Student Declaration Over Exit Exam Ruling

Student Declaration
Over State Supreme Court Decision on Exit Exam

Yesterday was a day filled with tremendous injustice and disillusion for thousands of students in the state of California. As student leaders, we have brought attention to the unjust conditions in our education and the California High School Exit Exam by organizing rallies, press conferences, educational forums, community marches and filing a lawsuit against the State Board of Education. On May 12th, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Robert Freedman ruled in our favor in Valenzuela v. O'Connell by blocking the exit exam as a requirement for graduation for the Class of 2006. The judge declared that "students in economically disadvantaged communities have not had an equal opportunity to learn the materials tested." However, the State appealed the judge's decision and quickly got the State Supreme Court to reinstate the California High School Exit Exam as a requirement for graduation days before graduation ceremonies. But if not all students receive an equal education and if the exit exam discriminates against minorities, low-income students and English Learner students, why is it still a requirement?
As students, we were deeply shocked, saddened and disappointed to hear this news. The State of California is acting irresponsibly because they are negatively affecting the emotional well-being of its students. As students, we want to know the following:

• Why are State politicians building political careers on the backs of students by pretending to fix the educational system with an exit exam that does nothing to address the inequities in the California public school system?

• Why do State politicians want to punish students, when various court rulings (i.e. Williams v. California and Valenzuela v. O'Connell) have acknowledged that the State of California is at fault for not providing all students with an equal education, adequate resources and credentialed teachers? Why have past governors and Arnold Schwarzenegger violated Proposition 98 where they have not funded our schools as the law requires?

• Why do State politicians want to increase the number of student drop out rates? Yesterday O'Connell announced that the Supreme Court's decision is "a victory for the business community." This is because they will have an underclass of cheap labor where students will be denied access to good paying jobs and a college education.

• Finally, how was the State able to get this decision made this fast?

We are doing a callout for all students to unite--whether they have passed the exit exam or not--to stand in solidarity with the students that have not yet passed. We will continue to fight for our diplomas. We will not allow the State to get away with robbing us of what we have rightfully earned. If our Constitutional rights have been violated, why are we being punished when we have passed all our courses and have worked hard to earn our diplomas? This is why today we will speak out again.

**** Today, we are stronger than ever. We continue our struggle for equality and justice. We do not accept the State Supreme Court’s decision. If there isn’t a formal decision in our favor by Tuesday May 30th 2006, the State will bear witness to the power of the students. ****