Wednesday, February 09, 2005

can we come up with a solidarity statement?

dear class,

I'm writing again in hopes that a group will get together after Boesman and Lena tonight to quickly draft a statement we can send to the students at UKZN. I've been in touch with a prof at the Howard College campus and he said a statement would be well recieved. It would be so vaulable to draw connections between our own fight to save need blind admissions and the fight of South Africa's poor students to preserve their access to higher education.

There is much more involved, socialists vs. ANC Youth League and the local government, which is ANC controlled, within the student body. There was some sort of agreement reached, but it has not been released in writing and some students are convinced that their student representatives (again mostly ANC) are not being completely honest or fully understanding how students are being screwed over.

Because Howard College is a formerly white institution, some students are crying white racism, completely missing that it is the black ANC government that sanctioned the changes that have resulted in students being turned away at regisration.

It is especially exciting that there are students protesting; historically Durban and students began major anti-apartheid movements. We can only wait to see what happens, maybe spreading to more colleges and other cities. Until then, let us give them encouragement that there are others far away that have heard their calls. Hope to see you after Boesman and Lena.

-Rachel