I don't play that.
We're not out here because we hate the Rorschach and Pollock.
We're here because we want change.
If them leaving, it's the perfect way for us to have change.
I guess we have to give them a leave.
I don't hate you as Pollock, but I just want change.
Yeah, we're a lot better.
The yellow shirts are basically just to distinguish people in the crowd who know the issues who have been there, been to meetings.
We wanted student leaders to wear yellow shirts so that people in the crowd can come to them and ask them questions.
It says something has to change, which I think everyone is using as a general message by now.
I'm not surprised at the numbers.
I'm not surprised at the numbers at all.
Everybody's really cooperating, no violence.
You know what I'm saying? Everybody's out here.
Even people who said they were going to stay in classrooms out here.
There's a number of problems and we've been dealing with institutionalized racism for far too long.
We've had this Pollock for four years and nothing has changed.
The achievement gap, there's so many problems within the school and we're here because we want to see change.
I think that's important. I'm just supporting my student body because I'm not on the witch hunt.
That's not my stance, but I'm saying that if all these people are upset about something,
then something needs to change and I think that coming out here to support all my friends and all my peers,
it's just a big statement.
They want change. They want things to be different.
They are tired of dealing with this stuff and they want things to be different.
Something has changed. Something has changed.
All pirates, yes, they rob I. The soul died to the merchant ships.
Minutes of the day to die.
From the bottomless pits, but my hand was made strong.
By the end of the almighty, we forward in this generation.
Triumph and plea, won't you help to sin?
These songs of freedom, cause all I ever have.
Redemption songs.
Redemption songs.
Emancipate yourselves from end to slavery.
None but ourselves can free our minds.
I've no fear for atomic energy.
Cause none of them can stop the time.
On our day, I couldn't get over what I was singing.
I mean, we had gospel choir singing songs of inspiration.
We had other people with guitars playing guitars.
I mean, this was really the biggest thing we could have ever had to pretty much unify our student body.
These songs of freedom, cause all I ever have.
For the night is long, and I am far from home.
If we took that, the morning light appeared.
You know what? I'm really impressed. I'm impressed with everybody. I'm really happy. Everybody out here, you know what?
It looks like we're out here having a good time, but we're all out here for the same reason.
And it's really nice to see the student body come together like this.
Especially considering that, you know, the controversy is because people are trying to, you know, make us separate.
And we're not. And that's really, really nice to see.
I never thought I'd see something like this by senior year.
I am actually so happy and so proud of the students at Columbia.
I think that today is a very serious and important step, and the students taking action.
And what they see are changes that need to occur at the school.
I'm very proud of the process and the fashion in which it's being done in.
And I'm excited.
I walked around with a box to walk out, and it said beef.
And I asked people if you got beef, put it in there.
If you got beef, let me know your name, your grade, your problem.
See, look at that. Beautiful.
And the boring side.
You got beef?
Sort of part of the purpose of, I didn't want people standing there because it was a cool thing to do.
I wanted them to be there with reasons.
You got beef going up?
Where's the beef? You see this box?
What is got beef?
You got chicken?
That's not beef. That's poultry.
Like, you know, most of the letters were addressed to Miss Pollock.
So if you know where she is, let me know and we'll send it on.
What do you think? I think it's going good.
Hey Chris, we get man-loved out here in the hall.
Exactly!
Woo!
Initially, I was not a supporter of the protest, you know. I wasn't.
But I came out here during lunch, and I heard some of the things people were saying.
You know, a lot of things do need to be done.
And they turned me. I'm a supporter. I'm out here, you know.
Supporting the protest. Something needs to be done. Something needs to change.
What do we want? A change. When do we want it? Now. Now.
Our generation doesn't really seem to be a generation to actually stand up for your rights and stand up,
or in this case sit down, for what they really believe in.
And I think really what Mr. Whitaker's speech that day,
what he said then, really summed it up well.
Just let me say that I could never be as proud as I am today
to see so many Columbia High School students standing up for justice.
What we really have to understand today is not only
you all taking a stand for things that are going on in this building,
and you're a part of change that's taking place in this district.
But this is truly an historical moment.
And you have to understand that the change that you are making is a part of history.
You have to see yourselves as part of a student movement that started generations ago.
But you are a part of that continuum that continues to fight against racist,
sexist, and class discrimination in this society and in this country today.
Every generation, every generation has an obligation to uphold and a struggle for justice.
And each generation will either uphold or betray their obligation to fight for justice.
In 2006 at Columbia High School, the student body is making a clear statement
that you will uphold your obligation and fight for racial and social justice for all people.
All power to the people.
Change, change, change, change, change, change, change, change, change, change, change.
I teach a third-party classroom!
Everybody wants out here today.
Well listen...
Thank you for everybody coming down, coming through,
and coming down...
Getting down with the get down
Just can't understand how things like this go on and that um, you know, I'm proud
Of my strong brothers and sisters not not I don't mean brothers and sisters in black. So relax. Relax. It's not just for you
Yeah, for everyone. Yeah, the whole time I just kept telling myself
I can't believe this
That was one school
It was put together by by students
Now one teacher had anything to do with the planning of the entire of the thing and
I think that a lot of people were surprised with how
Students were capable of putting something like that together and having it
Turned out as good as it did
Stuff has already changed but
A lot more needs to be done
But that's why I got involved because we needed to uh tell the community
That uh something is definitely wrong with the mass school district
The walkout was supposed to be about one voice in one school, but to me it sounded more like
25 people screaming 25 different things at the top of their lungs at the same time. So I'm not sure that
That while it was a really good idea, they should have been more focused and more centralized
One issue that we could have
Got across because there wasn't a clear message to the walkout. There wasn't a clear meaning to the walkout and no one
I asked could explain it to me
Well, I think it's safe to say that this assembly was well worth fighting for give give yourselves a hand
I
Asked that you continue to study continue to learn and gain knowledge because you're gonna leave here with a lot of knowledge
I am surprised to say that miss pollock has gone at this point and I bet a lot of money. She's not coming back
Um because I had thought that the walkout dr. Hiroshak confirming that he's not going to go for another uh term
Um the fact that not a single incumbent one in the board of ed elections
I thought that had let enough steam out of the district for the year that enough people felt like all right
Made it made a made an impact
Miss pollock has gone things have really changed. We've got a brand new
Uh a clean slate
Yesterday is a rainbow on the forehead
Yesterday is a promise that you've broken
Don't close your eyes
Don't close your eyes
This is your life
And today is all you got now
And today is all you'll ever have
Don't close your eyes
Don't close your eyes
This is your life
Are you
This is your life
Are you who you want to be
This is your life
Is everything you dream you will be
When the world was younger
And you had everything to do
Oh
This is the last poll
