"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.


Eighth grader Anthony Soltero shot himself through the head

Monday, April 10, 2006

EducationNews.org

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. Ms. Corales will speak to the community
after mass on Sunday, April 9, 2006 at 12:00 p.m. at Our Lady of
Guadalupe Church. She will ask for a prayer for Anthony, whose funeral
and burial are scheduled for Monday, April 10 in Long Beach, where he
was born.

CONTACT: R. SAMUEL PAZ
(310) 410-2981
(310) 989-6815