The following is from a statement made by Andy
Griggs, a teacher and member of the executive board of the United
Teachers of Los Angeles at a Nov. 15 press conference in front of the
LA Unified School District. Griggs had also issued a “message to
educators” before Nov. 2 in support of the right of students, teachers,
and others in the school community to take part in The World Can’t Wait
protests on that day.
“First of all I want to say how
proud I am of the students. Sara [Escudero, Reseda High School student
and World Can’t Wait organizer], you are doing great work, keep it up.
All the others who made the choice to take the risk and stand up in the
face of what’s going on in this country–we have to encourage the
students. We teach them everyday. We teach them to think critically.
That’s the goal and the idea behind the LAUSD and hopefully every other
teaching institution. If we are then going to turn around and punish
them for that, then I think that’s a shame…
We also
think that the students have a right to express themselves–and without
that, what would happen? Look at the Chicano Moratorium. Without that
we wouldn’t be where we are today. I want to encourage the students to
continue with their work and take the next big step…when there is
going to be a “Students and Educators to Stop the War” conference at
Manual Arts High School. Then we need to take the next big step which
is to drive out Bush.”