Because of public pressure, our solidarity campaign has won a partial victory popular teacher Brett Rogers was TEMPORARILY REINSTATED Tuesday at Foster High School in Tukwila, Washington!
However, the disciplinary investigations of teachers have continued, and some of the teachers are still in their probationary period. So pressure must be put on the school district to make sure the Tukwila six teachers keep their jobs not only this year but also next year.
The school administrators also completely over-reacted and brought in 8 police in black, intimidating uniforms on November 28th to disperse and break up a peaceful student meeting! The few remaining students were forced to scramble to meet in a restaurant off campus. Police also swarmed Socialist Alternative activist Ramy Khalil and threatened to arrest him if he broke any school rules and did not leave school property.
The Principal threatened to suspend one student simply for talking about the threat their teachers are facing!
The Principal also tore down students’ posters!
These are blatant violations of students’ Constitutional rights to freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of assembly!
Yet, in spite of this harsh, illegal police crackdown, students are nonetheless are organizing a Youth Agaisnt War and Racism organization at Foster High School to fight for their right to free speech and to make sure their teachers get to keep their jobs!
Support the students and teachers! Don’t let the administrators get away with this!
URGENT CALL FOR SOLIDARITY: KEEP CALLING AND EMAILING TUKWILA SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS!
On November 16th, more than 125 students from Foster High School in Tukwila, WA answered a nation-wide call for a student walk out protesting the war and military recruiters in schools. (See student-made video below) In response, the Tukwila School District threatened students with suspension, but their main target was teachers. Disciplinary investigations threaten the firing of SIX teachers and administration placed one of the six, Brett Rogers, on administrative leave. We put out a call for support for the Tukwila Six and students. (For more info, see http://socialistalternative.org/news/article13.php?id=666)
* Hundreds of emails and phone calls of solidarity have had a MAJOR IMPACT on the Tukwila School Board.
* At a Tukwila School Board meeting Tuesday the 25th, students and community members jam-packed the room, passionately demanding NO repression of students and DROP ALL DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDING AGAINST THE TUKWILA SIX! (See below for video clip)
* Media coverage has brought a spotlight to Principal Ilgenfritzs REPRESSIVE instincts to the DEMOCRATIC EXPRESSION of students and against ACADEMIC FREEDOM of teachers.
The phone calls and emails must continue- this is not over. These teachers’ livelihoods are still at stake and the students’ rights are clearly under attack.
The Tukwila Teachers and Students Solidarity Committee URGENTLY requests that you again FLOOD the administration with phone calls and emails with the following DEMANDS:
1. Fire NO teachers!
2. Drop all disciplinary investigations against teachers NOW!
3. Keep all the teachers THE REST OF THIS YEAR AND NEXT YEAR!
4. When politicians lie to us and continue their oil-driven war against the people’s will, student walkouts and other forms of civil disobedience are justified and necessary. No discipline for any students who walked out and took a stand against this war!
5. End attacks on Foster student rights to free speech and assembly!
Please call or email NOW!
Foster HS Principal George Ilgenfritz: 1 (206) 901-7905
[email protected]
And Interim Superintendent Ethelda Burke: 1 (206) 901-8000, (206) 901-8006,
[email protected]
Please send copies to Tukwila School Board members:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Please also send a copy of protest emails to us at [email protected] so we can count how many protest emails have been sent in.
If they refuse to answer your call, then call Foster HS Assistant Principal Daryl Wright (206) 901-7902 and Foster HS Office Manager Darlene Aguiluz (206) 901-7915.
Great radio news report on the Tukwila Teachers Defense Campaign on Free Speech Radio News (a national progressive radio station):
http://www.fsrn.org/content/public-opinion-favors-teachers-wa-disciplined-alleged-involvement-student-anti-war-walk-out
KIRO 7:
http://www.kirotv.com/education/14714796/detail.html (click where it says “video”)
NorthWest Cable News:
http://www.nwcn.com/video/news-index.html?nvid=196453
NEWS ARTICLES:
Seattle Times Article: “Protesting teacher back at Tukwila school” November 29th
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/education/2004041566_tukwila29m.html
Seattle Post-Intelligencer Nov. 16th Walkout Article:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/340003_peace17.html
Student-made Walkout Film:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGSDzDF7xoY