The Gropinator Draws Protests

Proposals Draw Crowd To Governor's Los Angeles Office

Thousands of people crowded onto downtown Los Angeles streets Wednesday, with some protesting proposed cuts in state home care programs and others marching to support proposed changes in high school curriculum.

Protesters flocked to the streets outside Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Los Angeles office at 300 N. Spring St. around 4 p.m. to decry home care cuts that organizers called "an assault on California families."

"Nothing is more important to Californians than their families," said Tyrone Freeman, president of Service Employees International Union Local 434B, which represents 120,000 home care providers in Los Angeles County. "The proposed cuts to the home care program tear our families apart and place our loved ones at risk. Additionally, forcing people out of their homes and into nursing institutions will cost taxpayers up to seven times more than what home care costs. It simply doesn't make sense." Not far away, a sign-carrying crowd marched through downtown and rallied in front of Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters to demand that the board adopt the A-G course sequence, aimed at better preparing high school students for college.

The board was scheduled to discuss the issue at Wednesday's meeting. The 5 p.m. march included students, parents and teachers.

"The LAUSD school board has made an art form out of stalling the vote on the A-G resolution," said Genoveba Padilla, parent of two students at Stevenson Middle School in East Los Angeles.

Picture slideshow available through link.