Ontario, California

Eighth grader Anthony Soltero shot himself through the head on Thursday, March 30, after the assistant principal at De Anza Middle School told him that he was going to prison for three years because of his involvement as an organizer of the April 28 school walk-outs to protest the anti-immigrant legislation in Washington. The vice principal also forbade Anthony from attending graduation activities and threatened to fine his mother for Anthony’s truancy and participation in the student protests.

“Anthony was learning about the importance of civic duties and rights in his eighth grade class. Ironically, he died because the vice principal at his school threatened him for speaking out and exercising those rights,” Ms. Corales said today. “I want to speak out to other parents, whose children are attending the continuing protests this week. We have to let the schools know that they can’t punish our children for exercising their rights.”

Anthony’s death is likely the first fatality arising from the protests against the immigration legislation being considered in Washington, D.C. Anthony, who was a very good student at De Anza Middle School in the Ontario-Montclair School District, believed in justice and was passionate about the immigration issue. He is survived by his mother, Louise Corales, his father, a younger sister, and a baby brother.

Anthony’s funeral and burial are scheduled for Monday, April 10, 2006, at 9:30 a.m., STRICKLAND & SNIVERY, 1953 Long Beach Boulevard, Long Beach, CA 90806.

citx say- may the FULL crushing force of the Wheel of Karma come quickly down upon the administrators responsible.
Keepers of the Wheel can contact Kathy Kinley, principal at De Anza Middle School, on (909) 986-8577