At the End of a Long Week of Democracy—Letters from Students on a Senator’s Door Tells a Story

By Frank D. Russo

There has been a lot of democracy in Sacramento in action this week. Throngs of California citizens from every walk of life and every corner of the state have been walking the hallways of the Capitol, with many of them paying a visit to their elected officials—mostly about the state budget, but also on other issues.

On all four sides of the state Capitol building, the steps have been working overtime with assemblages of some of these folks, hearing speeches, giving speeches, and being fired up before making their pilgrimage inside to see legislators. Often, multiple rallies are going on at the same time. Tourists and classes of students are also wandering about while others are a bit more earnest in trying to get their message heard while legislators and their staffs scurry about to floor sessions and committee hearings.

But there were some letters posted on the door of Senator Jenny Oropeza that caught my eye and I couldn’t resist asking Ray Sotero about the letters. I learned an interesting story behind them.

About 25 Torrance-area high school students and Torrance PTA Council members had trekked to the Capitol with boxes of letters. Senator Oropeza was the only lawmaker to meet with them and accept the letters—in a room they had reserved for this purpose. She is pictured at right reading a letter from a Torrance third-grader delivered by North High junior Dustin Tygret. A day he won’t forget.

Oropeza made a few general remarks in support of education and told them briefly about the tough budget situation the state is in. The students presented 10,000 letters from Torrance locals protesting any proposed budget cuts. The letters were in three large soft suitcases bundled in manila envelopes. Some of the letters were from third graders and they joked about how some were written with crayons. Most of the letters were from high school students and parents. At least four of the students delivered formal remarks urging Jenny and other lawmakers to resist any cuts to education.

Three of those letters were on the Senator’s door. While I doubt the Senator read all 10,000 letters, someone on the Senator’s staff read them and selected those three. Even though Sacramento is far removed from where many of us Californians live, there is a message being delivered.

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