I am here on the ground with about 50 students and half a dozen representatives of CAPE (Community Alliance for Public Education) at a silent vigil (March 16) in response to the Springfield School District’s clamp down on the public charter arts school, because “it’s obvious the community-based A3 board can’t protect the students.”

The announcement came at the March 12 monthly school board meeting, and the next day the kids organized themselves into a student council that they had never felt the need for until then. They have just come out from spending 30 minutes with the superintendent Sue Reiki-Smith.

The adults mess up and what comes of it? The kids lose an irreplaceable asset, emotional bonds with teachers who will be yanked out and replaced, and potential disruptions to graduation.

Kudos to the kids who reacted in a sophisticated way to protect the school they love.  A student council member says, “We came today to start a conversation.”

Jesse Cox

Eugene