Los Angeles mayor and grandson of Mexican immigrants is telling students and their parents that skipping out on school on Monday, May 1st, the day of the national boycott, should not be an option. This is a backstep from the active urging he did for the million plus people rally in downtown L.A. on March 25. The statement signed by Villaraigosa, cardinal Roger Mahony, and Los Angeles Unified School District Supervisor Roy Romer reads :

We support the celebration of our liberty as American citizens to freely, responsibly and legally express ourselves. We firmly believe children must attend school everyday, including May 1, they have to be there ready to learn.

This call for parents to send their children to school comes after 14 year old Anthony Soltero killed himself in California after the student walkouts on March 25th. Allegedly he was distraught after being told by his school’s vice-principal that he would be arrested for helping to organize a walkout at his local school. The statement further puts the burden on parents by stating :

…parents are the first teachers of their kids, their mentors, their heroes. It is very important that parents, grand-parents and legal guardians speak to their kids about the consequences of their actions and the result of this important moment in the history of our country. Our kids are the leaders of tomorrow.

I agree a million percent with this part of the statement and what better way to be a hero and example to your child , what better way to show your child that rights in this country have come through struggle than by allowing them to share in that struggle and by showing a little resistance to the culture of complecency. Unless the schools decide to have a teach in on immigration, the kids will probably learn more in the streets.

Via / QuePasa