C I T Y C O L L E G E O F S A N F R A N C I S C O ’ S N E W S PA P E R S I N C E 1 9 3 5
Volume 153, Issue 4
TheGuardsman.com
March 7- April 3, 2012
OCCUPY TAKES THE CAPITOL THOUSANDS STORM SACRAMENTO TO SAVE EDUCATION
By Thomas Figg-Hoblyn THE GUARDSMAN
Public education is under assault in California. Budget cuts, course cuts, teacher layoffs, dilapidated facilities and overcrowding — the hemorrhaging has increased year after year. In an all-out effort to get officials to listen, folks from all across the state stormed the Capitol on March 5 in what has become known as the “March in March.” This year a new wrinkle has appeared, as the Occupy movement joined the March in March. And the stakes have never been higher. According to the Los Angeles Times, the California community college system has slashed thousands of classes from their schedules and this fall up to 400,000 students
ON THE INSIDE
will be denied access. So far this year, 96 classes were cut midsemester at City College, many long after students had already bought their books and begun turning in their homework. Chancellor Don Griffin publicly acknowledged that the cuts hitting the school were the worst it has ever faced since its inception in 1935, in a board meeting discussion concerning the march. In its sixth year, the protests began on March 1 and in San Francisco a rally was held downtown. “I’m here to support my wife, who’s a teacher, and my kids,” said rally supporter and San Francisco Supervisor John Avalos. “I think that we can actually make history this year and win a ballot measure to pay for education.”
FLY BENZO AQUITTED OF CHARGES -PAGE 2
MARCH Page 6
ESCAPE FROM CITY COLLEGE -PAGE 5
ROCK OUT WITH ROCK MUSICAL -PAGE 8
RAMS BASKETBALL DEFEATED -PAGE 12