“I realized that my philosophy professor from college was right,” says Toni Sandoval, organizer of the upcoming “Protect Our Children” protest in Davis. “A person has to pick a side of the fence. They must choose for themselves what is right or wrong. I myself, could no longer be on that fence.”
For Toni, the fence came down with the future closing of Patwin Elementary. The loss of a neighborhood school wasn’t just a logistical problem; it was a moral spark. It forced a conversation with her daughters, including one in kindergarten, about change, loss, and agency. “She realized that she herself would have to make changes, even at such a young age,” Toni explains. “She saw the need for her young voice to be heard.”
That need, for a child’s voice to be heard, clashed violently with the current landscape of public discourse, where protests are often dominated by the vitriolic rhetoric of adults who scream about bodies and violence at children. Toni saw a choice: let that toxicity define public space, or build a new one.
The “Protect Our Children” protest, scheduled for March 7 at the intersection of B St. and 5th St, (Natalie’s Corner) in Davis, is the result. It is conceived as a direct counterpoint; a peaceful, family-centered gathering where the act of protest itself is the lesson. The goal is not just to make a statement, but to model for children how to make one. It’s about showing up, standing together, and demonstrating that a community can protect its young not just from physical harm, but from the psychological violence of a broken public square.
“It’s about teaching our children to use their voice,” Toni says. “It’s possible, even if you feel like you’re the only one. We’re proving that here.”
The protest’s meaning is intentionally fluid; open to interpretation by every family that attends. For some, it’s about safe schools. For others, it’s about mental well-being or a political future that doesn’t target the vulnerable. The throughline is protection. In the face of divisive chaos, the event offers a simple, firm declaration: we will protect our children. And we will teach them how to protect themselves, and each other, through the use of their voices.
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So, the parent of cited in this article is concerned about a a possible school closure (Patwin). And yet, this somehow morphs into a concern about a local “anti-trans” activist.
In any case, it seems to me that (given the district’s support for “land acknowledgements”), the right thing to do from their perspective is to return the unneeded school site to the descendants of the Patwin tribe. I’ll support them regarding that, if they decide to put their money where their mouth is – so to speak. And I expect the parent cited in this article to do the same, thereby setting an excellent example for her own daughter as well.
“Don’t be afraid of change.” (In this case, the slight inconvenience of having to send your kid to another, nearby highly-rated school for the short period of time that she’s actually in there.) Assuming that they even do close it (or do so anytime soon in the first place).
Granted, I may be leaving-out the other “inciter” of child participation protests – those who work for the school district itself. Thereby probably inciting the parents, as well.
“It’s for my job” (woops – I meant that it’s “for the kids”).
I’d actually have more respect for them if they just came out and said so. No one likes to lose their job (but most workers who do lose their jobs can’t incite their “customers” to protest for them, let alone use kids to do it).
This event is practically a signed invitation for Beth to attend.
Sounds like it’s going to make for some great videos, subsequently posted to her Facebook account.