Last night I attended the Parent Advisory Council meeting. On the agenda were presentations on the Riley Early College High School and the New Tech High School. The RECHS is in it's second year and is proving to be successful. The NTHS will start next school year. It has proven successful in other venues. Interestingly Indiana has 16 NT schools, more than ant other state.
These programs approach education differently and are intended to serve different student populations. They do have things in common that I believe lead to success.
Small class sizes allow teachers and students to build relationships.
Students hold each other accountable for their success.
The school culture is about success, respect, and accountability.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Looking towards 2011 for Immigration Reform
We narrowly lost the fight to pass the DREAM Act this year but the fight isn't over. A new congress will convene in January and the odds for us moving any just and humane immigration laws look grim today. But in my estimation this maybe the time to begin rebuilding and expanding our capacity to impact immigration policies. We should use this time to engage new people, train those that have shown interest these past few months and retool for a bigger fight.
Impact on the Local
Locally we must begin to educate immigrants on their rights so that they can understand how the law does protect them and so that they are not swindled by crooked lawyers or profiled by bad cops. We can begin by engaging them at their churches and schools with Know Your Rights Workshops (KYRW) and sign them up for updates and meeting reminders. We must take KYRW further by giving them hope through our stories of success in organizing. We must expand the number of local leaders engaged in these efforts if we wish to win a national reform in the near future.
Impact Statewide
The attack on immigrant families will intensify because politicians see easy targets that can mobilize the electorate. We will see an Arizona style law, attack on Medicare for U.S. born children of immigrants, stronger penalties for entering the country without proper papers and workplace enforcement of the employees through e-verify. We must mobilize and visit our legislators in Indianapolis to share with them our values when dealing with immigrants and the consequences to our local economies if we make Indiana less welcoming to immigrants.
Impact Nationally
I wrote at the the beginning that the odds are grim for any positive reforms coming from Congress next year but I am hopeful. I am hopeful that we have learned our lessons well on how to move a national issue with a constituency that can not vote. We must build relationships with those that can vote and begin to work on common issues that impact our communities. We must stand with the working people in the non-immigrant communities that also want better schools, safer neighborhoods, access to health care and opportunities to economic development. We need their support because their voting power is what will bend the ear of elected officials.
So what can you do?
Join TAP to begin building bridges with non-immigrants and let us stand together to ensure our families are not the targets of opportunity seeking politicians this coming year. If you are interested in finding out more and staying informed, please contact us tapmichiana@gmail.com.
May God bless your families and Merry Christmas.
Impact on the Local
Locally we must begin to educate immigrants on their rights so that they can understand how the law does protect them and so that they are not swindled by crooked lawyers or profiled by bad cops. We can begin by engaging them at their churches and schools with Know Your Rights Workshops (KYRW) and sign them up for updates and meeting reminders. We must take KYRW further by giving them hope through our stories of success in organizing. We must expand the number of local leaders engaged in these efforts if we wish to win a national reform in the near future.
 |
| TAP and students from various schools gathered seeking support from Councilman Oliver Davis for the DREAM Act. Councilman Davis delivered a powerful proclamation in support of the students. |
Impact Statewide
The attack on immigrant families will intensify because politicians see easy targets that can mobilize the electorate. We will see an Arizona style law, attack on Medicare for U.S. born children of immigrants, stronger penalties for entering the country without proper papers and workplace enforcement of the employees through e-verify. We must mobilize and visit our legislators in Indianapolis to share with them our values when dealing with immigrants and the consequences to our local economies if we make Indiana less welcoming to immigrants.
Impact Nationally
I wrote at the the beginning that the odds are grim for any positive reforms coming from Congress next year but I am hopeful. I am hopeful that we have learned our lessons well on how to move a national issue with a constituency that can not vote. We must build relationships with those that can vote and begin to work on common issues that impact our communities. We must stand with the working people in the non-immigrant communities that also want better schools, safer neighborhoods, access to health care and opportunities to economic development. We need their support because their voting power is what will bend the ear of elected officials.
 |
| Rev. Gilbert Washington of St. Paul Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, attending a DREAM Act march in downtown Chicago. |
So what can you do?
Join TAP to begin building bridges with non-immigrants and let us stand together to ensure our families are not the targets of opportunity seeking politicians this coming year. If you are interested in finding out more and staying informed, please contact us tapmichiana@gmail.com.
May God bless your families and Merry Christmas.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Prison Reform?
Is Daniels serious about doing this or simply looking for new ways to expand prison programs for a bigger prison system?
http://www.wsbt.com/news/wsbt-daniels-endorses-findings-of-c-121610,0,5858131.story
http://www.wsbt.com/news/wsbt-daniels-endorses-findings-of-c-121610,0,5858131.story
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Onward to the Senate
Update at Noon: Vote postponed for the lame duck session. This means we have at least 2 more weeks to find more votes for the bill. Meeting this Tuesday, 7 PM to discuss action steps to push Lugar. Zion UCC, 715 E. Wayne Street.
Update at 10:40 am: There is a small chance that the cloture vote will be postponed until the lame duck session. This gives us a few more days to keep pushing the calls into Lugars office. Lugar is using the tax cuts has an excuse for not being on board. We need to flood his office with calls and remind him of the House vote and his previous support for the DREAM Act.
Great job everyone in helping pass the DREAM Act in the House. It was an historic vote and your calls helped ensure the message got to Members of Congress what this bill is really about. Now the fight continues in the Senate where we need 60 votes and are a few shy as of today. Lugar is on the fence and your calls will be key in helping move Lugar.
Check this blog link regularly for relevant updates and these the 3 things you can do:
1. Watch the vote tomorrow at 11 AM.
2. Pass around the Senate 866 Number in your action alerts. Spanish: 866-961-4293, English: 866-996-5161
3. Check this blog regularly for updates and share the link.
Roll call of tonights historic vote:
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll625.xml
Update at 10:40 am: There is a small chance that the cloture vote will be postponed until the lame duck session. This gives us a few more days to keep pushing the calls into Lugars office. Lugar is using the tax cuts has an excuse for not being on board. We need to flood his office with calls and remind him of the House vote and his previous support for the DREAM Act.
Great job everyone in helping pass the DREAM Act in the House. It was an historic vote and your calls helped ensure the message got to Members of Congress what this bill is really about. Now the fight continues in the Senate where we need 60 votes and are a few shy as of today. Lugar is on the fence and your calls will be key in helping move Lugar.
Check this blog link regularly for relevant updates and these the 3 things you can do:
1. Watch the vote tomorrow at 11 AM.
2. Pass around the Senate 866 Number in your action alerts. Spanish: 866-961-4293, English: 866-996-5161
3. Check this blog regularly for updates and share the link.
Roll call of tonights historic vote:
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll625.xml
Vote Today on the DREAM
This was the easy part, next comes the Senate...
Update at 9:14 PM:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46138.html
Update at 4:39 PM:
Hoyer is back on board. The House vote is set for 6:30 PM.
Update:
Please call Hoyer's office to demand that he move the DREAM Act to vote on House floor NOW! It is our understanding that he is potentially trying to slow down the process to force a Senate vote first, THEY NEED TO HEAR FROM EVERYONE!
Hoyer’s office number is: 202-225-3130 and his Chief of Staff is Terry Lierman.
Watch the vote at:
http://www.c-span.org/Watch/C-SPAN.aspx
It will happen this afternoon but the count is going to be down to the wire. We need calls into Ellsworth office because he is on the fence: (202) 225-3284
Update:
Lugar is undecided on his vote and prefers for the tax cuts to come up first. Please make calls to Lugar at:
Senators to push for DREAM:
Update at 9:14 PM:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46138.html
Update at 4:39 PM:
Hoyer is back on board. The House vote is set for 6:30 PM.
Update:
Please call Hoyer's office to demand that he move the DREAM Act to vote on House floor NOW! It is our understanding that he is potentially trying to slow down the process to force a Senate vote first, THEY NEED TO HEAR FROM EVERYONE!
Hoyer’s office number is: 202-225-3130 and his Chief of Staff is Terry Lierman.
Watch the vote at:
http://www.c-span.org/Watch/C-SPAN.aspx
It will happen this afternoon but the count is going to be down to the wire. We need calls into Ellsworth office because he is on the fence: (202) 225-3284
Update:
Lugar is undecided on his vote and prefers for the tax cuts to come up first. Please make calls to Lugar at:
Senators to push for DREAM:
a. Senate Spanish: 866-961-4293
b. Senate English: 866-996-5161
TAP met with Congressman Donnelly's staff yesterday to push support of the DREAM Act.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Continue Making Calls!!
We have word that Senator Lugar is only a maybe on the DREAM Act. He was not consulted on the new bill.
Senators to push for DREAM:
Senators to push for DREAM:
a. Senate Spanish: 866-961-4293
b. Senate English: 866-996-5161
Right to Work for Less
Next year the labor unions in Indiana will face an assault from the Right to Work lobby. I am posting a link so that you may learn more about the issue that will threaten our wage and safety issues in Indiana.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-to-work_law
A quick excerpt:
"Opponents further argue that because unions are weakened by these laws, wages are lowered and worker safety and health is endangered. For these reasons, they often refer to right-to-work states as "right to work for less" states or "right-to-fire" states, and "non-right-to-work" states as "free collective bargaining" states. They also cite statistics from the United States Department of Labor showing, for example, that in 2003 the rate of workplace fatalities per 100,000 workers was highest in right-to-work states."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-to-work_law
A quick excerpt:
"Opponents further argue that because unions are weakened by these laws, wages are lowered and worker safety and health is endangered. For these reasons, they often refer to right-to-work states as "right to work for less" states or "right-to-fire" states, and "non-right-to-work" states as "free collective bargaining" states. They also cite statistics from the United States Department of Labor showing, for example, that in 2003 the rate of workplace fatalities per 100,000 workers was highest in right-to-work states."
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