Students at Cal High are exercising their First Amendment rights in order to spark change.
One of Cal’s most prominent clubs, GirlUp, sent a petition to the student body on April 17 to incorporate a self-defense unit in freshman PE classes across San Ramon Valley Unified School District.
The goal of the petition is to provide students, especially girls, the tools they need to defend themselves in case of assault.
The petition was started following an article posted by the World Health Organization indicating that one in every three women faces a violent attack during their lifetime.
The self-defense unit would combat that by teaching students how to escape dangerous situations and to keep themselves safe.
“With the rising number of cases we hear about how women are struggling even in our communities with violence, whether that be walking down the street or anything like that, [self defense is] a useful skill for people to learn,” said junior Srihasini Malladi, GirlUp club treasurer.
GirlUp is a global organization run by the UN with chapters in schools across the globe.
A chapter opened at Cal two years ago and was started by junior Krisha Umashankar, who spoke at the UN in New York about gender-based violence.
Umashankar started as the president and now serves as the board adviser.
“One thing I realized was that there were a lot of issues with access to menstrual products and there were a lot of issues with gender-based violence,” Umashankar said.
GirlUp provided self defense classes for club members and anyone who wanted to join during the past two years at local dojos. It was a very popular club activity.
“It was something that everyone really enjoyed,” Umashankar said. “So we were thinking that if this was a mandatory unit throughout all schools in Contra Costa County, it would be a great opportunity.”
The self-defense class included a non-contact lesson with a visitor from the United Studios of Self Defense in Danville. About 30 members of the club attended.
The petition has gained traction among the student body, with about 480 signatures. Five hundred signatures are needed by the club in order to present the petition to the school district. Once the petition reaches 500 signatures, then GirlUp will contact district administration to hopefully begin discussions.
The self-defense unit would focus on instructing students how to protect themselves in case they encounter a dangerous situation. The class would also address the history of self defense and why domestic violence happens.
The planned six-week unit would include optional student participation and be supported by trained professionals.
It is not known what students would need to do to opt out of participating in the unit. Those who opt out would probably just observe the activities. The unit would focus on students de-escalating a dangerous situation.
The petition states schools could partner with certified self-defense professionals who would train PE staff. This would provide district oversight as well as professional teaching.
“I think [having a required self-defense unit] would be really useful because I learned a lot and now I feel prepared, were anything to happen to me,” said freshman Ella Bachman, a student in Lenard Matthews PE class, the only one that includes a self-defense unit.
While some PE teachers such as Matthews have already implemented self-defense units, this petition would make it required across all freshman PE classes.
“One thing that was really important in this initiative was making sure it was clear that the unit is for boys and girls,” Umashankar said. “Usually a lot of initiatives geared toward women end up alienating a lot of men, and that worsens the issue of gender-based violence and domestic violence in general.”
This petition isn’t the first change GirlUp has inspired. GirlUp hosted on Feb. 10 a letter-writing campaign to communicate directly with state legislators about allowing menstrual products to become more accessible to women in the U.S.
“Our goal was to show that young people care deeply about what happens in our communities and that our opinions deserve to be heard,” GirlUp President Elayeh Aloula, a junior, said. “Writing letters to legislators is one way we can practice civic engagement and contribute to meaningful conversation.”
Several students said the project helped them feel more connected to real-world issues and more confident about taking action. Those who participated in the campaign were rewarded with boba.
“I never thought I could write a letter to a legislator, let alone have it taken seriously,” senior Laura Castillo said. “But now I feel like my voice actually matters.”
GirlUp has also held drives and walks in Berkeley to garner supplies for women’s shelters in Oakland.
“A lot of the time the women there have experienced a lot of harassment and a lot of violence,” Umashankar said. “So those stories are really heartbreaking.”
The drive in Berkeley allowed GirlUp to provide them with pads, tampons and winter clothing for the women living there. They also donated umbrellas, hand warmers and snacks. In December 2023, they donated 200 items to the Women’s Daytime Drop in Center in Berkeley.
“They are doing a very good job,” club adviser Surbhi Jain said. “They are working with the UN as well.”
One of GirlUp’s goals is to run fundraisers and drives monthly.
The petition is still active and accepting signatures from students and faculty.
“Our club isn’t just about talking, it’s about acting,” Aloula said. “We want to be part of shaping a future that reflects the values of our generation.”
