Officials say cleanup expense will be equal to the price of saving one class

By Liska Koenig
The Guardsman

Vandalism on the City College Ocean campus art building from Feb. 23. School officials estimate removal of the grafitti will cost $5,000 to $7,000. COURTESY OF SFCCDPD

Police say numerous buildings on Ocean campus including Batmale Hall, the Community Health and Wellness Center, the arts buildings and some bungalows were vandalized by unknown individuals during the early morning hours of Feb. 23.

The buildings were spray painted with slogans like “No More Cuts,” “Business as Usual,” “Education is Liberation” and “3/4/10,” referring to the date of the statewide rallies and marches to protest against cuts to education in California.

“The janitorial staff alerted us about one site, but when we went out to see it, we realized the graffiti was all over campus,” said officer Christian Smith of the San Francisco Community College District Police Department.

Buildings and Grounds, the City College department in charge of campus upkeep, expects the cleanup to be as costly as $5,000 to $7,000.

“You want to encourage students to be activists in terms of standing up for their rights and protesting — in terms of coming together to speak or march — that’s a democratic process. It’s what people should be doing, so I want to encourage that,” Chancellor Don Griffin said.

“But then there are some people who are too exuberant, or they may not have the same level of awareness that they should have or will ultimately develop,” he continued. “And they may decide to do some things that are not appropriate, but that has not been the history at City College.”

The total cost to reinstate a canceled class is $6,000 according to Griffin. Now an additional class could be cut from the college’s educational plan to cover the financial damage of the cleanup.

“It makes no sense. People are sitting around, complaining how there are no classes and then they go out and do this,” Rachele Hakes, public information officer of the SFCCDPD said.

The incident was also discussed in a recent Associated Students meeting where all present student representatives agreed the incident has done nothing but harm to the City College community.

“I understand that people are angry, but I wish they would have used chalk or fliers. This sucks for everybody, it was nothing but a big waste of money and time,” City College Inter Club Council senator Eloy Najera said.

If caught, it is not clear what disciplinary measures will be taken against the suspects. Nobody from the office of Student Advocacy, Rights and Responsibilities at City College was available to comment on the situation.

“We are hoping somebody will grow a conscience and come forward,” Hakes said. Police are still investigating the crime and are encouraging anybody who might have information regarding this incident to contact the Ocean campus police department at (415) 239-3200.

A mass movement that sprouted from a mobilizing conference at UC Berkeley four months ago manifested as one of the most widespread and organized protests in recent memory on March 4.

Students, educators, organized labor and concerned citizens took to the streets across the state and demanded an end to budget slashes crippling California’s once robust public education system.

Read extensive coverage from rallies at City College, San Francisco State University, UC Berkeley and Civic Center Plaza inside this special full-color pullout section of The Guardsman. Longer stories, slide shows, video and interviews are available below:

City College: http://theguardsman.com/2010/03/march4-ccsf/

San Francisco State: http://theguardsman.com/2010/03/march4-sfstate

University of California: http://theguardsman.com/2010/03/march4-ucberkeley/

Civic Center Plaza: http://theguardsman.com/2010/03/march4-civiccenter

Oscar Grant Memorial: http://theguardsman.com/2010/03/march4-oscargrant/

By Greg Zeman, Tania Cervantes and Robert Romano
The Guardsman

Anthony Meade , Air Force veteran and City College student poses in dress uniform. Meade only received G.I. benefits after Dianne Fienstien and her office intervened on his behalf. ROBERT ROMANO / THE GUARDSMAN

The GI Bill, the United State’s promise of support to its returning veterans since World War II, is not serving the needs of all student veterans in a timely fashion.

According to the City College Veteran’s Educational Benefits Office, approximately 400 City College students are relying on the Veterans Administration to pay for their education and housing expenses through Chapter 33 of the GI Bill — called the “Post 9-11 GI Bill.”

“The big difference in this new GI bill is money is given according to zip codes and students that attend City College receive more money as San Francisco is a more expensive city,” said Fay Caroline, a counselor with the City College veteran’s educational benefits office. “What we are now seeing is a big influx of students under the 33 chapter that have chosen City College because they will get more money.”

She added that the massive influx of students has caused Chapter 33 benefits to kick in late — often six to 10 weeks behind schedule.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America reports that more than 1.7 million veterans have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, which could explain the large number of veterans seeking GI Bill benefits.

Student veterans have faced additional difficulty due to extensive budget cuts to public education.

In order to receive GI Bill benefits, veterans must be enrolled in approved classes. Those unable to register for classes or those who have had their classes cut are left without any money.

Because summer semester has been canceled, veterans seeking benefits during summer semester will have to attend another college, possibly one that qualifies them for less benefits — or they may not receive benefits at all.

Jordan Towers is a City College history student who joined the Marines after graduating high school.

“I wasn’t ready for college and I needed funds,” Towers said. “Money is a huge reason why people join.”

Towers had to wait three months to obtain his benefits during his first semester at City College.
“They provide, but they are really slow,” he said.

Some student veterans like Anthony Meade have faced eviction because of these delays in payment.

“I received the benefits only with intense hardships,” Meade said. “I did get them, but only after Senator Dianne Feinstein’s office intervened to the Veterans Affairs on my behalf, and that was really the reason I got paid.”

A veteran who who will be referred to as George because his claim with the VA is still pending, , said he is tired of waiting.

“They keep telling me, ‘just a little longer,’ but my landlord doesn’t want to hear that anymore,” George said. “It’s not like I’m asking for a handout. I was promised these benefits when I enlisted.”

George said when he was in boot camp, he was required to set up a checking account with either the Pentagon Federal Credit Union or Bank of America. George chose Bank of America, which denied his request for a loan to make up for late VA payments.

“It’s not like I even want to take a loan when people owe me money,” he said, adding that nobody is answering his calls at the national VA education office in Omaha, Neb. and that he keeps getting a recorded message.

Nobody could be reached at the national VA office for comment. A recorded message explained that the office was, “getting an unprecedented number of claims.”

Not all student veterans have faced such difficulty. Moe Awobo, a City College dance student and seven year Air Force veteran, said that being in the military helped her overcome personal obstacles and get an education.

“My life was not going in a direction I liked. I was in a rut, my life had stalled,” Awobo said. “Now I’m definitely getting school paid for. It’s nice to be able to study what I love.”

City College student veteran Stuart Rhodes show four military branch emblems at a Mrach 3 meeting of the newly founded Veterans Alliance, where the club discussed designs for their logo. JOSEPH PHILLIPS / THE GUARDSMAN

According to the decision in Levy v. Brown — a 1993 case heard by the U.S. Court of Veteran’s Appeals — verbal agreements between a military recruiter and a recruit do not constitute an actual contract. Many people who speak with military recruiters on campus do not realize that, unlike their decision to serve as a soldier for eight years, promises made to them by recruiters are not legally binding.

“When I spoke to a recruiter, they told me that women don’t serve in combat and so I should not worry,” said Omaira Duran, a City College student considering enlistment in the military. “I know they sugarcoat everything, but if I actually don’t serve in combat, then I think it can be a good experience.”

Awobo said that the idea that women do not see combat is ridiculous.

“My recruiter was a female and she never told me that,” she said. “A lot of my homegirls have set foot in Baghdad and Afghanistan. Once you put on that uniform, there is no distinction. If they need a body, then you’re going.”

Campos argues policy may lead to racial profiling

By Fleur Bailey and Alex Emslie
The Guardsman

The Washington family listens as SFUSD Board of Education President Jane Kim (right) advocates for the Board of Supervisors sanctuary policy amendment at a March 1 press conference. Tracey Washington (left) and her two sons faced deportation after the 13-year-old boy (back) stole 46 cents. ICE granted them a 60-day extension on March 3. RAMSEY EL-QARE / THE GUARDSMAN

Attempts to modify San Francisco’s sanctuary ordinance, which would allow for greater protection from deportation of undocumented youth accused of criminal conduct, has stalled due to a conflict between the Board of Supervisors and the mayor’s office.

Supervisor David Campos is arguing that probation officers should only contact US Immigration and Customs Enforcement after a youth has been convicted of a felony and not at the time of booking.

Campos introduced an amendment to the ordinance on Aug. 18, 2009 and called for a public hearing at City Hall on March 4.

“I feel disappointed that we are in this position,” Campos said. “How is it that after a law was passed, we are here having to engage in a hearing? The immigration department gets it, that a procedure should be allowed. Even Washington gets it. We’re here today because the mayor’s office does not get the point.”

The Board of Supervisors passed the amendments to the ordinance for confidentiality of juveniles immigration status on Nov. 10, 2009, but it was vetoed by Mayor Gavin Newsom and has yet to be implemented.

William Siffermann, chief probation officer at the San Francisco Juvenile Probation Department, said they are only able to implement amendments to the ordinance if it complies with state and federal law, and had been advised by the City Attorney’s office that there may be legal implications in doing so.

“The department cannot modify the present practices of the policy,” Siffermann said. “We believe that modification would be breaking federal law.”

The JPD has a policy that allows its officers to notify ICE when they process someone and have reason to believe that person is not a U.S citizen, as long as that belief is not based solely on the person’s appearance or inability to speak English.

Siffermann said that officers may also report the presence of other possible undocumented youths in the area at the time of an arrest.

Campos then asked how a person would know if someone is undocumented, just from looking at them.

“Do you argue that people with Spanish surnames might be undocumented?” Campos said. “Do you see how that could lead to racial profiling?”

Siffermann said that while they provide equal treatment to all juveniles, he acknowledged that reporting immigrant youth at the time of booking could lead to racial profiling, but that this could be avoided with close supervision.

Speakers at the hearing included Charles Washington, whose 13-year-old stepson was reported to ICE after a minor bullying incident. The boy took 46 cents from another boy and under Newsom’s policy was reported to ICE immediately after his arrest. He was charged with robbery, assault and extortion, but ICE halted his juvenile court proceedings.

Washington’s wife and her two sons, 13 and five, were then to be deported back to Australia, despite the families eligibility for Lawful Permanent Resident Status. The Washington family shared their story with the press on March 1, just days before the hearing.

“I don’t think it’s fair for anyone, whether they’re American or not, to be reported for any reason just based upon the charges of something and not based upon conviction,” Washington said. “The mayor’s policy has brought unnecessary stress and hardship to our family.”

Federal authorities granted the family a 60-day extension to allow for their pending green card application on March 3. The 13-year-old boy’s juvenile case is still pending.

Gabriel Calvillo, president of the Juvenile Probation Officers Association said his officers are caught in the middle.

“No one wants to see families torn apart,” he said. “But you cannot blame the officers. If a young person is released and then later commits a crime, that officer is in hot water.”

One probation officer who spoke at the hearing said they have received training to ensure they conduct the process legally. She said they do not ask many questions, but they have to determine where the parents of the youth are and ask for the social security number to verify the child’s right for social services.

Angela Chan, staff attorney at the Asian Law Caucus, who has been representing the Washington family said she thinks the mayor’s policy exacerbates and compounds the existing policies of a broken immigration system.

“Until Mayor Newsom restores due process to all youth in San Francisco, many more hard-working families like the Washingtons will be torn apart,” she said.

By Don Clyde and Alex Emslie
The Guardsman

The board of trustees listens to City College student Maria Solorazano criticize a lack of administration transparency at the Feb. 25 meeting. ALEX EMSLIE / THE GUARDSMAN

The City College board of trustees passed a resolution Feb 25. to increase nonresident student fees by $4 — to $183 per unit — but did not notify the students affected by the raise.

“Every year state law requires the governing board of each district to establish nonresident tuition fee rates,” Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration Peter Goldstein said.

He said that for the past several years the administration has used methodology resulting in the smallest possible fee increases for nonresident students.

Chancellor Don Griffin and most of the board wanted to postpone a vote on the resolution to allow for student notification until trustee John Rizzo found that the California Education Code requires nonresident fee increases to be posted by Feb. 1.

“We just got an e-mail about some CCSF logo merchandise that students could purchase and we don’t get a district e-mail notifying students that are nonresident? Does this affect you? Does this concern you?” student trustee Josh Nielsen said.

After notification of the Feb. 1 date, Rizzo said he felt obligated to pass the resolution during the meeting. Trustee Steve Ngo said he was concerned that the board may be intentionally violating the law if the resolution was not passed.

Ngo tried to convince the board legal council, Ronald Lee, to find due process policy that would take precedence over the California Education Code before the end of the meeting.

“Students would be up in arms if you did vote on it now but didn’t share the information with the students,” Ryan Vanderpol, president of the Associated Students said to the board. “Maybe you could approve it now, it sounds like law requires you to approve it now, contingent on the fact that there is more communication.”

The resolution passed with a 4-to-2 vote with Nielsen and trustee Milton Marks III opposed. Trustees Steve Jackson and Lawrence Wong were not present for the vote.

“The law is the law,” City College student Maria Solorzano said after the board meeting. “But administration needs to pass along information to students. There has to be more transparency.”

Ngo said it was an important issue and that students should have been notified through some means.

“We need not just to notify but actively engage and have student participation in the decisions that matter, especially when it affects their pocketbook,” he said.

The next board meeting will be held on March 25 at 33 Gough in San Francisco.

Additional  outcomes from the board of trustees meeting

> Trustee Lawrence Wong announced that laying of the concrete foundation at the Chinatown/North Beach began Feb. 25.

> A Master Agreement between City College and The Foundation of City College was not signed. The foundation will have its own board meeting on March 16.

> Several Filipino students served by the Asian Pacific American Success Center voiced support for APASS. They felt they didn’t have a chance to speak at the student equity hearings when other Filipino students requested a separate counseling service specific to Filipinos and Pacific Islanders.

> Deena Samii, student coordinator for the City College book loan program, asked for some relief with soaring textbook costs, citing that new editions of textbooks with only minor content changes were not always necessary.

By Alex Emslie and Tania Cervantes
The Guardsman

Students from several San Francisco high schools unofficially renamed SF State’s Business Building the Oscar Grant Memorial Hall on March 4.

Activists climbed to the third floor and draped a banner with a picture of Oscar Grant as the crowd below erupted in applause. Grant was shot and killed on Jan. 1, 2009 by then BART police officer Johannes Mehserle.

“Communities of color lack access to education, and there is a high rate of violence in those communities,” SF State student Natalia Sanchez said. “The issues interlink — Oscar Grant, racism, police brutality and budget cuts.”

Sanchez helped organize the impromptu inauguration of the Oscar Grant Memorial Hall. She said the renaming was meant to signify that the university belongs to the people, including generations to come.

“This is an attack on public access to education for people in middle, working and economically poor classes of any color,” SF State Dean of ethnic studies Kenneth Monteiro said about the state of California public education. “But, because of how America is, it’s still disproportionate to people of color.”

After an unidentified high school student finalized the inauguration by cutting a ribbon stretched across the entrance to the building, Sanchez told the group, “Take your seat because the university is yours.”

By William Chamberlin, Alex Emslie and Greg Zeman
The Guardsman

More than 5,000 students, labor representatives and citizens concerned with California public education arrived at San Francisco Civic Center Plaza at 5 p.m. on March 5.

United Educators of San Francisco helped organize the San Francisco portion of a 40-California-county and 34-state cry against educational and labor budget cuts.

“Right now we are all suffering,” UESF President David Kelly said. “We don’t want to suffer anymore. We are here to change the priorities of California’s government.”
At the rally’s high point, the crowd swelled to approximately 10,000 and filled the plaza to Larkin Street.

“Look around you!,” Ocean campus Associated Students President Ryan Vanderpol shouted from the stage attached to a teamster semi. “If you are with me, you are outraged too!”

There were over 30 different community organizations on foot handing out flyers and signs.
There were dancers in assorted places through the crowd and even a girl walking by on stilts.

“I’m hoping that we can double or triple this for the March in March,” City College trustee Chris Jackson said. “We need that type of a movement to get these politicians to recognize that prisons are one thing and education is a whole separate other thing, and to prioritize prisons over education is an abomination.”

Numerous speakers at the rally encouraged students to sign petitions and vote to change California tax and budget policies they blamed for the current crisis in public sector funding.

Hal Hundsman, president of the City College Academic Senate, said the large turnout was indicative of the dire situation faced by state-funded schools.

“It reflects the fact that this is the most serious crisis in City College’s budget, ever,” Hundsman said. “You talk to people who have been at City College for forty years and they’ll tell you it’s never been this bad before. The state has never said, ‘we’re going to cut you’ like it has been.”

Some of the loudest voices at the rally came from a large group of SF State students.
“We do not have a future without an education,” SF State student Maisha Johnson said. “We cannot put this on the back burner.”

By Don Clyde and Robert Romano
The Guardsman

A coalition of students, activist groups, union members, faculty and curious onlookers peacefully protested tuition hikes and mandatory furloughs at UC Berkeley for the March 4 Strike and Day of Action, followed by a march to Oakland City Hall.

At noon, various protest groups from around the campus rallied at the intersection of Bancroft and Telegraph avenues, blocking traffic. UC Berkeley public information officer Andrew Frankel said the number of protesters swelled to about 1,000 during the rally.

Frankel said there were no altercations, arrests or incidents of violence on campus.

But over 150 activists were arrested after the rally at Frank Ogawa Plaza when a splinter group walked onto Interstate 880, snarling traffic, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

There were no other altercations during the march or rallies.

“Today we are sending a clear message to the UC administration and the state of California that we are going to fight all attacks on education,” graduate student and French instructor Blanca Misse said.

The protest was a stark contrast to the riots which erupted on Feb. 26 when about 200 students toppled trash cans and broke storefront windows on the south side of campus.

Approximately 100 protesters began blocking Sather Gate as early as 8 a.m., denying students a primary access point to classes from the south side of campus.

Protesters chanted various slogans, including “they say cut backs, we say fight back,” “chop from the top,” and “layoff Yudof,” referring to UC President Mark Yudof.

Tuition at UCs was increased 32 percent by the 2010-2011 school term, to over $10,000 per year due to state budget funding cuts to public education.

“You are seeing a whitening of the campus, and this has of course been in process since they canceled affirmative action,” protest organizer and first-year PhD anthropology student Callie Maidhof said. “These tuition hikes disproportionately affect students of color.”

Maidhof said many students would not be able to return to UC Berkeley due to rate increases.

“I get through Berkeley with a lot of loans,” Undeclared freshman Kevin Becerril said. “These hikes are going to increase my debt significantly.”

Eugene Pascual, a senior in political economy and media studies, who performed in a group Filipino folklore dance during the rally near campus, came with members of the Pilipino American Alliance, to show solidarity with all groups.

Pascual said it was especially necessary given the significant number of racially motivated incidents at UC campuses, including a noose found hanging in a library at UC San Diego and a swastika carved into a Jewish student’s dorm room door at UC Davis.

Berkeley environmental science and policy management research associate Michele Hammond said the liberal arts were being hit hardest because they do not have access to as many grants from private donors, as in the sciences. She said funding priorities are skewed.

“Any state that needs an amendment to the constitution that states we must fund public education as much as prisons is sick,” Hammond said.

Some students wanted to attend the protest but may have faced possible retribution from their instructors.

“I support the rally but still need to go to my classes,” environmental economics major Alisa Rudnick said. “I will join in after my schedule allows, but I can’t compromise my education for it.”

Rudnick said missing class for the rally would affect her grade negatively.

A group of around 20 students ran through several buildings trying to get students in classes to join the protest, but couldn’t convince many to join.

About 1,000 protesters began their four-mile march to Frank Ogawa Plaza at 12:45 p.m. Shop owners and residents along Telegraph ave. came out to show support for the march.

The march joined several hundred K-12 teachers, their students and Peralta Community College students already assembled at the plaza. A small delegation from Hosei University in Tokyo, Japan came to demonstrate their solidarity with the protesters.

After a number of speeches, spoken word and hip hop performances, the rally ended at 4 p.m. Many of the Berkeley protesters continued on to a massive demonstration at the San Francisco Civic Center Plaza.

By Hannah Weiner, Ramsey El-Qare and Alex Emslie
The Guardsman

Thousands of public education supporters amassed at San Francisco State University for the statewide March 4 Strike and Day of Action to send a stark message to California leaders: universities belong to students and the state should prioritize education for all.

About 30 picketers blocked the main path near SF State’s Humanities and Social Sciences Building until the group grew to hundreds and moved to 19th and Holloway avenues at about 9:30 a.m. At the same time, other groups of protesters blocked entrance to the Ethnic Studies and Business buildings.

“We have the ability to shut this place down,” art major Rachel Lasse said. “We don’t run it. It’s run by a bunch of war profiteers who don’t have our best interest in mind.”

Lasse hoped to graduate this semester, but SF State’s art program is impacted, meaning classes have been cut, and she couldn’t get into the courses she needs.

Bay Area March 4 actions grew out of a meeting at UC Berkeley in October 2009, where more than 800 delegates from northern California colleges, labor organizations and other supporters formed a coalition to fight budget crises afflicting all levels of public education. That umbrella organization, dubbed The General Assembly, spawned branch general assemblies at universities across California.

By 11:30 a.m., a group of 200 protesters on 19th Avenue moved into the street, blocking traffic for roughly half an hour before 30 San Francisco Police Department officers pushed the crowd back onto the sidewalk.

“The biggest change I want to see is proper funding for education. And not just higher education, but K-12 education too,” said Bobby Farlice, who has been an Education Opportunity Program adviser at SF State for 25 years. “I think Sacramento has got to acknowledge this. It’s too big and too noisy not to.”

“It’s a historic day,” Jerald Reocica said. “It really shows the power of organization.”

Despite his full-time job at San Francisco General Hospital, increased tuition at SF State has forced graduate student Reocica to become a part-time student.

“It’s not a funding crisis, it’s a priority crisis,” SF State student Wes Vasquez said. “California is number one in prison spending and number 48 in education spending.”

Not all students chose to participate in the March 4 events.

“I was studying the whole time today,” SF State student Connie Wu said. “It should have been on a weekend instead of a weekday.”

Another student who refused to give her name said, “I agree with what they’re doing, but I have to get to class. I’ve just got to get to class.”

Protesters booed anybody who crossed their picket lines.

“We need to alter the routine, because our routine has been altered,” said theater arts professor Carlos Baron, adding that he was disappointed in the instructors who didn’t cancel their classes on March 4.

“The professors who didn’t shut down class are like the people playing violin on the Titanic,” ethnic studies professor Jason Ferriera said. “They either have a boat waiting for them or they are just totally oblivious.”

Shortly after noon, the scattered clusters of protesters met at Malcolm X Plaza to create one massive crowd of about 2,000 people. Organizers entertained the crowd with spoken-word poetry and political theater, highlighted by a battle between the Draculator – representing Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as a vampire sucking the blood from California students and universities – and the vampire slayer, played by SF State alumna Nadia Conrad.

SF State protesters began to leave the campus at about 3 p.m. to join a massive rally at the San Francisco Civic Center.

See Civic Center Story

By Greg Zeman
The Guardsman

After months of organizing and preparation, the united students, faculty and staff of the City College General Assembly joined with thousands of Californians who took to the streets on March 4 to speak with one voice and demand free access to education.

GA organizer and City College pre-nursing student Gemma Mirkinson used a megaphone to notify students of the noon rally at Ram Amphitheater.

“It’s up to us as students to demand our education. Sacramento is not giving it to us, the federal government has decided to bail out Wall Street — rather than people on Main Street, rather than people in the schools,” Mirkinson said. “We are spending trillions of dollars on wars, and in California’s budget, ten percent goes to prisons and five percent goes to schools. What does that say? That California is more interested in sending our children to prison than educating them.”

She said California’s struggle was just one piece of a national issue.

“As we speak, K through 12 students, from ages 5-years old to 18, are walking out of their campuses,” Mirkinson said. “All over the state, all over the country, it’s happening. My brother just called me from New York and said all the schools are shut down. Brooklyn College, Hunter, NYU — it’s awesome.”

Chancellor Don Griffin indicated his full support of the March 4 Strike and Day of Action, saying his office and the student movement are “united in terms of demanding a better funding structure for colleges.”

“We need March 4 because we have to have strong advocacy for the community colleges, and the strongest group that can advocate is of course the students,” he said.

At roughly 11 a.m., City College Associated Students Senator “Diamond” Dave Whitaker, 72, kicked off the unified day of action with a parade, leading a 12-piece, brass band from Ram Plaza on a march around the campus to spread the word about the rally.

“I hope everyone has a good time, gets into it and realizes what’s going on.” Whitaker said with a smile. “We’re going to change the shape of the world!”

As the small, pre-rally march reached the Cloud-Science Mall, the group stopped to encourage students to attend the rally while the band played a refrain of “Get Up, Stand Up” by Bob Marley.

“Walk out today to have class tomorrow,” said student Andrew Todd.
Approximately 300 students were gathered at Ram Amphitheater for the start of the rally. Some participated in drum circles, some sat on the steps and others just enjoyed the free spaghetti meal provided by the GA.

Michael Brandt, GA organizer and member of City College Veterans Alliance said this was a crucial part of the rally.

“This is a feast. We’re trying to give everyone energy to rally, energy to speak and do whatever they want to do,” Brandt said.

He said the GA gathered the food the previous week from farmers’ markets and donations, including one Whitaker secured from Food Not Bombs.

Abel Mejia, a City College political science student and member of Students United for Power, stressed the need for community college students to embrace the fight for education.

“With the recent wave of occupations at the UCs, they’re challenging the power relations between students and the people who have control over the budget,” he said. “But the CSUs and UCs can do all they want, all these occupations, but as long as the CCs aren’t in the struggle, the student movement isn’t going nowhere.”

The crowd, which grew to approximately 450 by 1:45 p.m., marched back to the Cloud-Science Mall after the speak-outs and entered Cloud Hall, moving loudly through the hallway chanting and encouraging students to walk out of class.

The crowd slowed their march when they entered the Science Building and screamed, “Walkout!” into classrooms.

Some faculty held up their fists and encouraged the marching students while others slammed their doors.

It was widely known that the group had planned to enter BART at Balboa Park Station, with or without paying the fare, and organizers received word that the police were waiting for them there.

The marchers moved through the Rosenberg Library and onto Circular Avenue in an attempt to bypass the police by using Glen Park Station as their entry point.

There were roughly 30 police officers waiting at Glen Park Station. Students demanded entrance and passage on BART free of charge, chanting, “BART and MUNI should be free.”

GA organizer Xochitl Moreno handed a megaphone to Dean of Student Affairs Rodney Santos and asked him to explain to police why some City College students couldn’t afford the BART fare.

Santos volunteered to pay for students who couldn’t afford the fare out of his own pocket, and all of the marchers then entered the station.

“That’s chopping from the top,” Santos said.

The group rallied and chanted all the way to Mission and 24th on what Whitaker dubbed the “Freedom Train.”

When marchers finally stepped into the light at Mission and 24th streets, they were greeted by nearly 2,000 students, teachers and supporters already flooding the streets and completely blocking the intersection. The sound of drums and hopeful slogans echoed through the Mission as the massive crowd headed for Civic Center Plaza.

At 20th and Mission streets, about 100 students from Lincoln High School joined the crowd, and marchers with bullhorns and banners poured out from doorways on every block. Small children ran out with handmade signs to join the protest.

By the time the marchers reached Civic Center Plaza, their numbers had grown to more than 3,000 —less than half of the approximately 10,000 Californians who filled the plaza and covered the steps of City Hall.