California March 4th Protests: 'Berkeley Pre-Game Communiqué'

At the Marxist In These Times, "Calif. Unions Step Up Opposition to Public Education Gutting."

Students and workers in California’s public schools—K-12 and higher education—will protest against deep budget cuts on Thursday, March 4.

“We have never before witnessed this much participation and outrage about the dismal state of education on our state campuses and in our public schools,” says Lillian Taiz, president of the California Faculty Association (CFA), a labor union which represents a total of 23,000 tenured and tenure-track instructional faculty, lecturers, librarians, coaches and counselors in the 23-campus California State University. “The call for March 4 protests has hit a nerve. It’s an historic moment.”

In California and across the U.S., tax revenues have slowed sharply after the housing market crash. K-12 spending cuts of $18 billion in the past two years have closed California schools and forced local districts to fire employees. With a $20 billion state budget deficit now, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing education cuts of $2.5 billion, while vowing to protect California’s public school students.

“Our message is simple: legislators must protect and expand the budget for public education with adequate funding,” said Kevin Wehr, a sociology professor at Sacramento State University and CFA campus president.

RTWT. My union, CTA, is cited.

Plus, at the Sacramento Bee, "Five UC Students Protesting Budget Cuts Are Arrested at Capitol."

And get this: The revolution goes mainstream at Huffington Post, "California Student Strike: Send Us Your Videos & Photos."

RELATED: Occupy California, "UCB Occupied!"