Manual Art’s Walk out Eyewitness account
The students at Manual Arts have been organizing for only 1 day before March 4th. A member of the LA M4 committee gave a student a flyer and on March 3rd there was a meeting of 6 students and an organizer explaining the risks, strategies and the possibility of a walk-out the next day. They all agreed to “go for it”. The next day the police were surrounding the school. On the flyers passed out the students called for “No Layoffs, Schools Not Jails and ‘Fuck Room 190”. Room 190 was organized by a former parole officer. If a student is late to first period they could be sent to room 190 for the WHOLE DAY without being able to talk to their classmates in the room. Even during lunch time they are forced to stand separately from their classmates and are sent back to the room. ‘Fuck room 190’ inspired many of them to walk out.
The day of the students inside reported extreme police and administration surveillance. LA M4 organizers were told the students would have an easier time walking out if one of the organizers came inside. The organizer entered the school legally and hid in the room with the assistance of staff on the inside. When the lunch bell rang she found a group of supportive students. The administration and the police harassed the students and the organizer but could not stop flood of students running through the halls of Manual Arts chanting “walk out”.
The students at Manual Arts have been organizing for only 1 day before March 4th. A member of the LA M4 committee gave a student a flyer and on March 3rd there was a meeting of 6 students and an organizer explaining the risks, strategies and the possibility of a walk-out the next day. They all agreed to “go for it”. The next day the police were surrounding the school. On the flyers passed out the students called for “No Layoffs, Schools Not Jails and ‘Fuck Room 190”. Room 190 was organized by a former parole officer. If a student is late to first period they could be sent to room 190 for the WHOLE DAY without being able to talk to their classmates in the room. Even during lunch time they are forced to stand separately from their classmates and are sent back to the room. ‘Fuck room 190’ inspired many of them to walk out.
The day of the students inside reported extreme police and administration surveillance. LA M4 organizers were told the students would have an easier time walking out if one of the organizers came inside. The organizer entered the school legally and hid in the room with the assistance of staff on the inside. When the lunch bell rang she found a group of supportive students. The administration and the police harassed the students and the organizer but could not stop flood of students running through the halls of Manual Arts chanting “walk out”.
Students brushed past the administration and police and flooded the streets. The students marched down the street Vermont and King. 6 police cars and bike police followed. The students were unfazed marching through the streets and around West Adams High school to get the students out. The students at West Adams were on “lock down” and could not leave however they managed to get signs into the school and post them on the windows as a message to solidarity. During the march the students shared the bullhorn to inspire the traffic they stopped to honk their horns. When the police rang their sirens for the students to go faster the students rang the bullhorn siren in return chanting “Fuck the police” and blowing the siren in the bike cops ears.
Through the 3 mile walk students would come up to me (an older non-student) and ask me if they could leave. I said, “Sure, you are a free person and you walked out because it was your own choice”. Their peers would then say, “Fool this is about our education! We didn’t walk out to play around come on lets go!” The students always ended up staying. We passed some cynical cholos who scoffed at their protest. The students teased them calling them “Cholos sin barrios” (Gangsters without a gang). We marched ahead.
Here is a picture of them with a banner they made. They were a spirited group and discussed fighting back for their education and confronting the police. Ironically when we arrived a Pershing Square the students started chanting “Manual Toilers” The name of their school. Their energy was welcomed by the crowd as we approached. They were not alone- at least 540 students out maneuvered, were supported or broke out of school to demonstrate. Thanks to the daring and humor from Manual Arts High and all other students who walked the streets for to protest. Solidarity with Manual Arts and all students who walked out. Fuck Room 190- Schools Not Prisons, No Layoffs.
Through the 3 mile walk students would come up to me (an older non-student) and ask me if they could leave. I said, “Sure, you are a free person and you walked out because it was your own choice”. Their peers would then say, “Fool this is about our education! We didn’t walk out to play around come on lets go!” The students always ended up staying. We passed some cynical cholos who scoffed at their protest. The students teased them calling them “Cholos sin barrios” (Gangsters without a gang). We marched ahead.
Here is a picture of them with a banner they made. They were a spirited group and discussed fighting back for their education and confronting the police. Ironically when we arrived a Pershing Square the students started chanting “Manual Toilers” The name of their school. Their energy was welcomed by the crowd as we approached. They were not alone- at least 540 students out maneuvered, were supported or broke out of school to demonstrate. Thanks to the daring and humor from Manual Arts High and all other students who walked the streets for to protest. Solidarity with Manual Arts and all students who walked out. Fuck Room 190- Schools Not Prisons, No Layoffs.
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