an important action

[Peter Farruggio <pfarr@cal.berkeley.edu>]

> From: Cynthia McDermott <cmcdermott@ix.netcom.com>
>
> In the past few weeks a teacher and union organizer, Alex Caputo-Perl
> has been targeted. He is the founder of CEJ, the Coalition for
> Educational Justice and with this amazing grass roots group has worked
> to challenge the high stakes tests of LAUSD. I have pasted a message
> from one of the members of the group asking for everyone to respond and
> I hope that you will.
> In Solidarity,
> Cynthia
> Please forward to any appropriate groups
>
> Hi everyone,
> As you might have heard, either from the news or through a CEJer, my
> good friend and fellow member of CEJ, Alex Caputo-Pearl, is being
> forcibly transferred from his school, Crenshaw High. He has been an
> instrumental force in organizing the parent/teacher group, the Crenshaw
> Cougar Coalition, that pressured the district into providing what was
> necessary for Crenshaw to regain its accreditation last year (in
> addition to fighting against the CAHSEE and other racist educational
> policies through CEJ for the last seven years). Alex has been the UTLA
> chapter chair for the last few years and we see this as punishment for
> his organizing over the years. The only reasons the district has given
> him for this transfer were: he's not "collaborative," and that he may
> serve as an obstacle to Crenshaw's future acquisition of accreditation.
>
> Please visit the link below to find out how to voice your disagreement
> with this action. It will take no more than 3-4 minutes, tops. Just send
> a quick email to the board and to Romer and that's it.
> <http://www.keepalexatcrenshaw.org/civic/index.php>http://www.keepalexatcrenshaw.org/civic/index.php
>
> UTLA is looking at this as an act of war because if the district can
> transfer chapter chairs arbitrarily and without cause, then why do we
> have a union anyway? It could be any one of us who has been brave enough
> to stand up and fight for what's right. Please take a moment to show
> your support!
> Thanks,
> Kate