Three weeks left to help undo the harm Pat Judd did to student Aurora Ponce

To see all posts about Patrick Judd, click HERE.


CutsHurtKids.org launches college books fundraiser for Aurora Ponce, valedictorian in South-Central Los Angeles.

Raza Education Fund is the fiscal sponsor. Ms. Ponce is being punished by her school for peacefully protesting school class-size increases & teacher layoffs.

Among other things, her school took away her summer job.

Donations for her college books/supplies are being accepted at www.RazaEducationFund.org

I'm going to college, I'm going to be broke," she said. "I was going to save that money for books. It's going to be hard,” says Ms. Ponce in a June 25, 2009
latimes.com article.
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> We're asking people to consider donations of $5, $10, $20, $50, $100 or whatever they can afford to give this student-warrior, whose bravery we want to reward & encourage.
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> For those who would like to give, but can't until a paycheck arrives, we are asking that pledges be sent to cutshurtkids@gmail.com or proyectos@razaeducationfund.org

So far we have managed to raise just over 50% of $1590 needed for books/supplies at UC Davis. But $790 is still needed.
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> F O R I M M E D I A T E R E L E A S E

LOS ANGELES, CA - July 1, 2009
WHAT: CutsHurtKids.org announces the launch of a college books fundraiser for Aurora Ponce, valedictorian in South-Central Los Angeles, punished by her school for peacefully protesting school budget cuts, class-size increases & teacher layoffs. Raza Education Fund (REF) is the fiscal sponsor.

WHEN: Starts today, July 1st and ongoing through August, 2009.

Ms. Ponce's school, Annenberg High School (one of The Accelerated Schools) located on the corner of Main street and Martin Luther King Boulevard, have punished this stellar student leader for her participation in a non-violent, peaceful student sit-in.

We roundly condemn the actions and inactions of Patrick Judd, Jonathan Williams, Elizabeth Oberreiter and Sandra Phillips in the public punishment of Aurora Ponce, by suspending her for 2 days, not allowing her to participate in the senior class trip, taking away her summer tutor job and barring her from giving her graduation address (until public outrage forced school officials to relent minutes before the ceremony June 27).

This pattern of administrators silencing dissent is unacceptable. Ms. Ponce's case comes on the heels of the June 18 Liechty school diplomas scandal in which 65 brave students were denied their diplomas for turning their backs on graduation speaker Monica Garcia (L.A. Unified School Board President) who has supported drastic budget cuts. The Annenberg High School, a charter school, is also located in Monica Garcia's District 2, according to LAUSD.net

On the 20 anniversary of Spike Lee's film “Do The Right Thing”, released in June, 1989, we are reminded of the consequences of justice denied and pent up anger. The film was prophetic: three years later, in South-Central Los Angeles the 1992 riots took place. Let this serve as a wake up call.

Aurora Ponce, a solid A average student, needs to be commended for her bravery. She honors the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr., for which the boulevard where her alma mater is located is named.

We stand in support of this Los Angeles hero and are collecting funds toward her college books and supplies. Donations can be made online at www.RazaEducationFund.org (securely, via Paypal).

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> MEDIA CONTACTS:
> Raza Education Fund EMAIL: proyectos@RazaEducationFund.org
> CutsHurtKids.org EMAIL: cutshurtkids@gmail.com