Open-Ended Guide For The Youth

[Sir_No_Sir]

I know we had a topic, "finding comrades in high school" a while ago, but it died out. This is another thread for teenagers,mostly to spread methods, thingsto fight against, stories of success, stories of failure, and stories of fucking with the powers that be.
Let's go. I'll start.

I've had ideas to revolutionize the school before, but I'm pretty sure you gotta start small. Eventually, I gave up for,oh, a month or two.
But then, this random day, I see this kid who I've seen before with Che shirts and stuff, walking around, posting things up. "Opt-out!", etc.

So I was inspired to post stuff. I wrote on a piece of paper the following:
"Why was 9-11 so bad and the war in iraq is so good?
Iraqi citizens killed:600,000
9-11 victims brought back: 0"

Security Guard took down my name, then later one came down and took me to the deans. I spent an hour there, and my friend got stuck there cuz he had a book in my locker. The other kid was down there for a while too. At least I found a comrade?
But anyways, it sure got people talking, and I didn't even say much about it, but it spread through our circle of friends pretty fast. I think my school has the chance to do something big-it just seems right.

Youth Of The World, Unite! You've Got Nothing To Lose But Your Detention!

[BurnTheOliveTree]

I absolutely thrashed my Deputy Headteacher in a debate about Marxism in front of a class. The class were mostly brain deads, but a few found it funny to see a teacher so out of his depth against a student at least.

I also put up class war stickers. The one with Abu Hamza and Nick Griffin on, that reads "Different faces, Same shit."

I have a sneaking suspicion that it's only effective because Griffin is fat and Hamza is a muslim, so prejudice is exploited, but hey ho.

-Alex

[Tiparith]

Hoy hoy,

I'm a young communist in my final year of high school in Victoria, BC, Canada. The administration was not receptive to my wishes for organized community events to raise awareness about social issues. However they are letting me hold political debates. As well they can't stop me from holding a little thing on Lenin's Birthday!... Woot!

[Question everything]

I've only met one comrade in the school and totally by accident, his locker is right outside french class and he keeps a Soviet union flag in it... my advice keep a che shirt in your locker with a couple anti-fa stickers.

As for taking action I was too shy to actually hand out pamphlets, but I stuck up a few around the school, they got a bit of attention and pissed of a couple janitors :lol:.

[RedLenin]

I am just now really getting active in my high school. Right now I am preparing to speak before the school board on the issue of privatizing our school's support staff. This would mean cuts in salaries, benefits, and the loss of jobs. All of this while our administration gets a raise!

Our school has serious budget problems, and the solution of privatization seems to be popular among the board members. The goal of my as-of-yet very small group, the Revolutionary Communist Collective, is to organize students and teachers together to fight this potential policy. We will be at the upcoming board meeting and will speak on behalf of concerned students. Hopefully we can spark discussion about other ways to save money. In the event that privatization becomes a reality, I hope to build a strong alliance of teachers and students to fight it. I may be a bit ambitious in these goals, but I really think organization and unity are necessary.

On top of all of this, one of my comrades is the opinion editor of the school paper, which is funded and controlled by students. We regularly exploit this. We are also countering the military recruiters, through a policy of "talk intervention" where we actively counter the claims of the recruiters while they are talking to students. So, for the fist time, I am really getting active. It feels great and hopefully my comrades and I can do some good.

[Forward Union]

Well, Some of the ideas put here are really good. Writing articles for any student newsletters, getting the school to hold events, and staging debates are all really good ideas.

If you contact the Anarchist Federation, or Class War, they might even be willing to send public speakers to yours schools/colleges as well. Putting up posters and stickers is always a good idea to.

One productive event that is worth organising against, could be military recruitment in your schools. Pretty much every summer the military will send a few squadies with model guns and excursuses to try and attract some of the more militaristic of you. Kick them out and keep them out.

I never really organised in my school, and I left years ago, so, no success stories here.

[Tower of Bebel]

Originally posted by [email protected] 10, 2007 05:20 am
I am just now really getting active in my high school. Right now I am preparing to speak before the school board on the issue of privatizing our school's support staff. This would mean cuts in salaries, benefits, and the loss of jobs. All of this while our administration gets a raise!

Our school has serious budget problems, and the solution of privatization seems to be popular among the board members. The goal of my as-of-yet very small group, the Revolutionary Communist Collective, is to organize students and teachers together to fight this potential policy. We will be at the upcoming board meeting and will speak on behalf of concerned students. Hopefully we can spark discussion about other ways to save money. In the event that privatization becomes a reality, I hope to build a strong alliance of teachers and students to fight it. I may be a bit ambitious in these goals, but I really think organization and unity are necessary.

On top of all of this, one of my comrades is the opinion editor of the school paper, which is funded and controlled by students. We regularly exploit this. We are also countering the military recruiters, through a policy of "talk intervention" where we actively counter the claims of the recruiters while they are talking to students. So, for the fist time, I am really getting active. It feels great and hopefully my comrades and I can do some good.
Well, that's really good. A good advice is to keep trying. Such actions as you discribe are encouraging. Make your local propaganda group en one day it will become a huge organisation.

I never knew of revolutionaries in my school. I guess I was one of the most revolutionary students while I even didn't know I was a communist! But people called me the communist as I kept complaining about America and imperialism.
No, my first year at university I thought of going to a meeting of revolutionaries and try to learn things from the pro's. Then I became quickly convinced and now I'm a full operational Trot ;) .

What I'vel earned from this is that a good, strong revolutionary propaganda group can do many things and attrackt many people. To stand alone seems unattractive, but once you secured some comrades you can expect more growth in less time!

Keep debating and make it clear that anarchism/communism is (at least!) a good alternative, intervene when confronted with anti-communist/anarchist propaganda by teachers. That's for a start. When it comes to the consolidation of comrades you have to teach them. Get active!

[Boriznov]

When my class was watching Goodbye Lenin ! He first asked if anyone knew who Lenin was. I explained his role in the revolution, his position in the party, his politics. My class was mad at me for knowing all this and then the teacher said; communism is form of state where the state controls everything. I corrected him and he just yelled at me to shut up and that he wanted to keep it simple :s. Fuck this shit, this is why i hate school.

[Question everything]

I know where your coming from man, teachers can be such assholes.

[Raúl Duke]

Yeah...I hate the teacher-student power structure in schools

People have to believe that teacher is "always right" and when you challenge his facts he acts like you must be "totally wrong" because, well...he's the teacher!

I hate it. It happens similarly in my history class sometimes. However...rather interestingly my teacher knew quite some stuff about Marxism and Marxist-Leninism when we were discussing Russia and WWI (since the Russian Revolution happen around this time.) that it quite suprised me. I think the teacher had a good feeling for Marx, yet disliked Lenin (or Leninism, not sure) :P .

Of course....I don't think many teachers know about Anarchism.... :(

I'll probably get active in my school during my last years (12th grade) in school...lol, I'm such a procrastinator! But at least these kinds of post might help me when the time comes.

[Enragé]

im the biggest procrastinator

i've been putting it off for years untill i go to college simply because there is no organised left around here
lots of discussions ofcourse though but nothing "real"

anyway college is in a few months, going to amsterdam :wub:

[Forward Union]

Originally posted by [email protected] 10, 2007 07:39 pm
I corrected him and he just yelled at me to shut up and that he wanted to keep it simple :s. Fuck this shit, this is why i hate school.
Do what I used to do, and get equally heated.

I mean, calling communism a form of state isn't even an oversimplification it's just wrong. You should highlight the fact that he is teaching a pile of crap and should either explain it properly or shut his face.

It'll amuse your peers.

[Tiparith]

Okay so, the way I see it. All collective farms and industry should produce the proucts neccessary to society. Then other organized labor distribtes it to pick-up points. Then people pick up what is required from the points. However many would say this is complete state ownership. I don't. I say that state-organizecd distribution is okay, so long as the goverment is highly democratic. As in elections every two years. And other such things. Email me if you want the whole story.

[Boriznov]

Originally posted by Love Underground+April 11, 2007 11:02 am--> (Love Underground @ April 11, 2007 11:02 am)
[email protected] 10, 2007 07:39 pm
I corrected him and he just yelled at me to shut up and that he wanted to keep it simple :s. Fuck this shit, this is why i hate school.
Do what I used to do, and get equally heated.

I mean, calling communism a form of state isn't even an oversimplification it's just wrong. You should highlight the fact that he is teaching a pile of crap and should either explain it properly or shut his face.

It'll amuse your peers. [/b]
I will get kicked out if i challenge a teacher again to a debate.
My principal said to me i have one more chance of staying in, my parents don't have that much money to send to me to another school so i have to 'behave'.

[Sir_No_Sir]

Originally posted by Wingsomega+April 11, 2007 07:05 pm--> (Wingsomega @ April 11, 2007 07:05 pm)
Originally posted by Love [email protected] 11, 2007 11:02 am

[email protected] 10, 2007 07:39 pm
I corrected him and he just yelled at me to shut up and that he wanted to keep it simple :s. Fuck this shit, this is why i hate school.
Do what I used to do, and get equally heated.

I mean, calling communism a form of state isn't even an oversimplification it's just wrong. You should highlight the fact that he is teaching a pile of crap and should either explain it properly or shut his face.

It'll amuse your peers.
I will get kicked out if i challenge a teacher again to a debate.
My principal said to me i have one more chance of staying in, my parents don't have that much money to send to me to another school so i have to 'behave'. [/b]
Why the fuck would you get kicked out? Unless you don't follow the school rules, you can't be punished whatsoever. Find loopholes and challenge the status quo. Spread the revolutionary ideas.

[apathy maybe]

What the fuck? That is so fucked. Teachers should be encouraging debate and rational thinking. They should be teaching how to think, not just "facts".


Print anonymous tracts (at a printer not connected with you) and anonymously distribute them. Explain how the teacher is incorrect, using rationality and logic and back up all your arguments with references. If challenged about it, deny that it is yours.

In fact, I'm sure if you asked you would find people here willing to help write such a tract, if you provide the direction of where you want it to go.

[Exovedate]

Our school recently began a campaign to combat the large amount of foul language used in our school (and there is quite a bit). Now I have no problem with people getting detention for calling other people 'assholes' or 'douche-bags' or whatever, there's obviously no need to use this language in school. However, the school administrators are going a bit overboard in their quest to end foul language. In one of my classes one of my classmates got detention for saying 'Jesus Christ!' when he got a bad grade. I asked the teacher if he would have gotten in trouble had he said 'Oden!' or "Vishnu!'. She had no answer to this, neither did the principal. Then my girlfriend got detention for calling someone a Bolshevik. The brain-dead teacher, having no idea of what a Bolshevik truly is, gave her shit. Now you know things are getting a little out of hand and totally fucked-up when the word 'Bolshevik' is grouped in with words like 'fuck-head' and 'bastard'.
I decided to go to my principal and ask him for a list of words that are off limits, he still hasn't gotten one to me. So instead I decided to create a poster quoting the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I must say it looks damn good too. I have decided to give the principal one more day to get me a list (which I have contemplated posting around the school too, depending on how much more ridiculous the situation gets) before I start posting and handing out posters. Does anyone else have any suggestions on actions I could take?

[Boriznov]

What is a tract ?

No, here you have to follow what the teachers says and not argue with them. It's fucked up i know. There are no loopholes, one teacher has to snitch me to the principal and i'm outta there.

[Sir_No_Sir]

Originally posted by [email protected] 11, 2007 08:23 pm
What is a tract ?

No, here you have to follow what the teachers says and not argue with them. It's fucked up i know. There are no loopholes, one teacher has to snitch me to the principal and i'm outta there.
Then don't challenge it in the classroom if the cost is too great. Challenge it in the halls, and talk to the teenagers about it-you'd be surprised, if you explain how bosses exploit workers, most will get it.

[Boriznov]

Oh i spread around communist idea's all the time amongst my friends.

Recently i put a stencil of a anarchy symbol with a hammer and sickle through it on my jacket so maybe i will atract other leftists this way :)

(i know it's from RAAN but i find the meaning of the symbol beautiful)

Alot of people know i'm communist but they don't care what's happening in the world. Recently my only communist friend isn't a ommunist anymore so now i'm alone.

[Sir_No_Sir]

Originally posted by [email protected] 11, 2007 09:00 pm
Oh i spread around communist idea's all the time amongst my friends.

Recently i put a stencil of a anarchy symbol with a hammer and sickle through it on my jacket so maybe i will atract other leftists this way :)

(i know it's from RAAN but i find the meaning of the symbol beautiful)

Alot of people know i'm communist but they don't care what's happening in the world. Recently my only communist friend isn't a ommunist anymore so now i'm alone.
Shit, that sucks.
Our mini-mutiny came at the wrong time, right before spring break. I dont even know the kids name. Oh well, we'll continue on Monday, I guess.

[Boriznov]

Keep up the good work :)

[Sir_No_Sir]

Originally posted by [email protected] 11, 2007 09:20 pm
Keep up the good work :)
Kepp it up too;its obviously tougher on you then it is on me.

[Tower of Bebel]

Originally posted by [email protected] 11, 2007 09:00 pm
Oh i spread around communist idea's all the time amongst my friends.

Recently i put a stencil of a anarchy symbol with a hammer and sickle through it on my jacket so maybe i will atract other leftists this way :)

(i know it's from RAAN but i find the meaning of the symbol beautiful)

Alot of people know i'm communist but they don't care what's happening in the world. Recently my only communist friend isn't a ommunist anymore so now i'm alone.
I knew someone too. But I guess that guy wasn't a real Marxist. More a supporter of Cuba's struggle against US imperialism. I mean, maybe that person supported communism as an alternative but I don't think dat he understood (at that time) what materialism was. If you see the world from a materialist view then you cannot just stop being a communist, except for people who're really bourgeois :) .