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THE GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA
www.cagreens.org
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Contact: Sara Amir, spokesperson 310.270.7106 saraamir@earthlink.net
Kevin McKeown, spokesperson 310.393.3639 kevin@mckeown.net
Beth Moore Haines, spokesperson 530.277.0610 beth@ncws.com
Greens join civil libertarians to criticize
legislation that could automatically expel students for participating in
campus protests.
SACRAMENTO (April 13, 2005) - Legislation that would
expel college students involved in free speech activities for minor
infractions - but yet won't punish drunk driving collegians - is
seriously flawed and should be defeated in the Senate Education
Committee hearing today (April 13), said Green Party of California
members.
SB 337, authored by Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa
Maria, requires community colleges, state colleges and University of
California to "immediately dismiss" students convicted of
violating any of several state penal codes dealing with
"riots." Previously, colleges and the University of California
had the option of expelling a student for "good cause."
Students, if the bill becomes law, would be expelled
if they fail to heed a command to disperse even if participating in
constitutionally protected activities, such as anti-war or labor
demonstrations. Civil libertarians, including the ACLU, are opposed to
SB 337.
The legislation also would not allow a dismissed
student to reapply for a year, and would be ineligible to receive a Cal
Grant award unless at least two years have elapsed from the filing of an
application for the grant.
"This is a far cry from the free speech days a
generation ago. This law illustrates how reactionary today's government
can become attempting to silence dissent. This bill is designed to have
a chilling effect on students, who would rightly fear that participation
in a demonstration, however peaceful, could cost them their grant and
their right to attend college," said Craig Peterson, of Green Party
of California coordinating council.
"Even the Senate Education Committee analyst
questioned the bill by asking 'Does the punishment fit the crime?'
Several of the 'crimes' are simple misdemeanors, and while they could
expel a student and cost the student her grant, conviction of something
much more dangerous, such as driving while under the influence of
alcohol or drugs, would not," added Aimee Allison, a Green Party
candidate for Oakland City Council May 7.
In addition, said Allison, the provisions of SB 337
that restrict Cal Grant eligibility unfairly discriminates against low-
and middle-income students by barring them from affordable
post-secondary education.
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