Across California last week, CFT members participated in various events associated with the "Week of Action.  Above, AFT members from the San Diego Community College District and their students listened to local president Jim Mahler as they took part in a protest in front of Republican Legislator Nathan Fletcher's office. The students delivered a huge gold-painted brick, symbolizing the money that goes into tax cuts for the rich instead of classrooms due to the "no new taxes" pledge taken by Fletcher and other Republican Legislators.  Photos by Jim Miller

May 13, 2011, San Diego—San Diego and Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College students, faculty, staff and their community allies protested at Nathan Fletcher’s office to demand he support the extension of current taxes and progressive tax measures such as a 1% increase on the top 1% of earners in California.   As Fletcher engaged in a “discussion” about education with a crowd of Republican party activists all sporting “Fletcher for Education” t-shirts, our students held their demonstration about 100 feet away.

“We’re not here for the “official” event,” one of our speakers said, “we’re here for the truth!  There is no way you can support a no new taxes pledge and say you support education.”  Other speakers noted that the Republicans’ proposed budget relies on “smoke and mirrors and cruelty” by combining overly optimistic assumptions about future revenue with draconian cuts in services to the poor, the mentally disabled, the elderly, and children.

“You can’t say you are helping students when you cut social services,” said Maurice Martin, a San Diego City College Student and veteran.  “My fellow students and their families rely on those services.  We don’t want to throw other folks under the bus to save our own hides.”

“Why won’t Nathan Fletcher let the people vote?” asked City College student José Rodriguez, referring to his refusal to vote to put the tax extensions on a statewide ballot..  “We are supposed to be a democracy!”  Rodriguez was joined by part-time professors who will soon be on unemployment insurance because of the cancellation of summer school, parents of children in local K-12 schools, and religious leaders.

During the protest the students were frequently heckled by Fletcher supporters with taunts and insults like “get a job” and “how much do you pay in taxes?”

AFT 1931 President Jim Mahler wrapped up the protest by rallying the crowd to go break up Fletcher’s party and the students obliged by picking up the giant gold brick they had crafted to symbolize the gold they don’t have but could be gotten by taxing the rich via a fair tax system.  At that point Fletcher quickly ended his event and scurried inside rather than engaging in that “discussion.”

Jim Miller

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