Last Friday at exactly 8:55 a.m. students at Hamilton High School walked out of their classes to protest school budget cuts and potential Los Angeles Unified School District teacher lay-offs.
Students gathered on the quad to walk out of campus and march around the school, following the marching band. The entire school united to protest what they feel strongly about–their education.
The main goal of this protest was to make a statement to state legislators and the people of California that students in the Los Angeles Unified School District care about their education, arts, electives, and most of all their teachers.
Students said they were trying to get the attention of state legislators who were suppose to vote on making a special ballot to allow the voters of California to vote “Yes” or “No” for tax extensions, which will help determine whether schools will face severe budget cuts.
Gov. Jerry Brown is working to procure the four Republican votes needed to allow for a special election to take place this June. Students at Hamilton High School have also reached out to Republicans through a fax-a-thon, e-mails, letters, and constant phone calls.
The efforts all started Friday March 11, when students heard that their beloved teachers had received pink slips, which basically means that their jobs are threatened and not guaranteed for next year. Pupils in the Music Academy and Humanities Magnets were first to react.
Sophie Trauberman, a senior at Hamilton High, and organizer of the protest, made the Facebook event that started with 200 attendees and turned into more than 2,000 people who all attended the March 18 rally.
The event today was not a school sanctioned event, however many students agreed with Sophie when she said, “It is up to us to do it, because this is our education and we’re the future.”
This walk-out, protest, and rally were completely organized by the student leaders of Hamilton High School. Portia Amofa, Associated Student Body president stated, “This is the first of many more movements.”
Olivia Natt, a senior student in the Humanities magnet, transferred from an all-girl private school in the ninth grade and immediately found her community here. “I am so much better off here on a public institution at a magnet than anywhere else.”
Alexander Hamilton High is one of the most diverse LAUSD campuses, and the state legislators are trying to take away what matters the most, calm protest participants who marched peacefully around the school holding signs reading “Cuts hurt kids,” “Let the people decide,” and “No teacher = No education.”
Parents also participated in the event, marching around the campus with students all chanting “Save Our Schools.”
This walk-out is one protest of many more to come, not only from the campus of Hamilton High but from other campuses in LAUSD and beyond this district, say organizers.
