March 1, 2016 LAUSD President Steve Zimmer 333 South Beaudry

March1,2016
LAUSDPresidentSteveZimmer
333SouthBeaudryAve.,24thFloor
LosAngeles,California90017
[email protected]
DearLAUSDPresidentZimmer:
WestronglyrejectedtheDistrict'sparticipationintheDepartmentofDefense1033Program;itwasand
continuestobeaformofeducationalandmilitaryracismtoparticipateinthiscounter-insurgencyprogram.
Whileit’sanimportantmilestonethatyouhavereportedlyreturnedalltheweaponsreceivedthroughthis
programincludingthelastoftheM-16assaultrifles;it’sunacceptablethattherehasnotbeenatruefactual
accountofyourdecisiontoparticipateinsaidprogram,noattempttomeetourdemandtogiveusafull
inventoryofLASPDweapons,nopublicapology,noattempttorepairyourharmontheschoolcommunity,and
norealresolvetorejectthisprogramalltogethergiventhatitwillimpactBlackandLatinostudentsandtheir
families.WiththegrowingmovementbyBlackandLatinocommunities,respondingtosystematicpolice
criminalization,abuseandviolence,andthenumerousraidsinimmigrantcommunitiesbyICEandcoordinated
withlocalpolicedepartments—weunderstandthat1033isacounter-insurgencyprogrammeanttosuppress
marginalizedcommunitiesandrepressmovementsandprotestersaswewitnessedinFerguson,MOand
Baltimore,MD.
TheLabor/CommunityStrategyCenter’sFightfortheSouloftheCitiesdemandsandcallsonLAUSDto
immediately:
1) StoptheCover-upaboutLAUSD’sEducationalandMilitaryRacism,TelltheFullTruth,Returnallthe
Weapons,ProvethatYouHaveDoneSo.WeneedtheLAUSDandLASPDtodocumentthefullfacts.We
needafullhistoryofthefirsttimetheLAUSDandLASPDappliedforweaponsfromtheDOD1033
Program,eachweaponreceived,andiftheywerereturned,thecorrespondencewithDOD,which
weaponswerereturned,andacompleteinventoryshowingeachweaponreceivedandreturnedto
provethereareNOmoreDOD1033WeaponsinLAUSDandLASPDpossession.
2) FormallySeverAllTieswithandWithdrawCompletelyFromtheDOD1033Program.Weneedapublic
lettertoallstudents,parents,teachers,andcivilrightsgroupsincludingtheLabor/CommunityStrategy
CenterandFightfortheSouloftheCitiesprovingthereisnorelationshipwhatsoevernowbetween
LAUSD,LASPD,andDOD1033.DivulgeandendanyothertiestotheDOD.Weneedtoknowifthere
areanyotherrelationshipsbetweenLAUSD,LASPD,andDODthatwedonotevenknowabout.
3) TakePersonalandCollectiveResponsibilityforEducationalandMilitaryRacismandCounterInsurgencyagainstBlackandLatinoStudentsandCommunities—eachLAUSDboardmemberand
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LASPDstaffmustdocumenttheirrole.WestillhavedeeperquestionsforLAUSDBoardandLASPD
leadership:whomadethedecisiontoaskfortheseweapons?Whoapprovedthem?Whydidthey
reallytrulyneedthem?
APublicApology.WeareaskingLAUSDandLASPDboardmembersandofficialstopubliclyapologizefor
theiractionsandtheentireconceptofgettingmilitarygradeweaponstouseagainstourcommunities,
theirdishonestytowardsthecommunityandtheirperpetuationandescalationofthearmedoccupation
ofBlackandLatinocommunitiesinLosAngeles.
Reparations.WeneedtheLAUSDandLASPDtorepairthedamagetheyhavedonetotheirrelationship
withstudents,parents,teachers,andthecivilrightsandhumanrightscommunityandtoindicate
penancefortheseabuses.WeareaskingtheLAUSDtocuttheLASPDbudgetby50%,cuttheLASPD
policeforceby50%andcutallexistingLASPDweaponsby50%now.
StopUnderminingParticipatoryandDemocraticRightsatLAUSD—WeWantConvenientandEffective
LAUSDBoardofEducationMeetingsforLAUSDBlackandLatinoStudents,ParentsandCommunity
Members.WeneedtoshiftthecultureofhavingLosAngelesBoardofEducationmeetingat
inconvenienttimesforstudentandparentsandtransformitscurrentformatandstructuretomaximize
publicparticipationanddistrictengagement.WeurgeyoutochangeLAUSDBoardofEducation
meetingsonweekendsand/orweekdaysafter4pm.Also,allowpubliccommentatthebeginningof
everymeetingandsecuremoreslotsforspeakersonagendaitemsespeciallyonissuesthatarehighly
contested,budgetaryorregardingcivilrightsitems.Lastly,overthepastsixmonthsinourchallengesto
theLAUSDboardtheLAUSDTVbroadcastinghasbeenshutoffwhilewewereaddressingtheboard.We
interpretthisasatruesuppressionofthepublic’srighttospeakandunderminingthepublicrightto
knowofpoliciesthatareviolatingtheircivilandhumanrights.
CallontheLAPDandLACountySherriff’sDepartmenttoWithdrawfromtheDOD1033Program.
CallonPresidentBarackObamatoCompletelyTerminatetheEntireDOD1033Program.
Asaninstitutionoflearning,LAUSDmustleadthenationinrejectingthemilitarizationofthepoliceandthe
humanrightsviolationsagainstBlackandLatinopeopleinLAandnationally.
Sincerely,
EricMann
ManuelCriollo
ExecutiveDirector
DirectorofOrganizing
BarbaraLott-Holland AshleyFranklin
AssociateDirector
LeadOrganizer