Students at the Arizona School for the Deaf and Blind (ASDB) have been protesting since Thursday (4/18/13). The current superintendent Robert Hill has fired teacher Richard Layton and executive director Nancy Amann with no reason given. In addition, a well loved agricultural program was terminated. Superintendent Hill refuses to hear from the students or give any explanation of his actions. Two regularly scheduled board meetings which provide a forum for student voice have been cancelled. A letter from the students asking Hill to step down was sent but with no response.
Students in Tucson are being regularly required to speak out against the horrible decisions of their administration. If it’s not TUSD, it’s somewhere else. Who are these ridiculous people and how did they get to be in charge? I don’t know but I will continue to take photos to document what’s happening and share it with everyone because you and I both know that we can’t always count on the mainstream media…..
More information can be found here: http://asdbreports.com/
My photos from today are below.
Full Set: http://chrissummitt.com/blog/asdbprotest/
I’ve been photographing the fight to save ethnic studies for a while now and so have other local photographers. It’s been a pretty wild ride and it is not even close to over. Along the way I’ve captured some pretty powerful images and ridiculous circumstances. I am working with some other photographers to put together a showcase of the history of this battle in photographs. If you’re ion town, please stop by the show. It will definitely be something to see.
When: Aug 11th 6-9pm
Where: Fluxx Studio and Gallery, 414 e. 9th street, Tucson AZ
What: A collective of local photographers have come together to create a time line of compelling images captured in one of the most important civil rights movements of our time, the struggle to save Mexican American Studies. The power of solidarity, courage and love may not always be televised, but it has been documented in photos - don’t miss this historic show! SATURDAY AUGUST 11 FLUXX GALLERY 414 E 9TH TUCSON…6-9PM…$5 donation appreciated, proceeds will go to the Raza Defense Fund.
https://www.facebook.com/events/322767944484919/
Prior to the start of this week’s board meeting, there was a short press conference. An announcement was made regarding the department of education opening an investigate into civil rights violations perpetrated by TUSD.
The Civil Rights Center, Inc.(the CRC), an Arizona Nonprofit Advocacy group headed by Executive Director, Silverio Garcia Jr., filed a RACIAL DISCRIMINATION complaint against the Tucson Unified School District #1 on January 17, 2012.
Here are the photos from that press conference:
Full Set: http://chrissummitt.com/blog/protestaz/boardmtg_5_8_12/
More information here: http://threesonorans.com/2012/05/03/breaking-office-of-civil-rights-opens-investigation-into-tusd-school-board-for-civil-rights-violations/
Here are the pictures from this year’s May 1st march. I’ve photographed three of these now. We’ll keep marching as long as we have to.
Full Set: http://chrissummitt.com/blog/protestaz/mayday2012/
Today, the Supreme Court began hearing arguments for the United States Department of Justice’s lawsuit against Arizona’s SB 1070. There was a call for statewide action and resistance against this racist law. Here is what happened in Tucson at the Arizona State Building.
Full set of pictures here: http://chrissummitt.com/blog/protestaz/protestsb1070_2012/
If the system isn’t working for you anymore, you must leave it and make a new system. Today, UNIDOS held their own school of ethnic studies, where students could come and learn about the truths, the state is attempting to take away.
I wasn’t able to attend the whole day so I only got a few pictures. Check out my full set here: http://chrissummitt.com/blog/protestaz/unidosschool/
One of the most amazing events I have ever photographed. No one expected this to happen. I attended the board meeting like I always do in support of the students defending ethnic studies. It was a pretty big turnout and I barely got a seat in the back. I had all my equipment with me just in case anything happened, and it did.
http://chrissummitt.com/blog/protestaz/unidostakeover/
Here I was just taking some test shots of the audience to get my exposure correct, I happened to have my ultrawide on as that is what I usually start with. Minutes before the scheduled start of the meeting several students ran in to the front of the room where the board usually sits. Carrying chains they pushed through a lone security guard who tried to manhandle them before they were able to sit down. As the nine of them sat down they chained themselves to the chairs.
As soon as I see them run in I start shooting and running up to the front at the same time. Struggling with the right exposure in this dimly lit room, I gave up at one point and just put the iso as high as it could go. I had my photo bag sitting on a chair and not on my back and so when I ran up I left it, leaving me with only one lens. Luckily it was the wide angle. I got to the very front and shot everything I saw, the students pounding their fists, the crowd behind me growing. The space to shoot got tight real fast, oh how lucky I was to have had the ultrawide.
The students made their demands and were finally heard (sort of) and I captured it all. It was an inspiring event and I’ll never forget it. The rest of the story is really better told in pictures, so here they are
FULL SET HERE:
http://chrissummitt.com/blog/protestaz/unidostakeover/
Full Set from this year’s March here:http://chrissummitt.com/blog/protestaz/mayday2010
There was a great turnout this year, and some interesting teatro performed.
