tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84111672692080429822024-03-05T11:03:55.910-08:00Kansas State NAACPKMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-88197276197063524212011-04-01T11:31:00.000-07:002011-04-02T17:04:03.652-07:00Join us April 4th for the "We Are One... Standing in solidarity with Labor" rally<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jSlnGJvZjPcnWCwfRZqJdyRBSkHmV4htcaivUPPCeDHO4uprWkTRrUID8FtYzL4JEyqZph8tvrKgdHEA5v0GPuiHj9ac6_-tPctnJzTy3puM0hCY01J68rhg750coYc2EIYeY2FUJQ/s1600/WEARE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3jSlnGJvZjPcnWCwfRZqJdyRBSkHmV4htcaivUPPCeDHO4uprWkTRrUID8FtYzL4JEyqZph8tvrKgdHEA5v0GPuiHj9ac6_-tPctnJzTy3puM0hCY01J68rhg750coYc2EIYeY2FUJQ/s200/WEARE.jpg" width="186" /></a>On April 4th, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis Tennessee, where he had gone to stand with sanitation workers who were standing up and demanding fair treatment and the right to bargain collectively for a voice at work and a better life.<br />
<br />
Today, that same demand is electrifying people across America. It's the demand of all people - Black, White, Latino, and Asian American: The right to join together to fight for our common dreams.<br />
<br />
On Monday, April 4th, Join the Wichita Branch and Kansas NAACP, the Wichita/Hutchison Labor Federation, and the Kansas Chapter of the National Organization for Women as we STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH LABOR.<br />
<blockquote>What: The "WE ARE ONE" Rally<br />
When: April 4th at 7:00pm<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Where: Interfaith Ministries (829 N Market St)</span></b></blockquote>The event is free and open to the publicKMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-11236166797240477612011-03-14T14:29:00.000-07:002011-03-14T14:29:07.216-07:00Former State Conference President Charles Jean-Baptiste files to run for the Shawnee Mission School Board<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61PKYdPKiGUNJSViKMkh6NHeGKS3IDflUVnjR7q26AjrpKr1T4OearqtiRyzZybXVVsD-UuAtdMbaTPHXwp0wCTO2s0ALLmifouvoYH_PR8sZCuzZKAAkd7k6Cqeisrq8flsithVKXg/s1600/Jean-Baptiste.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi61PKYdPKiGUNJSViKMkh6NHeGKS3IDflUVnjR7q26AjrpKr1T4OearqtiRyzZybXVVsD-UuAtdMbaTPHXwp0wCTO2s0ALLmifouvoYH_PR8sZCuzZKAAkd7k6Cqeisrq8flsithVKXg/s320/Jean-Baptiste.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>Former Kansas State Conference President Charles Jean-Baptiste has filed for the Position 5 <i>(Northwest area) </i>seat on the Shawnee Mission school board. He faces off against the incumbent -Patty Mach, and Angela Jeppesen. Voters will choose the winner in the April 5 general election.<br />
<br />
The Shawnee Dispatch newspaper sent each candidate a written questionnaire featuring biographical information as well as questions about current issues. Charles Jean-Baptiste’s answers are posted below.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">What made you decide to run for office?</span></b><br />
I was born and raised in Louisiana on a sharecropper farm. I was the first person in my family to graduate from high school. That allowed me to believe that a college degree was possible. But that possibility could not have come about without the encouragement that I received along the way from people who were not even related to me. I received support and assistance from people who had no reason to have a vested interest in my success, other than they believed in me. Their only goal was to make sure I had the opportunity to succeed. They saw something in me that only need an opportunity and the belief that I did not have to grow up and become a sharecropper. There wouldn’t have been anything wrong with that reality but my education gave me something that my siblings and parents did not have and that was a choice. I choose to finish school and to see were that education would take me. I owe it to this community to return what was given to me. I owe it to this community to care for children and parents that I may never know on a personal level and to have a vested interest in their success for no other reason than I believe in them.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">What special qualifications would you bring to this office?</span></b><br />
The Shawnee School District is facing challenges that many other school districts are facing. Solutions are going to have to be derived from a collective effort. The solutions will have to be innovative and more importantly implemented in an efficient manner. The position requires someone with success in working with the Kansas legislature, which I have done.<br />
<br />
You can see that I have, for years been an active member of in the community. All the candidates will be able to provide the number of organizations we have been and our platitudes. What I want to bring is an emerging voice of leadership, trustworthiness, and reason. The best ideas remain ideas without someone willing to take the lead in moving them forward. I have taken thoughts and ideas turned them into something tangible—for example Kansas Senate Bill 54. The person providing leadership has to be trustworthy. I have gained that trust among all groups of people at all economic and social levels of our community. You need a voice of reason. The quick fixes are easy. There are those that believe the only thing you need to do to make your budget is slash programs or cut salaries. That may ultimately be what has to be done but you have to be reasonable in your approach and foresee the long term impact of these types of decisions.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">How do you plan to familiarize yourself with the issues that come before the board?</span></b><br />
Not all the nuances of an issue can be captured quantitatively. A qualitative analysis has to be included. I believe in listening and hearing what people have to say on not only the current issues but their feelings on the Board’s past decisions. This is key. I believe that sometimes you will find that people agree with the decision but have a distain for how the decision was made or implemented. We all want to be heard.<br />
<br />
I do plan a methodical quantitative approach as well. I am very interested in the results of the Budget Reduction Survey. The superintendent’s annual reports provide an invaluable look at the district. There is the district’s five year plan that also has to be taken into consideration. I can be trusted to always find a way to familiarize myself with the issues that would come before the Board. My basis for information has always come from a variety of sources from—legislation, grass roots efforts, school administrators and employees, teachers, and in this position those that we are here to serve—the parents and the children. And let’s not forget other school districts. What may not work in one district may work in ours. We can also learn from the errors of other districts.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">What leadership qualities do you possess?</span></b><br />
The leadership qualities that I possess are my ability to work with diverse groups, mediate, and communicate. I am not afraid to speak the truth or make difficult decisions. This period of change that we are in is not going to be easy. I am not going to promise to have all the answers. We may have to endure some pain as a result of our decisions. But what I can promise is that there will be rust and reason in my leadership.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">How do you plan to stay in touch with constituents if you are elected?</span></b><br />
I plan to stay in touch with constituents through a variety of media— telephonic, electronic mail, webpage, community meetings, newsletters, and knocking on doors. You will always have a way of contacting me and I will always make an effort to keep you informed.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Describe what you see as the main role of a school board member.</span></b><br />
I see the main role of a school board member is one that puts in place a venue and serves as a catalyst for the betterment of our children. The school board should be a catalyst for the basic principle of our students learning and reaching their highest potential. As the board does this, it is the role of every board member is to keep the community informed of our collective efforts and to serve as support for the school administrators, teachers, and employees.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">What is the best attribute of our school district and why?</span></b><br />
The best attribute of our school district are the students. The reason—this district has some of the most active and caring parents. The parents are embracing and they fight for not only their child but also the children that do not have a support system and for children they may never meet. Our students are also our best attribute because of the daily and tireless efforts of our school administrators, teachers, employees, and volunteers.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">What are the three most important issues facing the school district and how would you confront them?</span></b><br />
Currently the most important issues facing the school district would have to fall under the category of an ever shrinking budget. This includes:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Closing neighborhood schools.</li>
<li>Teacher to student ratio.</li>
<li>Doing more with less while still maintaining a high efficiency rate.</li>
</ul><br />
What more can we squeeze from the only large school district in Kansas to be designated as 100% efficient? Our budget constraints cannot really be attributed to waste. We may differ on what programs need to remain or positions to be cut but that is out of necessity versus waste or the program or position not being of value.<br />
<br />
My way of confronting the issues is to begin with:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Kansas legislation—we have to continue to have our voice heard on the number of pending education related legislation.</li>
<li>Despite efficiency there is going to be deficits. This has to get under control while be look for solutions.</li>
<li>The 65% of the budget that is spent on the classroom needs to be further explored. I am not advocating for cutting this but I do want to look deeper into these expenditures.</li>
</ul><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Do you think public schools are adequately funded? Why or why not?</span></b><br />
I think the easy answer is to say no. But we all have seen nationwide and in neighboring communities that increasing spending per student is not the formula for producing successful students or school districts. Pouring money on a problem only creates a money pit. It is harder to say, we are adequately funded—and that is my response to this question—right now. Continued budget cuts will take us below “adequate”. However, do we want to settle for “adequate”? Are we willing to define the children of the Shawnee School District as “adequate”? I don’t want to but we may temporarily have to accept adequate (as we are now) until we can generate funds to put us above adequate. In the interim, I think the question that should be asked: Is the funding being adequately spent?<br />
<br />
We can philosophically and perhaps legislatively advocate for less spending on incarceration versus the educating of a child for 12 years. We can make an argument that this diverting of funds can result in preventing criminal behavior and thus making the state of Kansas proactive versus reactive.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">What areas of the budget would you target for spending cuts if necessary?</span></b><br />
Any areas of the budget target for spending cuts would have to be based on the entire school budget. I think it’s reckless to declare, without consideration of input, what needs to be cut. This is not an attempt to avoid the question but to demonstrate that this needs to be approached with reason. The voters need to know that I do not have a preconceived agenda. When it comes to cutting you have to cut appropriately and gain consensus of other board members and constituents. As stated previously, I do believe there are areas of the budget to look at, if only to gain a better understanding. The 65% spent on classrooms may be the key to our above average rating in the state. You cannot just look at what appears to be a large part of the budget and presume that it’s fat that can be trimmed. I also want to hear what the community has to say in the budget survey. Being on the school board is not about someone that has all the answers but is willing to lead and facilitate community input. The district belongs to all of us.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Are the district’s teachers being compensated fairly? Why or why not?</span></b><br />
I do believe that under the present budget circumstances teachers are being compensated fairly. Are there likely those that are doing more than others—yes. Are there those that are deserving of a raise—yes. My response is not to negate that there are those that are doing more for less and are deserving of an increase in pay. I think that has always been the case of those that do public work.<br />
<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Under what circumstances would you favor increasing property taxes?</span></b><br />
As a member of the school board I would favor any increase that was approved by the voters by ballot. As member of the school board I would also support the decision of the voter’s should they not approve an increase. From a personal stand point, I would favor an increase property taxes to maintain the quality of education in the classroom, maintain the quality of administrators, teachers and to make sure that our students are getting an education that is compatible to global society. However, ultimately I believe tax increases should be ballot initiatives.KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-60478233444644543092011-03-13T09:43:00.001-07:002011-03-13T09:43:51.870-07:00Coalition of Kansas Civic Organizations to March for Civil Rights Protections on 3/19<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6LQo4TXDp8ojjOjMeyRVbR5wEnU9z53RlRMXReYCDL5EDE9AiBxIpQyqSUGgmutL1BCf4YnU67l1MSo4gzisBQu5rQVbaKjhWwZ_iwOCWXeyrOFwDvk2rsu1MyS0Sz0cNcI21FYbLiQ/s1600/topeka.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6LQo4TXDp8ojjOjMeyRVbR5wEnU9z53RlRMXReYCDL5EDE9AiBxIpQyqSUGgmutL1BCf4YnU67l1MSo4gzisBQu5rQVbaKjhWwZ_iwOCWXeyrOFwDvk2rsu1MyS0Sz0cNcI21FYbLiQ/s400/topeka.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
On Saturday, March 19th, at 12:00pm, the Kansas NAACP, the Topeka Center for Peace and Social Justice, Kansas Equality Coalition, the ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri, Kansas National Organization for Women, and the Kansas League of Women Voters will stand together in an historic alliance to oppose the systematic dismantling of civil and equal rights protections in Kansas. <br />
<br />
These organizations, their members, allies, and supporters, will meet at Monroe Elementary School in Topeka (the Brown Vs Board Historic site), and we will march to the Capitol Building. Put on your walking shoes and meet us at the Capitol!!!<br />
<br />
<blockquote>Contacts:<br />
Reverend Ben Scott, President, Topeka NAACP<br />
<span class="gc-cs-link" id="gc-number-0" title="Call with Google Voice">785-266-5688</span> / naacptopeka1@att.net<br />
<br />
Jim McCullough, Director, Topeka Center for Peace and Social Justice<br />
<span class="gc-cs-link" id="gc-number-1" title="Call with Google Voice">785-232-4388</span> / topekacpj@aol.com<br />
<br />
Thomas Witt, Chair, Kansas Equality Coalition<br />
<span class="gc-cs-link" id="gc-number-2" title="Call with Google Voice">316-683-1706</span> / chair@kansasequalitycoalition.org<br />
<br />
Holly Weatherford, Program Director, ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri<br />
<span class="gc-cs-link" id="gc-number-3" title="Call with Google Voice">816-756-3113</span> x 234 / hweatherford@aclukswmo.org<br />
<br />
Kari Ann Rinker, State Coordinate, Kansas NOW<br />
<span class="gc-cs-link" id="gc-number-4" title="Call with Google Voice">620-245-4904</span> / coordinator@ksnow.org<br />
<br />
Ernestine Krehbiel, President, Kansas League of Women Voters<br />
<span class="gc-cs-link" id="gc-number-5" title="Call with Google Voice">316-652-9229</span> / ekrehbiel@cox.net</blockquote>KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-77250564421331337542011-01-06T08:33:00.001-08:002011-01-06T08:33:34.537-08:00What does the term "Highly Qualified" mean to you?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpf0yZdzRT8-LDtE_CI-T0v7HLz7QIBX57LsQkfRSrSzzQXvJGBUJWN6MSVb3fo7YX4zhgbxgh4ZuOpCiw6nTXpQjjORDKIO7QRH4lzwr2xMeYlIzI0Jg3oRgKsj3Shu7EdHcOzEbXdg/s1600/classroom.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpf0yZdzRT8-LDtE_CI-T0v7HLz7QIBX57LsQkfRSrSzzQXvJGBUJWN6MSVb3fo7YX4zhgbxgh4ZuOpCiw6nTXpQjjORDKIO7QRH4lzwr2xMeYlIzI0Jg3oRgKsj3Shu7EdHcOzEbXdg/s400/classroom.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The federal definition of a "Highly Qualified" teacher has been one who is: fully certified and/or licensed by the state; holds at least a bachelor's degree from a four-year institution; and demonstrates competence in each core academic subject area in which the teacher teaches.<br />
<br />
That is important to note because the NCLB Act required that all teachers of core academic subjects working in Title I schools or programs hired after the first day of the 2002-03 school year be "Highly Qualified" by the end of the 2005/2006 school year. <br />
<br />
The goal was to move us away from the all too common phenomena where the children with the greatest academic needs were taught by those with the least experience and conversely those with the greatest academic advantages were taught by the most senior and most seasoned teachers. It was supposed to end the era of concentrating new and inexperienced teachers in high minority and low SES schools. <br />
<br />
<b>But an obscure bit of language was inserted into last weeks Omnibus Spending bill... </b>You know the one that extended unemployment and tax cuts that everyone heralded as some great compromise...<br />
<br />
This language, not germane to the spending bill itself and seriously under-reported... This language <a href="http://appropriations.senate.gov/news.cfm?method=news.view&id=4841b7f6-bbac-486b-959f-43b1979a60ff"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><b>changes the definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher</b></span></a> to now include <b><u>INTERNS</u></b>!!!<br />
<br />
<blockquote>excerpted from HR3082<br />
<br />
“Sec. 163. (a) A ‘highly qualified teacher’ includes a teacher who meets the requirements in 34 CFR 200.56(a)(2)(ii), as published in the Federal Register on December 2, 2002.<br />
<br />
“(b) This provision is effective on the date of enactment of this provision through the end of the 2012–2013 academic year.</blockquote><br />
Forgive me for going out into the weeds, but <i>you need to understand what just happened</i>...<br />
<br />
CFR 200.56 defines the term "Highly Qualified Teacher" as used in Federal Legislation. It reads: <br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><b>200.56 - Definition of “highly qualified teacher.”</b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">To be a highly qualified teacher, a teacher covered under 200.55 must meet the requirements in paragraph (a)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"> and either paragraph (b) or (c) of this section.</span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHJZ70wPIS3dKE9xiyb7YtV-lQ7OAonE94rmwoXlOMjcv_k2P1XzJDDetqnKxJa-lGgHVpDHBqwadx7tSJpcyg5w8vrSpsqu30ut7-YwKWxdWgqR2iPqs9xMZUU0nWm6Bz618bKJ4HQ/s1600/highqual.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHJZ70wPIS3dKE9xiyb7YtV-lQ7OAonE94rmwoXlOMjcv_k2P1XzJDDetqnKxJa-lGgHVpDHBqwadx7tSJpcyg5w8vrSpsqu30ut7-YwKWxdWgqR2iPqs9xMZUU0nWm6Bz618bKJ4HQ/s1600/highqual.png" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">(a) In general. (1) Except as provided in paragraph (a)(3) of this section, a teacher covered under 200.55 must (i) Have obtained full State certification as a teacher, which may include certification obtained through alternative routes to certification; or (ii)(A) Have passed the State teacher licensing examination; and (B) Hold a license to teach in the State.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">(2) A teacher meets the requirement in paragraph (a)(1) of this section if the teacher (i) Has fulfilled the State's certification and licensure requirements applicable to the years of experience the teacher possesses; or </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ffd966;">(ii) Is participating in an alternative route to certification program under which (A) The teacher (1) Receives high-quality professional development that is sustained, intensive, and classroom-focused in order to have a positive and lasting impact on classroom instruction, before and while teaching; (2) Participates in a program of intensive supervision that consists of structured guidance and regular ongoing support for teachers or a teacher mentoring program; (3) Assumes functions as a teacher only for a specified period of time not to exceed three years; and (4) Demonstrates satisfactory progress toward full certification as prescribed by the State</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">; and (B) The State ensures, through its certification and licensure process, that the provisions in paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section are met.</span><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">(3) A teacher teaching in a public charter school in a State must meet the certification and licensure requirements, if any, contained in the State's charter school law.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">(4) If a teacher has had certification or licensure requirements waived on an emergency, temporary, or provisional basis, the teacher is not highly qualified.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">(b) Teachers new to the profession. A teacher covered under 200.55 who is new to the profession also must (1) Hold at least a bachelor's degree; and (2) At the public elementary school level, demonstrate, by passing a rigorous State test (which may consist of passing a State certification or licensing test), subject knowledge and teaching skills in reading/language arts, writing, mathematics, and other areas of the basic elementary school curriculum; or (3) At the public middle and high school levels, demonstrate a high level of competency by (i) Passing a rigorous State test in each academic subject in which the teacher teaches (which may consist of passing a State certification or licensing test in each of these subjects); or (ii) Successfully completing in each academic subject in which the teacher teaches (A) An undergraduate major; (B) A graduate degree; (C) Coursework equivalent to an undergraduate major; or (D) Advanced certification or credentialing.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">(c) Teachers not new to the profession. A teacher covered under 200.55 who is not new to the profession also must (1) Hold at least a bachelor's degree; and (2)(i) Meet the applicable requirements in paragraph (b)(2) or (3) of this section; or (ii) Based on a high, objective, uniform State standard of evaluation in accordance with section 9101(23)(C)(ii) of the ESEA, demonstrate competency in each academic subject in which the teacher teaches.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span><br />
For simplicity, the full 2002 Federal definition is presented in red. The <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ffd966;">Highlighted</span> area is the small subparagraph that NOW constitutes a "Highly Qualified Teacher". So when you read through the text, take note of the fact that the RED text contains the requirements that <u style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">can now be waived</u> when determining who is "Highly Qualified".<br />
<br />
<b><u>WHAT THIS MEANS</u></b> is that the same inexperienced and under-qualified teachers that have been concentrated in high minority and low SES schools around the country, CAN NOW STAY in those schools, because rather than actually placing highly qualified teachers in there to help those children most in need, the Government has simply changed the definition of "Highly Qualified" to now include folks who are still IN TRAINING.<br />
<br />
This is SHAMEFUL and APPALLING, and every activist and organization that is serious about Education should say so.KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-31009841113805383832011-01-01T23:29:00.000-08:002011-01-01T23:29:34.932-08:00The Kansas Voter Coalition to hold Press Conference at the State Capitol on Voter ID<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJSWLHGmcTPjaq6J24a6i7rKsFTsLgnaMJtca53npGmVQBky-tIqkCB9ReD6Oyq7aaI9N_PR_3NIdx0GV8ujS6iNa61_PaKpA03tqIPiAonQKv1lHfphJbLB-0eLTthI6DkaO-pL6UQ/s1600/bigfoot+voting.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJSWLHGmcTPjaq6J24a6i7rKsFTsLgnaMJtca53npGmVQBky-tIqkCB9ReD6Oyq7aaI9N_PR_3NIdx0GV8ujS6iNa61_PaKpA03tqIPiAonQKv1lHfphJbLB-0eLTthI6DkaO-pL6UQ/s400/bigfoot+voting.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There have been 6 times more BIGFOOT sightings then reports of Voter Fraud in Kansas</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>The Voter Coalition will hold a Press Conference to voice our opposition and provide information concerning the proposed Voter ID bill.<br />
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The Kansas Voter Coalition is made up of the Kansas State NAACP, the Kansas State League of Women Voters, the Kansas Chapter of the National Organization for Women, the Kansas Equality Coalition, the Kansas chapter of the ACLU, the Wichita chapter of Church Women United, the Sedgwick County Council of Elders, the Peace and Social Justice Center, and YOU...<br />
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The Kansas Voter Coalition has come together in opposition to the proposed Voter ID Legislation being offered by Secretary of State Kobach. We oppose this legislation on several grounds.<br />
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First, of the nearly 10,000,000 votes cast in the last six years throughout the State of Kansas, there have been only six reported cases of Voter Fraud and only 1 was successfully prosecuted. You statistically have a better chance of being stricken twice by lightning than of encountering an genuine act of Voter Fraud in Kansas. What does that mean? It means our system IS WORKING and there is NO concrete evidence to suggest otherwise.<br />
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Second, The Indiana Supreme Court has ruled, and Secretary Kobach has suggested, that the only way a Voter ID bill can pass muster, is if the State is willing to provide the ID's free of charge to those who can not afford one. This would require the creation of a new bureaucracy to manage the distribution of Voter ID cards to combat a problem that can not empirically be shown to even exist. As a State we have a $450,000,000 shortfall, so why in the world would we create a new bureaucracy with new salaries and FTE's to monitor and distribute ID cards that the State will foot the bill for, in perpetuity?<br />
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Third, there is a hidden government mandate. Each year, hundreds of Seniors reach a point in their lives where they may elect to stop driving. This bill states that even if a Senior decides to stop driving and no longer needs to maintain a current ID, they will be mandated to purchase one if they intend to exercise their Constitutionally guaranteed rights. The only exception would be if they could prove to the new bureaucracy that it would pose a financial hardship; in which case the State would foot the bill.<br />
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and lastly but perhaps most profoundly, this bill; <i>a solution to problem whose existence can NOT be demonstrated empirically</i>, would have the likely impact of reducing voter turnout among legal registered voters. In fact recent studies by Brown University and the Brennan center have clearly provided the type of empirical data that this bills proponents lack. In States that have Voter ID Bills on the books, there is a demonstrable reduction in Voter turnout, and that reduction is most profound in the African American community and among Seniors.<br />
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Join us as we call on our elected officials to just say NO. We just don't need Secretary Kobach using tax dollars to radically experiment with our electoral system, in an effort to solve a problem that can not be shown to exist.<br />
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If you would like to become a part of this effort, you can begin by joining with us on January 19th at the State Capitol Building!<br />
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<blockquote><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">What:</span></b> The Kansas Voter Coalition hosts a Press Conference to discuss our opposition to the proposed Voter ID Bill<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">When:</span></b> January 19th 11:30am - 1:00pm<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Where:</span></b> Room 144 South in the State Capitol Building<br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">Who:</span></b> This event is open to the public.</blockquote>KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-24296933216552312322010-12-23T09:08:00.001-08:002010-12-23T09:08:24.819-08:00The Kansas State NAACP files employment discrimination complaint against the City of Nickerson Kansas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNZKvJeItgss5TAGlL9rgFPgnxqbkOZg30qOiGJ6KYmKMIAw7f7mOiebJVDJLUDFZI6GjnsQ15lBg71Bfh6lv_AaQgXMdScT8rhWZLVttc6qR_9ZBPvjb_9Ihv8kG0dEbZE3nHMlyrg/s1600/eeoc_seal.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNZKvJeItgss5TAGlL9rgFPgnxqbkOZg30qOiGJ6KYmKMIAw7f7mOiebJVDJLUDFZI6GjnsQ15lBg71Bfh6lv_AaQgXMdScT8rhWZLVttc6qR_9ZBPvjb_9Ihv8kG0dEbZE3nHMlyrg/s200/eeoc_seal.png" width="200" /></a></div>The Kansas State Conference of the NAACP has sent a formal request that an investigation be conducted into the hiring and employment practices of the City council and Mayor of Nickerson Kansas. The complaint stems from a case filed with the Hutchison Branch of the NAACP by April Addis, the former Police Chief of Nickerson Kansas. <br />
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Through our investigation we have discovered what we believe to be a clear pattern and practice of racial discrimination. We affirm Chief Addis' assertion that she was directed to fire a newly hired and qualified Officer (Officer Bembry) because of his race. Further, we believe that the firing of Officer Bembry solely on the basis of his race was a clear violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights act. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpdvrNxIeS-A-IXaKG63i9pkJAG-1pH38NmEJuwfMcNGXnJNyGiVGE09-Dqm-CAxe-T4-sNqnh3z6y4Mw9hB7Et1vzOv2KgBGK6MSr-1KM-NetWCccTIlm4VNRJIZeyeE_JtvQJnTFw/s1600/nickerson.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpdvrNxIeS-A-IXaKG63i9pkJAG-1pH38NmEJuwfMcNGXnJNyGiVGE09-Dqm-CAxe-T4-sNqnh3z6y4Mw9hB7Et1vzOv2KgBGK6MSr-1KM-NetWCccTIlm4VNRJIZeyeE_JtvQJnTFw/s1600/nickerson.png" /></a>We attempted to address this case through the Mayor's office, who referred us to the City's Attorney. We met with the City Attorney and again relayed our concerns, and he stated he would have to go back and talk to the Mayor. We waited a reasonable amount of time to allow the City to effectively address the issue, but no direct action was taken. <br />
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The case has now been filed with the EEOC.KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-54025343410530255202010-11-15T07:46:00.000-08:002010-11-15T07:46:02.726-08:00NAACP LDF files Amicus Brief in AT&T v Concepcion to protect the rights of petitioners in Class Action cases<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxLOoOuAdMpDjOjBO2sr85U8M9CTWN04MruYLZtA-uImdfbd-X4ij8_vM6STCW9VvclvRCIw8slzrWMes3ADs8RPWueEL-9CJZEEIPHZapHAw6loMI-oh9mkkNEsgvtvi55Vif9nIFQ/s1600/Supremecrt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxLOoOuAdMpDjOjBO2sr85U8M9CTWN04MruYLZtA-uImdfbd-X4ij8_vM6STCW9VvclvRCIw8slzrWMes3ADs8RPWueEL-9CJZEEIPHZapHAw6loMI-oh9mkkNEsgvtvi55Vif9nIFQ/s400/Supremecrt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>In its friend-of-the-court brief, the NAACP LDF stresses the significant adverse implications of class-action bans for civil rights litigation. Thanks to notable class-action suits, such as Brown v. Board of Education and Griggs v. Duke Power Company, our nation has made significant progress toward the Constitutional aspiration of a “more perfect Union.” But class actions remain an indispensable tool for promoting equal opportunity. Class-action bans could prove extremely detrimental in many spheres where class actions have been successful over the past two decades in redressing civil rights violations. The NAACP LDF’s brief illustrates this fact by surveying recent cases challenging discrimination by large employers, mortgage lenders, insurers, and vehicle financing companies.<br />
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Recognizing the important public interests served by class actions, courts have held that class-action bans are unenforceable under the generally applicable laws of California and at least nineteenth other states. Contrary to the claims of AT&T Mobility, neither the Federal Arbitration Act nor any other federal law prevents courts from invalidating class-action bans under ordinary state contract law principles. To the contrary, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, federal antidiscrimination statutes, and even the Supreme Court have all recognized the importance of class actions, especially in the civil rights context.<br />
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<b><a href="http://naacpldf.org/files/case_issue/brief.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Click HERE for the Brief</span></a></b><br />
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</span>KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-9688571768492330182010-10-29T15:19:00.001-07:002010-10-29T15:19:37.024-07:00winds of change<embed src="http://www.thetakeaway.org/media/videoplayer/takeaway_player.swf" width="620" height="368" wmode="transparent" allowscriptaccess="always" showfsbutton="true" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="file=http://video.wnyc.org/takeaway/WindsofChange.flv&showfsbutton=true&stretching=exactfit&image=http://video.wnyc.org/takeaway/WindsofChange.png"></embed><script type="text/javascript">(function(){var s=function(){__flash__removeCallback=function(i,n){if(i)i[n]=null;};window.setTimeout(s,10);};s();})();</script>KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-81392625436534732762010-10-02T08:29:00.001-07:002010-10-02T08:29:14.559-07:00Watch the "One Nation Working Together" March - Streaming Live!<div style="text-align: center;"><object width="480" height="296" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"> <param name="flashvars" value="autoplay=false&style=ub006699:lc54ABD6:ocffffff:ucffffff"/><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"/><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"/><param name="src" value="http://www.ustream.tv/flash/viewer.swf?cid=5822939"/><embed flashvars="autoplay=false&style=ub006699:lc54ABD6:ocffffff:ucffffff&locale=en_US" width="480" height="296" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" src="http://www.ustream.tv/flash/viewer.swf?cid=5822939" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"/> </embed></object><br />
</div>KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-29346588992060376372010-09-17T11:36:00.003-07:002010-09-17T11:36:52.210-07:00The American Constitution Society releases new brief on SCOTUS decisions that undermine Civil Rights Enforcement<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKe10dZ8b8tR01IjKHIDwYFECnpVeOHpdv4jehbi_0bd-_f2BcoWIV_1o_cjIvdTUoEdUiqSqTPsLDEljSujXGmh7yby1_lZNsm_Z1DRTMCWgwESVDJTMkNrK3pCbpN1ICPT7mmoRsw/s1600/ACSBf.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKe10dZ8b8tR01IjKHIDwYFECnpVeOHpdv4jehbi_0bd-_f2BcoWIV_1o_cjIvdTUoEdUiqSqTPsLDEljSujXGmh7yby1_lZNsm_Z1DRTMCWgwESVDJTMkNrK3pCbpN1ICPT7mmoRsw/s200/ACSBf.JPG" width="152" /></a></div>Over the last three years, this blog has attempted to sound the alarm about the Supreme Courts shift away from the enforcement and the intent of Civil Rights Legislation. With a series of subsequent decisions, the Courts have continuously raised the legal thresholds and pleading standards until we now have a system where litigants in Civil Rights cases must meet a nearly insurmountable burden of proof just to avoid dismissal or summary judgement.<br />
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By requiring plaintiffs in Civil Rights or discrimination cases to essentially prove the plausibility of their claims at the time of pleading and <i>PRIOR</i> to discovery, the courts have created a standard in which only the most egregious, most obvious, and least sophisticated acts could successfully be prosecuted. <br />
<blockquote>It has become easier to coat various forms of discrimination with the appearance of propriety, or to ascribe some other less odious intention to what is in reality discriminatory behavior. In other words, while discriminatory conduct persists, violators have learned not to leave the proverbial “smoking gun” behind. ~ <b>Third Circuit Court</b></blockquote><br />
The American Constitution Society has released a brief which details the Supreme Courts construction of new and onerous legal standards in the Twombly and Iqbal cases which undermine Civil Rights enforcement by limiting plaintiffs access to the courts.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://docs.google.com/a/wichitanaacp.org/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=d2ljaGl0YW5hYWNwLm9yZ3x3aWNoaXRhLW5hYWNwfGd4OmNmOWQ3NjE4ZGE2YWZiNw"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><b>Click HERE to download the report </b></span></a></div>KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-73631708072770716122010-09-13T19:34:00.000-07:002010-09-13T19:34:41.608-07:00Angel Alert: Immediate need for Legal Assistance<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrsuKyln-o_Qz5pxzX4w7B2-mmQ6R6hc1FfxEBp_gHbVgpHNq1hyphenhyphenwoIsGengLAO5kj8PiZowsVwQfWR0lZQMsKPP3HT8TpAx1nwkJbJDLMQolW7RZQcrDMtbp3xi-6QmqKlKyOLzstCw/s1600/missing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrsuKyln-o_Qz5pxzX4w7B2-mmQ6R6hc1FfxEBp_gHbVgpHNq1hyphenhyphenwoIsGengLAO5kj8PiZowsVwQfWR0lZQMsKPP3HT8TpAx1nwkJbJDLMQolW7RZQcrDMtbp3xi-6QmqKlKyOLzstCw/s1600/missing.jpg" /></a>Imagine for a moment that your teenage daughter wakes up in the morning and leaves for school just as she had hundreds of times before. And imagine learning that on that particular morning, your daughter, the 4.0 student, never actually makes it to class... In fact, she doesn't come home after school either. Frantically you search about, trying to find out where she'd gone, and you find out that a man - one who had served time for for having improper relations with a minor, had been released from his incarceration and could be seen on camera picking your daughter up from the school that morning...<br />
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Imagine calling the Police Department and the FBI, only to have them treat you as though you were over-reacting. Imagine having them tell you that your daughter had probably just "run away" with the man and there was little they could do.<br />
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Imagine having to fight just to get the word out that something had happened. Imagine the pain as the days, and weeks, and months rolled by. Imagine investigating on your own and learning that the man had stolen a car that morning, - the same car they got into on the camera - and that that car could later be seen on camera crossing into Mexico. Imagine officials finally releasing a Missing Child poster, but still not identifying her as having been kidnapped.<br />
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Imagine that more than a year afterwards, the same officials, who never took the abduction seriously and only half-heartedly investigated, began suggesting that you might need to accept the unacceptable...<br />
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Now imagine that after hiring your own private investigator with your own funds, you learn that your daughter is in fact, still alive...<br />
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This is not just a random series of hypothetical situations... This is an all too real situation afflicting a dear friend of mine. She needs help. She has been searching for an Attorney for a very long time and while some have come and gone (along with the media), she is closer than ever to finding her daughter and the need has never been greater. If you, or someone you know, is an Attorney, licensed to practice in the State of California, and you would be willing to at least hear her out and decide what help if any you could offer, please - <a href="mailto:legalrequest@kansasnaacp.org"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">send me an email by clicking HERE</span></a> and I will get you in immediate contact with the mother...KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-91177871573231149102010-08-27T09:15:00.001-07:002010-08-27T09:15:51.490-07:00Allegations of Racial Profiling surface in Junction City Kansas<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhXJfSzyU484e_7F9vSzGzQJSLKE4vK_LpPuLuug1i2HeAHquU4h2waUW5wV-mzYpvLmtLA-4BPiZxRDEshzVjtk4e80UAYcr8bCREKUsTFlWNW5cPwM6knGrF5ZtFPJrSp0a_PlM-g/s1600/ticket.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhXJfSzyU484e_7F9vSzGzQJSLKE4vK_LpPuLuug1i2HeAHquU4h2waUW5wV-mzYpvLmtLA-4BPiZxRDEshzVjtk4e80UAYcr8bCREKUsTFlWNW5cPwM6knGrF5ZtFPJrSp0a_PlM-g/s320/ticket.PNG" width="169" /></a>Yesterday, we received a racial profiling complaint from a woman named Andrea Hall. Mrs. Hall is the wife of a deployed soldier who was driving her car in the Junction City area when she was pulled over by an Officer for speeding. Mrs. Jones has provided the details of the incident in writing and has requested that we make it public. <br />
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<blockquote>While sitting at the traffic light of the Grant Avenue and Washington Road intersection, I, Andrea S. Hall, heard a loud thumping on my trunk. Looking out of the rear-view mirror, I noticed a police officer proceeding towards my driver-side door. Disturbed and perplexed by this, I lowered my window, as the officer furiously yelled, “When we get through this traffic light, I want you to PULL OVER into that parking lot (pointing at the parking lot of a liquor store adjacent to the traffic light)!!!” Despite my apprehensiveness of his demeanor and tone, I managed to say, “Ok.” <br />
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After arriving and parking in the aforementioned parking lot, the officer came back to my driver’s side window, just as irate as before, yelling, “Is there any reason why you’re speeding?!!”. I replied, “Well, I was sitting at the traffic light so…” Interrupting, the officer said, “Just give me your license and registration.” I nervously fumbled for the requested items, wondering why this officer was so upset. Once I handed him the items, he returned to the patrol truck and he and another officer (who was also in the same patrol truck) interacted for about 6 to 7 minutes. At this point, the other officer came to my car to serve me the traffic citation, asking me to sign it. Noticing that they had written a heavy “N” on the citation, in order to indicate my ethnicity, I said, “What’s this?” Completely disregarding my question, the officer said, “Just sign it. It doesn’t mean that you did it or not.” I scribbled over the entire signature area, now upset and offended by their conduct, but not wanting to get into a debate with the officer. I waited for him to tear the ticket, and then I pulled off.<br />
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I called the Junction City Municipal Court and when the clerk answered the phone, I said, “What is the protocol for indicating race and ethnicity, here, in Junction City because when I was stopped by a couple of your officers they’ve written a heavy “N” on the citation for my ethnicity.” Ironically, this clerk also seemed irritated, as she rudely responded, “M’am, we use “N” for Non-Hispanic and “H” for Hispanic. Are you Hispanic?” I said, “Well, no, but if that is all Junction City can see, Hispanic and Non-Hispanic, that’s racial profiling in itself. How would he have really known that anyway? That makes no sense, and I don’t believe that you guys only have two abbreviations to use for race.” She said, “Well, it is M’am, have a nice day.” She then hung up the phone.<br />
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At that time, I resolved that I would simply go to court and speak with the judge about the matter. So, on Tuesday, August 10, 2010, I went to the Junction City Municipal Courthouse. I called attorney Steve Rosel (who since then, has committed to supporting me with this case), along the way, discerning that I would need some legal advice and support. Once I arrived to the clerk’s desk, she asked me if I just wanted to pay the ticket. I told her that I was actually there to speak with the judge about the citation, due to the officer’s misconduct. I then showed her the ticket through the glass window, asking her to look closely at what the officer had written for my ethnicity. The clerk said, “What’s the problem?” I then explained to her that I did not believe that Junction City would find it acceptable to use the letter “N” for an African-American’s race. I then said as a matter of fact, I want to hear what the judge has to say, because I was repulsed and very offended. She said, “Well, I don’t know what he’s going to say, but you can talk with him.” I said, “Well, M’am, when I called and spoke to your office, one of you guys told me you ‘only use ‘N’ for Non-Hispanic and ‘H’ for Hispanic. I beg to differ, and I will tell him that. In fact…” (Pausing to ask a Caucasian male (service member) for his traffic citation, who had just entered the lobby, I looked at his citation and showed the clerk (again through the glass window) that his traffic citation had the letter “W” annotated for his ethnicity, which is obviously because he is white. Wanting to make sure that she and I both understood that the previous explanation for the “N” on my ticket was preposterous, I then asked an African-American male for his traffic citation, and after looking at it, I showed her that even he had the letter “B” for Black. Speechless, the clerk said, “M’am, just have a seat and I’ll get you on back.”<br />
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Joining the other citizens waiting to appear before the judge, I waited patiently for my time to explain this to the judge. When it was finally my turn, the judge stated that I was cited for speeding, and asked me what was my intentions for coming to court that day. I began to explain to him all of the aforementioned information, but was interrupted by the courtroom attorney, who said that was not the time to explain the situation because it was not a trial. I said, “Well, I just want to know how the judge feels about his officers writing the letter “N” for an African-American’s ethnicity.” The judge (and the other court officials) chuckled and said, “M’am, what do you want to do? Do you want to pay the ticket or contest it? I’ll hear what you have to say in a continuance, but the attorney’s right, we can’t go into discussion about this right now. I will not proceed to try to explain what the city has done, without the officer being here. So, do you want a continuance?” I said, “Yes.” After explaining a few other legalities to me, he then set my court date for September 29, 2010, at 6:00 p.m. I thanked them and exited the courtroom.</blockquote>Mrs. Jones' case is now being filed with the Kansas Human Rights Commission (the agency with the statutory authority to investigate profiling cases and request relief). We will be attending the hearing with Mrs. Jones and I will keep you all posted here on the blog...KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-49020853600517340942010-08-13T09:30:00.001-07:002010-08-13T09:30:59.076-07:00"...if you can not afford an attorney, one will be provided for you"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVG1K6Yf1FJXEfFgJJMIYxnTrP-6T9IjA-Mwctk41JEkk_QIhjY1u7TWMb8_Tp571PX3oFHFWtguBq5LgmVE7OTbrdnVfJ9ou9Hyoz8iVcQoCQhMPKiwi5w4DaoEORZbcRmp2DQRD7Q/s1600/scaletilt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVG1K6Yf1FJXEfFgJJMIYxnTrP-6T9IjA-Mwctk41JEkk_QIhjY1u7TWMb8_Tp571PX3oFHFWtguBq5LgmVE7OTbrdnVfJ9ou9Hyoz8iVcQoCQhMPKiwi5w4DaoEORZbcRmp2DQRD7Q/s1600/scaletilt.jpg" /></a>The right to remain silent and the right to an attorney are guaranteed to all citizens in the 5th and 6th amendments of the constitution. In 1963, Ernesto Miranda was arrested and interrogated, and during that interrogation he confessed to the commission of a crime. Upon review, the Supreme Court ruled that in order for his statements to be admissible, he had to be aware of his rights under the 5th and 6th amendments, and he had to make a knowing, intelligent, and voluntary waiver of those rights. His first conviction was thrown out, and since then the "Miranda Warning" has an integral part of our system of our criminal justice system.<br />
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But despite its ubiquity, buried within the Miranda warning is a concept that we mistakenly take for granted: That we are all guaranteed a right to counsel. That guarantee is rooted in our Adversarial system of jurisprudence which presupposes that in any criminal proceeding, both the plaintiff and the defendant should be afforded equal access to the courts and each allowed to present their most vigorous and spirited argument. It is through this process of reasoned argument between two equal platforms that we aspire to arrive at the truth.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><i><b>That is the noble system we've drafted, but is that the system we have?</b></i></span><br />
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The reality is that in counties all across the nation, Public Defenders offices find themselves dramatically under-staffed and under-funded compared to their colleagues in local District Attorney's offices and private firms. This is not a bureaucratic or budgetary problem. These disparities challenge the integrity of our criminal justice system. Chronic under-funding contributes to high turnover rates, which result in Public Defenders offices disproportionately relying upon recent college graduates who lack real world trial experience. Chronic under-staffing results in Public Defenders being forced to manage impossible caseloads, significantly limiting the amount of time attorneys can spend reviewing any given case or preparing effective defenses. The cumulative outcome of these structural inequities is that poor and largely minority defendants, who are constitutionally guaranteed a right of equal participation and access to our adversarial system, too often enter courtrooms with inadequate, inexperienced, and or under-prepared counsel. <br />
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Right here, in the fair city of Wichita, attorneys in our Pubic Defenders office are managing an average of almost 250 cases per year. And with nearly 4,800 annual cases, they are staffed with only ONE investigator! That is more than a travesty, that is a rolling civil rights violation designed into the very structure of the system; a system in drastic need of reform. The Kansas State Conference of the NAACP will be lobbying for changes to the system in the upcoming legislative session. We'll post details on this initiative here on the blog.KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-57849605506697623252010-06-12T11:08:00.000-07:002010-06-12T11:08:05.130-07:00NAACP supports legislation to help States reduce prison populations<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSQ89RB1IgjR6NcuZ1TNoXSDIwhT_ozXQhIqAp6yeSZX1nKrECFjK62g0066ENad6JVNZykD_B7bLHX-zBsoGHwFLNc_n-h7BkYTuVR2kTnr22qYTW51aPoe45niuHZXOOuJ5PmQMgCA/s1600/prisontowers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSQ89RB1IgjR6NcuZ1TNoXSDIwhT_ozXQhIqAp6yeSZX1nKrECFjK62g0066ENad6JVNZykD_B7bLHX-zBsoGHwFLNc_n-h7BkYTuVR2kTnr22qYTW51aPoe45niuHZXOOuJ5PmQMgCA/s400/prisontowers.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">THE ISSUE:</span></b><br />
The United States is the world's leader in incarceration with 2.3 million people currently in the nation's prisons or jails -- a 500% increase over the past thirty years. These trends have resulted in prison overcrowding and state governments being overwhelmed by the burden of funding a rapidly expanding penal system, despite increasing evidence that large-scale incarceration is not the most effective means of achieving public safety. This over-reliance on incarceration has also had a disproportionately serious impact on communities of color: 57% of incarcerated inmates are racial or ethnic minorities and 88% of inmates are male. Specifically, as of mid-year 2009, whites represented 42.5% of all incarcerated inmates; African Americans, 39.2%; and Hispanics, 16.2%. These percents have remained nearly stable since midyear 2000. Furthermore, prisons aren't the only area within the criminal justice system that has seen a huge growth over the past three decades. Our society's increasing over-reliance on the criminal justice system is even more apparent when you add in the number of Americans on parole or probation: one in 31 adults in America is in prison or jail, or on probation or parole. Twenty-five years ago, the rate was 1 in 77.<br />
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In addition to the extreme human toll this is taking on our Nation, the financial costs are staggering: The National Association of State Budget Officers estimates that states spent a record $51.7 billion on corrections in FY2008, or 1 in every 15 general fund dollars. Adding local, federal and other funding brings the national correctional spending total to $68 billion. This is money that cannot be spent on education, health, transportation, or other projects that benefit society as a whole.<br />
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Clearly, we as a nation need to take some new approaches to effectively reduce the number of people we put into prison each year. We have found, however, is that incarceration reduction programs that are very successful in one state are sometimes much less so in another. The only true common factor in all 50 states right now is that they are all struggling under the weight of enormous burdens in terms of human as well as monetary resources as a result of a dysfunctional criminal justice system.<br />
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To help address the problem, Congressmen Adam Schiff (CA) and Dan Lungren (CA), along with Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) and John Cornyn (TX) have introduced H.R. 4080 / S. 2772, the Criminal Justice Reinvestment Act. This legislation devotes grant funding for intensive analysis of criminal justice data, policies, and the cost-effectiveness of current spending on corrections, in order to develop data - driven policy options that can address this. The bill then provides resources for the implementation of solutions and for reinvesting averted prison costs to bolster such initiatives. The NAACP strongly supports H.R. 4080 / S. 2772, and urges its immediate enactment.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>This is of particular importance here in Kansas where the Legislature's flat funding of alternatives to incarceration programs may lead to significant cuts in services and increases in recidivism.</b></span> This is because while the funding for such programs remains flat, the number of people incarcerated who would qualify for these programs has increased. This is further compounded by the fact that the lagging job market makes it increasingly difficult to find stable employment for former inmates, so those who are in the programs tend to stay longer. Without adequate funding, many evidence based programs will either reduce the number of clients they serve (leading to increases in the prison and jail populations) or scale back the services and supervision they provide, which evidence suggests would lead to increased rates of recidivism. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=tU5RUtSQJDj%2FTLTzsOSmBdgTZBFsFkKv"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><b>CLICK HERE FOR THE ACTION WE NEED YOU TO TAKE!</b></span></a></div>KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-12929094262535258992010-05-20T14:34:00.001-07:002010-05-20T14:34:41.944-07:00Supreme Court Declares Life Without Parole Sentences for Children in Non-Homicide Cases Unconstitutional<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIbR5dbQ-TWaWD9M3GgQpZ1z4L5OXHrvzSkRJTRakALBi4VL1RbxGA8t7odluARn0AFrRWmC6xLwcSDMcc5JlLr8We51Vs8-JVaigyGI38y_9lTQ_0v39_y0PptIwgGQ0ScQzYuNrBA/s1600/Juvenile+Justice2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPIbR5dbQ-TWaWD9M3GgQpZ1z4L5OXHrvzSkRJTRakALBi4VL1RbxGA8t7odluARn0AFrRWmC6xLwcSDMcc5JlLr8We51Vs8-JVaigyGI38y_9lTQ_0v39_y0PptIwgGQ0ScQzYuNrBA/s1600/Juvenile+Justice2.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;"><b>NAACP LDF Amicus Brief Cited in Court’s Opinion!</b></span></div><br />
(New York, NY) – On Monday the 17th, the United States Supreme Court declared that children convicted of non-homicide offenses cannot be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The Court concluded that because adolescents are, by nature, less culpable than adults and because life without parole is an extreme sentence which is rarely imposed on teenagers, it is cruel and unusual punishment to sentence a child who has not killed to life without possibility of parole. The Court explained that “[a] life without parole sentence improperly denies the juvenile offender a chance to demonstrate growth and maturity. Incapacitation cannot override all other considerations, lest the Eighth Amendment’s rule against disproportionate sentences be a nullity.” <br />
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“Today the Supreme Court recognized that children convicted of non-homicide crimes have the potential to become contributing members of society and that certain life sentences run afoul of the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment,” said John Payton, LDF’s President and Director-Counsel. <br />
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The NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF), along with the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) and the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice (CHHIRJ) filed a friend of the court brief challenging the constitutionality of juvenile life without parole sentences. In declaring these sentences unconstitutional, Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the majority of the Court, noted that the NAACP LDF’s brief properly identified the “special difficulties encountered by counsel in juvenile representation” and that “the features that distinguish juveniles from adults put them at a significant disadvantage in criminal proceedings. Specifically, juveniles mistrust adults and have limited understandings of the criminal justice system and the roles of the institutional actors within it. They are less likely than adults to work effectively with their lawyers to aid in their defense.” LDF’s brief also noted the stark racial disparities in juvenile life without parole sentencing -- <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">African-Americans constitute 60% of the youth serving such sentences. </span></i><br />
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The United States is the only country in the world that permits adolescents to be sentenced to life imprisonment without possibility of parole. Currently there are more than 2500 teenagers serving life without parole sentences for crimes they committed under the age of 18. One-hundred-and-twenty-nine of those young people were convicted of crimes that did not result in death.KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-39808296717439745752010-05-17T20:45:00.001-07:002010-05-17T20:45:56.017-07:00Governor Parkinson signs SB54 commissioning a mural marking the Brown vs Board decision to be placed in the State Capital<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/goog_326709490"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">By MATTHEW CLARK</span></b></a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.morningsun.net/newsnow/x1070011648/Ks-Gov-signs-mural-bill-for-Brown-v-BOE"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">The Morning Sun</span></b></a></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQWQY4K2lO5epvGBh65krFXbvPQHvPQOfavP79YkuAgDi_1YX4CiJZItoAzMFUygeSmnXWCKHp64cuKJYAbE0nmuKyhMZv5cBuM02JyQOwXsOgoz9o0y4xfM94trWskwxB1DhD3rbhg/s1600/Parkinson54.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQWQY4K2lO5epvGBh65krFXbvPQHvPQOfavP79YkuAgDi_1YX4CiJZItoAzMFUygeSmnXWCKHp64cuKJYAbE0nmuKyhMZv5cBuM02JyQOwXsOgoz9o0y4xfM94trWskwxB1DhD3rbhg/s320/Parkinson54.png" width="233" /></a></div>The Supreme Court ruling that declared school segregation unconstitutional will be commemorated with a new mural at the Kansas Statehouse.<br />
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Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson, on Monday, signed Senate Bill 54, which creates the Capitol Preservation Committee, which is required to develop plans for the placement of a mural in the State Capitol commemorating the United States Supreme Court Decision in the case of Brown v. Board of Education. The bill also prohibits public funds from being used to pay the costs of creating and installing the mural.<br />
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“Brown v. Board remains at the cornerstone of the Kansas story, reminding us of where we first began and how far we have come,” Parkinson said at a ceremonial signing at the Statehouse.. “In joining the likes of John Stuart Curry and his Tragic Prelude, the mural will allow future generations to look back and become inspired by our state’s remarkable history.”<br />
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The governor was joined by state legislators and members of the Kansas NAACP at the bill signing in the Governor’s Ceremonial Office.KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-25981787079741406792010-05-17T15:30:00.000-07:002010-05-17T15:30:20.781-07:00NAACP joins Legal Challenge to Arizona Immigration Law<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguP692HPLeN7GY6WW19IW6a0MN2tkOsIwbSrP8pglkXhckZEjPG_jlXKo3jGwrGb9kA1j4MgSTyn5evBTKzhMcd32r7RckHz8fHYCsiuHnEpV1VWaRgKTcOQtU2NrFdyySTPDr-sfqtg/s1600/arizona+suit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguP692HPLeN7GY6WW19IW6a0MN2tkOsIwbSrP8pglkXhckZEjPG_jlXKo3jGwrGb9kA1j4MgSTyn5evBTKzhMcd32r7RckHz8fHYCsiuHnEpV1VWaRgKTcOQtU2NrFdyySTPDr-sfqtg/s400/arizona+suit.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #990000;">The Nation's Largest Civil Rights Organization will not host any events in the State; Calls for Direct Action against the law and will urge MLB to move the 2011 All Star Game</span></i></div><br />
The NAACP in coalition with other civil rights groups filed a class action lawsuit today challenging Arizona’s new law requiring police to demand "papers" from people they stop who they suspect are not authorized to be in the U.S. If an individual is caught without papers they can be arrested and jailed. The extreme law, the coalition charged, invites the racial profiling of people of color, violates the First Amendment and interferes with federal law.<br />
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“We are joining this lawsuit because the Arizona law is out of step with American values of fairness and equality. It encourages racial profiling and is unconstitutional. African-Americans know all too well the insidious effects of racial profiling,” said Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and Chief Executive Officer of the NAACP. “The government should be preventing police from investigating and detaining people based on color and accent, not mandating it. Laws that encourage discrimination have no place in this country anywhere for anyone.”<br />
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“Subjecting human beings to discrimination and punishment based upon race and accent is morally offensive, unconstitutional and un-American, said Wilbert Nelson, the president of the NAACP Arizona state conference “We will fight vigorously to make sure this poisonous law never takes effect. It is part of a menacing return to racial discrimination and the beginning of a slippery slope. Right after this hate law was passed, a statute banning the ethnic studies in our school was passed. "<br />
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The lawsuit charges that the Arizona law unlawfully interferes with federal power and authority over immigration matters in violation of the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution; invites racial profiling against people of color by law enforcement in violation of the equal protection guarantee and prohibition on unreasonable seizures under the Fourteenthand Fourth Amendments; and infringes on the free speech rights of day laborers in violation of the First Amendment. A number of other states are considering similar laws.<br />
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Several prominent law enforcement groups, including the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police, oppose the law because it diverts limited resources from law enforcement’s primary responsibility of providing protection and promoting public safety in the community and undermines trust and cooperation between local police and immigrant communities.<br />
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“As a former police officer, many of us in law enforcement want to ensure that the resources of the police are put into fighting serious crime and not turn them into federal immigration agents,” said Reverend Oscar Tillman, president of the Maricopa County Branch (Phoenix, Arizona). “It can jeopardize security when victims or witnesses to crime are afraid to talk to police because they might be targeted by this law.”<br />
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The coalition filing the lawsuit includes the NAACP, the American Civil Liberties Union, , MALDEF, National Immigration Law Center (NILC), ACLU of Arizona, National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON) and the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC) – a member of Asian American Center for Advancing Justice.KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-79750156294943452552010-05-15T16:15:00.001-07:002010-05-15T16:15:31.050-07:00NAACP Endorses Supreme Court Nominee Elena Kagan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizw2CuWFmvux-uL5xccGeAQIqrlBykxqi572dt919rAaIvjAz44BELvvjbcwLTNzaRHLsvVhesQRDGVJRSIdmcMjBzB_01EHDI1DArNcGNA6x2ylqQ4sIi7lv1hqEdBvw0K6duSy28Jw/s1600/Kaganblue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizw2CuWFmvux-uL5xccGeAQIqrlBykxqi572dt919rAaIvjAz44BELvvjbcwLTNzaRHLsvVhesQRDGVJRSIdmcMjBzB_01EHDI1DArNcGNA6x2ylqQ4sIi7lv1hqEdBvw0K6duSy28Jw/s400/Kaganblue.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
May 15, 2010 Hollywood, Florida—The NAACP, the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization, unanimously endorsed Elena Kagan, President Barack Obama’s choice for the Supreme Court, today at their quarterly board meeting.<br />
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The organization reviewed Kagan’s available record on civil rights including her recent authorization for the Department of Justice and the Department of Civil Rights to file an amicus brief supporting the constitutionality of the University of Texas’ affirmative action program in Fisher v. University of Texas and her brief in support of African American firefighters who challenged a hiring test used by the City of Chicago under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act (Lewis v. City of Chicago).<br />
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“After a careful and thorough review of Elena Kagan’s record, we have unanimously voted to endorse her nomination,” stated President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous. “Elena Kagan has demonstrated a commitment to civil rights and equal justice under the law throughout her career. Kagan drew her inspiration from NAACP former counsel and Supreme court Justice Thurgood Marshall who she considers a hero and mentor. During her tenure at the White House, Kagan worked on issues such as strengthening hate crimes legislation and civil rights enforcement. As a law school Dean, she worked to ensure a diverse student body and faculty. And as Solicitor General, Kagan has vigorously defended the nation’s equal opportunity and civil rights laws. We look forward to actively supporting her nomination,” Jealous said.<br />
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“Elena Kagan has a track record of bringing people together. She is skilled at forging legal consensus on contentious issues,” stated NAACP Chairman Roslyn Brock. “Civil rights is a bipartisan issue. It is central to the core of our American values. We believe Elena Kagan has the ability to use her fine legal mind, her commitment to diversity and her ability to build bridges to effectively advocate in the Court for the civil rights and democracy enshrined in our constitution.”KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-65700174352090248272009-12-16T18:20:00.000-08:002009-12-16T18:20:18.699-08:00The City of Topeka and the Topeka Branch-NAACP are taking applications for the Law Enforcement Partnership PaneL<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Your voice can be heard when it comes to helping law enforcement relate to the community.</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVt5bchq6qm5bn0-UaFBb78fLDtvj6widke_Keq5EvQriSdDb5KSGVWqOx7xeKpJqY3uwpUseeg8by4yEwy0sw7zaMwLTvtmU9h7HiOBamX3xpFikPv95e8L8BnrB3FxUdFBjCrGfkg/s1600-h/TopekaKS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifVt5bchq6qm5bn0-UaFBb78fLDtvj6widke_Keq5EvQriSdDb5KSGVWqOx7xeKpJqY3uwpUseeg8by4yEwy0sw7zaMwLTvtmU9h7HiOBamX3xpFikPv95e8L8BnrB3FxUdFBjCrGfkg/s320/TopekaKS.jpg" width="240" /></a>The LEPP interacts with the Topeka Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies to address issues including operation policies and procedures, complaint process, race relations, training, education, community policing, and community statistical reporting.<br />
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The LEPP also serves as a tool to improve the relationship between the local government and the community pertaining to law enforcement issues. The LEPP acts in an interactive capacity and has no authority over any department or entity.<br />
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“I encourage any citizen of Topeka and Shawnee County who is concerned about crime in the community to consider applying for this panel,” Topeka Police Chief Ron Miller said. “This is a great opportunity for the community to work together.”<br />
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All citizens of Topeka and Shawnee County are able to apply. Applications may be obtained at the NAACP office, 501 Southeast Jefferson, the HRC office, 620 Southeast Madison, second floor, the Law Enforcement Center, 320 South Kansas. They are also available on-line at the City of Topeka’s website, www.topeka.org.<br />
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To have one mailed, please call the HRC at 785-368-3606. For Kansas Relay Assistance, dial 7-1-1.<br />
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Applications are being accepted through December 18, 2009 and should be returned to the Topeka Branch-NAACP Office, 501 S E Jefferson, Topeka KS 66607. Following review of the applications, an interview process will begin, conducted by the LEPP Steering Committee and current members of the LEPP.<br />
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The LEPP was created in 2007 through a partnership of the Topeka Branch-NAACP and the City of Topeka, including the City Manager, the Human Relations Commission (HRC) and the Police Department, the U. S. Department of Justice, and members of the faith community and the legal field.<br />
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For more information call Rio Cervantes-Reed, HRC Director at 785-368-3606.KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-16188841221105303242009-12-05T18:06:00.000-08:002009-12-05T18:06:03.631-08:00NAACP confronts Kansas Representative Bill Otto over his "redneck rap" and the issue of dog whistle politics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-Ty6VGlqj2sYTPQ7nNcd1rdBA4KLz8vdK1SwOQXjv-JhoVyVmOHKQLUeOMRec84zzPByLm8DGt2cRi1ipL0_f_TJUVG_5mCtzh8sV44ksw5WRxsZXE2XCZ0tZewaEtM3APKjan8mNg/s1600-h/billotto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI-Ty6VGlqj2sYTPQ7nNcd1rdBA4KLz8vdK1SwOQXjv-JhoVyVmOHKQLUeOMRec84zzPByLm8DGt2cRi1ipL0_f_TJUVG_5mCtzh8sV44ksw5WRxsZXE2XCZ0tZewaEtM3APKjan8mNg/s1600/billotto.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><span style="font-size: small;">Reposted from </span><a href="http://ktka.com/"><span style="font-size: small;">KTKA.com</span></a><br />
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"I'm sorry that I offended you, I wish that I had made some choices of different things," says State Representative Bill Otto of LeRoy.<br />
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The NAACP has a little piece of mind after confronting Rep. Otto.<br />
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Glenda Overstreet; Vice President of the NAACP Kansas State Conference says Kansans aren't the only people who were offend by his You Tube post. She says, "people outside of the state saying you know, you have a state representative that would voice these opinions. So people clearly were offended, not only in the state of Kansas, but around the state of Kansas in the regional area."<br />
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Otto used the term redneck in his rap and wore a hat that said "Opossum the other dark meat." Choices that he would later regret. " I wish I had chosen a different hat, I wish I had called it hillbilly instead of redneck," Otto says.<br />
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Retired member of the U.S. Army Lt. Colonel William Richards felt it was important to attend the forum. He says after fighting and giving up so much for his country he wants his son and grand kids to have the same freedoms he served for.<br />
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Richards says, "the nation is going back to the fundamental principals provided by our founding fathers and this is basically what I'm concerned about. Equal opportunity, equal respect."<br />
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Otto says he's thankful for the opportunity to meet with the NAACP. "There's many issues that I have cared about and worked for that I would like this organization to continue to be with me and to continue to be supportive and try to get some common goals accomplished," he said. <br />
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Otto feels both parties have finally reached an understanding. He says he intends to leave up his You Tube post. He also feels that if he had chosen to use the word Hillbilly instead of Redneck there would have been no controversy.<br />
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<blockquote>This effort was led by the Topeka Branch Branch NAACP. On behalf of the Kansas State Conference of NAACP Branches, we would like to acknowledge and applaud President Ben Scott and the members of the Topeka Branch NAACP for their leadership and vigilance on this effort...<br />
</blockquote>KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-76139168336762076432009-11-25T15:57:00.000-08:002009-11-25T15:57:27.694-08:00Acclaimed Director, Writer and Actor Tyler Perry Donates One Million Dollars to the NAACP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ydHsTk9b98PnfWqfcfuVaRrtKtmpR0-u2tFTX_uKp8vvVuYlUN-DTPnp9usG5skUalv72UN5MjTbVAeAm-AhZH55vhhK0zcP1d3Fq61qIt99EKFu55XRctAdCRyBs4miLJGoH_XJLQ/s1600/tyler-perry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ydHsTk9b98PnfWqfcfuVaRrtKtmpR0-u2tFTX_uKp8vvVuYlUN-DTPnp9usG5skUalv72UN5MjTbVAeAm-AhZH55vhhK0zcP1d3Fq61qIt99EKFu55XRctAdCRyBs4miLJGoH_XJLQ/s400/tyler-perry.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #990000; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><i style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Gift is the Largest Received from an Individual Entertainer in the NAACP’s History</b></i></span><br />
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The NAACP, the country’s oldest and largest civil rights organization, announced on Tuesday that acclaimed film director Tyler Perry donated one million dollars, marking the largest gift ever given by an individual entertainer. In addition, Perry purchased several NAACP commissioned Jacob Lawrence lithographs and additional lithographs by celebrated artists Jonathan Green, Elizabeth Catlett and Sam Gilliam. The gift, which will be distributed over the next four years, was made to commemorate the organization’s Centennial anniversary.<br />
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“We are honored that Tyler Perry chose to support the NAACP,” said Julian Bond, Chairman of the NAACP. “Tyler is a courageous pioneer in bringing positive images of African American culture and struggles to the screen. His remarkable journey from poverty and childhood abuse to become one of the world’s most successful filmmakers and entrepreneurs is an inspiration to us all,” Bond said.<br />
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“Tyler Perry exemplifies an unyielding commitment to uplifting and bringing hope to the disenfranchised and those less fortunate,” stated Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO of the NAACP, “Both in his films and in his life, he reflects an impressive ethos of caring and conscientiousness. We are deeply grateful for his support.”<br />
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“I feel so honored and blessed to be in a position where I can give to the NAACP.” Perry said. “Had it not been for the perseverance and vision of the thousands who came before me in the 100 years of this legendary organization, I would not be in the position I am in today. I continue to be thankful for the tireless work of the NAACP, and I am proud to be able to help in their mission to fight for the equality of all people, and to work towards the elimination of discrimination against race.”<br />
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“This is a paradigm shifting moment in black philanthropy. Here is a civil rights organization that is receiving a donation that is usually targeted only at education or cultural institutions. Tyler Perry is setting a high standard for others to follow,” said Maxim Thorne, Senior Vice President of the NAACP.<br />
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“The generous gift by Tyler Perry will be used to support our Second Century Society advocacy programs on economic equality, education, health care and criminal justice” stated Benjamin Todd Jealous, President and CEO of the NAACP.KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-15643834859139113762009-11-18T11:24:00.000-08:002009-11-18T11:33:43.270-08:00Members of the Kansas State NAACP meet with Tom Perez; Assistant Attorney General and head of the DOJ Civil Rights Division<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVGX6Apb9I7Pw2Otr4YzllNKEA06-DJnVEGXbNcnLr-vHE_OLMELDeVilMBHMzS9dCWz7AYw5Nr6Zdj_QGqtpu5scRjnIjv6-HHdvUPDSUC9eJgKMF4nd3KheWQSsi85ZmHv23iqXtg/s1600/dojperez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVGX6Apb9I7Pw2Otr4YzllNKEA06-DJnVEGXbNcnLr-vHE_OLMELDeVilMBHMzS9dCWz7AYw5Nr6Zdj_QGqtpu5scRjnIjv6-HHdvUPDSUC9eJgKMF4nd3KheWQSsi85ZmHv23iqXtg/s400/dojperez.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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Several members of the Kansas State Conference of the NAACP and regional activists attended a meeting with Tom Perez; Assistant Attorney General of the United States and head of DOJ Civil Rights Division, to discuss the strengthening of the agency's Civil Rights enforcement efforts. In attendance were <b><i>Kevin Myles</i></b>; President of the Kansas State Conference, <i><b>Henry Lyons</b></i>; President of the Olathe Branch, <b><i>Katrina Robertson</i></b>; President of the Johnson County Branch, <b><i>Loris Jones</i></b>; State Conference Education Committee Chair, Former State Conference President <b><i>Charles Jean-Baptiste</i></b>, and <b><i>Mary Ann Flounder</i></b>. Also in attendance <b><i>Nimrod Chapel</i></b>; Political Affairs Chairman for the Missouri State Conference, <b><i>Marvin Szneler</i></b> of the Jewish Community Relations Bureau, <b><i>Gwen Grant</i></b> of the Urban League of Greater Kansas City, <b><i>Mona Lee Perry</i></b> of the American Indian Council, <b><i>Alvin Sykes</i></b> of the Emmett Till Justice Campaign,<b><i> Jessica Piedra</i></b> of the Coalition of Hispanic Organizations, and several representatives of the US Attorney's Office and the Kansas City Human Relations Department.<br />
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<b>The Kansas State NAACP Delegation called for the agency to focus additional attention on:</b><br />
<ul><li>Child Welfare disparities in removal and reunification rates</li>
<li>Non-Compliance of States with the National Voter Registration Act of 94</li>
<li>Unitary Status/Re-segregation and the inequitable distribution of talent and teaching experience in recently desegregated districts</li>
<li>Ricci Vs DeStephano and its impact on Title VII enforcement</li>
<li>Wren Vs the United States and why we believe statistical Racial Profiling data rises to the level of a 14th amendment claim</li>
<li>The underfunding of Public Defender's offices and the resulting effect on poor and low income peoples ability to obtain adequate representation</li>
<li>And Employment Discrimination; namely how shifting interpretations of the term "similarly situated" creates a practically insurmountable standard that makes racial discrimination cases almost impossible to win.</li>
<li>We were also given direct contact numbers for the registering of complaints and in the coming days, we will be re-filing complaints that were overlooked or dismissed by the previous administration; foremost among these - the case of Rowana Riggs...</li>
</ul>Nimrod Chapel, Political Affairs Chairman of the Missouri State NAACP, presented a detailed synopsis of the Heather Ellis case with a request for follow-up from the DOJ. NAACP National Board member Anita Russell and Missouri State Conference President Mary Ratliff were scheduled to attend but were delayed in their return from the rally for Heather Ellis in Kennett Missouri...KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-18124562618263433772009-11-06T22:11:00.000-08:002009-11-06T22:11:49.211-08:00Action Alert: March Planned for the Heather Ellis Case<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWPRzKlwgibB8Lh6vns_g9N8SYjv_W5cJ0RdZcwOwXWiYr6Gb453TcQSV_oJWgK8L15LTJPBIpXV4e3DVE150o174pmdl5CokgaBHiV8iRCktva4WXvSHQ2CtnLg5pGBcV81HCgpSoA/s1600-h/ActionAlertbutton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWPRzKlwgibB8Lh6vns_g9N8SYjv_W5cJ0RdZcwOwXWiYr6Gb453TcQSV_oJWgK8L15LTJPBIpXV4e3DVE150o174pmdl5CokgaBHiV8iRCktva4WXvSHQ2CtnLg5pGBcV81HCgpSoA/s400/ActionAlertbutton.jpg" /></a><br />
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We received this message from our good friends in the Mar-Saline Branch of the NAACP out of Marshall Missouri - Regarding the Heather Ellis case: <br />
<blockquote>This is a call to action for ALL NAACP Units in the State of Missouri---we are taking it to the streets. There will be a protest demonstration November 16th beginning at 11 AM in Kennett, MO.--- Protest led by the Rev. Bonner, President of the Sikeston NAACP. Do not know the starting point. We will be under the direction of our State Conference President.<br />
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Be there and God Bless--- Safe travel.<br />
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For more information, contact Mary Ratliff; President of the Missouri State Conference of the NAACPKMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8411167269208042982.post-6363650990499817792009-11-06T22:02:00.000-08:002009-11-06T22:02:14.583-08:00This is it! - US House set to vote on Health Care Reform 11-07-09<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatw3f5_9Wm_xOYLHlVP3-CTrD3zqcm7Yx95AMgoddqHZ38ob6l8LXk1hSWKdvpnKEXayVrq_OBuEmOD_BPyRi6ghA-RopvD7Rmyf439E8jkYHXAxfkN1ejr1zK3h-Yfrh9PazTSs94w/s1600-h/880+Campaign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatw3f5_9Wm_xOYLHlVP3-CTrD3zqcm7Yx95AMgoddqHZ38ob6l8LXk1hSWKdvpnKEXayVrq_OBuEmOD_BPyRi6ghA-RopvD7Rmyf439E8jkYHXAxfkN1ejr1zK3h-Yfrh9PazTSs94w/s400/880+Campaign.jpg" /></a><br />
</div>Tomorrow, Saturday, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on health care reform. The future of health care for you, me, and every American hinges on this historic vote. So now is the time to make your voice heard. <br />
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Please send an e-mail to your representative today and ask him or her to support a health care reform bill with a strong public option.<br />
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Unless we pass a strong bill, the color of your skin, your ethnic background, and where you live will continue to influence your access to health care, as well as the quality and cost of your care. <br />
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Leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus came by the War Room today to urge us to help them pass real health care reform with a strong public option. With your help NOW, we can end discrimination in health care coverage and ensure access for every American. <br />
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Click here to send an e-mail to your representative in Congress and tell him or her to support health care legislation with a strong public option requiring all individuals to have insurance. <br />
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So, this is it. Let us ensure that Congress stops a system that delays, denies and defends the lack of care. <br />
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Click here to listen to a personal message from Congressional Black Caucus Chair Barbara Lee. Then, send a letter to your member of Congress now to urge him or her to support real health care reform with a strong public option when the vote takes place tomorrow.KMyleshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04487100068273663529noreply@blogger.com0