Pacoima Neighborhood Council
Pacoima Neighborhood Council Resolution
Posted on 04/25/17Standing for the Safety of Our Students and Their Families
Pacoima Neighborhood Council
- is asking that the district close on Monday, May 1.
- is asking this out of concern for student safety on that day and because the actions support the long-term safety of our students and their families by taking a stand against immigration raids, cuts to public education, attacks on rights, and more.
Rationale:
May 1, 2017, is expected to be the largest action for worker and immigrant rights since the massive May 1 action in 2006. Given that major parts of the city will be inaccessible, mass student walk-outs are expected, and many school employees would like to participate, the Pacoima Neighborhood Council is calling for LAUSD Superintendent Michelle King to close the district on this day.
Student safety will be better assured through a district closure, with parents given the opportunity to plan. Moreover, the theme of the day — that we stand with our students and their families to be safe from immigration raids, attacks on rights, and more — will be amplified by a district closure. The majority of our students in Los Angeles are low-income people of color; many are immigrants, and many are living in fear.
*If the district closes on May 1, instructional time will likely need to be made up by extending the day 5 more minutes.
May 1 Context
- There is unprecedented organizing nationally for this year’s May 1 action, as part of the broader resistance to the Trump administration’s agenda. This agenda includes threats to deport millions of people, gutting civil rights enforcement, passing a national “right to work” law attacking all unions’ collective bargaining, massive cuts to public services and schools, and more.
- In Los Angeles, a very broad coalition is organizing for May 1, with the theme “Shut It Down.” The coalition is led by the LA County Federation of Labor (representing hundreds of thousands of workers), the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights in Los Angeles (CHIRLA), Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE), and dozens of other organizations, representing a broad array of organizations supporting civil rights, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, environmental justice, and more.