By Joan Garvin
A spirited discussion in Tim Farrell’s Leadership Class at Mountain View High School led more than 1,500 local high school students to a Feb. 25 trek by bus, car and Amtrak to the California State Capitol in Sacramento.
The discussion focused on Rich Fischer of the Mountain View-Los Altos Union School District warning that Gov. Gray Davis’ “unprecedented raid on local property taxes … will devastate our district’s educational program if it is enacted (by the Legislature).”
In response to Fischer’s call to “keep making your views known,” a student committee composed of Jennifer Lehnhardt, Todd Frassetti, Melanie Hui, Bradie Gilson and Shana White decided a show of support in person would have more impact than letters and e-mail.
Lehnhardt contacted 21st District Assemblyman Joe Simitian, who is spearheading the opposition to the governor’s proposed cuts, and asked for assistance.
Simitian emphasized that “it was a student-driven event.” His staff served only as a resource at the Capitol, arranging physical details such as a staging site, microphones and directions.
MVHS Assistant Principal Matt Neely, who accompanied the group, said although the excursion was not classified as a school-sponsored field trip, students were granted an excused absence and allowed to attend if they had a signed permission slip and a parent phone call. The requirements were student-imposed.
The Fremont Union High School District did not sanction the trip. According to the district communications manager, students who participated worked it out individually with their parents and teachers.
It was cool and overcast when students, parents and chaperones left the Bay Area about 7:30 a.m., but when the rally began at 11 a.m., sunshine warmed and brightened the South Steps of the Capitol.
Frassetti and Hui facilitated the program, which included choirs from Mountain View and Los Altos high schools, dance, drama and cheerleading exhibitions as well as speakers addressing the funding issue.
The students were “well organized and enthusiastic,” Simitian said. It was “invigorating to be part of the event.”
The Mountain View students reached over city, county and school district boundaries to engage participation from students at 18 Peninsula and Bay Area high schools: Mountain View, Los Altos, Gunn, Palo Alto, Homestead, Cupertino, Monte Vista, Fremont, Lynbrook, Saratoga, Los Gatos, Santa Clara, Carlmont, Sequoia, Belmont, Bellarmine, Menlo/Atherton and San Mateo.
“Before you can change minds, you have to get their attention,” Simitian said. “This (rally) was effective.” According to Simitian, although the governor was not in the office, his staff was aware of the assembly.
“I was exhilarated and proud of the students who planned, implemented and evaluated such an (extensive) undertaking,” Neely said.
A measure of the rally’s impact was that legislators not originally scheduled to speak came down from their offices to address the students, according to Neely.
“I feel really good about the day,” Lehnhardt said. It wasn’t “exactly as I thought it would turn out; but we got our voice heard — got our message out.”
[Jennifer was going to try to get photos to Joe.]
