Conor Monroe

Conor Monroe

Conor Monroe is the partner of Cassia Laham. History Teacher at Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

Education

• Studied History and Economics at University of Florida
• Went to Chiles WolfPAC
• Went to Trinity College East

Comrades

Cassia Laham and Conor Monroe.

FRSO comrades

Carlos Naranjo, Dave Schneider, Jessica Schwartz, Conor Monroe, Cassia Laham.

Colombia

Conor Monroe April 10, 2016 ·

cemter

With Nidia Quintero. Leader of FENSUAGRO, Colombia's biggest agricultural workers union. — with Cassia Theresa, Nidia Quintero and Carlos Valnera Naranjo.

In-State tuition support

Mariana Castro had everything she needed to get into the University of Florida: a 4.1 weighted GPA, an International Baccalaureate diploma from Celebration High School in Osceola County and a Bright Futures scholarship.

What the Peruvian native didn’t have was status as a legal resident of the U.S. because her mother brought her into the country illegally when she was a child. She applied for deferred action status with the Department of Homeland Security, which enabled her to get a work permit, a driver’s license and a Social Security card.

But it did not help her qualify for in-state tuition at UF. Because of her unauthorized status, Castro must pay an out-of-state tuition rate that is nearly five times higher than the in-state rate of $6,270 a year. She also was denied her Bright Futures scholarship money, which would have paid for half of that in-state tuition.

UF President Bernie Machen has stated his support for the DREAM Act and granting tuition waivers to students whose parents bring them to the country illegally through no fault of their own and work hard to succeed in school.

But administrators don’t believe the law as it stands allows them to waive out-of-state tuition.

An opinion UF received from outside counsel Foley & Lardner of Miami said the university would be in violation of “well-established federal law” if it were to grant tuition waivers or other tuition benefits to students under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

“Unfortunately, it is not something we can do even if we want to,” said Janine Sikes, associate vice president for media relations and public affairs at UF.

“We are all about access and this is a small change we can make to provide access to more qualified students right here in our community,” FIU President Mark Rosenberg said in a news release in June.

The issue could be cleared up if the Florida Legislature were to pass a law allowing for in-state rates or tuition waivers for unauthorized students.

Jeremiah Tattersall, an organizer with Gainesville’s Interfaith Alliance for Immigrant Justice, said Republican State Rep. Weatherall didn’t think the Florida Legislature would stand in UF’s way if it wanted to grant tuition equity to unauthorized students.

“The fact that Weatherford, one of the most influential politicians in the state, said that he wouldn’t hold it against UF if they allowed DACA students to get in-state tuition should put UF administration’s worries to ease,” Tattersall said. “He joins the UF administration, faculty, and students who are all saying that it is wrong.“

Castro and dozens of other students representing Students for a Democratic Society, Gators for Tuition Equity and CHISPAS, hope to get the UF Student Senate to pass a resolution tonight showing support for tuition equity as outlined in Senate Bill 300 sponsored by State Sen. Darren Soto, D-Kissimmee.

Liana Guerra, a founder of Gators for Tuition Equity, said 6,000 UF students have signed a petition supporting tuition equity. The resolution was written by Guerra, SDS organizer Conor Monroe and UF Senator Joselin Padron-Rasines.

Senate President Cory Yeffet said he supports the resolution.

A change in policy could affect an estimated 100 people like Castro, said Chrisley Carpio with SDS.“Now, it’s a matter of applying pressure in all the right ways, and showing there is support,” Carpio said.

Rally for Rasmeah

People's Opposition to War, Imperialism, and Racism September 28, 2014 ·

— with Victor Manuel, Gonzalo Vizcardo and Greg Greenberg, Robbey Hayes, Ernesto Ilyich Gramsci, Ryan Dugan, Pamela Maldonado Velasco, Conor Monroe, Jeff Weinberger, Anas Amireh.

UF Comrades

Cassia Laham April 12, 2014 ·

Mis companeros.

— with Natalie Amgott, Robbey Hayes, Richard Blake, Tefa Galvis, Conor George, Jared Hamil and Marisol Marquez.

Activist family

Michela Martinazzi January 13, 2014.

— with Angela Grace, Jonathan Waring, Conor Monroe, Robbey Hayes, Fern Figueroa, Richard Blake, Estafania Galvis, Cassia Laham, Dave Schneider, Pamela Maldonado Velasco, Jared Hamil, Marisol Marquez.

Trayvon Martin rally

Over 200 students, community activists and supporters rallied and marched from the University of Florida campus to the downtown FBI office on March 26, demanding justice for Trayvon Martin.

Protesters gathered in the blazing sun near Turlington Plaza on the University of Florida campus to begin the event and listen to speakers demanding justice for Trayvon Martin.

Speaking about the racism and oppression faced by African-Americans, Chief Steward Jose Soto of Graduate Assistants United said, “We are not one nation as our pledge suggests. We are many nations. We gather here today, just as we rallied for Kofi Adu-Brempong two years ago this month, to demand justice and self-determination for African American people.”

Gainesville Area Students for a Democratic Society member Skye Schmelzer led several chants: “Jail the killer, fire the cops, without Justice, we won't stop!”

Despite the intense hostility and best efforts of local law enforcement, the 200-strong chain of people stormed onto University Avenue, blocking an entire lane of traffic. Cops shouted at the protesters to get back onto the sidewalk, but the angry crowd ignored them. At one point, two police cars tried to block the road by turning sideways in front of the march, but Gainesville Area Students for a Democratic Society member Conor Monroe bravely jumped out to keep the road from being closed.

After the mile-long march was over, the crowd arrived at the foot of the FBI Field Office in Gainesville. The main doors into the building were locked, but members of Gainesville Area SDS found a secondary entrance. A ten-person delegation made their way upstairs to the FBI Field Office, which was located inside a Wells Fargo bank. Meanwhile, the crowd chanted, “No justice, no peace, no racist police” outside.

Inside the FBI Field Office, the delegation demanded a meeting with a member of the FBI. FBI officials demanded that the delegation leave the building and claimed that the police were on their way. “The police followed us here as we marched in the streets, and they're standing around outside, what do you mean they're on their way? We want a meeting to present our demands to the FBI,” Gainesville Area Students for a Democratic Society member Cassia Laham shouted back.

FRSO comrade

In 2013 Conor Monroe, a member of the Freedom Road Socialist Organization/FightBack! and a Gainesville Area Students for a Democratic Society organizer.

Early comrades

Gainesville Area Students for a Democratic Society/Students for a Democratic Society at UF comrades circa 2011.

Dave Schneider, Fern Figueroa, Conor Monroe.