For the last two and a half years at Scotts Valley High School, teachers have been fighting intolerance targeted specifically at LGBTI & Questioning students, out teachers, and allies. Teachers have placed posters regarding respect for the LGBT community in their classrooms; there have been PA announcements sponsored by the student diversity group regarding LGBT community events; and in-class distribution of the SVHS student newspaper, which has run student-written editorials representing both sides of various LGBT issues.

A parent, Mr. D'Andrea, whose child attends SVHS, is working closely with the right-wing Pacific Justice Institute. He has now threatened to sue the district over its supposed promotion of a "gay agenda."

There is a special board meeting that has been called for Feb 7 at 6:00 pm at Scotts Valley High School's Student Union.

Anti-gay activists have vowed to show up in force. Your presence during this special meeting will show that there is support for a safe learning environment for all students.

[ Leer mas en espanol I Request from an openly gay teacher at SVHS ]

Resources: [ California Student Safety and Violence Prevention I Make It Real I California Safe Schools Coalition I Safe Schools Project of SCC ]

The three Salinas Public Libraries will close for an indefinite period of time soon after January 1, 2005. According to the website for the Salinas Public Libraries, these closures are part of the 9.2 million dollars in the service reductions incurred by the City of Salinas due to loss of revenues from the State of California, higher fees imposed by Monterey County, slower than expected economic recovery, and increased costs of employee health insurance and retirement benefits. Exact dates and details are to be determined. The Salinas Public Libraries may close in July, 2005 according to an interview on KCRW with Anna Caballero, Mayor of Salinas.

Reduced Hours Effective January 11, 2005

Audio: Salinas City Concil Votes to Shutter Libraries

[ Salinas Public Library I Friends of the Salinas Public Library ]

On Wednesday, November 10, hundreds of people demonstrated and bargined at UC Santa Cruz for better wages and working conditions for AFSCME members at the nine University of California (UC) campuses and five medical centers. Local 3299 AFSCME members (American, Federal, State, County and Municipal Employees) are employed by the UC to serve food; clean bathrooms, dorms, labs, offices, and hospitals; drive shuttle buses, and park cars.

In addition to a large rally in the Baytree Plaza, AFSCME workers, UC students and community members entered the bargining meeting that took place in Conference Room D above the Baytree Bookstore.

The rally and bargining meeting effectively demonstrated that AFSCME workers, UC students and members of the Santa Cruz community, including Mardi Wormhoudt, the Chair of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, and newly elected Santa Cruz City Council member Tony Madrigal, are committed to improving the working conditions for service workers in the UC system.

Photos: [ Workers, Students and Community Members Rally in Baytree Plaza I Estudiantes y Trabajadores Undios a UCSC ]

Audio: UC Bargining Committee Hears from Workers and Supporters

Previous IMC Coverage: [ (5/20/04) UC Workers Hold Statewide Marches I (10/17/04) UC Service Workers Converge on Berkeley Campus ]

I asked my ridiculously well informed friend to write this article for me according to this prompt:

"David, no one gives a fuck about voting. So what the hell do you tell someone? I know I could rave on about women's rights/human rights and issues pertaining to that, but what the hell do you tell some overprivileged, unaware, probably half-drunk probably white probably male college kid who has probably never had to work or earn his way... how do you stoke something in that person, to vote?"

This is what he so eloquently replied with: Read the full reply...

see related articles: [ Why I'm not voting for Emily Reilly I Anyone going out on Nov. 3rd? I Liberation News Voter Recommendations I FRSC and Critical Mass Radio Network - sElection 2004 I Election Special: Behind California's Proposition 66 I Old Enough to Care, Too Young to Vote I Mark Fogel hates the homeless I Dump the Kennedy Council I City Council candidates interviewed on FRSC! I 16 propositions, 1 ballot. Confused? Last-minute links and info for voters. ]

Over two dozen Bay Area students and youth will walk from San Jose State University to UC Berkeley to San Francisco State University from Sept. 15-22 to dramatize their concern for the future of education in California. Along the way, they will visit a total of 17 different California State Universities, community colleges, and private colleges, to dialogue with the students, faculty, staff, and community members at those campuses and build a person-by-person understanding of the myriad ways the state’s failed budget priorities are impacting its citizens.

The walk will conclude with a special appearance at the UC Regents meeting in San Francisco on September 22. The long-term vision of the "Education Rising" campaign is the creation of a "union" for students. This union, based on a structure of deep participatory democracy, will serve as a political voice for all those who care about education and youth rights.

Audio Interview and Photos from the March for Education
Audio: March for Education

Related story from June 2004: UCSC Students Step Toward Peace

Part 5 of 5 - Community Response to UTU March.

Friday, Oct. 7, 2005 - Continuing the hard-fought struggle to support local bus drivers on strike, hundreds of students and workers from UC Santa Cruz, as well as many community members, held a brief rally at the base of the UCSC campus before embarking upon a highly visible and chant-filled march to the downtown Metro Center.

Once at the Metro Center, a rally and speak-out was held to discuss the bus drivers' struggle and the great deal of solidarity between various sectors of the community. After many complaints of the Santa Cruz Sentinel's poor coverage of the strike, the community marched over to the Sentinel's offices to greet the origins of their frusteration.

Friday's action, organized by the Student and Worker Coalition for Justice (SWCJ), has been the strongest show of support in the almost two week-old strike. Early last week, students and workers descended on Mike Rotkin's office, leading to his denouncement of the Transit Board's decision that led to the strike. A few days later, a College Republican attempt at an anti-worker rally sank amidst overwhelming UTU solidarity.

Rotkin has called for an emergency Transit Board meeting Tuesday.

Part 2 of 5 - UTU Solidarity March.

Friday, Oct. 7, 2005 - Continuing the hard-fought struggle to support local bus drivers on strike, hundreds of students and workers from UC Santa Cruz, as well as many community members, held a brief rally at the base of the UCSC campus before embarking upon a highly visible and chant-filled march to the downtown Metro Center.

Once at the Metro Center, a rally and speak-out was held to discuss the bus drivers' struggle and the great deal of solidarity between various sectors of the community. After many complaints of the Santa Cruz Sentinel's poor coverage of the strike, the community marched over to the Sentinel's offices to greet the origins of their frusteration.

Friday's action, organized by the Student and Worker Coalition for Justice (SWCJ), has been the strongest show of support in the almost two week-old strike. Early last week, students and workers descended on Mike Rotkin's office, leading to his denouncement of the Transit Board's decision that led to the strike. A few days later, a College Republican attempt at an anti-worker rally sank amidst overwhelming UTU solidarity.

Rotkin has called for an emergency Transit Board meeting Tuesday.

On Friday Oct 7, 2005 from 4PM-6:30PM the workers and students marched from the base of the UCSC Campus to the Metro Center and then to the Sentinel.

On the evening of October 6, a solidarity rally for sriking bus drivers was held at the downtown Metro Center. Members of a whole range of unions spoke about their support for the bus drivers. Tim Fitmaurice, a member of the city council, expressed support for the bus drivers. Javier from the Student and Worker Coalition for Justice (SWCJ) at UCSC spoke about support from the students. Emily Riely was the only member of the Transit Board at the rally.

The 12th Annual Peace & Unity March will be held at the Downtown Plaza, in Watsonville, California, on Sunday, October 16th, 2005. The rally begins at 11:00 A.M. and the march begins at 1:00 P.M.