Sacramento Student Demonstrations Today

Join Us on March 1 Day of Action

CSU –Sacramento. Rally at Noon

U.C. Davis.  Teach In.

To Demand that the California Government:

Fully fund public education, which is a public good and is the cornerstone of a democratic society, a vibrant economy, and the social and intellectual development of every individual.

Fully fund social services, which to a large part provide a crucial safety net for the most vulnerable members of society and therefore serve as a measure of society's moral standard.

Thousands of U.S. college students will walk out of class Thursday in a coordinated day of protest against what may be another year of significant higher-education budget cuts by state legislatures.

Young Democratic Socialists  at UC Davis   mobilized to participate in protests during National Student Debt Week, Feb.27- March 2, across the country.   Cornel West joined in the effortAction. http://vimeo.com/37209329

Student debt exceeded $1 Trillion in 2011- exceeding even U.S. credit card debt.  For too many students access to college is being closed by  unsustainable debt  burdens. College tuition and fees have quadrupled fro 1982- 2007, far exceeding the rate of inflation.  Deregulation of the finance industry, particularly student loans, budget cuts to higher education, threats to privatize programs in  public colleges and universities, and the recession and loss of career and job opportunities  for the young  have created a crisis for thousands of students.

National YDS has prepared materials and social media for the campus chapters to assist in their work. The week of educational events and forums, leading to protests and possible occupations on March 1 and March 5 in Sacramento  is co sponsored by  YDS and numerous other campus groups. 

More information:  http://theactivist.org/blog/call-to-action-national-student-debt-week-of-action-feburary-27th-march-2nd

"Occupy has been based around the interaction of local issues and global issues," says Artem Raskin of Occupy UCDavis on the Huffington Post.  "We try to tie it to specific issues on our campus, but at the same time keeping in mind that these local issues have implications as well."

In California, where students have been demonstrating since 2009 against schools raising fees, laying off staff, hiring outside contractors for services and partnering with U.S. Bank to turn student ID cards into debit cards, a coalition of unions and student groups are protesting at 20 campuses. A unifying goal is to build support for a ballot initiative that would raise taxes on millionaires that organizers say would increase state revenue and curtail further budget cuts.

Each California campus is also identifying its own issues. University of California-San Diego protesters have issued demands for increased funding for a variety of groups and services, as well as for office space for these groups on campus. The students also demand that UC reverse all funding cuts, tuition hikes and layoffs over the past several years.

Demonstrators with Occupy UCDavis plan to hold a "funeral for public education" at 11 a.m. on their campus.