Massive Protests Target Education Budget Cuts
"Day of Action" protests hit the Los Angeles region Thursday, with concerned parents, teachers and students demonstrating against education cuts that will likely reach from kindergarten through postgraduate studies. Marchers gathered at elementary schools, colleges and universities.
Kim Daniels / Courtesy Neon Tommy Demonstrators at UCLA.
Most of the demonstrators aimed at state cuts that would hit the entire education system in California, from public K-12 schools to the UC system. As such, protesters gathered outside the Ronald Reagan State Building downtown, at UCLA, Cal State Northridge (site of a walkout), and at Los Angeles Unified School District campuses across the area.
At UCLA students sat in the middle of the administration building, Murphy Hall, to demand lower fees. California is facing a $20 billion deficit, with some protesters believing that $2.5 billion will be cut from educate to help alleviate the red ink. (A governor's spokesman says educating funding will be at or above last year's levels).
UC students, however, will face massive fee hikes in the next few years, with $10,000 a year in costs expected.
According to Neon Tommy, four people were reportedly hit by cars trying to cross a road that was blockaded by protesters at UC Santa Cruz. The university shut down its campus for the day as a preventative measure.
Facing its own budget mess, the LAUSD this week began the process of cutting 5,200 jobs.
Check out more in-depth coverage at Neon Tommy.
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