grassrootspeace.org

Michael Sherrard (Hampshire), 413-559-4342, michael@sherrards.org
Kasha Ho (Smith), 413-585-4819, kho@smith.edu

The National Youth and Student Peace Coalition (http://www.nyspc.net/) has called the strike to demand an end to the drive for war, full funding for education including universal access to higher education, and redirecting military funding to combat poverty and promote peace. "We've been overwhelmed by the level of participation and enthusiasm from students at campuses around the nation and even overseas," said Kai Newkirk, STARC Alliance representative to the National Youth and Student Peace Coalition steering committee and a student at Hampshire College,

"Together, students are not only opposing this dangerous and undemocratic drive for war - we are voting with our feet to demand that education come before war-making as a social priority."

Activities will be taking place at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Amherst Regional High School, Greenfield Community College, Hampshire College, Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, and Amherst College. At 5 PM, students from throughout the area will be gathering at Haigis Mall at the UMass campus for a march into Amherst, where they will be holding a vigil on the town common.

UMASS - Annie Tummino, 413-586-4792, tummino1@yahoo.com: The UMass AntiWar Coalition will be beginning the day's activities with a noon rally at the steps of the student union, followed by an afternoon of educating and organizing against the war, starting off with a 1 PM panel on "Labor and the War" at the Draper Hall Library, to be followed by more activities (including an anti-war poetry slam) in Herter Hall, before gathering for the 5PM march to the Amherst Common.

"We applaud the support shown by five college and high school students, as UMass is suffering from devastating budget cuts" said Mike Morin, a senior in Social Thought & Political Economy. "UMass faculty, students and staff have all joined together to demand money for education, not war. Unfortunately, the current governor is proposing policies that will only serve to further weaken the stateÍs social infrastructure."

AMHERST REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL: Students at Amherst Regional High School will be walking out of classes in the afternoon and joining activities at UMass. More information is forthcoming; interested media should contact Michael Sherrard or Kasha Ho.

GREENFIELD COMMUNITY COLLEGE - Rachel Chandler-Worth, 413-221-5108, rcworth2@yahoo.com: Students at Greenfield Community College will be walking out of classes at 11AM to gather for a rally on the main steps of campus (One College Drive, Greenfield). They will hold a campus-wide teach-in beginning at noon, to include discussion forums, documentary films, singing workshops, art-making, and letter-writing.

According to Riannon Kiesel, GCC peer tutor and organizer, "The strike is an opportunity for the GCC community to unite with students across the nation to show their opposition to the war."

HAMPSHIRE - Michael Sherrard, 413-559-4342, michael@sherrards.org: At Hampshire College, the March 5 strike has truly become an all-community gathering in opposition to war. Faculty are canceling classes, the Community Council has passed a resolution opposing war and endorsing the strike, and President Gregory S. Prince Jr. has sent a letter to the community encouraging participation. The day's activities will be taking place in the Robert Crown Center beginning at 9 AM, and will include faculty speakers, art-making, live music, community discussion, and a luncheon.

"Building on Hampshire's proud legacy of institutional political action, students, faculty, staff, and administrators are coming together not only to discuss the war, but to take a very firm stand," said Jonathan Wingo, student and member of Hampshire STARC. "We refuse to sit by complacently while the Bush administration wages war in our name and neglects pressing needs at home; we will not go about business-as-usual."

SMITH - Mika Cade, 413-626-0782, mcade@smith.edu: Students at Smith College will be walking out of classes at 1:30pm for a rally featuring the radical cheerleaders, spoken word artists, and local activists such as Nancy Talanian of the Bill of Rights Defense Committee, and Frances Crowe. The rally will be followed by teach-ins led by local activists, professors, and students.

In the opinion of the Smith Antiwar Coalition, "It is our responsibility as students to take action against this unjust war that affects everyone."

MOUNT HOLYOKE - Elizabeth Oshel, 413-493-5671, eaoshel@mtholyoke.edu: Mount Holyoke students and professors will be collaborating to cancel lesson plans for the day and replace them with discussion periods, tying the subject matter of the class in to the current political situation, and stimulating dialogue on the campus. At 12:15, students, faculty, and staff will gather to hold a public rally. At 7:00, students, faculty, staff, and the surrounding South Hadley community will meet again to enjoy pro-peace readings, performances, and discussion at a social event.

Rose Levin, a student and member of the campus group People Opposing War (POW), said, "These events will bring together a group of people with a range of activism experience and inspire them to start organizing. All students, faculty, staff and community members involved will have a chance to become more educated, discuss their ideas with others, and learn not only how they can contribute to the peace effort, but why they must do so."