Posted on 11/05/2004 5:44:27 AM PST by mondoman
BOULDER - Students were preparing to spend the night at Boulder High School Thursday to protest policies of the Bush administration.
About 50 students carrying guitars and boxes of crackers and Froot Loops took over part of the library at the end of the school day. They vowed not to leave until they had a chance to meet with elected officials.
Under an agreement with Principal Ron Cabrera, they were allowed to stay the night, but must clean up and be gone by 7 a.m., when the library opens.
A teacher and several parents agreed to be chaperones, Cabrera said.
It was not clear if they would meet with elected officials. A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Mark Udall, whose district includes Boulder, said no one from the congressman's office was scheduled to attend.
Stephen Lobanov Rostovsky, 17, a senior, said the protest is meant to get adults to hear their opinions.
Rostovsky said he talks to elected leaders, "but there's no assurance for me that someone will actually take me seriously."
"This is going to hopefully change that by letting people know that adolescents are there and by saying, 'We're not going to take this. We want a voice, too. We want a place in this democracy. . . . We should have a say.' "
The students' list of grievances cites the war in Iraq, which they called "unjust and misguided."
The students also oppose federal regulations requiring schools to admit military recruiters or lose funding.
The protesters are members of a group called Student Worker that periodically stages protests. In the past, it has opposed statewide student testing.
Thursday's protest was planned even before it was known who would win Tuesday's election, Rostovsky said.
English teacher Jim Vacca, the faculty adviser for Student Worker, said, "I think they seriously want to engage adults in talk about some of the issues that will affect them."
Student Worker is not affiliated with Boulder's peace community.
But, Vacca said, "I think the Boulder community at large is supportive of kids who take an active role in their own lives" and take a mature and reasoned look at issues.
Cabrera, the principal, initially said the students had to leave by 5 p.m., but he relented after meeting with Rostovsky.
"I'm not fearful they'll do damage to the school," Cabrera said.
"What we try to do at Boulder High is to have kids who can ask questions, sometimes challenge the status quo in a thoughtful manner, and I hope if we're doing our education right we're creating that kind of citizenry," the principal said.
"It's all a bunch of tree huggin' hippy crap!"
Many many Froot Loops
No kidding? Colorado went Bush!
That's nice, dear.
Now: go and help your mother set the table, and after dinner -- if you're extra, extra good -- we'll drive you to DQ for a peanut butter parfait.
LOL
Nor should they.
This is going to hopefully change that by letting people know that adolescents are there... The key word there would be "adolescents"...And we know you're there, you keep reminding us.
What we try to do at Boulder High is to have kids who can ask questions, sometimes challenge the status quo in a thoughtful manner. How about they ask thoughtful questions about calculus, American history, and English, and keep the guitar-strumming, cracker-munching socialism out of school?
Man. Talk about your coals to Newcastle situations.
I bet not one of these punks could pass the written citizen test from the 1950's so who cares what they have to say.
Actually they should of had a sleep over in the county jail. It would have been real curious to see how many of the kiddies in their warm pj's would still protest being told they would sit in the county jail for trespassing. But then again I guess the principal was all for this.
I think that it is good for students to become involved in political affairs- but sit-ins, sleep-overs, etc are not ways to become educated about the issues at hand. I highly doubt that during the night they had a two-sided discussion about anything other than sex.
My senior year in high school I helped start the Young Republicans club (though I was old enough to vote). I will say this, though, the admin let Sen. Jesse Helms come and speak to our group! (My college didn't even allow that to happen.) For what it's worth, I went to the same High School as Cate Edwards, though we are a few years and one principal apart. I have noticed that the YR are not active now, but the YD are.
The White House is going to tremble in its boots when it hears about this. Froot Loops and 50 guitars!? That could have turned the tide for Kerry if it had only happened a few days ago. Why, it could have electrified the much dreaded Youth Vote. . . and where would Bush be then? (Answer: In the White House for 4 more years, like he is now.)
LOL!! Three days out and I'm still gloating!
Why do I care what a bunch of ignorant yoots think?
The students "Just want to be heard"
Local station, KHOW, interviewed several of the students live in morning drive time. I really wish I had a recording to stream, it was comical: Vacuous radical left talking points and assertions. Peter Boyles, who is an independent and skewers both sides, was relentless and saying the the students, "you want to be heard, what do you want to say?....
[DUH] "....We want to be heard?!", the student replied over and over.
In the end, the kids made complete idiots of themselves on a major morning talk show. I'm sure their parents will be proud that they stood up for something (but they did not seem to know what).
This non-event got more publication than it was worth.
50 bad parents ID'd by their hapless children.
Note to youth. Despite what your mother says, this will not enhance your resume in the real world.
Oxymoron!
Video on Fox showing many with 'slogan' tee-shirts.
"Protest" and "Anarchy". These are not kids interested in politics, they are trouble waiting to happen.
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