California conference calls spring walkout

MORE THAN 700 students, teachers, faculty and campus workers gathered at the University of California Berkeley on October 24 to discuss how to take the fight for public education in California to the next level.

The call for the a statewide conference--which represented not only student and faculty from California's several public university systems, but representatives of campus unions, as well as teachers and students from the pre-K to grade 12 public school system--was issued by a general assembly at UC Berkeley in the aftermath of protests on September 24 that accompanied a walkout of faculty, staff and students at the 10 campuses in the UC system.

After weeks of careful planning, representatives from all sectors of the state education system and from across the state came together to share their experiences of the devastating cuts imposed by the state government, and to form a united strategy of resistance. The overwhelming mood of the conference was to reject the failed strategy of legislative lobbying in favor of more radical direct action.

The conference began at 10 a.m. with opening speeches. Blanca Misse, a UCB graduate student in the French Department, acknowledged the huge significance of the conference while reminding the audience of the challenges ahead. "If we are unable to unite today in a democratic mass movement, we will not be able to win free public education," Misse said.

Similarly, Kathryn Lybarger, a groundskeeper at UC Berkeley and member of AFSCME Local 3299 member, emphasized the "historic" importance of a mass gathering of teachers, workers and students to unite and plan action. "They have a plan, and they've already started putting it into action," Lybarger said. "Now we have to organize ourselves as one united movement and show them that the era of 'business as usual' is over."

Following the morning plenary session, during which various proposals for action were put forward, breakout sessions were held for the various educational sectors in attendance. Debate about the best way forward was often heated, but remained comradely for the most part, and the sentiment that we can only achieve gains if we work together was strongly felt.

While plans for immediate direct action were proposed, the majority view was that proper planning and coordination would lead to more effective results. Andy Libson, a teacher at Mission High School in San Francisco and member of United Educators of San Francisco, spoke for many in the K-12 system when he argued that "a plan for radical, but achievable, action will allow us to put pressure on our unions to take a more combative stance."

By the time the conference reconvened to decide on a finalized plan, a number of proposals had emerged as popular options. While a vocal minority aggressively pushed for an indefinite general strike, the overwhelming majority voted to accept a proposal that called for a united strike and day of action on March 4 across public education, with specific tactics to be decided democratically by each school and college. This allows for maximum unity and coordination across the state while simultaneously allowing options for those on campuses and in school systems where the possibilities of action are more limited.

With plans for a second mobilizing conference in early spring approved and a coordinating committee assembled, the conference drew to a close.

ONE OF the most important achievements of the conference was the renewed sense of confidence and clarity it provided to campus activists disoriented in the wake of the huge September 24 walkouts across the UC system.

In the month following this inspiring action, different viewpoints emerged, from both liberals and those on the far left, on how best to advance the struggle. On many campuses, this meant there was no unified lead or clear strategy.

The success of Saturday's conference should give a renewed sense of purpose to the majority of activists who see action as essential, but also recognize the need to build a mass democratic movement and coordinate action as widely as possible. It will be the job of socialists and other radicals in the movement to ensure that maximum advantage is taken of this opportunity to begin turning back the tide of savage cuts to education.

While only an initial step, if the success and spirit of Saturday's conference can be maintained going forward, the path to defending public education--in California and beyond--will be clearer.