Youth Liberation

[southernmissfan]

I found some interesting things today for all highschool students on the forum. Be sure to bookmark this thread and come back to it when you go back to school.

The School Stopper's Textbook: A Guide To Disruptive Revolutionary Tactics for High-Schoolers (http://www.infoshop.org/kidz/stopschool.html)

It's an old Yippie text, but hardly any of the ideas suggested are dated. Definitely a good read, even better if you print it out and distribute it around school.

Youth Revolt (http://geocities.com/childrevolt/?200529)

A guide for in-school insurrection.

Youth Liberation Front (http://www.geocities.com/childrevolt/network.html)

Get Free-Dropout (http://getfreedropout.tk/)

A resource for dropping out of school, or just plain fscking it up.

Various Texts:

An Insurrectionary Approach to Deschooling (http://www.impassionedinsurrection.info/youthliberation/insurrectionaryapproach.html) by the Wild Youth Collective

Room 101 (http://www.spunk.org/texts/educate/sp000838.html) by Justin Gorman

We Will be Free (http://www.impassionedinsurrection.info/youthliberation/wewillbefree.html) by the YLF

So you have to go to school, but you want to have fun and maybe fsck them over in the process. Here's a few ideas for you:

Get 3 pigs, paint the numbers 1,2, and 4 on the side of each pig and set them loose. The administration will be searching for pig #3 for the rest of the day.

If your school ceiling is one of those tile ones that you can lift up, put a fish/rotten eggs/general smelly shit up in there.

Stop up sinks and toilets. It's really easy to fsck up the bathroom. The downside is when you have to use it :lol:

I really like the idea of putting alarm clocks in different lockers. You could also use those little radios. Maybe even set up a guerilla radio station and play some sweet tunes in between class.

Set up random barricades in the hall. Always fun.

Tape/Hang up random pictures and posters. Try to make them funny, or extremely gross (like putting copies of "tubgirl" over the water fountains)

Get some of that yellow "Do not cross" tape stuff, and put it all around the stairs. You'd be surprised how many people turn around and look for another way.

Get silly string/shaving cream or anything like that and spray that around (preferably where it will piss off teachers)

It should be pretty easy to find teacher phone numbers. Print those babies out, and let the prank calls begin.

A lot of schools have these phone systems, where every classroom has a phone hooked up to the system. Practice calling the school, and the next day during math class, call the teacher on your cell phone.

You remember those little stink bomb vials? Those are fun.

This is a little more risky, but smoke bombs ALWAYS put a dent in the routine.

Get Sharpies, white out, or something like that, and mark away at the walls, floor, etc. Write funny shit, like "I slept with Principal Smith and all I got was this lousy marker".

Whenever you have some drink left, don't throw it away. Pour it on the ground, preferably in front of the teacher's lounge.

Do completely random shit in the middle of class. Use your imagination. This can be really fun, if you do it right. Example (scream) "Oh my God! Something just hit me! OOOOUUUUCCCCHHHH! Oh my God this hurts so bad!"

Get one of those universal remotes and program it to the tv. Whenever you watch a movie, play with the volume, turn it off and on, etc. Turn on the tv during random times. This works especially well with substitutes.

In general, be destructive, be messy, and have fun. :D

[RASH chris]

A lot of that is just simply not realistic in modern schools. I managed to get out about 6 months ago but I have a lot of comrades who're gonna have to stick it out for another year. And when I was still there with them we did our best to aggitate, but things like this are just absurd. Get pigs into a school? Do you realise the kind of logistical struggle involved in that? As if most leftist students could even afford to buy pigs.

Schools have cops in them now, my school had two, and we were a small school, only like 1600 kids. They also have teachers and various administrators everywhere. Anytime that something happend which might've resembled some sort of "left-wing aggitation" they were on us, teachers and administrators know what students do what.

However, that is not to say there isn't anything you can do in schools. But ideally you don't want it to be confined to you like the actions that were suggested. In a filled cafeteria punding rhythmically on the tables, with increasing speed, done by 5 or 6 people will grow very quickly, and tensions will be build very high. I've seen food fights and general mayhem come out of things like that. Getting a whole lunch shift to act up is way more effective than pouring your soda out in front of the teacher's lounge.

Most teachers have mailboxes in the office. Everytime that we had a teacher who was promoting reactionary ideas they'd get a communique from the "Revolutionary Anarchist Youth Brigade". And it would be typed in a clear and intelligent manner suggesting alternatives, disproving propaganda they teach, or suggesting alternatives, even making demands, and always signed "disrespectfully yours". Teachers are suprisingly willing to fold to such demands when things like that happen.

[which doctor]

That pig idea suceeded in our school a few years ago. Most recently someone poured olive oil all over the bathroom floor. When kids walked in ther slipped on their asses. And someone also ran across the cafeteria in just his boxers. He had a very elaborate plan that included a getaway car waiting for him at the back of the school. But at the last moment he took off his mask and happened to look back at the resource officer (school cop) when he was told to stop. Another good one is to pour bleach all over the schools colored carpets. Another kid drank a whole 2 gallon milk jug, luckily there was a traschcan next to him which he puked in. Another good one is to take a glass of liquid and put something thin over the top like a folder or something. Then dump it upside down on the table and slip the folder out. So basically you have a full glass up side down on the table. Eventually someone will have to lift the glass up therefore spilling its contents. It's best if you watch while th person lifts the glass up. We did that last one at my lunch table one day. You can also place lovenotes to your old male teachers that you dislike from anonyomous and then watch their reactions from your seat as they read them. I also had a friend who stole a computer hardrive, 2 stereo receivers, ans several small speakers from his electronics teacher. I saw all of this stuff packed in his locker. How he just walked away from class with all of this stuff I have no idea, but he did get away with it.

[Qwerty Dvorak]

i heard of a guy stickin a lump of hash in the principals tea before... funny shit!

[RASH chris]

Liberating supplies is definitely a good suggestion. Especially for anybody who is enrolled in vocational programs. I took masonry, so there wasn't much for me to lift, but a comrade was in auto-tech and he got a whole set of tools, fuses whenever we needed them, oil, light bulbs etc.

Another friend gets india ink for tatoos courtesy of the art department.

[Organic Revolution]

i have broken into the security camera room and stole the tapes and disabled the cameras and other stuff like that.

[Ownthink]

A working link to the "I Pledge Allegiance To No One" story from Youth Liberation...

http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2004/12/305622.shtml


Very Good Story.

[southernmissfan]

Originally posted by [email protected] 30 2005, 02:10 PM
A lot of that is just simply not realistic in modern schools. I managed to get out about 6 months ago but I have a lot of comrades who're gonna have to stick it out for another year. And when I was still there with them we did our best to aggitate, but things like this are just absurd. Get pigs into a school? Do you realise the kind of logistical struggle involved in that? As if most leftist students could even afford to buy pigs.


Do you mean the ideas from The School Stopper's Textbook or the ones I posted under the links. The textbook will obviously have some outdated stuff, but it's still got some good ideas. As far as the the other ideas under that, I have personally witnessed and/or did all of those except for two (pigs and radios), and I've heard of people doing those.

Your communique idea is great, but unfortunately, very few young radicals are lucky enough to have like-minded peers. Which is why I wasn't talking about "left-wing agitation" and more about "youth vs. establishment" by acts of resistance and destruction. Obviously, the ideas I suggested (as well as those in the links) are not the be all, end all. I was simply suggesting either funny ideas or little actions that anyone can easily do.

Let's face it folks, you can sit in the cafeteria and preach Marx, Bakunin, or Lenin till you're blue in the face, and you'll be met with "faggot", "commie", or "let's kick his ass"--if you're lucky. But if you can spread discontent (which is obviously already there) and increase disdain for the administration and the school itself, you can do all sorts of things. Will these actions "further the revolution" or anything like that? No, unless it grows into full out protest and walk-outs. But if you can help boost a resistance fervor, even if it's just a purely high school one, you can open things up to more radical ideas. Not to mention, these actions, however small and seemingly lame, do indeed matter and are definitely satisfying. The look of bewilderment, even fear, I've seen on the faces of teachers and principals after some of the things I've done with friends or witnessed will make your day, and the sense of uneasyness that you can create among the administration is without a doubt great.

[RASH chris]

I totally agree about exploiting the existing "youth vs. establishment" sentiment. But to suggest that most young people don't have radical peers seems unlikely to me. I live in a small semi-rural town, in an area of my state that goes republican every election, by a vast majority. And I still managed to have a number of radical friends.

I'm not suggesting preaching in the cafeteria, for sure, that won't get you anywhere. What I am suggesting is that you've got to follow up, you've got to do things in stages. Pounding rhythmically on the lunch tables until it incites a riot isn't political in any way. But the people will recognize you for doing it, and they'll wonder why you always do things like that. You've got to make the connection between youth liberation and liberation in general.

And the teacher communique doesn't require any more than one person. When a teacher would say something (often about anarchism, and of course, always incorrect) I would go to the school library during my study hall and write the memo, sign it RAYB and deliver it to their mailbox. I was the only taking the actual action, and it would have been just as easy for me to write a communique stating real definitions of anarchism and communism or something similar and to distribute those anonymously.

[southernmissfan]

Originally posted by [email protected] 31 2005, 04:12 PM
I totally agree about exploiting the existing "youth vs. establishment" sentiment. But to suggest that most young people don't have radical peers seems unlikely to me. I live in a small semi-rural town, in an area of my state that goes republican every election, by a vast majority. And I still managed to have a number of radical friends.

I'm not suggesting preaching in the cafeteria, for sure, that won't get you anywhere. What I am suggesting is that you've got to follow up, you've got to do things in stages. Pounding rhythmically on the lunch tables until it incites a riot isn't political in any way. But the people will recognize you for doing it, and they'll wonder why you always do things like that. You've got to make the connection between youth liberation and liberation in general.

And the teacher communique doesn't require any more than one person. When a teacher would say something (often about anarchism, and of course, always incorrect) I would go to the school library during my study hall and write the memo, sign it RAYB and deliver it to their mailbox. I was the only taking the actual action, and it would have been just as easy for me to write a communique stating real definitions of anarchism and communism or something similar and to distribute those anonymously.
Good points, especially on connecting youth liberation to liberation in general. Of course, you must first make the connection to youth liberation and not just a bunch of teenage boys causing trouble.

I'm definitely going to try the pounding as much as possible. Like you said, it's amazing how something so simple can lead such tense and crazy things. Passing out communiques signed "Youth Liberation Front" or something similar is also a great idea, especially if I can do it regularly.

[spartafc]

these just sound like high-school pranks. I know lots of clueless college guys that would do this kinda thing just to piss people off - i'm not quite sure I get the revolutionary sentiment!

[RASH chris]

Originally posted by [email protected] 31 2005, 06:06 PM
these just sound like high-school pranks. I know lots of clueless college guys that would do this kinda thing just to piss people off - i'm not quite sure I get the revolutionary sentiment!
Its supposed to be immature and prankish. The primary objective in doing those kind of actions is to build up and get people to act on that feeling of "youth vs. the establishment" and from there to make a connection to liberation in general.

We're not suggesting that inciting a food fight is revolutionary. But that it releases what are potentially revolutionary tendencies in ordinary kids, and that we can make the connection between those feelings and revolutionary thinking.

Follow?

[Anarchist Freedom]

Nicely put anarchopunkchris.

[Clarksist]

Originally posted by anarchopunkchris+Jul 31 2005, 12:40 PM--> (anarchopunkchris @ Jul 31 2005, 12:40 PM)
[email protected] 31 2005, 06:06 PM
these just sound like high-school pranks. I know lots of clueless college guys that would do this kinda thing just to piss people off - i'm not quite sure I get the revolutionary sentiment!
Its supposed to be immature and prankish. The primary objective in doing those kind of actions is to build up and get people to act on that feeling of "youth vs. the establishment" and from there to make a connection to liberation in general.

We're not suggesting that inciting a food fight is revolutionary. But that it releases what are potentially revolutionary tendencies in ordinary kids, and that we can make the connection between those feelings and revolutionary thinking.

Follow? [/b]
No only that, but fucken with the establishment makes it harder for the establishment to keep going. The harder they crack down on rules, the more you turn up the defiance, the more they push the more you push back.

It is this kind of action that, at the least, makes your day wicked fun. But, when used correctly, can inspire kids to actual seek out reasons to destroy this system they hate. And as anarchopunkchris said, it may spread the revolution.

[Organic Revolution]

Originally posted by Clarksist+Jul 31 2005, 02:01 PM--> (Clarksist @ Jul 31 2005, 02:01 PM)
Originally posted by [email protected] 31 2005, 12:40 PM

[email protected] 31 2005, 06:06 PM
these just sound like high-school pranks. I know lots of clueless college guys that would do this kinda thing just to piss people off - i'm not quite sure I get the revolutionary sentiment!
Its supposed to be immature and prankish. The primary objective in doing those kind of actions is to build up and get people to act on that feeling of "youth vs. the establishment" and from there to make a connection to liberation in general.

We're not suggesting that inciting a food fight is revolutionary. But that it releases what are potentially revolutionary tendencies in ordinary kids, and that we can make the connection between those feelings and revolutionary thinking.

Follow?
No only that, but fucken with the establishment makes it harder for the establishment to keep going. The harder they crack down on rules, the more you turn up the defiance, the more they push the more you push back.

It is this kind of action that, at the least, makes your day wicked fun. But, when used correctly, can inspire kids to actual seek out reasons to destroy this system they hate. And as anarchopunkchris said, it may spread the revolution. [/b]
depending on what you do, such as political graffiti, or fuck with the school in general, it will get regularly non political youth fired up to fight the school system.

[Freigemachten]

My Freshman science class was great fun, we showed up before school one day and moved all the desks into the bathrooms and sat on the floor when the starting bell rang the teacher came in and about passed out. "You've had an accomplice" he ran down the hall lookin in every other class room to see if they had our desks, no class that day :lol: . He was a cool teacher, nice guy, he got us back though on the last day of school, told us he'd gotten fire cuz of some of the pranks we'd pulled so a lot of us fellt real bad cuz he was a decent guy. Then he just busted out laughin so it was cool.
Edit: the pig thing doesn't work around here any more, people find the three and stop lookin, so i'm thinkin maybe actualy lettin 4 go. Another tidbit, for those of you in multilevel buildings, cows will not walk down steps, some one let loose a cow and they had to tranq it and haul it into the handicap accessable elevator.

[RASH chris]

Originally posted by Anarchist [email protected] 31 2005, 07:11 PM
Nicely put anarchopunkchris.
Thanks


depending on what you do, such as political graffiti, or fuck with the school in general, it will get regularly non political youth fired up to fight the school system

Yeah it is definitely important to devise your way of connecting the two types of resistance before you actually begin to resist. Cause if you can't connect the pranks to acutally fighting back then it will die out relatively quick, cause kids will just get bored with it.

Political graffiti works well, making a one page flyer with some really attention-grabbing pictures (think Che, armed guerrillas, solidarity fists) and a really catchy phrase (try to associate schools with prison or brainwashing, but keep it one or two sentences at most) and then leaving that on every lunch table in the cafeteria, or posting it on the windows, leaving it all over classrooms. You've got to make your fellow students see that they are not alone if they want to resist, and then you've got to give them the ability to resist.

Don't be afraid to think big, and don't be afraid to get in trouble. One thing I have always said, "If the principle doesn't know your name and face then you're not a good revolutionary student". Distribute flyers that say you're going to have a "Week of school liberation" and keep the pressure on all week. Most schools have flags in front of them, running up a big black or red flag is a real good way to kick off the week. And students will remember it, and they will want to know why you did it. Then release a communique stating what the week of liberation is about, and why you did it.

If you build up enough support think about a strike. Its a bold step but it works. Go to class, but don't respond to teachers, don't do any work, refuse to talk to anybody but the principle, the school will fold.

[Organic Revolution]

me and a chapter of the YLF here have tried to start riots in the schools, but they get quwelled. we had a month of resistance which ended in us getting off campus privallges back, so on a small scale it can work.

[RASH chris]

YLF is actually a real organization? I looked at it a while ago but never really got into it, mainly because I had already dropped out of school when I saw it. But I do still have comrades in school.

The Direct Action Tendency has talked about making a paper on student activism, and we've used the SDS piece on syndicalist student unions as a theory paper. If the project ever gets off the ground do you think it's something that YLF would work with us on?

I think student organization is being largely overlooked right now. I think we really need to make students a potent force again.

[Organic Revolution]

yeah the YLF is a real organization. but yes we will work with you on the paper. pm me,

[Clarksist]

I think student organization is being largely overlooked right now. I think we really need to make students a potent force again.


I completely agree. Once student organization is back, and in large enough quantity to rival the hippies and yippies, we'll have an exponential growth in active Leftists.

With the school year approaching, we must get ready to pounce.

[Gust]

They sounded like good ideas, but or school has like, two cameras in every hallway/room...

[southernmissfan]

Originally posted by [email protected] 2 2005, 01:46 AM
They sounded like good ideas, but or school has like, two cameras in every hallway/room...
Well, then, you just have to improvise. Cause destruction whenever possible, and turn the rest of your focus on to student organization/activism...

[STI]

Get 3 pigs, paint the numbers 1,2, and 4 on the side of each pig and set them loose. The administration will be searching for pig #3 for the rest of the day.

If your school ceiling is one of those tile ones that you can lift up, put a fish/rotten eggs/general smelly shit up in there.

Stop up sinks and toilets. It's really easy to fsck up the bathroom. The downside is when you have to use it

I really like the idea of putting alarm clocks in different lockers. You could also use those little radios. Maybe even set up a guerilla radio station and play some sweet tunes in between class.

Set up random barricades in the hall. Always fun.

Tape/Hang up random pictures and posters. Try to make them funny, or extremely gross (like putting copies of "tubgirl" over the water fountains)

Get some of that yellow "Do not cross" tape stuff, and put it all around the stairs. You'd be surprised how many people turn around and look for another way.

Get silly string/shaving cream or anything like that and spray that around (preferably where it will piss off teachers)

It should be pretty easy to find teacher phone numbers. Print those babies out, and let the prank calls begin.

A lot of schools have these phone systems, where every classroom has a phone hooked up to the system. Practice calling the school, and the next day during math class, call the teacher on your cell phone.

You remember those little stink bomb vials? Those are fun.

This is a little more risky, but smoke bombs ALWAYS put a dent in the routine.

Get Sharpies, white out, or something like that, and mark away at the walls, floor, etc. Write funny shit, like "I slept with Principal Smith and all I got was this lousy marker".

Whenever you have some drink left, don't throw it away. Pour it on the ground, preferably in front of the teacher's lounge.

Do completely random shit in the middle of class. Use your imagination. This can be really fun, if you do it right. Example (scream) "Oh my God! Something just hit me! OOOOUUUUCCCCHHHH! Oh my God this hurts so bad!"

Get one of those universal remotes and program it to the tv. Whenever you watch a movie, play with the volume, turn it off and on, etc. Turn on the tv during random times. This works especially well with substitutes.

In general, be destructive, be messy, and have fun.


I can't see what good any of that would do.

Spilling drinks in the teachers' lounge will only cause more work for the custodians, who already have enough shit on their hands.

Seriously, I don't see how any of this could ever politicize anybody. Write something political on a bathroom wall. That would be useful. Putting a rotten fish in the ceiling will do shit, because, guess what, your fellow students will have to smell it all week. Think they'll be very eager to listen to what you have to say when you've just caused them a week of rotten-fish-smelling?

[Left-wingist]

I'm going in to 8th grade so I still have a lot of time to piss off the school. One time we had the whole lunchroom standing up and clapping cause some kid ate his sandwich. Keep the coming. 5 years of havoc brewing up here.

[Gust]

Originally posted by Left-[email protected] 2 2005, 05:45 PM
I'm going in to 8th grade so I still have a lot of time to piss off the school. One time we had the whole lunchroom standing up and clapping cause some kid ate his sandwich. Keep the coming. 5 years of havoc brewing up here.
Yeah...?

What the fuck...?

[RASH chris]

Originally posted by [email protected] 2 2005, 05:24 PM

Get 3 pigs, paint the numbers 1,2, and 4 on the side of each pig and set them loose. The administration will be searching for pig #3 for the rest of the day.

If your school ceiling is one of those tile ones that you can lift up, put a fish/rotten eggs/general smelly shit up in there.

Stop up sinks and toilets. It's really easy to fsck up the bathroom. The downside is when you have to use it

I really like the idea of putting alarm clocks in different lockers. You could also use those little radios. Maybe even set up a guerilla radio station and play some sweet tunes in between class.

Set up random barricades in the hall. Always fun.

Tape/Hang up random pictures and posters. Try to make them funny, or extremely gross (like putting copies of "tubgirl" over the water fountains)

Get some of that yellow "Do not cross" tape stuff, and put it all around the stairs. You'd be surprised how many people turn around and look for another way.

Get silly string/shaving cream or anything like that and spray that around (preferably where it will piss off teachers)

It should be pretty easy to find teacher phone numbers. Print those babies out, and let the prank calls begin.

A lot of schools have these phone systems, where every classroom has a phone hooked up to the system. Practice calling the school, and the next day during math class, call the teacher on your cell phone.

You remember those little stink bomb vials? Those are fun.

This is a little more risky, but smoke bombs ALWAYS put a dent in the routine.

Get Sharpies, white out, or something like that, and mark away at the walls, floor, etc. Write funny shit, like "I slept with Principal Smith and all I got was this lousy marker".

Whenever you have some drink left, don't throw it away. Pour it on the ground, preferably in front of the teacher's lounge.

Do completely random shit in the middle of class. Use your imagination. This can be really fun, if you do it right. Example (scream) "Oh my God! Something just hit me! OOOOUUUUCCCCHHHH! Oh my God this hurts so bad!"

Get one of those universal remotes and program it to the tv. Whenever you watch a movie, play with the volume, turn it off and on, etc. Turn on the tv during random times. This works especially well with substitutes.

In general, be destructive, be messy, and have fun.


I can't see what good any of that would do.

Spilling drinks in the teachers' lounge will only cause more work for the custodians, who already have enough shit on their hands.

Seriously, I don't see how any of this could ever politicize anybody. Write something political on a bathroom wall. That would be useful. Putting a rotten fish in the ceiling will do shit, because, guess what, your fellow students will have to smell it all week. Think they'll be very eager to listen to what you have to say when you've just caused them a week of rotten-fish-smelling?
Did you read this whole thread? It has essentially been a discussion of how these things can be used to ferment anti-authoritarian (and possibly) anti-capitalist feelings.

[Le People]

I live in the sticks, so I have no radical comrades besides some ultra liberals who are borderlineing Marxism, except an english teacher whom I'm great friends with. I can't do a thing because everyone will know it's me, but there is going to be a turn over in administration. Oww wait, I just remembered a chick I know who says she's an anarchist, but wants aboulsultely no rules (not even communial), so I'm thinking of starting a Leftist Brigade consiting of Liberals, Marxists (me) and Anarchists. I need liberals because it would be a two member group with out them.

[STI]

Did you read this whole thread? It has essentially been a discussion of how these things can be used to ferment anti-authoritarian (and possibly) anti-capitalist feelings.

Yes, I read the whole thread, and my point was that playing silly pranks like that will accomplish dick for the following reasons:

1)Students themselves would be victims of these "actions". That won't make them receptive at all.
2)More than students should be politicized. Some punkass little shit "commie" running around spilling chocolate milk in the teachers' lounge or breaking the bathrooms will only mean more shit for the teachers and janitors (workers, remember). They'll be even less likely to give a shit about anything you say.
3)A better way to promote an "anit-establishment" attitude among students would be to do things that are actually against the establishment, and which matter to the student body (a walkout against standardized testing, for example).
4)As the anarchists of the late 1800s and early 1900s learned, "propaganda by deed" doesn't inspire revolutionary energy in anybody, even when political in nature (which the things described in this thread were very much not). All it ends up being is a good way to get yourself pushed further underground.

A better thing to do would be, say, writing something POLITICAL on the bathroom wall, organizing a strike/walkout, or distributing pamphlets about the social role of schooling. Sure, it might not be as "fun", but, in the end, it'll do more to further our cause than spraying shaving cream on wheelchair ramps.

[spartafc]

Its supposed to be immature and prankish. The primary objective in doing those kind of actions is to build up and get people to act on that feeling of "youth vs. the establishment" and from there to make a connection to liberation in general.

O.K. prankish immature behaviour has obviously not followed the same trajectory in my college! There's no anti-establishment sentiment - instead you get a strata of students who just dominate. In my university this is co-opted by the jerks in the Union who win the support of the jocks and sports students (no offence to sporty comrades).


We're not suggesting that inciting a food fight is revolutionary.... But that it releases what are potentially revolutionary tendencies in ordinary kids, and that we can make the connection between those feelings and revolutionary thinking.


I'd be interested in how you'd exactly do this? How you'd make the connection between food fighting and revolutionary sentiment?

[spartafc]

A better thing to do would be, say, writing something POLITICAL on the bathroom wall, organizing a strike/walkout, or distributing pamphlets about the social role of schooling. Sure, it might not be as "fun", but, in the end, it'll do more to further our cause than spraying shaving cream on wheelchair ramps.

I really agree with STI.

If you wanna piss off the School/College or Uni - be organised! Be very VOCAL! Know what you're about and join forces with janitors and teachers to generate collective demands! It does much more damage then spilling a drink in the cafateria, trust me.

[STI]

I think this would be a great time to discuss things worthwhile in terms of student action. What issues are good to organize around? Are traditional Students' Unions good "vehicles" for mobilization? What strategies have been effective in the past, and which ones sucked? That sort of stuff. I don't have the time at this instant to get into those questions, but maybe in a few hours.

[RASH chris]

I don't know what the other people are suggesting this for but I'm talking about a high school environment, I won't adress college/university cause I don't have experience.

Walkouts? HAHAHA! Good luck. The high school I attended wouldn't have a walk out if you promised the kids a free slice of pizza and a soda. We had a "Gay Straight Alliance" chapter and we couldn't keep our posters up for more than a day before they'd be ripped down by other students.

But it doesn't take much action at all to get students to stand up to and defy teachers. And if you can get them to do that the only step is then making the connection between that act of defiance and some sort of theory. I'm not pretending that I know how to do that, but I am saying that these actions of defiance will get us closer than writing on the fucking walls of the bathroom.

Students would'nt be "victims" most of those actions which could potentially victimize the students will result in a closure of the school, making you a hero.

Ok, how do you suggest that some punk-ass commie get the 45 year old janitor to take them seriously. I was a student radical, the only thing the janitors ever wanted to talk to me about was music.

I'm not saying I endorse all of the actions that have been mentioned here. Just that seemingly insignificant acts of youthful rebellion can be built into something more.

Kids do respond to propaganda of the deed. RAF? Baader-Meinhoff? Weather Underground? SLA? Brigade Rosse? Those were students (mostly) we're talking about a student environment.

[STI]

I don't know what the other people are suggesting this for but I'm talking about a high school environment, I won't adress college/university cause I don't have experience.

I'm talking about High School too. I graduated in June, so I don't have post-secondary experience either.


Walkouts? HAHAHA! Good luck. The high school I attended wouldn't have a walk out if you promised the kids a free slice of pizza and a soda. We had a "Gay Straight Alliance" chapter and we couldn't keep our posters up for more than a day before they'd be ripped down by other students.

So we should retreat to dumping orange soda in the teachers' lounge?

Walkouts work for some people. For others, they don't. It was an example. The point was to find something meaningful, something that might, you know, attempt to politicize and empower the student body (and hey, let's be crazy, the people who work at the school) using a strategy that works for you rather than silly little pranks that won't accomplish anything.


But it doesn't take much action at all to get students to stand up to and defy teachers. And if you can get them to do that the only step is then making the connection between that act of defiance and some sort of theory.

Great, so they get out of their desks, say a bad word, then what? It's impotent. It's akin to saying that a two-and-a-half-year-old throwing a tantrum in the cereal aisle is "one step away from some sort of theory".


these actions of defiance will get us closer than writing on the fucking walls of the bathroom

Now that's really funny. I only brought up "writing on the fucking walls of the bathroom" because it was on the original list of "things you can do to get students riled up". Only I proposed you write something political as opposed to accusing the Principal of sexual assault (which accomplishes nothing and can get you sued for libel).


Students would'nt be "victims" most of those actions which could potentially victimize the students will result in a closure of the school, making you a hero.

The only time I've ever seen a school closed down because of a "bad smell" that wasn't toxic (as rotting fish would obviously not be) was during a custodial strike. The students would have to sit through it, and they'd be pissed about it.


Ok, how do you suggest that some punk-ass commie get the 45 year old janitor to take them seriously.

That's a good question. One thing remains true, though: needlessly making more work for them isn't the way to do it!


I'm not saying I endorse all of the actions that have been mentioned here. Just that seemingly insignificant acts of youthful rebellion can be built into something more.


Like when? Occupying the principal's office would do a lot more than letting pigs loose around the school or prank-calling the teachers, or posting "tubgirl" all over the place (which would also disgust a lot of students to the point of vomitting).


Kids do respond to propaganda of the deed. RAF? Baader-Meinhoff? Weather Underground? SLA? Brigade Rosse? Those were students (mostly) we're talking about a student environment.

RAF/Baader-Meinhoff originated in student protests/riots during the Shah's visit to Berlin, not in some kid yelling "hey, that hurt" in the middle of class.

I can't find anything to suggest that the Weathermen started because of mindless pranks. Same goes for the Brigade Rosse.

Come on now, you know better than that. If you want to play pranks at school because it's fun or cool, go ahead, but don't pretend it's actually accomplishing anything. It isn't.

[spartafc]

Walkouts? HAHAHA! Good luck.

That's just one option. My high-school wouldn't have ever had a walk-out, but that doesn't mean we didn't generate collective demands and produce leaflets explaining our position. We didn't get people to walk out, but we helped people think about political issues - and oppose cuts in education. Still very effective



Ok, how do you suggest that some punk-ass commie get the 45 year old janitor to take them seriously. I was a student radical, the only thing the janitors ever wanted to talk to me about was music.

If you're serious about politics and serious about the position and concerns of the working class in your high-school they'll respond to it. If you're not serious - they'll respond to that too - though not in the way you might want. Like in the places i've been a student, the people there - the workers - had to respond to the positions we were raising because we were so vocal! We mobilised the student population to fight against education cuts - and because we were the ONLY active and political students that were serious about their concerns the workers naturally came to talk to us about things like teacher sackings and so on.

[southernmissfan]

Let me first say that I never said or implied that the things I listed are the only things you can do, or would even be right for all people. I started this thread for this very purpose--debate on how students can act and organize.

Most students, especially in the US, have either a very apathetic or conservative student body. How can you change this? Build on what you know will work: anti-school and anti-establishment. Those "childish pranks" I listed are by no means revolutionary activity, but they do serve a purpose, that is, breaking the routine of normalcy. Students love to see other students fighting the system. Hell, students love to see other students cause trouble in general.

It looks as though there are two lines of action you can take:

1) Strictly political. Including walkouts, strikes, writing political slogans, etc.

2) Strictly pranks/troublemaking. Essentially random rulebreaking without purpose.

But in reality, neither will mean anything without the other. You think you can write quotes from Marx and Bakunin on the bathroom wall and organize a walkout? Not going to happen. Many of our comrades would have a hard time convincing their peers to support Democrats, much less socialism/communism/anarchism. On the other hand, senseless mess making and destruction just makes you look like a Wild Boys or Jackass reject, not a radical. My point? You have to strike a balance that works for you. If your student body is already politically active and left-wing, focus more on politics and organizing. If not, you'll need to focus more on action and building up anti-school/anti-establishment sentiment. Never lose sight of the bigger political picture no matter what path you choose.

I really like the idea of communiques, and I plan on printing as many as I can as often as possible, signed by the "Youth Liberation Front". I recommend doing the same, as well as writing "YLF" everywhere. You might want to start off on simply anti-school ideas, then move to more political ideas. If you're really brave, whenever you do some act, issue a YLF communique taking credit for it.

The bottomline, in my opinion, is do what works for you to build up a rebellious environment. I listed a great many "childish pranks", and gave links to different things you can print off, so do any of the more political side have any ideas, links, etc. you could offer? Once again, I think the biggest thing is to know what works for your school and what doesn't, and know what you can and need to do to create a spirit of youth rebellion.

[STI]

Let me first say that I never said or implied that the things I listed are the only things you can do, or would even be right for all people. I started this thread for this very purpose--debate on how students can act and organize.


Great. Except I don't think the issue for anybody here was that "that was all we could do". For me, the issue was that none of the things listed were any good.


Most students, especially in the US, have either a very apathetic or conservative student body. How can you change this? Build on what you know will work: anti-school and anti-establishment.

Those pranks aren't anti-school or anti-establishment. They're simply anti-social. I don't care how apathetic a student body is, screwing with the volume on a movie (which students tend to enjoy over boring lectures) isn't going to accomplish anything. It won't foster any kind of "us agaisnt them" attitude and it won't "tap into revolutionary energy".


Those "childish pranks" I listed are by no means revolutionary activity,

Well as long as you're admitting that.


but they do serve a purpose, that is, breaking the routine of normalcy. Students love to see other students fighting the system. Hell, students love to see other students cause trouble in general.

Students also love to see Good Charlotte concerts. Does that make them any good? Of course not.

Again, if you want to run around doing these silly little things because it's fun or cool or whatever, fine by me, as long as you don't expect any political good to come of it.

And I'm not even that sure how much people like to see you "causing trouble", especially if it's meaningless and affects them negatively. Sure, you'll probably get a pat on the back and a few laughs the first couple of times, but it'll get stale and people will get sick of it.


Strictly political. Including walkouts, strikes, writing political slogans, etc

Including but by no means limitted to.


You think you can write quotes from Marx and Bakunin on the bathroom wall and organize a walkout?

When I was in the ninth grade a walkout was organized against the elimination of the fifth year of high school, and there wasn't even a visible leftist presence in the school.

And I can write Marx quotes on the wall, sure. How hard is that? Not that I think that would be all-too-effective, but much better than making libelous claims against the principal. It might not be as funny, but it has more potential in the long run.


Many of our comrades would have a hard time convincing their peers to support Democrats, much less socialism/communism/anarchism.

That's no excuse for mistaking childish pranks as useful.


You have to strike a balance that works for you.

The point that I've been making over and over again is that it doesn't matter if it's "balanced", silly prankery won't "work".


If not, you'll need to focus more on action and building up anti-school/anti-establishment sentiment. Never lose sight of the bigger political picture no matter what path you choose.


Focusing on building up anti-school sentiment is great. Hell, there's a thread in this forum about it. It's political, it's angry, it's accessable, and it's relatable. Distribute literature from getfreedropout if you want to build up anti-school establishment. You seem to think I believe that anti-school sentiment is useless. That's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that food fights aren't the way to build it.


You might want to start off on simply anti-school ideas, then move to more political ideas

I think that anti-school ideas are political ideas, and are very important, especially considering the social role of schooling. But that might just be semantics.

[Anarchist Freedom]

I think some things can acheive anti authoritanism. But just being a little shithead and causing trouble is just going to piss people off and make you look like an immature teen.

[HoorayForTheRedBlackandGreen]

that i pledge allegiance to no one story brought tears to my eyes, literally.

[Ownthink]

Originally posted by [email protected] 20 2005, 07:18 PM
that i pledge allegiance to no one story brought tears to my eyes, literally.
It just made me smile. But yeah, emotional reactions on both ends are great.



:hammer: Forever.