Lehman HS, Bronx:
"Change This World and Drive Out the Bush Regime"
Revolution #027, December 19, 2005, posted at revcom.us
The following letter appears on The World Can't Wait website.
In Lehman HS in the Bronx, our students are facing repression by those in authority. Those who are called the Deans in the school have set out to get the students scared that by participating in Walk Outs, that they will be endangering themselves, their academic record, and will be disciplined for merely showing a political initiative in the school. The Lehman HS administration tried to express the so-called "concerns" they had that this would jeopardize school education, and the school environment if students use this as an excuse to leave school grounds. There is hypocrisy and double talk here. The reasons they claim for stopping students are illegitimate, and absurd. Students in our school and public schools throughout NYC have students cutting classes on a regular basis. In fact, Students in our school cut classes and stand right outside the school and the Deans, School Security, and Police Officers rarely do a thing...unless they want to ruffle a few feathers with the students and try to create a fearful situation.
In our situation, because of the plans we have set forward, and because of the students resentment of this system which holds them in prison like schools and socializes them for a future that is dreary, the Administration is dead scared. I have heard reports from certain people that they are in fear of the students organizing themselves in a way similar to the 60s' movement. They don't want the Youth to challenge this system, and really challenge the Bush Administration. They tell us to take the "traditional route" and vote, they bring into our schools Democrats telling us we can change the system within; however we are not buying a word anymore. Students are lifting their heads beyond politics as usual and the liberal framework of the US government. We are realizing that you can't confront Fascists like George W. Bush and his cronies through petitions and calling our congressmen, it takes the masses of people to make a situation where he is thrown from his throne out of power, and only then can we make real history.
Lehman HS has many teachers who are supportive of our agenda in Driving Out the Bush Regime; however for the most part they remain silence in fear of job security. This is the situation in our school, there is polarization everywhere, amongst students and the faculty. In our Social Studies department, debate raged about our actions. In the class rooms, students spoke to other students about November 2nd mobilization effort and walk out. And the day of and after the November 2nd, there was confrontation between students and security, faculty and faculty, and so on. They had tried to stomp out the spirit of resistance in our school; however the struggle went on, and a number of us walked out. They gave some students summons for wearing stickers, they told students to flip their "Resist or Die" T-Shirts inside out, they warned students they would be suspended if they put up stickers or passed out literature. NOTHING STOPPED US! And now we have the potential to be as strong as ever.
We, the Students of Lehman HS share our story with the World Can't Wait...Drive Out the Bush Regime organization, and with other students within our HS and Colleges. Let the colleges take examples of our brave students in Lehman HS, Clinton HS, Pablo Neruda Academy, Beacon HS, MLK HS, and many others. It is time to rise up and join us! And for the other HS students, what are you waiting for? Join your fellow friends and students and change this world and Drive Out the Bush Regime.