Teacher Protestors Close Rotunda

Katy Grimes: In an obvious effort to one-up the February Wisconsin state house union protestors, a large, gnarly looking group of teachers union activists caused such a commotion at the state Capitol today, that the rotunda area was closed to everyone.

The California Teachers Association organized the protest at the Capitol called “State of Emergency” week, which caused gridlock in the Capitol halls, the rotunda area, and near some Republican Legislators’ offices.

Ironically, tour groups of school children were prevented access to some Capitol areas because of the demonstrating teachers.

After one group was removed from the rotunda area for chanting so loudly that they could be heard behind the closed doors inside the Assembly and Senate  chambers, they congregated on the floor outside Gov. Jerry Brown’s office, reminiscent  of the perpetually stoned, anti-government 1960’s protestors.

Some news reports neglected to mention the raucous chanting, and reported that protestors were just sitting on the floor when they were asked to leave the rotunda area by the CHP.

The protestors were pathetic and made me glad that my kids are no longer school aged. Most of the protestors were gray-haired, overweight, aging hippies, using the same selfish, self-absorbed message they used as protestors in the 60’s.

Some younger protestors were present in addition to the chanters, but it was mostly an older crowd.

Most people around the Capitol looked askance at the protestors as they aimlessly wandered the hallways in their matching blue t-shirts, waiting to be told where to go and what to protest next, while carrying the usual signs reading “textbooks, not tax breaks,” and “support teachers, not the rich” — same old slogans insisting on the same old tax increases, on the same people.

I couldn’t help chanting to myself, “Hey hey, ho ho, the teachers union has got to go.”

MAY 9, 2011