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About 200 teachers, community members and a few students marched from Los Angeles City Hall to LAUSD district headquarters Tuesday in the Occupy LAUSD protest. The marchers were protesting to lower class sizes, re-hire teachers, counselors, nurses, office workers and librarians who have lost their jobs because of budget cuts. The organizers said that LAUSD has a $55 million surplus and should use that money to re-hire some of those who lost their jobs. Two teen reporters from L.A. Youth attended the march and rally and we also interviewed three teens from Roosevelt High School who came to support their teachers.
L.A. Youth writer Jazmine Mendoza, 16, Valley Regional HS #5 (San Fernando)
Why did you want to come?
“I really wanted to come because I’ve been in those classes that are too crowded, and dirty because we don’t have custodians. I want to see change. We see the teachers struggle.”
What did you think about the lack of students?
“I am surprised that there aren’t that many students. We’re the ones being affected but not a lot of us came. I hope the district realizes this isn’t one school being affected by the layoffs and getting made worse, it’s many schools.”
What were your overall impressions?
“Everybody seemed really dedicated and they laid down their demands, which were reasonable. I’ve seen good teachers getting laid off and libraries without staff at my old school, Sylmar High.”
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L.A. Youth writer Nicholas Robinson, 16, Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts
Why did you want to come?
“I believe that it’s important for students to be involved in their education. And it didn’t hurt that the protest was happening within walking distance from my school.”
Was there anything surprising?
“I thought that the messages that they were sending were fairly mixed and strange. While I agreed with the general message to bring back teachers, custodians, nurses, etc., I thought the more extreme members of the group were off-putting. Some of the protesters were shouting about the destruction of capitalism, which is something I don’t agree with.”
What did you think about the lack of students?
“I was disappointed; I was hoping that students would care more for the state of their education. I think that might have to do with the lack of an effort to get the word out. I didn’t hear any of my teachers mention the protest. I understand that students can be very busy and might not have time to come to these events like I did, but it would have been nice. The protests mentioned the students on various occasions, but I thought to myself, It would be nice to SEE some of these students. I did appreciate the enthusiasm of the few teens that were there, but it did make me want to see more.”
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Roosevelt High students Jessica Castillo, 16, Sergio Hernandez, 16 and Steven Diaz, 17, joined some of their teachers at the Occupy LAUSD march on Oct. 18.
Steven Diaz, 17, Roosevelt HS
What do you think about the Occupy LAUSD march?
“I don’t agree with the budget cuts that hurt students’ ability to get the right classes they need to go to college. I see math classes with 30-something students and a teacher can’t pay much attention to you.”
Why did you come today?
“I came here because students need to show that they’re involved too. They want a good education.”
Sergio Hernandez, 16, Roosevelt HS
What do you think about the Occupy LAUSD march?
“Too many of our teachers are getting fired or moved to other schools. When they leave it’s like they’re taking one of our family members away.”
Why did you come today?
“Students are getting affected by this. Students are aware of what’s going on and it’s important to them.”
Jessica Castillo, 16, Roosevelt HS
What do you think about the Occupy LAUSD march?
“I don’t agree with the budget cuts and what they’re doing to our teachers and students. We’re the generation that’s coming up next and if they don’t take care of us how do they expect us to take care of our country?”
Why did you come today?
“We need to show them that the students care. Budget cuts hurt us as much as they hurt everybody else.”