All Discussions Tagged 'School' - GNH Community2024-03-29T00:14:48Zhttps://gnhcommunity.ning.com/forum/topic/listForTag?tag=School&feed=yes&xn_auth=noHow Is NHPS 180 Days Student Expulsion for Fighting Helpful?tag:gnhcommunity.ning.com,2014-04-17:3365802:Topic:628632014-04-17T19:42:15.722ZN'Zinga Shanihttps://gnhcommunity.ning.com/profile/NZingaShani
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b>How Is NHPS 180 Days Student Expulsion for Fighting Helpful?</b></span></p>
<p><b> </b><span class="font-size-3"><strong>We purport that NHPS 180 Days Expulsion for Fighting Is NOT Helpful! There are numerous research studies that say severe suspensions and expulsions most often lead to more problems.</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3" style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;">Long-term suspensions or expulsions from school for a fight in the…</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b>How Is NHPS 180 Days Student Expulsion for Fighting Helpful?</b></span></p>
<p><b> </b><span class="font-size-3"><strong>We purport that NHPS 180 Days Expulsion for Fighting Is NOT Helpful! There are numerous research studies that say severe suspensions and expulsions most often lead to more problems.</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="font-size-3">Long-term suspensions or expulsions from school for a fight in the cafeteria in which no weapons were involved are counter-productive. In the longer term these harsh measures create more problems than they solve. NHPS, and all other CT public schools, that use long-term suspensions and expulsions to deal with children who need help are showing themselves to be self-serving and inept. Yes, we understand the politics involved, and we understand that schools are under pressure, but that is the nature of the business they are in. More efforts need to be invested in comprehensive wrap-around services and more parental involvement. There needs to be more focus on bilingual services for English as a second language parents.</span></p>
<p><b>WE LEARN THROUGH THE NHI ARTICLE THAT THE HOMEBOUND PROGRAM IS UNDER REVIEW</b></p>
<p><b> </b><span class="font-size-3">“Cruz is one of 40 students participating in the city’s “homebound” program, which offers two hours of daily instruction for students who have been expelled.”</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">With such low levels of academic challenge-- and such low expectations-- we get what we expect. The student “likes” Homebound because it is easier<b>. ‘Francesca said there is a lot of “drama” at the school and she got “dragged into it.”</b> Let us remember that this is the same school at which not a single one of 44 9<sup>th</sup> graders did well enough to advance to the 10<sup>th</sup> grade in 2013! <strong>It took the school’s administrators all year to recognize the problem! There were no methods of intervention implemented. While the responsibility is shared by parents, the school should be held accountable and should have in place corrective measures that get implemented as soon as the difficulties become evident.</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>What are the teachers at HSC doing about the “distractions” that prevent this student from focusing on her work?</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">There are far more productive ways to spend tax-payers money than to have two teachers working with six students teaching them what they clearly should have already learned in middle school. An integral part of the work that social workers do in NHPS is to adequately evaluate children with developmental and/ or psycho-social problems. <strong>Expelling a child who is troubled, or who gets into a fight, for one year is clearly about the school's inability to adequately address the needs of that child.</strong> The money being expended on the teachers would be more productively spent on an hour of counseling and therapy X 3 weekly. Whatever is the reason for her inability to deal emotionally has not been addressed, and she is not getting the education she needs. The problem has only been compounded and deferred to a later time. </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">Supt Harries said "It is progressive" to be offering lessons to students who are kicked out; it is not progressive; it is state law, and 2 hours daily is the minimum under Statutes: <b><a href="http://youtu.be/TVP4zMx_JtQ">http://youtu.be/TVP4zMx_JtQ</a> Part 411 - Pt1</b></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="font-size-3"><a href="http://youtu.be/WPp00buGLXE"><b>http://youtu.be/WPp00buGLXE</b></a><b> - Parent 411- Pt2:</b> The Right to an Education is in the Constitution</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b>“He said he’d like to not only (look) at how kids get into homebound, but how they might be able to get out. <span style="color: #0000ff;"><i><span style="color: #993366;">The current system works like a prison sentence with no chance of early release: Kids are sentenced to a certain number of days in homebound.</span> They cannot exit early for good behavior, according to Harries. (<span style="color: #000000;">Let us not lose sight of the analogy used here.)</span></i></span></b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b> </b></span><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="font-size-3"><b>“Harries said there are three main theoretical foundations for punishment: retribution, societal protection and rehabilitation. (People often add a fourth, deterrence.)</b></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="font-size-3"><b>“It’s pretty clear to me that in the context of the school system, we want to be heavily prioritizing the third,” rehabilitation, Harries said. “The sooner we get [students] back into a mainstream environment, the better.” <span style="color: #0000ff;">Exactly how is this 2-hour daily (6<sup>th</sup> grade) regimen rehabilitative? What else are the students getting during these two hours? How are they learning to avoid the "drama" they report to encounter in school?</span></b></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="font-size-3"><b> </b>Furthermore, it would be barbaric not to educate children because they have problems with which we are ill-equipped to deal effectively. Of course, if children come to school wielding weapons they need to be removed from the environment for their own and the safety of others. However, unless we are committed to getting to the bottom of the problem and treating it, we are not helping one bit. Putting a lid on a boiling pot and turning up the heat only guarantees that at some point the pot will explode and blow the lid off.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="font-size-3"><b>Please bear in mind that <span style="color: #0000ff;">“</span></b><b><i><span style="color: #0000ff;">The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children.”</span></i></b> <b> </b><b>Dietrich Bonhoeffer. </b> Too many children (starting at young ages) are forced to deal with serious societal problems with which they are ill-equipped to handle. Over the past several years we have seen the effects of young people who have little or no emotional control. By suspending children for one year, then patting ourselves on the back for offering them 2-hours per day of substandard education, we are revealing a great deal about the ineptitude of the existing education infrastructure, and we are laying the foundation for larger problems to come. <strong>For ALL of our sakes</strong>, <strong>and for the benefit of our society let us take a more reasoned, informed and long-term enlightened approach to education, discipline and the examples we set for children.</strong> It might be instructive to read the recently released study supported by TPPF: <b>Study looks at kids who do time for offenses that aren’t crimes. </b> <b><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2014/04/10/study-looks-at-kids-who-do-time-for-offenses-that-arent-crimes/">http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2014/04/10/study-looks-at-kids-who-do-time-for-offenses-that-arent-crimes/</a></b>? </span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="font-size-3"><b>"(TPPF) has an interesting report out on the detainment and incarceration of juveniles for “status offenses,” or offenses that wouldn’t be crimes if the juveniles were adults. Status offenses could include things like truancy, curfew violations, or vaguer offenses such as “incorrigibility.” These offenses don’t directly harm anyone. Instead, they’re generally discouraged because they’re believed to lead to criminal behavior. But treating them as criminal conduct has costs, both economic costs, and the risk that introducing a kid to the “system” can inflict irreversible harm." </b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">Does Suspending Students Work? Times Magazine article – Dec. 2012 - <em><span style="color: #0000ff;" class="font-size-2">By Christopher Ferguson</span></em></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b>New research shows that sending kids home from school as punishment may do more harm than good.</b> Although the misdeeds are very small, the incidents raise a bigger issue: does suspending a kid from school work? In other words, does it actually ameliorate behavioral and academic problems?</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Increasingly, the answer seems to be no</span>. In fact, suspensions may do more harm than good. As Pamela Fenning and her colleagues noted in the April 2012 <strong><em><a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15388220.2011.646643">Journal of School Violence</a></em>, most school districts continue to use out-of-school suspensions even for minor disciplinary issues even though they tend to actually exacerbate problem behaviors and also may lead to academic problems.</strong></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="font-size-3"><b><a href="http://ideas.time.com/2012/12/05/does-suspending-students-work/">http://ideas.time.com/2012/12/05/does-suspending-students-work/</a></b></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="font-size-3">Throughout this forum are links to education-related programs done by OneWorld Progressive Institute with people who work at DCF, DOC and Public Defenders’ offices. Please take a few minutes to watch and listen. We welcome thoughtful comments and constructive feedback.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="font-size-3"><b>YOUTH-AT-RISKS – How To Keep Kids Out Of Jail-</b> <a href="http://youtu.be/g8D4WRFeI-s"><b>http://youtu.be/g8D4WRFeI-s</b></a> <b>-</b></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif;" class="font-size-3"><b><a href="http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/homebound/">http://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/homebound/</a></b></span></p> Should Beyoncé Knowles Either Rescind Her Pepsi Deal or Donate the Proceeds to Charity?tag:gnhcommunity.ning.com,2012-12-28:3365802:Topic:482352012-12-28T00:47:18.430ZN'Zinga Shanihttps://gnhcommunity.ning.com/profile/NZingaShani
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">Below are several links to information about obesity, nutrition and health. Given all the information provided here:</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">1) Should Beyoncé Knowles rethink her $50 million deal with Pepsi as the soft drink's "brand ambassador?" </span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">2) Should she go ahead with the agreement she made and then donate the $50 million to fighting obesity and diabetes?…</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">Below are several links to information about obesity, nutrition and health. Given all the information provided here:</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">1) Should Beyoncé Knowles rethink her $50 million deal with Pepsi as the soft drink's "brand ambassador?" </span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">2) Should she go ahead with the agreement she made and then donate the $50 million to fighting obesity and diabetes? or,</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">3) Should she ignore the call from the nutrition watchdog and go ahead with her Pepsi contract as it is and keep the money?</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">4) As a celebrity, and an African-American, does Ms. Knowles has any greater responsibility than others to act more responsibly?</span></strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://recp.rm02.net/ctt?m=5012538&r=MTY4Nzk3MTA3NDYS1&b=0&j=MzAyMjIwMTU1S0&k=Link7&kt=1&kd=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.adweek.com%2Fnews%2Fadvertising-branding%2Fnutrition-watchdog-urges-beyonc-drop-pepsi-deal-146059" target="_blank">Nutrition Watchdog Urges Beyoncé to Drop Pepsi Deal; Or donate proceeds to treat diabetes, obesity, etc.</a></span></strong> <br/><i>Ad Week</i>, Katy Bachman, 12/18/2012 <br/><span class="font-size-3">A nutrition watchdog urged Beyoncé Knowles to rethink her $50 million deal with Pepsi as the soft drink's "brand ambassador." In a letter to the pop star, the Center for Science in the Public Interest told Beyoncé that by lending her name and image to the product, she is linking her "positive attributes with a product that is quite literally sickening Americans" and is associated with weight gain, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/nutrition-watchdog-urges-beyonc-drop-pepsi-deal-146059">http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/nutrition-watchdog-urges-beyonc-drop-pepsi-deal-146059</a></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://recp.rm02.net/ctt?m=5012538&r=MTY4Nzk3MTA3NDYS1&b=0&j=MzAyMjIwMTU1S0&k=Link8&kt=1&kd=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.denverpost.com%2Fopinion%2Fci_22188134%2Fchild-obesity-finally-moving-right-direction" target="_blank">Child Obesity Finally Moving in the Right Direction (Editorial)</a> </span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><i>Denver Post</i>, 12/16/2012</span> <br/><span class="font-size-3">California, Mississippi, New York City and Philadelphia are all reporting small decreases in childhood obesity — drops that are attributed, according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to "taking comprehensive action" to address the issue. "No single intervention is going to turn us around. It really takes a lot of the changes like Philadelphia has made," Dr. Giridhar Mallya of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health, told the foundation. The news serves as a reminder that the message — and action — must come from across our communities. Government and individuals must play a role if we are to make greater strides at addressing this national health issue.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_22188134/child-obesity-finally-moving-right-direction">http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_22188134/child-obesity-finally-moving-right-direction</a></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b>Containing obesity – Good Information</b></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b><a href="http://recp.rm02.net/ctt?m=5012538&r=MTY4Nzk3MTA3NDYS1&b=0&j=MzAyMjIwMTU1S0&k=Link10&kt=1&kd=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.economist.com%2Fnews%2Fspecial-report%2F21568067-what-will-it-take-make-world-less-round-last-course" target="_blank">The Last Course: What Will It Take to Make The World Less Round? (Editorial)</a> </b><i>The Economist</i>, 12/15/2012</span> <br/><span class="font-size-3">The unfortunate truth is that no single policy will bring down obesity rates on its own. Societies got fat for a variety of reasons, and individuals, companies and governments must come to grips with all of them to reverse the process.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">In Los Angeles the Unified School District Board of Directors are trying to answer that question by including students in the nutrition decision-making process. Read more at Expanding Young Students’ Role in Nutrition</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><a href="http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21568067-what-will-it-take-make-world-less-round-last-course">http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21568067-what-will-it-take-make-world-less-round-last-course</a></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"> <a href="http://recp.rm02.net/ctt?m=5012538&r=MTY4Nzk3MTA3NDYS1&b=0&j=MzAyMjIwMTU1S0&k=Link9&kt=1&kd=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fla-me-food-lausd-20121215%2C0%2C2724803.story" target="_blank">Expanding Young Students' Role in Nutrition</a></span> <br/><span class="font-size-3"><i>Los Angeles Times</i>, Teresa Watanabe, 12/15/2012</span> <br/><span class="font-size-3">L.A. Unified seeks to add nutrition education to the curriculum, give students more of a voice in what's served and more time to eat.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">At <a title="Mark Twain" href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/arts-culture/literature/mark-twain-hph61.topic">Mark Twain</a> Middle School in Los Angeles, a blooming garden serves as a classroom. Students learn math by measuring the growth of wheat, ancient history by building a Mesopotamian-style irrigation system and the science of evaporation, evolution and genetics by watching their garden grow.</span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><b><a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-food-lausd-20121215,0,2724803.story">http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-food-lausd-20121215,0,2724803.story</a></b></span></p> LEARN ABOUT CT SCHOOL-PARENT COMPACTS ON SUN. SEPT. 2, 7-8PM. ALSO ON AT&T UVERSEtag:gnhcommunity.ning.com,2012-09-02:3365802:Topic:440052012-09-02T03:52:07.212ZN'Zinga Shanihttps://gnhcommunity.ning.com/profile/NZingaShani
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>CT’s School - Parent Compacts are the latest in the Education Reform Arsenal & they are linked to School Improvement Goals </strong></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-3">What are the CT’s School-Parent Compacts?</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-3">Why are they linked to School Improvement Goals?</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-3">When will they be implemented in all of CT Public Schools?…</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong>CT’s School - Parent Compacts are the latest in the Education Reform Arsenal & they are linked to School Improvement Goals </strong></span></p>
<ul>
<li><span class="font-size-3">What are the CT’s School-Parent Compacts?</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-3">Why are they linked to School Improvement Goals?</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-3">When will they be implemented in all of CT Public Schools?</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-3">West Haven Public Schools are already implementing these Compacts.</span></li>
<li><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Learn more at: 7-8pm on Comcast Channel 26, Sun. Sept. 2, 2012</strong></span><br/><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Join:</strong> Dr. Anne Druzolowski, Asst. Supt. of Schools, West Haven</span><br/><span class="font-size-3"> Judith Carson, State Coordinator</span><br/><span class="font-size-3"> School-Family-Community Partnerships Project, SDE</span><br/><span class="font-size-3"> Patricia Avallone, State Dept of Education, Consultant, and</span><br/><span class="font-size-3"> Thomas Hunt, Principal, Forest School, WH</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong><a href="http://www.oneworldpi.org/education/education_videos_V2.html">http://www.oneworldpi.org/education/education_videos_V2.html</a></strong></span></p>
<p> </p> ATTENTION TEACHERS, PARENTS, DRIVER EDUCATION PROGRAMS & TEENS - RFP GRANT ALERTtag:gnhcommunity.ning.com,2012-08-29:3365802:Topic:437582012-08-29T20:40:42.232ZN'Zinga Shanihttps://gnhcommunity.ning.com/profile/NZingaShani
<p><strong>RFP ALERT!!! - MONEY FOR TEEN DRIVERS EDUCATION PROGRAM</strong><br></br></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>GRANTS OF $2,000 TO SUPPORT TEEN DRIVER SAFETY LEARNING PROJECTS</strong><br></br><strong>POSTED AUGUST 29, 2012 -</strong></p>
<p><strong>APPLICATION DEADLINE - NOV. 15, 2012</strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The following requests for proposals have been posted to Philanthropy News Digest:</span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">Project Ignition Offers Teen Driver Safety…</span></strong></p>
<p><strong>RFP ALERT!!! - MONEY FOR TEEN DRIVERS EDUCATION PROGRAM</strong><br/></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>GRANTS OF $2,000 TO SUPPORT TEEN DRIVER SAFETY LEARNING PROJECTS</strong><br/><strong>POSTED AUGUST 29, 2012 -</strong></p>
<p><strong>APPLICATION DEADLINE - NOV. 15, 2012</strong></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3">The following requests for proposals have been posted to Philanthropy News Digest:</span></p>
<p><strong><span class="font-size-3">Project Ignition Offers Teen Driver Safety Service-Learning Grants to High School Students</span></strong></p>
<p><br/><span class="font-size-3">Public high schools in the United States and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario, and New Brunswick are invited to apply for grants of $2,000 to support teen driver safety service-learning projects....</span></p>
<p><br/><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Deadline: November 15, 2012</strong></span><br/><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Posted: August 29, 2012</strong></span></p>
<p><span class="font-size-3"><strong><a href="http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=390300012">http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/rfp/rfp_item.jhtml?id=390300012</a></strong></span></p> Should Police Have Handcuffed A Six-Year-Old Ga. Kindergartner for Tantrum & Placed Her In A Holding Cell?tag:gnhcommunity.ning.com,2012-04-18:3365802:Topic:388722012-04-18T04:25:20.024ZN'Zinga Shanihttps://gnhcommunity.ning.com/profile/NZingaShani
<p><a href="http://www.ap.org/"></a><b><i>Associated Press – (April 16, 2012)</i></b></p>
<p><b> </b> <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/police-handcuff-ga-kindergartner-tantrum-112459850.html">Police handcuff Ga. kindergartner for tantrum - Yahoo! News</a></b></p>
<p><b>news.yahoo.com/police-handcuff-ga-kindergartner-tantrum-112459...</b><b>12 hours ago</b> – <b>Associated Press</b> – 12 <b>hrs ago </b> <b>Monday, April 16, 2012</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>On Sunday, March 11, 2012, on…</b></p>
<p><a href="http://www.ap.org/"></a><b><i>Associated Press – (April 16, 2012)</i></b></p>
<p><b> </b> <b><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/police-handcuff-ga-kindergartner-tantrum-112459850.html">Police handcuff Ga. kindergartner for tantrum - Yahoo! News</a></b></p>
<p><b>news.yahoo.com/police-handcuff-ga-kindergartner-tantrum-112459...</b><b>12 hours ago</b> – <b>Associated Press</b> – 12 <b>hrs ago </b> <b>Monday, April 16, 2012</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><b>On Sunday, March 11, 2012, on Comcast Chan. 26,</b> OneWorld Progressive Institute presented a community education program titled: <b><u>Profiling the CT Juvenile Justice System</u></b>. Our guests were: Abby Anderson, Executive Director, Juvenile Justice Alliance, John Gill, Director, Juvenile Justice Services, and Kyisha Velazquez, JRB Program Manager NH Family Alliance & Hamden Juvenile Review Board. In that program Abby Anderson and the other guests talked about the fact that CT does not have a lowest age when children cannot be arrested, so as seen in this Associated Press story linked above <b>a six-year old child in kindergarten was arrested and handcuffed for throwing a tandrum in school!</b></p>
<p><b> </b><b>Are we saying that children at any age should be allowed to damage property and injure others? Of course not; that would be irresponsible. But as Abby Anderson pointed out in our Juvenile Justice program, when White children act-out negatively in school or elsewhere, they are most often evaluated for mental health issues; they are clinicalized. When Black children act out negatively, they are criminalized and the police are called, and the children are arrested, handcuffed and often locked up by police until parents can come and take responsibility for them. WHY IS THIS SO?</b> We are aware that some of the perceptions about Black children being violent are so engrained that we react without thought.</p>
<p>OneWorld plans to reair the Profiling CT Juvenile Justice System program in June. Unfortunately, in the Hamden, New Haven and West Haven area (Comcast Chan. 26) OneWorld programs are restricted to one airing per week and that is on Sundays at 7pm. OneWorld has no control over this restriction; however, the guests on this program were very on target in helping us to understand what is happening in the CT Juvenile Justice System. It is clearly also happening in other places. </p>
<p>Below are links to various media reports on this story of a six-year old being placed in handcuffs. We also invite you to go to the other links listed to learn about America's Zero Tolerance School Policy. What exactly is going on in our schools? Are the police now the line of first response when small children throw tantrums? Or is there something else going on here? Click the various links from the many sources listed. Read the complete story. Then ask yourself these and other questions. What exactly are we doing as a society? What are the real objectives we are trying to achieve?</p>
<p><b><u>Questions to Ponder Seriously:</u></b> Some of the questions we need to ask ourselves are: </p>
<p>1) What do we expect of and from our Police Depts.? Are we putting them in untenable situations?</p>
<p>2) Should the police be called on a six-year-old kindergarten student who has no weapons, but who seems to be very emotionally upset, or even out-of-control? </p>
<p>3) Are the police trained social workers and psychologists? What are they expected to do except arrest the child? What is the real purpose in calling the cops?</p>
<p>4) When the cops are called in these situations what does it say about the professional skills and abilities of the adults who are supposed to be in charge of the classroom or school where these events occur?</p>
<p>5) What is the purpose of the 1994 Zero Tolerance Policies in Schools in 2012? Please visit this link to learn more and to read the Pros and Cons of the debate: <b><a href="http://www.debate.org/debates/The-zero-tolerance-policy-in-US-schools-is-an-unacceptable-force-in-schools-today./">Debate: The "zero tolerance" policy in US schools is an ...</a> </b> <b><a href="http://www.debate.org/.../The-zero-tolerance-policy-in-US-schools-is-an-">www.debate.org/.../The-zero-tolerance-policy-in-US-schools-is-an-</a></b></p>
<p><b>6) Read a 2009 comprehensive report that shows the results of schools</b> shifting <b>from a prevention and correction model to a reactive and punitive model</b> <b>here: </b> <a href="http://www.nasponline.org/publications/cq/mocq375zerotolerance.aspx">NASP CQ 37-5 - <b>Zero Tolerance Policies</b> and the <b>Public Schools</b> <b>...</b></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.nasponline.org/publications/cq/mocq375zerotolerance.aspx">www.nasponline.org/<b>public</b>ations/cq/mocq375<b>zerotolerance</b>.aspx</a>. Finally, read the current report at this link:</p>
<p>7.) <b><a href="http://liftingtheveil.blog.com/2011/02/01/new-studies-confirm-lack-of-evidence-for-zero-tolerance-programs/">New studies confirm lack of evidence for “zero tolerance” programs ...</a></b></p>
<p><b>liftingtheveil.blog.com/.../new-studies-confirm-lack-of-evidence-for-...</b></p>
<p><a href="http://www.ap.org/"></a><i> Link to updated article By JEFF MARTIN and JERI CLAUSING | Associated Press – 53 mins ago</i> <b><a href="http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/world/53933778-68/police-albuquerque-arrested-girl.html.csp">Police handcuff Georgia kindergartner for tantrum | The Salt L</a><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/photos/u-s--slideshow/monday-april-16-2012-image-made-video-provided-photo-135621372.html"> </a><a href="http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/world/53933778-68/police-albuquerque-arrested-girl.html.csp">ake ...</a></b></p>
<p><b><a href="http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/...68/police-albuquerque-arrested-girl.html.csp">www.sltrib.com/sltrib/...68/police-albuquerque-arrested-girl.html.csp</a> </b><b> </b></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="first"><span class="yshortcuts1">MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga</span><span class="yshortcuts1"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">.</span></span> <span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">(AP) — Police in Georgia handcuffed a kindergartner after the girl threw a tantrum and the police chief defended the action.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">The girl's family demanded Tuesday that this central Georgia city change policy so that other children aren't treated the same way. They say the child was shaken up by being put in a cell at the police station.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow','sans-serif';" class="font-size-3">Salecia Johnson, 6, was accused of tearing items off the walls and throwing furniture in an outburst Friday at Creekside Elementary School, Macon television station WMAZ-TV (<a href="http://on.wmaz.com/HPb7nr">http://on.wmaz.com/HPb7nr</a>) reported. Police said the girl knocked over a shelf that injured the principal.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: 'Arial Narrow','sans-serif';" class="font-size-3">The school called police. The police report says when an officer tried to calm the child in the principal's office, she resisted and was handcuffed. The girl was charged with simple assault and damage to property.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">. <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/04/17/police-handcuff-georgia-kindergartner-for-tantrum460320/"><b>Police handcuff Georgia kindergartner for tantrum</b></a></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Fox News - ATLANTA – A <b>kindergartner</b> who threw a <b>tantrum</b> at her small-town <b>Georgia</b> school was taken away in <b>handcuffs</b>, her arms behind her back.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Police+handcuff+Ga.+kindergartner+for+tantrum&hl=en&biw=1271&bih=498&prmd=imvnsu&source=univ&tbm=nws&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=6i-OT76JJsOs0AGc5vXxBg&sqi=2&ved=0CFkQqAIoADAA">News for <b>Police handcuff Ga. kindergartner for tantrum</b></a></p>
<p><b> </b> <b><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/police-in-ga-handcuff-kindergartener-6-for-tantrum-schools-wrestle-with-when-to-call-cops/2012/04/17/gIQAFd0APT_story.html">Police in Ga. handcuff kindergartner, 6, for tantrum; schools wrestle with when to call cops</a> -</b> <b>Washington Post</b><b></b> <b>-</b></p>
<p> </p> "Is the Charge of "Fraudulent Enrollment" or Stealing an Education Just Another Way of Demonizing Poor Black Parents?tag:gnhcommunity.ning.com,2012-04-15:3365802:Topic:389292012-04-15T19:46:47.862ZN'Zinga Shanihttps://gnhcommunity.ning.com/profile/NZingaShani
<h1 class="title"><a href="http://oneworldpi.org/blog/archives/735" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link to Is the Charge of “Fraudulent Enrollment” or Stealing an Education Just Another Way of Demonizing Poor Black Parents and Sending A Devastatingly Negative Message to People in the Black Community? It Just May Be."><span class="font-size-3">Is the Charge of “Fraudulent Enrollment” or Stealing an Education Just Another Way of Demonizing Poor Black Parents and Sending A…</span></a></h1>
<h1 class="title"><a title="Permanent Link to Is the Charge of “Fraudulent Enrollment” or Stealing an Education Just Another Way of Demonizing Poor Black Parents and Sending A Devastatingly Negative Message to People in the Black Community? It Just May Be." href="http://oneworldpi.org/blog/archives/735" rel="bookmark"><span class="font-size-3">Is the Charge of “Fraudulent Enrollment” or Stealing an Education Just Another Way of Demonizing Poor Black Parents and Sending A Devastatingly Negative Message to People in the Black Community?</span></a></h1>
<h1 class="title"><small><span class="font-size-2">April 13th, 2012 by N'Zinga Shäni, OneWorld Progressive Institute, Inc <a href="http://www.oneworldpi.org/home.html">http://www.oneworldpi.org/home.html</a></span></small></h1>
<h1 class="title"><span class="font-size-3"><a class="l" href="http://www.wfsb.com/story/16988714/tonya-mcdowell-to-plead-guilty">Mother who stole son's education gets 12 years in prison - WFSB <b>...</b></a></span></h1>
<div class="vspib"><div class="vspii"><div class="vspiic"><strong><cite><a href="http://www.wfsb.com/story/16988714/tonya-mcdowell-to-plead-guilty">www.wfsb.com/story/16988714/tonya-mcdowell-to-plead-guilty</a></cite></strong></div>
<div class="vspiic"><strong><a href="http://www.alternet.org/rights/154868/the_plot_to_demonize_black_youth_--_and_their_mothers,_too" target="_blank">The Plot to Demonize Black Youth — And Their Mothers, Too</a></strong><br/><span class="font-size-2"><strong>Kristin Rawls, Alter Net, 4/7/12</strong></span></div>
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<h1 class="title"><span class="font-size-2">We need to pay close attention to what is happening in many states and areas in America in 2012. The death of Trayvon Martin is horrible and we hope at least that legal justice will be done. Nothing will bring Trayvon back, but every person of conscience wants to see his murderer held accountable. We hope he will be. It is important also that we not lose sight of the fact that there are many other ways in which Black, Hispanic and poor children are being deprived of a potentially prosperous future. They are being psychologically robbed; in many ways they are being told – there is no hope for a good future. When young children are being told and shown there is no hope what are many of them likely to do? Education is the hall mark to success. Let us pay close attention to the fact that too many Black, Hispanic and poor children are not getting an education upon which they can build a positive future. This is exactly why we should be outraged at what has happened to Kelly Williams Bolar and Tonya McDowell; both charged with fraudulent enrollment essentially “stealing an education for their children! Bolar spent 10 days in jail; McDowell was sentenced to 12 years in prison and ordered to pay $15K in restitution to Norwalk School system. What an outrage?!!! If the public schools in the areas where these parents live were good public schools, the parents would not be seeking to send their children elsewhere. This is why parents NEED to be actively involved in their children’s education. Get to know your child’s teachers. Build a working relationship with them. Hold your local school accountable for providing a solid education to your child and hold your child responsible for being attentive, responsive and cooperative in the learning process. </span></h1>
<p>“A disturbing trend is increasingly making national news in the United States: poor black mothers jailed for sending their children to schools outside their zoned school districts. The arrests of these mothers may seem novel, but given what we know about the criminal justice system’s propensity for arresting black adults and children at disproportionate rates, we shouldn’t be surprised. Not unlike truancy sweeps that target large numbers of black and poor children with legal sanctions for missing school, arrest for so-called “fraudulent enrollment” has become yet another avenue through which to target people of color.” So wrote <strong>Kristin Rawls of Alter Net, 4/7/12</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.alternet.org/rights/154868/the_plot_to_demonize_black_youth_--_and_their_mothers,_too" target="_blank"><strong>The Plot to Demonize Black Youth — And Their Mothers, Too</strong></a><br/><strong>Kristin Rawls, Alter Net, 4/7/12 –</strong> <cite><strong><a href="http://www.blackyouthproject.com/.../the-weekly-round-up-black-youth-in">www.blackyouthproject.com/…/the-weekly-round-up-black-youth-in</a>. </strong></cite>THE WEEKLY ROUND-UP: Black Youth in the News, April 1-8, 2012</p>
<p><img alt="Kelley Williamsbolar" src="http://i.huffpost.com/gen/343389/thumbs/s-KELLEY-WILLIAMSBOLAR-large.jpg" width="260" height="190"/></p>
<p><strong>Take a good look at this picture above. </strong> What are the messages here? Kelly Williams Bolar Is charged with fraudulent enrollment essentially <span class="font-size-3"><strong><span style="color: #0000ff;">“stealing an education for her child.”</span></strong></span></p>
<p>She spent 10 days in jail. This is a new reason to jail and oppress poor black women who are trying to give their children a better life than they have had. It is another way to create felons; another way to ensure a desperate future and the inability to vote in 9 states.</p>
<p>Do we have any idea how many Asian and Caucasian parents have sent their children to better schools outside of their school districts? </p>
<h3 class="r"><a class="l" href="http://www.wfsb.com/story/16988714/tonya-mcdowell-to-plead-guilty">Mother who stole son's education gets 12 years in prison - WFSB <b>...</b></a></h3>
<div class="vspib"><div class="vspii"><div class="vspiic"><strong><cite><a href="http://www.wfsb.com/story/16988714/tonya-mcdowell-to-plead-guilty">www.wfsb.com/story/16988714/tonya-mcdowell-to-plead-guilty</a></cite></strong></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;" class="s"><span class="font-size-3"><strong>Mar 21, 2012 – <em>Tanya McDowell</em>, the Bridgeport mother accused of fraudulently enrolling her son in a Norwalk school and stealing more than $15000 in education</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;" class="s"><span class="font-size-3"><strong> </strong></span><a href="http://www.wfsb.com/slideshow?widgetid=46553"><img src="http://wfsb.images.worldnow.com/images/654759_G.jpg" width="88" height="59"/></a>Tonya McDowell, a poor, black, homeless woman in Bpt, CT had to plead guilty to fraudulent enrollment for sending her child to school in Norwalk. One of 26 parents to have done so, she was the only one arrested and charged with a crime; she now has to repay Norwalk $15K!</div>
<p> She is homeless! What are her chances of getting out from under the yoke of poverty? What are her chances of ever getting a good job? What are the chances for her young black son in America? As a society, the collective, do we care? <strong>Do enough of us care to demand an evaluation of the socioeconomic and the public education systems that led to these behaviors? Is there a national or even a state by state system for equity in education? Are poor Black and Hispanic people yet seen as a part of these United States of America? Or are they in fact seen as a burden to be punished, ostracized and marginalized? Where is the concept of justice for all in dealing with these situations that in fact are causing a rupture in the very democracy of which so many of us are proud?</strong></p>
<p><strong><strong>EMPOWER THE YOUTH – Black Connecticut Weekly Information, April 9, 2012 </strong></strong></p>
<h3>Last week there were a number of ceremonies held to bring attention and support for justice in the Trayvon Martin shooting. While the motives and objectives where sincere, many organizers missed the opportunities to capture the attention of the core target market of this type of violence which are youth and young adults ages 13 to 25. Additionally, little or no efforts were made to capture data on the participants for follow-up. In this very important election year many of the organizers of these events missed the opportunity to register and educate participants on the importance of voting and why local elections have more impact on our lives.</h3>
<p> While many of the Trayvon Martin ceremonies provoked an array of feelings few provided proactive next steps or included individuals from the greater community. How and when do we in “OUR Community” become more strategic in our planning and positioning? Since the Trayvon Martin shooting there have been other high profile shootings including one in White Plains, NY this weekend of a retired Marine. Geraldo has many in “OUR Community” focused on hoodies; however, clothing has nothing to do with why Trayvon Martin was shot. If he was wearing a baseball cap of the local team the results would have been the same.</p>
<p> “OUR Community” must become more proactive and OCCUPY the key focus areas that are most vital to us. We tend to wait on leaders to guide us through many situations when we as individuals must become engaged and force the leaders to lead and focus on the issues that are most important to “OUR Community”. Many of the leaders from the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s are speaking out now on the fact that many of the people involved then became much like those who they protested against. Once a small percentage of the oppressed (Blacks and women) became empowered and financially wealthy the focus on the “cause” became secondary. </p>
<p> Many people forget that MLK was in his early 20’s when he began his leadership role. When will we begin grooming and positioning our youth to become leaders? This being a presidential election year and the focus on the Trayvon Martin case provide opportunities and motives to engage young people. I challenge the leaders of “OUR Community” to engage the unusual suspects in “OUR Community” vs. the church kids, honor roll students, “good” kids. How do we reach those youth that are more like Malcolm X when he was young?” </p>
<p><strong>Other Stories of interest linked below are from – Black Youth- The Weekly Round for April 1-8, 2012</strong></p>
<h3><em><strong><a href="http://www.blackyouthproject.com/2012/04/the-weekly-round-up-black-youth-in-the-news-april-1-8/">THE <span style="text-decoration: underline;">WEEKLY ROUND</span>-<span style="text-decoration: underline;">UP</span>: <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Black Youth</span> in the News, April 1-8</a></strong></em></h3>
<h3><cite><a href="http://www.blackyouthproject.com/.../the-weekly-round-up-black-youth-in">www.<strong>blackyouth</strong>project.com/…/the-<strong>weekly</strong>-<strong>round</strong>-<strong>up</strong>-<strong>black</strong>-<strong>youth</strong>-in</a>.</cite></h3>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.yaledailynews.com/news/2012/apr/02/students-community-members-march-for-trayvon/" target="_blank">Students, community members march for Trayvon Martin</a></strong><br/><strong>Sarah Maslin, Yale Daily News, 4/2/12</strong></p>
<ol>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.americablog.com/2012/04/should-white-guy-lead-black-student.html" target="_blank">Should a white guy lead the Black Student Union?</a> – John Aravosis, American Blog, 4/2/12</strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/09/education/09gap.html?_r=1" target="_blank">N.Y. Times: Proficiency of black students is found to be far lower than expected</a> – John Moreno, LA Wave, 4/3/12</strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/community/northeast/news/article/Finding-a-better-approach-to-school-discipline-3456798.php" target="_blank">Finding a better approach to school discipline</a> – Syda Segovia Taylor, San Antonio News</strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://wavenewspapers.com/opinion/article_7a3c8854-7ec9-11e1-a121-001a4bcf6878.html" target="_blank">Keeping young Black men safe, in the age of Kendrec and Trayvon</a> – Anthony Asadullah Samad, LA Wave, 4/4/12</strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.suntimes.com/news/otherviews/11732129-452/urban-prep-youths-make-their-own-path-in-life.html" target="_blank">Urban Prep youths make their own path in life</a> – Stephenie D. Neely, Chicago Sun-Times, 4/5/12</strong></li>
<li><strong> <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/calif-advocates-push-to-reduce-student-suspensions-by-eliminating-willful-defiance/2012/04/07/gIQAqV2n1S_story.html" target="_blank">Calif. advocates push to reduce student suspensions by eliminating ‘willful defiance’ charge</a> </strong> <strong>Staff Writer, Washington Post, 4/7/12</strong></li>
</ol>