FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:
Linda, Action in Defense of Education, 213-479-8854
aide (at) riseup.net

Matt Johnson, Will Parrish, Tent University, 831-247-9641
tuscstudents (at) gmail.com


18 Arrested at Peaceful Student Demonstration at UC Santa Cruz Students Demand an End to Cuts, Reprioritization of Education in State Budget

Santa Cruz, CA, April 19, 2005 – Protesting school budget cuts in conjunction with a state-wide day of "Action in Defense of Education", Tent University's peaceful student demonstrators were violently arrested late last night at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Saying no to student fee increases, unlivable wages for campus workers, and demanding representation in their school, 18 peaceful protesters spent the night in jail after riot police stormed the site with little warning from the school administrators. Tent University, a simultaneous event with Rutgers University and the University of Missouri remains committed to maintaining the week-long space for alternative learning, "We were peacefully demonstrating and were met with outrageous violence, all because we were protesting budget cuts. We are all angry at the behavior of the administration but students all over California are with us and we will continue the fight for a better education," said Matt Johnson, a Tent University organizer.

At 5am, students were still awaiting release from Santa Cruz county jail with charges left undetermined. Organizers intend to go on with plans for Tent U as scheduled amidst an outpouring of massive community support. Today, UCSC faculty is set to lead their classes there rather than in their classrooms; representatives of various community organizations and movements will hold teach-ins and workshops; and students will teach their own classes on a wide variety of subjects.

"Tent U is a powerful form of resistance to the UC system and an opportunity to create the world we wish to see through directly democratic spaces. The administration has continually refused to respond to our needs and this week, along with over 25 schools all over California, students, faculty, staff, and community members are coming together to make ourselves heard," said Linda Salinas, student organizer with Action in Defense of Education.

Tent University – Santa Cruz is set to coincide with April 20, a state-wide day of action to protest cuts to higher education, continuing fee hikes, and holding back Proposition 98 funds for K-14. The April 20 day of action was called by Action In Defense of Education (AIDE), a statewide coalition of students from Community Colleges, Cal State, and University of California. Actions will be taking place in San Diego, Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, San Jose, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Berkeley. Contact AIDE media for info on local actions.

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