CSUS students to defend public education

Public education advocates will take to the streets and campuses across the state Thursday for a Day of Action, designed to highlight cuts to schools from kindergarten through college.

A demonstration is set on the quad at California State University, Stanislaus, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. A student group called Warriors Fight Back has established a Facebook page encouraging students to walk out of their classes at that time.

The local chapter of the California Faculty Association will have a booth set up on campus in the early days of the week, publicizing the March 4th Strike and Day of Action, President John Sarraillé said.

"CFA's goal is to focus attention on how much the future prosperity of California depends on maintaining access to our schools, colleges and universities," he said.

Student organizer Celeste Mitchell said the goal at CSU, Stanislaus "is to bring awareness to public education."

Last year, the school made $13.5 million worth of spending cuts and fee increases, which included staff and faculty furloughs, layoffs, and reduced class offerings and services. They were intended to balance the school's budget amid funding cutbacks from the state.

There will be a number of visual elements to Thursday's events, including a large clothesline with items clipped to it representing classes lost and what students have gained from the state university system.

"It's going to be called 'airing out the CSU's laundry,' " Mitchell said.

Activities on campus Thursday will include presentations of various kinds, a bake sale for education, a "work-for-your-ice-cream" booth, and displays by programs such as athletics, kinesiology, art, music and theater.

"We will also have speakers talking about the important things the CSU does, the cuts and losses we have sustained, the further cuts and losses that threaten us, and the things we can and should do to help get ourselves out of the difficulties we face," Sarraillé said.

Organizers said goals include reversing higher education budget cuts, restoring classes that have been cut, and bringing back faculty and staff. Locally, the group wants to bring back winter term, which will be eliminated at the campus in 2011.

A booth featuring a large telephone will offer contact information for state legislators and Gov. Schwarzenegger so people can let them know how important it is to fund public education.

The movement has spread beyond California. The California Faculty Association said organizations have planned similar actions in 17 other states, from Massachusetts to Texas to Washington.

Rallies, demonstrations, sit-ins and marches are planned on or near all 23 California State University campuses, which have experienced more than $1 billion in funding cuts over two years, the union said.

The California Federation of Teachers plans to follow Thursday's demonstrations with a six-week march from Bakersfield to the state Capitol in Sacramento.

Mitchell said it's not easy to get attention at a small campus such as CSU, Stanislaus, but her group is trying to make a big statement.

"We're sort of in the middle of nowhere," she said. "We want the community to become aware of what's going on right in their area."

Bee staff writer Patty Guerra can be reached at pguerra@modbee.com or 578-2343.