Jacksonville, FL – The Civil War may have ended in 1865, but people in Jacksonville continue to struggle against the remains of the racist Confederate States of America in 2013. With more than 157,000 petitions signed and growing mass pressure on the Duval County School Board, community activists are waging a campaign to rename Nathan Bedford Forrest High School.

Tampa, FL – On Oct. 7, members of Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) protested against Rosaria Butterfield, a self-described former “radical lesbian feminist turned pastor’s wife.” Butterfield now writes and gives lectures opposing homosexuality and advocating for evangelical Christianity. She believes that homosexuality is a sin and that her pride in being a lesbian was an even greater sin.

Clarksville, TN – In less than one week, progressive students from throughout the country will attend the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) 8th annual National Convention, Oct. 11-13, at Austin Peay State University here. Featured at this year’s convention are Rebel Diaz, Sara Flounders and Kait McIntyre.

Clarksville, TN – In just four weeks, progressive students from throughout the country are convening for the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) 8th annual National Convention at Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, Tennessee. The convention runs from Oct. 11 through Oct. 13. SDS will bring together new and old chapters as well as students from other progressive organizations. Featured at this year’s convention are hip-hop group and immigrant rights activists Rebel Diaz; Sara Flounders, a longtime leader of the anti-war movement; and Kait McIntyre, a lead organizer from the Chicago Anti-War Committee.

Tampa, FL – Students at the University of South Florida (USF) won a campaign to keep their library open 24 hours per day. Returning USF students were surprised in August to find the library would be closed at midnight and re-opening at 7:00 a.m. everyday. This comes after years of open hours on the campus. The students defeated the cutbacks imposed by the University administration by organizing and taking action. The victory was announced Sept. 5.

Clarksville, TN – On Aug. 30, 20 students and anti-war veterans protested on the campus of Austin Peay State University to oppose threats of U.S. military attacks on Syria. Student groups at the rally included Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA). Protesters held banners and signs, chanted, gave speeches and handed out flyers urging people to call the White House at 202-456-1111 to put the heat on Obama to not bomb Syria.

Gainesville, FL – About 40 protesters gathered on the corner of University and SW 13th Street outside of the University of Florida, Aug. 28, to demand no U.S. military intervention in Syria.

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). Emergency Call to Action to Demand U.S. Hands Off Syria!

Manchester, TN – This past weekend Tennessee became a temporary home to over 100,000 people at the 12th Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival, one of the largest music festivals in the U.S. In addition to music ranging from Paul Mcartney to the Wu Tang Clan, festival goers heard from student, anti-war and environmental activists from Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Iraq Veterans Against War (IVAW), Veterans for Peace, Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment (SOCM), Mountain Justice and other progressive organizations.

Minneapolis, MN – Members of AFSCME Local 3800, clerical workers at the University of Minnesota, filled the room here, June 5, testifying at a Board of Regents’ public forum on the university budget. The clerical workers spoke about how they have been impacted by administrative bloat and tuition hikes. Some of the 25 workers laid off last week attended the hearing.

Gainesville, FL – On April 12 student activists at the University of Florida (UF) held the final event of their anti-drone week of action. 20 students gathered in front of Tigert Hall to demand transparency about UF’s involvement in military-sponsored drone research. The delegation made speeches condemning the use of drones to kill civilians abroad and spy on citizens at home. Students hung a huge banner from the Administration Building reading, “Fund education, not occupation.” Students questioned the need for military funding. Filipino student Chrisley Carpio, an organizer with Students for a Democratic Society, said, “I consider those funds blood money. In my home country, the U.S. military uses drones to terrorize civilians and suppress liberation movements.”

Tampa, FL – Eleven activists with the Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) occupied the University of South Florida's Kiran C. Patel Center, March 29. From noon until the school's top administrators left their offices at 5:00 p.m., students erected signs denouncing tuition hikes, perused a stack of books by leftist authors and gawked at how much more luxurious the building was, than the buildings than don't house the University's top administrators.

Milwaukee, WI – Students for a Democratic Society’s call for a National Day of Action to Defend Public Education was answered by the Education Rights Coalition, Milwaukee SDS, undergraduate and graduate students, union members and community members who rallied on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee campus, March 14.

Minneapolis, MN – Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), a national progressive student group, held a “Day of Action for Education Rights” on March 14. High school and college students in different parts of the country protested government cutbacks and stood up for education rights. The four demands put forward by SDS were: No cuts – chop from the top; pass the Student Loan Forgiveness Act (HR 4170); freeze all tuition and fees; and corporations off campus.

Irvington, NJ – The Coalition to Save Our Homes held Save Public Schools Night here on March 11. An outstanding panel spoke to a full room. There are many reasons why an organization dedicated to the struggle against predatory lending would give a program to oppose the destruction of public schools and their replacement by charter schools (private schools run with public school money).

Minneapolis, MN – About 40 students and campus workers rallied at Morrill Hall and marched through the University of Minnesota (U of M) campus on March 14 to protest rising tuition costs and the university’s top-heavy administration. The protest was part of a national day of action for education rights.

AFSCME 3800 says ‘Chop from the top’

Minneapolis, MN – On March 12, the University of Minnesota presented the report it commissioned on its management structure to the Senate Higher Education Committee.

Gainesville, FL – On March 14, students from across the U.S. and Canada will demand an end to all fees and cuts to higher education. At their fall national convention, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) published an “Education Rights Call To Action.” It is a response to the never-ending hikes in tuition and growing cuts to education, as well as the large amount of student debt burdening students. SDS chapters and student groups are setting up protests and teach-ins from as far north as Quebec, Canada to as far south as Tampa, Florida.

Tampa, FL – Students gathered in the Marshall Student Center, on the University of South Florida's (USF) campus, on March 6 protesting budget cuts and tuition hikes. The average USF student's debt is over $22,000 from loans. Meanwhile, the school's Board of Trustees – those who cut the budgets and raise tuition – are made up of representatives of corporations like Tampa Electric Company and Fifth Third Bank. Last year the Board voted to raise tuition by 11%. On top of this, Florida Governor Rick Scott has cut $300 million from the eleven state universities' budgets. Now, the USF administration is threatening to raise tuition yet again.

Salt Lake City, UT – Trayvon Martin's death sparked outrage and also a movement to combat the racism that led to his murder at the hands of George Zimmerman. On the one-year anniversary of his death, Utahans met as part of that movement to both mourn his passing and learn about racism, police brutality and how to fight them.