DRAMA at LAUSD

So, I work in Downtown LA across the freeway and cat-a-corner to the Los Angeles Unified School District Headquarters. Well if you don't know, LAUSD is the largest district in the country and is currently going through the process of canning thousands of teachers and staff, because due to several reasons (including the poor economy) there's not enough money to pay them. Well the teachers are upset and have been pretty much camped out protesting the school board for weeks. I've gotten used to seeing picketers out marching in front of the building and every now and then (usually the same day as a big decision) there is a large gathering and march.

Well today is a little different. Earlier this week it was reported that the teachers were going to stage a "sick out", thousands were going to call in sick and leave the schools completely crippled without their presence. However, the superintendent found some law that he used to compel the teachers union to make all the teacher's actually attend work. I believe they might have come in an hour late, but all should have reported. So, I thought there would be no real problems here, just the usual small group. Well I was wrong...

I've done my best to take a picture of the may lay down below, but only having my camera phone and being 31 floors above the action, my shots are not coming out well. A slightly larger (50 to 75) group of people have stage a "sit-in" in the middle of the street, completely blocking traffic. Although they are peaceful they are breaking the law, which has cause the LAPD to send out about as many police in RIOT GEAR....yes helmets, shields the whole nine yards. There is a helicopter hovering and about 30 mins ago (11:30am), a patty-wagon arrived! It's like a movie, honestly.

My aunt, who works for LAUSD, is in that building and she sent me an email letting me know that her building is in "lock down" until further notice. So basically she's stuck! I called her a short time ago and asked if she was okay, she's fine, but said she doesn't know how she's going to get home, seeing as there is another protest scheduled to start at about 1:30pm. And apparently there was some kind of ruckus down there as well.

This is just some craziness that I thought I'd never see in my life. People staging "sit-ins" the next thing you know they'll try to actually take over the building....I guess that's why it's locked down.!!! Well it seems like all the protesters have been put into the patty-wagon and are on there way to jail. The police are starting to leave but the news vans are still here, so watch the news tonight and you'll see it in great detail (or whatever story the news decides to put of there!)

Bye!