 7 dual language immersion programs remain according to local advocates.

For more history on what school desegregation activist/scholar Angelo Ancheta calls the "intersection of nativism and racism" in education policy - see former Education Week reporter and NABE director James Crawford's language policy website.

To beat the blistering heat early this morning about 20 of us visited the 50 year old Valley View Elementary School [K-8] in Phoenix's Southern Mountain area. This heroic school has managed to continue its dual language immersion programs despite Prop 203 by offering Spanish as a foreign language to all its K-3 students and then offering to its 4th to 8th graders an excellent "delayed entry" dual language immersion program. The school is 85% Latino, 13% African American, and 50% English learners.
I was also impressed with the principal and teachers' focus on using achievement data as a diagnostic tool to support student learning with a tool called Data in a Day and a child-centered approach to school reform. The school's integration of music and arts into the curriculum and various partnerships with businesses and community partners were outstanding as well.

Lastly, I snapped the self-portait photo above in a bar near my hotel - the GOP and Goldwater icons at first made my skin crawl - but it made me realize how deep I am in the birthplace of one of our country's historical bastions of conservatism, but also the base of our current day gun-toting vigilante 'minutemen' and Sen. John Kyl who are carrying on the bigotted Goldwater tradition. "In my heart"... I know they are wrong - and from my discussions with the students, parents and teachers at Valley View, I know we have to keep up the fight for human rights for immigrants, for adequate funding for our schools, and for educational justice for everyone.

Teachers/Parents build SF People's Organization 9/30 and Teachers 4 Social Justice gather on 10/14; Urgent Solidarity Call for Oaxacan Teachers

As I fly off to Phoenix for an urban schools/immigrant students gathering of educators today, hundreds of San Francisco grassroots and labor activists will be uniting for the 2nd Annual SF People's Organization convention on Saturday September 30 at St. Mary's Cathedral.
Teachers for Social Justice organizers Jeremiah Jeffries and Karen Zapata and parent leader Sandra Fewer have organized an excellent hands-on workshop for the gathering on Saturday:
State of Public Education Forum--From Thought to Policy
The workshop will include strategizing on how to build a movement to change our school system and concrete things folks can do today to fight for educational justice; and a useful case study of our Jan. 2002 SFUSD Racial Justice/Educational Equity policy which requires annual 'Equity' Reports among other requirements which I drafted with the help of Tammy Johnson of the Applied Research Center, folks from Californians for Justice and local activists like Jeremiah and Karen from many local grassroots groups in 2001.

In 2 short weeks T4SJ will be holding our 6th annual educator’s conference "Teaching for Social Justice: From Moments to Movement on October 14th at San Francisco's Mission High School.
Highlights include a keynote by Wade Nobles and a session on how we can support the Oaxacan Teachers' struggle.

Activist filmmaker Jill Freidberg just sent an Urgent Solidarity Call for Oaxaca - please do what you can to support our brothers and sisters in Mexico

At the federal level in Mexico, the current discourse signals an imminent arrival of Federal Police Forces in Oaxaca. The feds claim that, if federal forces are sent to Oaxaca, they will only maintain a presence on the outskirts of the city, to "ensure civilian safety."
However, it is widely known that local PRI-sympathizing groups can be mobilized to provoke a confrontation with the sectors of civil society partiapting in the popular movement, which would justify the entrance of the federal police.
If the federal police enter Oaxaca, it will be a blood bath...
Please call or send faxes and emails to President Fox and to Secretary of Interior Affairs, Carlos Abascal, demanding the immediate withdrawal of threats to send police forces into Oaxaca, and the immediate resignation of Oaxacan governor, Ulises Ruiz Ortiz.
Write in Spanish. Write in English. Just write, or call, or both.
Get down to your local Mexican consulate or embassy. Make a lot of
noise. Spend the night out front if you have to.
President Vicente Fox:
Email: vicente fox quesadda

Fax: 011-52-55-52-77-23-76
Phone: 011-52-55-27-89-11-00
Sec. of Internal Affairs, Carlos Abascal
Tel: 011-52-55-50-93-34-00
Email: carlos abascal

From the Streets to the Polls [to the streets....]

06sept4 cpa allimmigrantsunite, originally uploaded by ericmar.

The Nation, Wiretap and Alternet feature an excellent piece today on immigrant rights organizing and mobilizing, especially among younger activists by Paloma Esquivel.

Young, U.S.-born Latinos who took to the streets in massive numbers to push for immigrant rights are hoping to become a potent political force in this year's midterm elections and beyond.

Pundits may decry the political disengagement and cynicism of the Jon Stewart generation, but students, young workers and young families have played a major role in mobilizing immigrant communities to become politically engaged. Across the country, they led street mobilizations, school walkouts and teach-ins. As one 16- -- year-old who walked out of school in Santa Ana, California, told the Los Angeles Times, "We don't want to just read about democracy in our textbooks. We want to experience it firsthand."

Now young organizers are taking their influence from the streets to the polls.

Full Article

For the San Francisco Bay Area Mobilize the Immigrant Vote electoral campaign for 2006 contact -
Bay Area Immigrant Rights Coalition http://www.immigrantrights.org or the
Chinese Progressive Association http://www.cpasf.org

Pedro Noguera's latest on the Race/Class Opportunity Gap; Berkeley High's Rick Ayers and social justice teaching

8 Berkeley High School students visited my Asians in America class this afternoon at SF State as part of a project coordinated by my colleagues Antwi Akom of Africanna Studies and Mathew Shenoda of Ethnic Studies. The students told me and my class about their struggles to get through the school system and their hopes of going to college.
They made me think about one of my colleagues NYU Professor Pedro Noguera, a former Berkeley School Board Member and his ongoing work to create a more equitable school system for students from Berkeley High to New York City and San Francisco's communities of color. See Mike Klonsky's small talk blog for more on Pedro's latest book Unfinished Business: Closing the Racial Achievement Gap in Our Schools , co-edited by another one of my former colleagues Jean Yonemura Wing, now working with Oakland Unified but, like Pedro, a longtime social justice movement veteran as well.

Lastly, to round out the Berkeley High connection, last weekend I attended an excellent workshop on teaching about Modern China for high school and college students organized by the KQED Education Network.
One of the main presenters at the workshop was another small schools movement leader and longtime Berkeley High School teacher Rick Ayers. For more on Rick's history - of Chicago-area antiwar activism, weather underground notoriety, dating Saturday Night Live's Gilda Radner and Social Justice teaching and advocacy - see the Berkeley Daily Planet's June 2006 feature on his work. See also his writing on the small schools movement in the SF/Berkeley East Bay area. See also his 1998 book Teaching for Social Justice.

Props to KQED's Education Network 's Alison Lee Satake and Elaine Shen for developing a great workshop with excellent teacher resources. For more info on their upcoming workshop.

More info - http://kqedchinainside.mollyguard.com/

Broad Foundation Awards - NYC 2006 - Bulls on Parade

"They don't gotta burn tha books they just remove 'em
While arms warehouses fill as quick as tha cells
Rally round tha family, pockets full of shells
Rally round tha family! With a pocket full of shells
They rally round tha family! With a pocket full of shells
Bulls on parade"
-- Rage Against the Machine 1996 - Evil Empire album

As the United Nations delegates gathered Tuesday in the big apple, United for Peace and Justice, one of the major anti-war/social justice coalitions, rallied thousands tying up the major arteries and intersections of NY City to protest the illegal war and occupation of Iraq.
In this backdrop multi-billionaire Eli Broad, the worlds 103rd richest man, and his Broad Foundation awarded Boston Unified School District the 2006 Broad Prize for Urban Education, the largest education prize in the country.

ROD 'Teachers are Terrorists' PAIGE listens as BILL CLINTON gives worlds shortest keynote
The 200 or so of us assembled at NY's Museum of Modern Art were also joined at the festivities by two former U.S. secretaries of education, Rod [teachers are terrorists] Paige and Richard Riley, as well as former President Bill Clinton who delivered perhaps the world's shortest keynote ever address - a whopping 4-5 minutes. 'The World is Flat' author Thomas Friedman last year gave an insightful and relevant lecture on globalization and its implications for US schools at last year's luncheon. So, Clinton's extreme brevity caught many of us by surprise.
BOSTON finally recognized!
I was happy to congratulate recently retired Boston Superintendent Thomas Payzant for his district's great work over the years. Our district [San Francisco Unified] had been a finalist last year when Norfolk VA won the prize, but Boston has been a finalist for the Broad Award every single year. Payzant seemed as if he had expected his district to be chosen this year.
The day before, I joined many education policy folks at the Hilton Hotel for a symposium on best practices for urban school districts. Many panels were filled with VIP superintendents, corporate-sector education philanthropists [Gates Foundation, Business Roundtable, etc.], but only a handful of teachers from NY's UFT and a few teacher's union heads from a few school districts.

BIG BUSINESS AGENDA - SUPERINTENDENTS ON PARADE
The type of superintendents promoted by Broad, the Business Roundtable and the big business philanthropists included many of the nation's 'superstars' like Miami's Rudy Crew, NYC's Joel Klein, our former SF Superintendents Arlene Ackerman and Ramon Cortines who is now advising LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and many others. Oakland's despised former state overseer Randy Ward who was recently ousted from his position according to the East Bay Express was also featured on a prominent panel as well. For the historical background on Oakland parent and students' fight for educational justice see the Data Center's report on school district takeovers in California.
The Broad Foundation also acknowledged their 3 'cohorts' of Broad interns who are generally Ivy league and elite business and education school grads who have been placed in urban districts throughout the country like SF and Oakland over the past few years.
I was very happy to see Boston and Payzant acknowledged for their 'laser-like' focus on equity, achievement for all, meaningful parent involvement and professional development for teachers. Yet, if I had a dollar for every time the mantra "competition is good for education" was repeated during the 2 days, I would also be a very wealthy man....
For more on the Broad Foundation's 'broad net' of big business influence in school districts throughout the US - see Susan Ohanian's analysis from the book she co-wrote with SF Freedom School founder Kathy Emery - Why is Corp America Bashing Our Schools
see also my blog from last year's Broad Awards

SF Hotel Workers Rising! Reach Settlement - No Strike!

06sept4 local2winningtogether, originally uploaded by ericmar.

Breaking news from Labor Journalist David Bacon:
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - 9/13/06 - San Francisco hotel workers announce that their union, UNITE HERE Local 2, has reached agreement on a new contract with the city's leading hotels.
UNITE HERE Local 2 negotiated for over two years with thirteen San Francisco Class A hotels in the Multi Employer Group, and went without a contract during that time. The union acheived its major goals, including card-check neutrality to make it easier for workers in non-union hotels in San Francisco and San Mateo Counties to join the union. Workers won substantial wage and benefit increases, and defeated an attempt to make them accept a two-tier arrangement giving new workers a lower wage and benefit standard. The union accepted no concessions.

Negotiations are part of a national campaign, Hotel Workers Rising, in which hotel unions in many cities are negotiating new contracts this year. San Francisco workers took a strike vote in August, along with workers in Hawaii, Chicago, Toronto and Monterey. When the Local 2 contract expired two years ago, the union wanted a new agreement that would expire this year, so that it would be able to negotiate at the same time other hotel locals were bargaining in other cities. The MEG refused, and Local 2 struck four hotels for two weeks. The MEG then locked workers out of all its hotels for nine weeks.
Employers were finally forced to lift the lockout, with the intervention of Mayor Gavin Newsom, but the union had to continue to work without a contract until the completion of the new agreement. Local 2's bargaining committee recommended the contract unanimously, and the membership is expected to ratify it by a large majority.
Contracts have also expired in over thirty other SF hotels, covering over 5000 workers, and negotiations there are continuing. The union says it will not accept a lower standard in those hotels. More from David Bacon

Daddy's Sadness on 911

My 6 year old Jade quickly sketched this sad drawing of me at dinner this evening while my partner Sandi and I watched the beautiful red sunset on the 5th Anniverary of 911 at the Beach Chalet on San Francisco's Ocean Beach.
I had visited ground zero in Manhattan a few months after the tragedy in 2001 and will be going back later this week for an urban schools awards event. I plan to go back to ground zero again and mourn the loss of life in the US and in Iraq in the past 5 years.

The 9/11 Teaching Moment - Linking 9/11 to the Japanese Internment and ongoing racial profiling & immigrant community issues

10/14 Teaching for social justice Conference - SF
The week of September 11th has always been a 'teachable moment' for my Ethnic Studies classes at San Francisco State because there are so many new and interesting resources available to teach about broader issues of racial justice, civil rights and civil liberties, and the ongoing struggles for democracy, constitutional rights and immigrant rights today.

Thanks so much to Teaching for Change and others for posting such great alternative 911 resources for teachers like me. For my Ethnic Studies and Asian American Studies students I always use San Francisco Filmmaker Lina Hoshino's excellent 2004 film - Caught In Between: What to Call Home in Times of War which links post 911 America with the WWII internment camp experience by highlighting post 911 multiethnic community activism and solidarity and the 2002 Tule Lake Internment Camp Pilgrimage. The film also features veteran community activists like Yuri Kochiyama, WWII Draft Resister Mits Koshiyama, Justice for Latin Americans activist Grace Shimizu, and the NOSEI Network's Lisa Nakamura.

I also use a number of shorter readings from ColorLines Magazine, WarTimes, National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and articles from 2 relatively new South Asian American groups ASATA and SAALT.

This semester's readings also included the following -
Between Two Americas – by Bill Hing – Colorlines - Fall 2004
No Nation of Immigrants would treat immigrants this way [Arnoldo Garcia/National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights – Spring 2002]
Under Homeland Security: 2001-2004: A timeline of major events and policies affecting immigrants and civil liberties from Colorlines Fall 2004
From SAALT Aug 30, 2006 - - Documented Incidents of Xenophobia and Intolerance Documented_Xenophobic_Incidents_SAALT_Community Ed
Deportations Devastate Cambodian Communities: Families Shattered by Betty Song [War-Times March 2004]
A COMMUNITY ON THE FRONT LINES: PUSHING BACK THE RISING TIDE OF ANTIIMMIGRANT POLICY SINCE SEPTEMBER 11TH by Deepa Iyer/SAALT
-----
In past classes I have used songs from Michael Franti/Spearhead or local hip hop artists like Kiwi as well to bring out artists' responses and perspectives on what 911 means to us today.
Besides the publications above - I have found the tips and resources from the following organizations very helpful as well:
American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee - Advice to Educators from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
Rethinking Schools Special Issue on 911
Teaching for Change Webpage on 911 teaching resources

Parenting and 911 -


As a parent, I also took a stab at talking with my 6 year old last night too about the aftermath of 911 - the following resource was very helpful -
Early Childhood Equity Alliance
----------
Please join us on Sat October 14th for our 6th annual social justice teaching conference in San Francisco -
Teachers 4 Social Justice presents:
6th annual educator’s conference "Teaching for Social Justice: From Moments to Movement"
Co-Sponsored by Poverty & Race Research Action Council and Teaching for Change

Saturday, October 14th, 2006, 9am-4pm
Mission High School in San Francisco
3750 18th Street (at Church Street)

Keynote Speaker: Dr. Asa G. Hilliard, Professor of Urban Education, African Scholar and Author
Conference Goals:
• Explore empowering learning communities through curriculum and practice
• Provide a forum for networking and community building

We're Off to See the Wizard - Michael Franti/Spearhead - 911 Power to the Peaceful - SF Golden Gate Park

My 6 year old and I are off to the annual Power to the Peaceful Concert organized by grassroots activists and peace and justice loving folks from our neighborhoods. Props to Michael Franti, all the bands and organizers here for making it family friendly and doing their thing for peace and justice in our City and throughout the world.

SF Power to the Peaceful Sat Sept 9

Speedway Meadow - GG Park - SF

Last month I posted this on my myspace blog area -

I just heard spearhead's new song - I know I'm not alone - title cut from the new film/cd bundle - i hope they may have a hit on their
hands, lots of hooks, kind of U2-sounding with typical spearhead soulful/reggae backdrop.
the free power to the peaceful fest in golden gate park is coming up fast on Sept. 9th - PPTTP i think is really is the closest gathering we have to the 'be-ins' and summeroflove-ish free festivals we have had over the years here in Golden Gate Park.

CA Big Businesses Bankrolling Attack Ads Against Clean Money/Good Government Prop 89

Duane Campbell's Choosing Democracy Blog answers the question:
Who is funding the No on 89 campaign?

Who’s Bankrolling the No on 89 Campaign? Mercury Insurance—Controversial California Insurance Corporations- First to Fund Attacks on Anti-Corruption Initiative
The California Chamber of Commerce is busily building its team of Sacramento insiders desperate to support the status quo-and ignore the corruption that troubles so many voters. Their first major donor has stepped to the plate, with Mercury General Corporation donating $100,000 to the No on 89 campaign, paired with another $100,000 from George Joseph, the company’s CEO.

On the opposite side is the California Nurses Association and many good government advocates, the SF Democratic Party , SF People's Organization, SF Green Party, and community-based organizations up and down the state ...

Rose Ann DeMoro, Executive Director of the California Nurses Association noted, “Mercury Insurance is symbolic of the problems California faces. They give money to any politician who rewards them special favors or treatment. With corporations like Mercury running the show in Sacramento, ordinary voters don’t stand a chance. Prop. 89 is our opportunity to rein in the special interests corrupting out government and clean up the mess in Sacramento.”

See also the California Progress Report's posting by Richard Holober of the Consumer Federation of CA - Prop 89 Take the 'For Sale' Sign Off the State Capitol
Yes on Clean Money Elections!
Yes on Prop 89!

Following the lead of SF Bay Area Pilipino youth and grassroots organizations

For several years now the League of Filipino Students [LFS] and the Excelsior-based Filipino Community Center [FCC] have helped lead many of the recent community struggles around anti-displacement, immigrant rights and peace and justice issues in our SF Bay Area.

Teachers-extraordinaire like Art Concordia from Balboa High School - pictured below leading the SF Labor Day demostration with rapper KIWI -
along with folks from SF City College, Skyline, Bay Area High Schools and many of my student and teacher colleagues at SF State have been an inspiration to learn from and work with. I took this photo below of my daughter Jade getting a real 'political education' from FCC activists and others at the Immigrant Rights/Labor Day March in SF.
Despite ongoing terror and assasinations of their leaders in the Philippines by the "fascist US puppet regime of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo" LFS and the grassroots people's organizations continue to build international solidarity and give leadership to many of our struggles here in the US.

Senator Allen Welcome to America from Daily Kos

More Macaca-isms from Daily Kos - Senator Allen Welcome to America. Posted by RamR

I ask again, senator: Does it blow your mind to know that the people you presumed are only "foreigners" in this land - the people you mockingly "welcomed" to this country - are not any more of a guest in this land than you are? That they have contributed to this nation's growth in many, many more ways than you can possibly imagine?
So, I say to you: Sen. George Felix Allen,
Welcome to America.
Senator, Welcome to MY America where people of your ilk continue to benefit from the labor of the "colored people" and yet continue to trample on their dignity, continue to grind their rights into the ground, continue to demonize them, label them with racial slurs, exclude them from opportunities and keep them in "their place".
Senator, Welcome to MY America where every attempt by your ilk to break the spirit of the minority has miserably failed.
Senator, Welcome to MY America where not all Indians are New York city cab drivers or motel owners or Seven-Eleven cashiers. Where not all chinese-Americans run chinese take-out joints and not all Indian-Americans run Dunkin Donuts and subways.
Senator, Welcome to MY America where indians, who were not allowed to own land only some 50 years back now have a median income that is almost twice that of the national average and 1 in every 10 among them is a millionaire.
Senator, Welcome to MY America where 1 in every 3 faculty member in engineering departments across the US is an Asian-American and 1 in every 40 Indian-American is a doctor.
Senator, we made America as much as America made us. We are America as much as America is us.
Sen George Felix Allen, welcome to 21st century America.

Full posting.

Immigrants, Workers, Teachers, Students and Parents Unite in San Francisco for Labor Day 06

Thousands of working families, most from immigrant communities and representing unions and grassroots organizations, commemorated Labor Day in San Francisco with a massive march from the Ferry Building to City Hall.
For more photos go to www.flickr.com/photos/ericmar.

Hotel Workers Rising - marchers called for support for Local 2, UNITE-HERE workers who have been fighting for a contract for 2 years. A successful civil disobedience this past week was followed up with massive support for the workers today. See http://www.unitehere2.com for how you can support the workers.
The Chinese Progressive Association joined the May 1st Alliance for Land, Work and Power which also includes Mujeres Unidas y Activas, the SF Day Labor Program, POWER, St. Peters Housing Committee and others. The alliance was a part of a larger "Anti-Imperialist" contingent led by a number of revolutionary and progressive Filipino community groups, APICAW [Asian Pacific Islander Coalition Against the War], the progressive coalition at SF City College, and Deporten a la Migra.
Teachers, students and parents were out in force as well. Teachers for Social Justice, United Educators of SF and many others marched in various contingents chanting. "Support Education! Not Deportation!"

For more photos go to www.flickr.com/photos/ericmar
More

As Communities of Color Grow - Katrina and 'Macaca'-Type Racism Intensify

SF Mission District Mural - 24th Street near Capp St.
One indispensable resource I use as a teacher and School Board Member/public policy maker is the Applied Research Center's publication Color Lines. They have recently upgraded their website with a brand new blog called Race Wire. [Thanks to the ever provacative Bitch Lab for alerting us all]
See ARC's 'racial cut' on the demographic analysis of the recent Census Data released to the mainstream media earlier in August - the Explosive Growth in Communities of Color.
I really enjoyed ARC staffer and educational justice leader Tammy Johnson's great review of Spike Lee's documentary on New Orleans/Katrina and the systematic racial and class oppression of the people of the gulf coast region.
But what caught my eye and brought out my gut-level disgust was Daily Kos/Liars and Crooks post: Bigotry: Out in the Open by mcjoan
Crooks & Liars has a very discouraging run-down of recent events, guest-posted by Steve Benen:

Sen. George Allen's (R-Va.) "macaca" scandal.
Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) joked about how a "nice little Guatemalan man" fixing up his house might be an illegal immigrant.
A leading congressional candidate in Florida said he knows, "from my own experience, that blacks are not the greatest swimmers, and may not even know how to swim."
Two congressional candidates and a gubernatorial candidate believe people who "appear" to be Arab or Muslim should be subjected
to racial profiling at airports.

Pat Buchanan's new book argues for "an immediate moratorium on all immigration," in order to preserve the dominance of the white race in America.
And in one you may not have heard about, a Baptist church in Mississippi voted out a 12-year-old boy who "asked Jesus to live in his heart" -- because the child is biracial and church members didn't want the black side of his family attending with him.

Lastly, congratulations to Rinku Sen who has just been chosen as new head of the 25 year old Applied Research Center, replacing founding director Gary Delgado, a longtime social justice movement leader and founder of the ACORN and the Center for Third World Organizing in Oakland. Go Rinku!