CCSF Students Occupy City Hall, 26 Arrested

[Eric B]

http://www.saveccsf.org/ccsf-students-occupy-city-hall-26-arrested/

CCSF Students Occupy City Hall, 26 Arrested

After a rally and sit-in of several hundred students on August 20, at midnight 26 students were arrested for occupying City Hall, after Mayor Ed Lee refused to meet with them or support their demands:

1) Drop All ACCJC Sanctions Against CCSF
2) Fire Bob Agrella – End the “Special Trustee” Dictatorship

Despite the fact that the Department of Education has severely criticized the ACCJC and is threatening to pull its accreditation, the Mayor has refused to call for the immediate reversal of the ACCJC decision to close the school. The sit-in was prompted by the refusal of Mayor Lee over the past month to meet with students -- and during the sit-in the Mayor and his representatives again repeatedly refused to come and meet with the students.

While the Mayor claims to support City College, in fact he has sided with the corrupt ACCJC institution trying to shut down/downsize the school. Instead of siding with City College, Mayor Lee has openly supported the imposition of a “Special Trustee” dictatorship of Bob Agrella to force through cuts in the name of meeting the demands of the illegitimate and corrupt ACCJC commission. On August 19th, “Special Trustee” Agrella announced he has “chosen not to use the DOE letter in our request for review” of the ACCJC decision, claiming that “the best path to maintaining CCSF’s accreditation is to follow the Commission’s rules, regulations, and directions.” In other words, Agrella is protecting this illegitimate rogue body by not including in the college’s appeal the information most likely to overturn the ACCJC decision (which can only be cancelled on the basis of a failure to follow rules and procedure.) In the name of imposing cuts, Agrella is sabotaging the fight to repeal the ACCJC decision to close City College.

The struggle against privatization and gentrification continues. Students, teachers, staff and their community allies will continue to mobilize until all sanctions against CCSF are lifted and all cuts stemming from this imposed crisis are reversed. All students are invited to a General Assembly at 4pm this Thursday (8/22) at the Student Union Lounge of the Ocean Campus. Defend Public Education. Save CCSF. Join the Movement.

To get involved, contact in...@saveccsf.org. For text updates send "follow saveccsfnow" to 40404

Links to More Press Coverage:

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/san_francisco&id=9213603

http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/local/ccsf-supporters-stage-sit-sf-mayors-office/nZTr5/

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2013/08/20/sf-city-college-wants-decision-revoking-accreditation-reviewed/

http://www.sfbg.com/2013/08/20/protect-local-power-and-control