A quick response to CFS re “General Assemblies in Quebec are racist”

This is quick response I’d written on Facebook in response to CFS’s allegations that the general assembly structure is racist, therefore they don’t want to adopt it.

“[CFS] hide their own inability to consult with their students (or their fear of being held accountable) behind the false notion that allowing everyone a chance to speak is somehow racist. Granted there are shortcomings in the GA structure – regardless of race or sexual orientation, some people may not be inclined to take a vocal part in a GA, but that doesn’t mean that they (CFS) should continue to work in an anti-democratic manner.

[…]

As a person of color who was actively involved during the strike, I think the issue is not whether there was problems related to people (marginalized voices) getting left behind of not finding a place among mostly white dominant spaces (Corey put it well in their first comment). The real issue is CFS using this argument to remain anti-democratic, continue with their status quo (that is top down management, so on and so forth. perhaps someone with more experience of CFS can elaborate this part).

I see it as more of a continuum of progressiveness (“radicality” and direct democracy) – There are extremely right wing student federations such as OUSA and CASA, CFS falls to the left of them. They’re more progressive then the other two (and actually want to fight against the tuition hikes, from what I gather). To the left of them, or at about the same place is FEUQ and FECQ. Then comes ASSE/CLASSE. To the extreme left, so to speak, would be an organization that’s anti-racist, anti-colonial and such.

Now saying that since CLASSE (and student movement) and it’s direct democracy structure didn’t address issues and race and privilege is ok to say, but if comes from CFS, then it’s not ok.

This article sheds some light on the issues of race and racism in the Quebec Student Movement: http://www.newsocialist.org/index.php/627-race-racism-and-the-quebec-student-movement

Elargissons notre lutte – selon le manifeste ?

Par Rushdia Mehreen, membre du comité aux luttes sociales (janvier 2012 à janvier 2013)

Petite histoire personnelle. Un camarade de l’UQAM m’a mentionné il y a quelques temps que pendant les congrès de l’ASSÉ (et la CLASSE) les gens ne m’écoutaient pas quand je parlais au micro[1] : «chaque fois que Rushdia parlait au micro, c’était une « pause-congrès »». Et pourquoi donc? Bien que ce soit le cas pour plusieurs femmes comme moi, j’imagine, j’ai une particularité, je suis d’origine indienne donc le français n’est pas ma langue première. J’espère que ce texte de réflexion aura plus de résonnances (sera plus « écouté ») que mes interventions en congrès.

Dans les années 60, quand il y a eu la première grève étudiante au Québec, on revendiquait l’accessibilité à l’éducation pour tout le monde, francophones comme anglophones. Une quarantaine d’années plus tard, nous en sommes pratiquement au même point. Le contexte a certes changé, mais nos revendications de base restent les mêmes: l’accessibilité économique aux études supérieures. Continue reading

Resignation letter to ASSÉ – Lettre de démission du comité aux luttes sociales

Problématiques, réflexions et recommandations

Par Myriam Tardif, Rushdia Mehreen et Beatriz Munoz

Téléchargez en format zine pour lire |  Téléchargez zine pour imprimer

 

Resignation letter to ASSÉ_Feb 2013_english version

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Un autre texte intéressant sur le rapport de domination, à lire, aussi dans le contexte de l’ASSÉ:
http://orientation.bloquonslahausse.com/les-rapports-de-domination-en-et-hors-instance/ (lien n’est plus actif; voir p.56 ici: http://www.asse-solidarite.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/cahier-des-memoires-versio-finale.pdf)
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Aux étudiantes et aux étudiants membres de l’ASSÉ, à tous ceux et celles avec qui nous avons partagé des moments intenses dans les derniers mois…

Ça fait déjà un moment que nous fréquentons le mouvement étudiant québécois, tout particulièrement celui qui gravite autour de l’ASSÉ. Nous avons été agréablement surprises et fières de ce que nous avons pu réaliser ensemble. La grève, oui; mais aussi tout le travail accompli à travers des principes de démocratie directe afin de faire vivre ces principes et ces revendications que nous avons adoptés ensemble.

Comme plusieurs, nous sommes habitées par le désir profond d’incarner un changement social radical, pour un monde plus juste et égalitaire; et ce tant dans le monde de l’éducation que dans la société en général, et à travers les années, ensemble, nous avons réussi à rassembler un grand nombre de personnes autour de ces pratiques et valeurs progressistes.

C’est ce qui nous a donné envie, chacune à des moments et pour des raisons différentes, de s’impliquer dans l’équipe nationale de l’ASSÉ, question de mettre de l’eau au moulin de cette belle machine contestataire.

Cependant, bien que ces principes soient toujours aussi importants pour nous et que nous croyons que l’ASSÉ et les militantes et militants qui la forment ont le potentiel d’accomplir de grandes choses, pour nous, la lune de miel est terminée. Continue reading

Why I fight – just a quick note

I wrote this introductory note on the racist, sexist and classist nature of the tuition fee debate (thus the Quebec Student Movement) for TOPIA: Canadian Journal of Cultural Studies

Brought up in a low-income family, I struggled throughout my youth in India, and in my adult life in Quebec, as I strove to access quality education. As a woman of colour, I faced further challenges in my professional life in Quebec. I was lucky enough to be able to go back to university for a Master’s degree, during which time I realized how the vicious circle of coming from an under-priviledged background comes into play. High grades are needed to access higher education, but people from low-income families (with racial and gender barriers amplifying the challenges) need to work more than others to make ends meet and pay for their education, and thus do not end up getting good grades. The high price tag and higher debt associated with post-secondary education further deters the same people from attending universities. Continue reading

Response to: Toward a More Perfect Student Unionism: Lessons From the Maple Spring

I wrote this below comment in response to the article Toward a More Perfect Student Unionism: Lessons From the Maple Spring,* posted on Alternet. Sharing it here as I feel what I said in this comment is important to me and it embodies how I hold direct democracy to heart (and how I’d (and continue to) put the concept on a pedestal). In this comment, I also express what I think is important in a student movement. That is, writing a motion and succeeding in passing it are only the very beginning of the work. Continue reading

Rushdia at World Education Forum, Palestine


World Education Forum in Palestine

28 – 31 October, 2010

“Placed within the World Social Forum vision of building a “movement of movements”, the World Education Forum in Palestine seeks to actively contribute to the construction of a just global order, which can tackle issues such as poverty, inequality, market globalization, colonialism, ecological crisis and the domination of peoples and nature.” More information available on World Education Forum website

About Free Education Montreal (FEM)

Free Education Montreal is a grassroot organization that encourages students and other community members in the Montreal area to think critically and hopefully about education and the role and responsibility of educators and students, as well as to support and bring together student and other community groups fighting the rising costs and deterioration of education.

Visit our Web site for more information.

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