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Bakersfield Students Walkout: Day 1

Bakersfield Students Walkout: Day 1


Posted by matt Wednesday, April 5, 2006 - 08:16
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Bakersfield Students Walkout: Day 1

At 8:15 am, Wednesday, March 29th 2006, I received an early morning phone call from my girlfriend to inform me that Bakersfield city school students were staging a walkout from West High School to downtown Bakersfield.

At first, I was surprised, but after receiving a few more calls from one of my associates, photographer Lydia Gonzales, my girlfriend Rebekka, and a warning from NL Belardes stating that, “You better not miss out on this,”  I knew I had to run to the scene. With camera and recorder in hand, I bolted from my tiny apartment on 18th st to the corner of Truxtun and Chester ave., in downtown Bakersfield.

By the time I had arrived on the scene, over 3,000 plus students from many local area schools, including BHS and Arvin High, had filled downtown streets waving and US flags, chanting in unison in front of the downtown courthouse liberty bell.

Although it is unclear as to who originally organized the local walkouts, what is known is that the word was spread through the internet site MySpace.com, cell phone text messages and fliers.

BPD was out in full force to make sure order was kept, with shouting matches between protesters, citizens, veterans, and counter protestors happening on city sidewalks and in the street.

It was for the most part a peaceful demonstration, but in a few instances, students were detained for unruly conduct.

For the unfamiliar, the HR 4437 bill is designed to tighten border security, by making illegal immigration and assisting an illegal immigrant a felony punishable by a fine and / or criminal detention. Other parts of the bill include increased penalties for alien smuggling, and re-entering the illegally.

Much like Prop. 187, citizens and non-citizens are divided on what the HR 4437 could mean to the economy and how families of both US and born parents and children will be affected if the bill is passed.

 CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO EXCLUSIVE AUDIO WITH INTERVIEWS AND COVERAGE OF THE DAY'S EVENTS

Bakotunes Podcast: Episode 13 & 14
Bakersfield Students Walkout: Day 1 & 2

***Recorded on Wednesday & Thursday, March 29th & 30th, 2006. with special guests Lydia Gonzales (Mas Magazine,) and Nick Belardes (Buck City Podcast.)

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