Los Angeles (USA) students think some schools deserve more attention and resources. They staged a protest and took it to the streets. And they brought their desks with them.
Some 375 empty desks blocked a downtown street. It stopped traffic for several hours outside the Los Angeles Unified School District’s offices.
Organizers say the number of desks – 375 – represents how many students drop out of the district’s schools each week. According to the California Department of Education, 8,748 Los Angeles students dropped out in 2012.
According to the Los Angeles Times, it’s a number protest organizers say they don’t want district officials to gloss over.
Drivers stymied by the demonstration were clearly frustrated as traffic officers directed traffic around it. But organizers said the issue of so many students dropping out school was also frustrating.
Protesters want a student voice on the school board, and more funding for English language learners, foster children and low-income students.
