Some female immigrants in detention awaiting decisions on deportation have been mistreated or neglected, according to University of Arizona researchers.
Nina Rabin, J.D. of the Southwest Institute for Research on Women, presented the findings of a study, “Unseen Prisoners: A Report on Women in Immigration Detention Facilities in Arizona' at a lecture to students and faculty last week at the University of Arizona.
The Tucson Citizen reported that Rabin told the audience that researchers found evidence of negligence in medical care, severe conditions and an absence of programs for women in detention.
'Some women are deported quite quickly, but for those who want to exercise their legal rights, it could be a really long process, sometimes up to two years,' Rabin said.
For the study, students and researchers from the institute have conducted more than 50 interviews with current and former detainees, attorneys and social service providers in southern Arizona.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Organ policy improves blacks' access to livers - Health care- msnbc.com
Organ policy improves blacks'access to livers - Health care- msnbc.com: "CHICAGO - Blacks waiting for a liver transplant used to be more likely to die compared to whites. Now they have the same chance of getting a life-saving organ under a nationwide system that puts the sickest patients first, a new study found.
Racial differences disappeared when the old system was scrapped in 2002, according to the federally funded study, the first assessment of how blacks fared after the change.
'By design, we tried to make it race blind. It looks like we did,' said Dr. Richard Freeman, a transplant surgeon at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, who helped create the new system and was not involved in the study.
Racial differences disappeared when the old system was scrapped in 2002, according to the federally funded study, the first assessment of how blacks fared after the change.
'By design, we tried to make it race blind. It looks like we did,' said Dr. Richard Freeman, a transplant surgeon at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, who helped create the new system and was not involved in the study.
Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database Debuts at Emory: 'Voyages' sheds light on hidden history of 12.5 million slaves
Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database Debuts at Emory: 'Voyages' sheds light on hidden history of 12.5 million slaves: A group of international scholars will gather at Emory University Dec. 5-6 to celebrate the debut of 'Voyages: The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database' (http://www.slavevoyages.org) as it begins its own maiden expedition.
Two years in the making at Emory, the free and interactive Web-based resource documents the slave trade from Africa to the New World between the 16th and 19th centuries, says David Eltis, Robert W. Woodruff Professor of History and one of the scholars who originally published 'The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade' as a CD-ROM in 1999. He and Martin Halbert, director of digital innovations for Emory Libraries, directed the work that made the online 'Voyages' project expandable, interactive and publicly accessible.
''Voyages' provides searchable information on almost 35,000 trans-Atlantic voyages hauling human cargo, as well as maps, images and data on some individual Africans transported,' says Eltis.
The conference, which also marks the bicentennial of the end of the trans-Atlantic slave trade in 1808, will feature presentations by Eltis' graduate students who have worked on the database, with leading scholars commenting on their papers.
Two years in the making at Emory, the free and interactive Web-based resource documents the slave trade from Africa to the New World between the 16th and 19th centuries, says David Eltis, Robert W. Woodruff Professor of History and one of the scholars who originally published 'The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade' as a CD-ROM in 1999. He and Martin Halbert, director of digital innovations for Emory Libraries, directed the work that made the online 'Voyages' project expandable, interactive and publicly accessible.
''Voyages' provides searchable information on almost 35,000 trans-Atlantic voyages hauling human cargo, as well as maps, images and data on some individual Africans transported,' says Eltis.
The conference, which also marks the bicentennial of the end of the trans-Atlantic slave trade in 1808, will feature presentations by Eltis' graduate students who have worked on the database, with leading scholars commenting on their papers.
More Than Half Of Campus Hate Crimes Involve Race
More Than Half Of Campus Hate Crimes Involve Race: Reports of increased hate crimes nationwide – including incidents on college campuses after Barack Obama’s victory – are prompting calls for universities to step up hate crime reporting and for more federal action on the issue.
“Even as we celebrate the demonstration of diversity in this country by electing the first African American president, the vestiges of a tragic period in our history continues to rear its hideous head,” said Hilary Shelton, director of the NAACP Washington bureau, at a conference Monday focusing attention on hate crimes nationwide.
Within higher education, four North Carolina State University students scribbled anti-Obama comments in a tunnel reserved for free speech expression. One comment said, “Let’s shoot that (N-word) in the head.” A University of Alabama professor said an Obama poster on her office door was replaced by a poster defaced with a death threat and a racial slur.
Hate speech on school buses and the beating of a New York teenager on election night by four white men shouting ‘Obama’ are among other recent youth-focused hate incidents.
“Schools and colleges are the third most frequent location for hate crimes,” said Michael Lieberman, Washington counsel for the Anti-Defamation League.
“Even as we celebrate the demonstration of diversity in this country by electing the first African American president, the vestiges of a tragic period in our history continues to rear its hideous head,” said Hilary Shelton, director of the NAACP Washington bureau, at a conference Monday focusing attention on hate crimes nationwide.
Within higher education, four North Carolina State University students scribbled anti-Obama comments in a tunnel reserved for free speech expression. One comment said, “Let’s shoot that (N-word) in the head.” A University of Alabama professor said an Obama poster on her office door was replaced by a poster defaced with a death threat and a racial slur.
Hate speech on school buses and the beating of a New York teenager on election night by four white men shouting ‘Obama’ are among other recent youth-focused hate incidents.
“Schools and colleges are the third most frequent location for hate crimes,” said Michael Lieberman, Washington counsel for the Anti-Defamation League.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Some Students Take Jagged Path to Graduation
As the nation moves toward a common graduation rate formula based on the number of students who obtain a diploma in four years, students like Jefferson Lara will appear to have fallen by wayside.
Lara's education has not progressed on a neatly laid out timetable. A former gang member, he was expelled from ninth grade, spent time in Peru with his father and entered Arlington Mill High School Continuation program his junior year. He took a night job so his mother could quit one of hers. An hour and a half after his night shift ended at the grocery store, he is sitting in art class, sketching warriors strong and armored.
'I was raised to put family first,' the fifth-year senior says. 'Not a lot of people know what I have to go through every day. They think I'm just a regular kid.'
It mattered little to him that he wouldn't graduate in June with his peers, but he will not be counted as graduating on time. What should be taken into account, educators say, is that many students like Lara may not succeed on the traditional timeline, but they do eventually succeed. Many young Latino immigrants must juggle adult responsibilities with school, and they are creating alternative, stop-and-start paths toward a diploma.
'There are some where we probably failed them and they dropped out' and never finished school, Arlington County Superintendent Robert G. Smith said."
Lara's education has not progressed on a neatly laid out timetable. A former gang member, he was expelled from ninth grade, spent time in Peru with his father and entered Arlington Mill High School Continuation program his junior year. He took a night job so his mother could quit one of hers. An hour and a half after his night shift ended at the grocery store, he is sitting in art class, sketching warriors strong and armored.
'I was raised to put family first,' the fifth-year senior says. 'Not a lot of people know what I have to go through every day. They think I'm just a regular kid.'
It mattered little to him that he wouldn't graduate in June with his peers, but he will not be counted as graduating on time. What should be taken into account, educators say, is that many students like Lara may not succeed on the traditional timeline, but they do eventually succeed. Many young Latino immigrants must juggle adult responsibilities with school, and they are creating alternative, stop-and-start paths toward a diploma.
'There are some where we probably failed them and they dropped out' and never finished school, Arlington County Superintendent Robert G. Smith said."
Immunization Rates Lag in Older African-American and Hispanic Populations, AARP Report Shows
Immunization Rates Lag in Older African-American and Hispanic Populations, AARP Report Shows: More than half skip flu shots, missing opportunity for prevention
A new report by AARP's Public Policy Institute highlights the impact of low vaccination rates for influenza and pneumonia among older black and Hispanic populations. Rates for these groups lag significantly behind whites.
Together, influenza and pneumonia represent the eighth leading cause of death in the United States, despite the availability of annual flu shots and the one-time pneumococcal vaccination.
'It's tragic that America loses so many lives each year to preventable diseases,' said AARP Board Member Jacob Lozada.
'Even more alarming are the drastic ethnic and racial disparities that exist in immunization rates. With so much riding on our health, there is no excuse not to get vaccinated.' Lozada noted that both flu and pneumonia vaccination are available at no cost to people on Medicare.
The most recent data show two-thirds of white adults age 65 and older reported receiving the flu vaccine in 2006. In the same year, less than half of blacks (47%) and Hispanics (45%) received the flu vaccine. The disparity is even greater for pneumococcal vaccine, with 62 percent of older whites receiving the vaccine, compared to only 36 percent of blacks and 33 percent of Hispanics.
A new report by AARP's Public Policy Institute highlights the impact of low vaccination rates for influenza and pneumonia among older black and Hispanic populations. Rates for these groups lag significantly behind whites.
Together, influenza and pneumonia represent the eighth leading cause of death in the United States, despite the availability of annual flu shots and the one-time pneumococcal vaccination.
'It's tragic that America loses so many lives each year to preventable diseases,' said AARP Board Member Jacob Lozada.
'Even more alarming are the drastic ethnic and racial disparities that exist in immunization rates. With so much riding on our health, there is no excuse not to get vaccinated.' Lozada noted that both flu and pneumonia vaccination are available at no cost to people on Medicare.
The most recent data show two-thirds of white adults age 65 and older reported receiving the flu vaccine in 2006. In the same year, less than half of blacks (47%) and Hispanics (45%) received the flu vaccine. The disparity is even greater for pneumococcal vaccine, with 62 percent of older whites receiving the vaccine, compared to only 36 percent of blacks and 33 percent of Hispanics.
University of Maryland Becomes U.S. 'Minority-Serving Institution' for Asian Americans
University of Maryland Becomes U.S. Minority-Serving Institution for Asian Americans: The University of Maryland has been granted status as a 'minority-serving institution' for Asian Americans and related groups, a gateway to targeted federal support for scholarships and the growth of academic programs. It's the first 'minority-serving' designation for the University of Maryland.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of Education has granted Maryland $2.4 million over two years - one of only six schools nationwide, and the only major public research university, to be funded under this program.
Asian Americans now represent the largest minority group on the Maryland campus - more than 14 percent. To become an Asian American, Native American, Pacific Islander Serving-Institution, at least one in ten students must fall into one of these groups.
Additionally, the U.S. Department of Education has granted Maryland $2.4 million over two years - one of only six schools nationwide, and the only major public research university, to be funded under this program.
Asian Americans now represent the largest minority group on the Maryland campus - more than 14 percent. To become an Asian American, Native American, Pacific Islander Serving-Institution, at least one in ten students must fall into one of these groups.
Study Abroad Programs Show Growth, Increased Diversity
Study Abroad Programs Show Growth, Increased Diversity: The number of U.S. students studying overseas has reached a new record, part of an upward trend that also shows greater diversity both in the study abroad population and the foreign destinations selected for their studies.
More than 40,000 students of color studied abroad in 2006-07, nearly double the number from 2001, based on data from the Institute of International Education. Overall, African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, Native Americans and multiracial students made up nearly one of every five study abroad students in 2007, says the institute’s annual Open Doors report.
Part of this increase is due to increased marketing at minority-serving institutions as well as greater utilization of scholarships, officials said. Students of color now represent about half of all recipients of Gilman Scholarships, a U.S. State Department initiative authorized by Congress in 2000 to improve study abroad participation by Pell Grant recipients.
More than 40,000 students of color studied abroad in 2006-07, nearly double the number from 2001, based on data from the Institute of International Education. Overall, African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, Native Americans and multiracial students made up nearly one of every five study abroad students in 2007, says the institute’s annual Open Doors report.
Part of this increase is due to increased marketing at minority-serving institutions as well as greater utilization of scholarships, officials said. Students of color now represent about half of all recipients of Gilman Scholarships, a U.S. State Department initiative authorized by Congress in 2000 to improve study abroad participation by Pell Grant recipients.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Report: Black Students Among the Most Engaged at Community Colleges
Report: Black Students Among the Most Engaged at Community Colleges: Black community college students who are typically categorized high-risk are more engaged than students from other racial groups, a national survey released today by the Community College Survey of Student Engagement reports.
“High-risk students, including African-Americans, are more engaged than their low-risk counterparts” says Dr. Kay McClenney, who directed the survey. “It seems a bit counterintuitive, but the reality reflected in the data is that it is only the highly engaged, high-risk students who persist to the spring semester.”
Female and international students, students seeking credentials, nontraditional age students (over 24), students who work fewer than 30 hours per week and students who have participated in orientation are the most engaged students, meaning that they are more likely to graduate or complete their respective program of interest, the study shows.
The annual report entitled, “High Expectations and High Support,” offers data about the quality of community college students’ educational experiences and describes how a number of colleges across the country are responding to the challenges.
“High-risk students, including African-Americans, are more engaged than their low-risk counterparts” says Dr. Kay McClenney, who directed the survey. “It seems a bit counterintuitive, but the reality reflected in the data is that it is only the highly engaged, high-risk students who persist to the spring semester.”
Female and international students, students seeking credentials, nontraditional age students (over 24), students who work fewer than 30 hours per week and students who have participated in orientation are the most engaged students, meaning that they are more likely to graduate or complete their respective program of interest, the study shows.
The annual report entitled, “High Expectations and High Support,” offers data about the quality of community college students’ educational experiences and describes how a number of colleges across the country are responding to the challenges.
More American kids went hungry last year - Diet and nutrition- msnbc.com
More American kids went hungry last year - Diet and nutrition- msnbc.com: WASHINGTON - Some 691,000 children went hungry in America sometime in 2007, while close to one in eight Americans struggled to feed themselves adequately even before this year’s sharp economic downturn, the Agriculture Department reported Monday.
The department’s annual report on food security showed that during 2007 the number of children who suffered a substantial disruption in the amount of food they typically eat was more than double the 430,000 in 2006 and the largest figure since 716,000 in 1998.
Overall, the 36.2 million adults and children who struggled with hunger during the year was up slightly from 35.5 million in 2006. That was 12.2 percent of Americans who didn’t have the money or assistance to get enough food to maintain active, healthy lives.
The department’s annual report on food security showed that during 2007 the number of children who suffered a substantial disruption in the amount of food they typically eat was more than double the 430,000 in 2006 and the largest figure since 716,000 in 1998.
Overall, the 36.2 million adults and children who struggled with hunger during the year was up slightly from 35.5 million in 2006. That was 12.2 percent of Americans who didn’t have the money or assistance to get enough food to maintain active, healthy lives.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Leading Black Think Tank Launches Media and Technology Institute
Leading Black Think Tank Launches Media and Technology Institute: The leading U.S. think tank on African-American affairs is launching an institute to study the impact of media and new communication technologies on minority and socially disadvantaged communities. Along with notable communications and media leaders, officials from the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies announced Thursday that the Washington-based think tank has established the Joint Center Media and Technology Institute.
Officials say the Media and Technology Institute is a “center for research on how minority Americans use media, how existing communications policies affect them and how emerging interactive forms of media can expand opportunity for them and their communities.” Michael K. Powell, a former Federal Communications Commission chairman and the son of retired General Colin Powell, will chair the institute’s national advisory committee.
“For many young people living in underserved communities, the stakes are enormously high. This Institute will examine these new trends and build the evidentiary record for the development of relevant policies, programs and initiatives,” says Ralph Everett, president and CEO of the Joint Center. “New communications technologies are having an enormous and immediate impact on the way we live, the way we work, the way we learn and the way we participate in the political process.”
Officials say the Media and Technology Institute is a “center for research on how minority Americans use media, how existing communications policies affect them and how emerging interactive forms of media can expand opportunity for them and their communities.” Michael K. Powell, a former Federal Communications Commission chairman and the son of retired General Colin Powell, will chair the institute’s national advisory committee.
“For many young people living in underserved communities, the stakes are enormously high. This Institute will examine these new trends and build the evidentiary record for the development of relevant policies, programs and initiatives,” says Ralph Everett, president and CEO of the Joint Center. “New communications technologies are having an enormous and immediate impact on the way we live, the way we work, the way we learn and the way we participate in the political process.”
Election spurs 'hundreds' of race threats, crimes - USATODAY.com
Election spurs 'hundreds' of race threats, crimes - USATODAY.com: Cross burnings. Schoolchildren chanting 'Assassinate Obama.' Black figures hung from nooses. Racial epithets scrawled on homes and cars.
Incidents around the country referring to President-elect Barack Obama are dampening the postelection glow of racial progress and harmony, highlighting the stubborn racism that remains in America.
From California to Maine, police have documented a range of alleged crimes, from vandalism and vague threats to at least one physical attack. Insults and taunts have been delivered by adults, college students and second-graders.
There have been 'hundreds' of incidents since the election, many more than usual, said Mark Potok, director of the Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate crimes.
One was in Snellville, Ga., where Denene Millner said a boy on the school bus told her 9-year-old daughter the day after the election: 'I hope Obama gets assassinated.' That night, someone trashed her sister-in-law's front lawn, mangled the Obama lawn signs, and left two pizza boxes filled with human feces outside the front door, Millner said.
Incidents around the country referring to President-elect Barack Obama are dampening the postelection glow of racial progress and harmony, highlighting the stubborn racism that remains in America.
From California to Maine, police have documented a range of alleged crimes, from vandalism and vague threats to at least one physical attack. Insults and taunts have been delivered by adults, college students and second-graders.
There have been 'hundreds' of incidents since the election, many more than usual, said Mark Potok, director of the Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate crimes.
One was in Snellville, Ga., where Denene Millner said a boy on the school bus told her 9-year-old daughter the day after the election: 'I hope Obama gets assassinated.' That night, someone trashed her sister-in-law's front lawn, mangled the Obama lawn signs, and left two pizza boxes filled with human feces outside the front door, Millner said.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Gettting to Know You: Diversity in Friendships Reduces Stress, UCB Study Finds
Making friends outside your own ethnic group or race in academic settings can reduce stress, researchers at University of California at Berkeley have found.
Researchers there who paired White and Latino students prone to bias in an accelerated “friendship” process found that members of both groups benefitted from getting to know one another.
According to the study published in the November issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, researchers found that as the paired “cross-group” students in the study got to know one another better, their cortisol levels dropped significantly. Cortical is a hormone triggered by stress and anxiety.
In another set of US Berkeley findings published in an earlier issue of the journal Psychological Science, Latinos at that school and African Americans at Columbia University in New York who were concerned about being the targets of discrimination reported feeling a greater sense of belonging and satisfaction on campus after making a friend of another race or ethnicity.
'Regardless of students' majority or minority status, the friendship helped,' said Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton, a UC Berkeley psychologist and co-author of the study, whose research examined the relationship between the acceptance of minorities at White-majority campuses and students' sense of well-being at college.
Researchers there who paired White and Latino students prone to bias in an accelerated “friendship” process found that members of both groups benefitted from getting to know one another.
According to the study published in the November issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, researchers found that as the paired “cross-group” students in the study got to know one another better, their cortisol levels dropped significantly. Cortical is a hormone triggered by stress and anxiety.
In another set of US Berkeley findings published in an earlier issue of the journal Psychological Science, Latinos at that school and African Americans at Columbia University in New York who were concerned about being the targets of discrimination reported feeling a greater sense of belonging and satisfaction on campus after making a friend of another race or ethnicity.
'Regardless of students' majority or minority status, the friendship helped,' said Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton, a UC Berkeley psychologist and co-author of the study, whose research examined the relationship between the acceptance of minorities at White-majority campuses and students' sense of well-being at college.
Online Bookseller Targets Spanish-Only Market
Its new consumer web site, http://www.librerialectorum.com/ will be the largest U.S. online bookstore operating exclusively in Spanish, Lectorum Publications announced.
Lectorum, a Scholastic subsidiary and the largest and oldest distributor of Spanish-language books in the United States, will celebrate the grand opening on Monday, November 17.
LibreriaLectorum.com, will offer thousands of adult and children's titles directly to the public, in addition to Lectorum’s sales of Spanish-language and bilingual books through libraries, schools, universities and retailers, the company said.
'Now Hispanics in every town, large and small, from coast to coast, will have access to quality books and can be part of a vibrant book-loving community,' said Teresa Mlawer, president of Lectorum Publications. 'It is truly a neighborhood bookstore online. As we add features every day, visitors will hear from Latino authors, get book and gift suggestions from staff, and join in the conversation about books and reading.
Lectorum, a Scholastic subsidiary and the largest and oldest distributor of Spanish-language books in the United States, will celebrate the grand opening on Monday, November 17.
LibreriaLectorum.com, will offer thousands of adult and children's titles directly to the public, in addition to Lectorum’s sales of Spanish-language and bilingual books through libraries, schools, universities and retailers, the company said.
'Now Hispanics in every town, large and small, from coast to coast, will have access to quality books and can be part of a vibrant book-loving community,' said Teresa Mlawer, president of Lectorum Publications. 'It is truly a neighborhood bookstore online. As we add features every day, visitors will hear from Latino authors, get book and gift suggestions from staff, and join in the conversation about books and reading.
Dr. Alvin Poussaint on The Obama Effect
Dr. Alvin Poussaint on The Obama Effect: The psychological boost on African-Americans generated by the election of the nation’s first Black president may be tempered by hard economic times ahead, says Dr. Alvin F. Poussaint, director of the Media Center of the Judge Baker Children’s Center and professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.
... Do you see Black children looking to Obama children Sasha and Malia and looking up to President-elect Obama?
It will fill them with pride. There’s an enormous psychological effect. If you wake up in the morning, you’re a two-year-old kid, the president is on TV and the president is a Black man, it begins to shape their image of the world and the image inside of what they think they can accomplish, and increases there own feelings of worth. ‘I am somebody. The president, this man, is running the country. I can run something. I can be in charge. I can get good grades.’ That will be an ingredient of their psyche.
I think what is important, too, is how Obama’s presidency shapes the attitude of Whites and others. In other words, maybe we’ll be treated better, maybe there will be less racial profiling, less overt racial discrimination and even more empathy with the plight Blacks find themselves in. For instance, if Obama’s being elected president changes the expectations of White teachers for Black students, they’ll see this Black student, [whom] before they thought could be a convict, [and think] maybe he can be the president of the United States. We know the expectations teachers have of Black students count a lot, in term of their success. In so far he may reshape racial attitude, it will benefit Blacks indirectly and directly.
... Do you see Black children looking to Obama children Sasha and Malia and looking up to President-elect Obama?
It will fill them with pride. There’s an enormous psychological effect. If you wake up in the morning, you’re a two-year-old kid, the president is on TV and the president is a Black man, it begins to shape their image of the world and the image inside of what they think they can accomplish, and increases there own feelings of worth. ‘I am somebody. The president, this man, is running the country. I can run something. I can be in charge. I can get good grades.’ That will be an ingredient of their psyche.
I think what is important, too, is how Obama’s presidency shapes the attitude of Whites and others. In other words, maybe we’ll be treated better, maybe there will be less racial profiling, less overt racial discrimination and even more empathy with the plight Blacks find themselves in. For instance, if Obama’s being elected president changes the expectations of White teachers for Black students, they’ll see this Black student, [whom] before they thought could be a convict, [and think] maybe he can be the president of the United States. We know the expectations teachers have of Black students count a lot, in term of their success. In so far he may reshape racial attitude, it will benefit Blacks indirectly and directly.
Group Hires Lawyer To Address Dearth of Black College Football Coaches
Group Hires Lawyer To Address Dearth of Black College Football Coaches: The number of Black college football coaches is going in the wrong direction, according to the latest hiring report card issued Wednesday by the Black Coaches and Administrators (BCA).
Hiring committees are more diverse and coaches of color are being interviewed for football head coaching positions, but the number of hires is still dismal, the report card shows.
“Interviewing is not the measure of true success. Interviewing is not hiring. The true measure of progress and success will be when athletic directors stop merely interviewing candidates of color, and when athletic directors actually hire head football coaches of color,” said Charlotte Westerhaus, vice president of diversity and inclusion of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) .
For the 2007-08 season examined in the fifth BCA hiring report card, there were only four head football coaches of color hired to fill 31 job openings. The 2008 season in both the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Division, began with eight coaches of color, six of whom were African-American.
Hiring committees are more diverse and coaches of color are being interviewed for football head coaching positions, but the number of hires is still dismal, the report card shows.
“Interviewing is not the measure of true success. Interviewing is not hiring. The true measure of progress and success will be when athletic directors stop merely interviewing candidates of color, and when athletic directors actually hire head football coaches of color,” said Charlotte Westerhaus, vice president of diversity and inclusion of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) .
For the 2007-08 season examined in the fifth BCA hiring report card, there were only four head football coaches of color hired to fill 31 job openings. The 2008 season in both the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Division, began with eight coaches of color, six of whom were African-American.
Presidents of Maryland’s Black Colleges Testify About Disparities
Presidents of Maryland’s Black Colleges Testify About Disparities: No stranger to belt-tightening during tough economic times, presidents from two of Maryland’s historically black colleges attended a public hearing Wednesday to press their case for why the schools need more money.
The hearing came on the heels of a report outlining the financial and technological deficiencies that exist between Maryland's historically Black institutions and the state's predominately White institutions.
The report acknowledged that Maryland’s HBCUs have long been neglected by the state over past years and called for more state funding to bring the schools on par with the state’s traditionally White institutions. But the chair of the Maryland General Assembly’s Affordability Committee cautioned that any new funding for Maryland historically black institutions would be scarce given the state’s current budget woes.
The hearing came on the heels of a report outlining the financial and technological deficiencies that exist between Maryland's historically Black institutions and the state's predominately White institutions.
The report acknowledged that Maryland’s HBCUs have long been neglected by the state over past years and called for more state funding to bring the schools on par with the state’s traditionally White institutions. But the chair of the Maryland General Assembly’s Affordability Committee cautioned that any new funding for Maryland historically black institutions would be scarce given the state’s current budget woes.
Women Gain in Education but Not Power, Study Finds - NYTimes.com
Women Gain in Education but Not Power, Study Finds - NYTimes.com: GENEVA (Reuters) — Women still lag far behind men in top political and decision-making roles, though their access to education and health care is nearly equal, the World Economic Forum said Wednesday.
In its 2008 Global Gender Gap report, the forum, a Swiss research organization, ranked Norway, Finland and Sweden as the countries that have the most equality of the sexes, and Saudi Arabia, Chad and Yemen as having the least.
Using United Nations data, the report found that girls and women around the world had generally reached near-parity with their male peers in literacy, access to education and health and survival. But in terms of economics and politics, including relative access to executive government and corporate posts, the gap between the sexes remains large.
The United States ranked 27th, above Russia (42nd), China (57th), Brazil (73rd) and India (113th). But the United States was ranked below Germany (11th), Britain (13th), France (15th), Lesotho (16th), Trinidad and Tobago (19th), South Africa (22nd), Argentina (24th) and Cuba (25th).
In its 2008 Global Gender Gap report, the forum, a Swiss research organization, ranked Norway, Finland and Sweden as the countries that have the most equality of the sexes, and Saudi Arabia, Chad and Yemen as having the least.
Using United Nations data, the report found that girls and women around the world had generally reached near-parity with their male peers in literacy, access to education and health and survival. But in terms of economics and politics, including relative access to executive government and corporate posts, the gap between the sexes remains large.
The United States ranked 27th, above Russia (42nd), China (57th), Brazil (73rd) and India (113th). But the United States was ranked below Germany (11th), Britain (13th), France (15th), Lesotho (16th), Trinidad and Tobago (19th), South Africa (22nd), Argentina (24th) and Cuba (25th).
Katrina victims: Discrimination alleged in suit - USATODAY.com
Katrina victims: Discrimination alleged in suit - USATODAY.com: Two civil rights groups and five New Orleans homeowners sued Louisiana's hurricane rebuilding program Wednesday, saying it discriminates against more than 20,000 African Americans whose houses were damaged by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina.
The class-action suit, filed in federal court in Washington, alleges the Louisiana Road Home program awards smaller rebuilding grants to black homeowners than white homeowners. It says the state program's formula for calculating the grants — approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — is biased against homes in predominantly black neighborhoods.
'HUD and Louisiana have failed to honor the noble promise of this program,' says civil rights lawyer Joseph Sellers, who represents the homeowners.
The Louisiana Recovery Authority, which administers the $11 billion housing redevelopment program, bases grants on the pre-storm value of the house or the rebuilding cost, whichever is less. The authority had awarded $7.3 billion by Oct. 28, its weekly report says.
The lawsuit says home values in predominately black neighborhoods are lower than those of similar homes in white neighborhoods.
The class-action suit, filed in federal court in Washington, alleges the Louisiana Road Home program awards smaller rebuilding grants to black homeowners than white homeowners. It says the state program's formula for calculating the grants — approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — is biased against homes in predominantly black neighborhoods.
'HUD and Louisiana have failed to honor the noble promise of this program,' says civil rights lawyer Joseph Sellers, who represents the homeowners.
The Louisiana Recovery Authority, which administers the $11 billion housing redevelopment program, bases grants on the pre-storm value of the house or the rebuilding cost, whichever is less. The authority had awarded $7.3 billion by Oct. 28, its weekly report says.
The lawsuit says home values in predominately black neighborhoods are lower than those of similar homes in white neighborhoods.
Slavery of a different sort toils in Toni Morrison's 'A Mercy' - USATODAY.com
Slavery of a different sort toils in Toni Morrison's 'A Mercy'- USATODAY.com: "In both print and her public persona, Toni Morrison is an original thinker. She once famously called Bill Clinton our first black president. Now in the month in which the country elected Barack Obama president, the Nobel laureate has published a new novel, A Mercy, which examines slavery through the prism of power, not race.
Morrison achieves this by setting A Mercy in 1680s America, when slavery was a color-blind, equal-opportunity state of misery, not yet the rigid, peculiar institution it would become. This stands in sharp contrast to Beloved, Morrison's 1987 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about a black woman who kills her daughter rather than see her returned to slavery. In Beloved, skin color and slavery are inextricably linked.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Graduating ASAP, if Not on State Timeline - washingtonpost.com
Graduating ASAP, if Not on State Timeline - washingtonpost.com: ... Like Lara, many young Latino immigrants must juggle adult responsibilities with school, and they are creating alternative, stop-and-start paths toward a diploma.
'There are some where we probably failed them and they dropped out' and never finished school, Arlington County Superintendent Robert G. Smith said. But then there are those who come back at 20 or 21, he said. 'They would be counted among our dropouts, but sometimes they are our greatest success stories.'
As educators strive to close racial and ethnic achievement gaps, school systems are examining the educational experience of Latino students. Without knowing how many are succeeding under the radar, they can't know how many are lost altogether.
Sarita Brown of Excelencia in Education, a District-based nonprofit organization, said the number of Latino students who don't fit the four-year model is growing fast.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Poll: Racial divides persist after Obama’s historic win - Blogs from CNN.com
CNN Political Ticker: All politics, all the time Blog Archive - Poll: Racial divides persist after Obama’s historic win - Blogs from CNN.com: WASHINGTON (CNN) — A national poll released Tuesday suggests that for most African-Americans, the election of Barack Obama as president was a dream come true that they didn't think they would see in their lifetimes.
That's how 80 percent of African-Americans questioned in the CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey responded; 20 percent disagreed. Among white Americans, only 28 percent called Obama's victory in the race for the White House a dream come true, with the vast majority, 70 percent, saying it was not.
The poll also suggests a racial divide among people who thought a black candidate would be elected president in their lifetimes, with 59 percent of white respondents saying yes, but only 29 percent of black respondents agreeing.
'Polls show that whites and blacks tend to have different views on the amount of racism in the U.S.' said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. 'So it's not surprising that they would have different views on the likelihood of an African-American president.'
That's how 80 percent of African-Americans questioned in the CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey responded; 20 percent disagreed. Among white Americans, only 28 percent called Obama's victory in the race for the White House a dream come true, with the vast majority, 70 percent, saying it was not.
The poll also suggests a racial divide among people who thought a black candidate would be elected president in their lifetimes, with 59 percent of white respondents saying yes, but only 29 percent of black respondents agreeing.
'Polls show that whites and blacks tend to have different views on the amount of racism in the U.S.' said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. 'So it's not surprising that they would have different views on the likelihood of an African-American president.'
Rev. Abraham Woods Jr.; MLK-Era Rights Leader - washingtonpost.com
Rev. Abraham Woods Jr.; MLK-Era Rights Leader - washingtonpost.com: The Rev. Abraham Woods Jr., 80, a civil rights leader in Birmingham, Ala., who stood behind the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. during his 1963 'I Have a Dream' speech at the Lincoln Memorial, died of complications from cancer Nov. 7 at Princeton Baptist Medical Center in Birmingham.
Rev. Woods, a founder and longtime president of the Birmingham chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, began his civil rights work in the mid-1950s, working with the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth as well as with King and the Rev. Ralph Abernathy. After Alabama outlawed the NAACP, Rev. Woods and his brother, the Rev. Calvin Woods, along with Shuttlesworth, founded the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights.
8,000 blacks die due to blood pressure gap - Health care- msnbc.com
8,000 blacks die due to blood pressure gap - Health care- msnbc.com: ATLANTA - The lives of nearly 8,000 black Americans could be saved each year if doctors could figure out a way to bring their average blood pressure down to the average level of whites, a surprising new study found.
The gap between the races in controlling blood pressure is well-known, but the resulting number of lives lost startled some scientists.
“We expected it to be big, but it was even larger than we anticipated,” said the lead author, Dr. Kevin Fiscella of the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.
The study, released Monday in the Annals of Family Medicine, is being called the first to calculate the lives lost due to racial disparities in blood pressure control.
Fiscella said he believes steps can be taken to erase that gap. But a second article in the same journal found that racial differences in blood pressure treatment persisted in England despite a national health system that provides equal access to care.
Doctors may not be providing proper care, but some black patients may not be taking prescribed medicines or following medical advice, said Christopher Millett of the Imperial College of London.
However, another researcher said it is unfair to blame the patient.
“’Compliance’ to me is a hateful word. It says, ’I the great doctor and we the great health care service inform you what needs to be done and you don’t do it because you’re stupid, you’re incompetent’... I don’t accept that at all,” said Dr. Jeremiah Stamler, professor emeritus of preventive medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.
The gap between the races in controlling blood pressure is well-known, but the resulting number of lives lost startled some scientists.
“We expected it to be big, but it was even larger than we anticipated,” said the lead author, Dr. Kevin Fiscella of the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.
The study, released Monday in the Annals of Family Medicine, is being called the first to calculate the lives lost due to racial disparities in blood pressure control.
Fiscella said he believes steps can be taken to erase that gap. But a second article in the same journal found that racial differences in blood pressure treatment persisted in England despite a national health system that provides equal access to care.
Doctors may not be providing proper care, but some black patients may not be taking prescribed medicines or following medical advice, said Christopher Millett of the Imperial College of London.
However, another researcher said it is unfair to blame the patient.
“’Compliance’ to me is a hateful word. It says, ’I the great doctor and we the great health care service inform you what needs to be done and you don’t do it because you’re stupid, you’re incompetent’... I don’t accept that at all,” said Dr. Jeremiah Stamler, professor emeritus of preventive medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Tolerance Over Race Can Spread, Studies Find - NYTimes.com
Tolerance Over Race Can Spread, Studies Find - NYTimes.com: ...In some new studies, psychologists have been able to establish a close relationship between diverse pairs — black and white, Latino and Asian, black and Latino — in a matter of hours. That relationship immediately reduces conscious and unconscious bias in both people, and also significantly reduces prejudice toward the other group in each individual’s close friends.
This extended-contact effect, as it is called, travels like a benign virus through an entire peer group, counteracting subtle or not so subtle mistrust.
“It’s important to remember that implicit biases are out there, absolutely; but I think that that’s only half the story,” said Linda R. Tropp, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts. “With broader changes in the society at large, people can also become more willing to reach across racial boundaries, and that goes for both minorities and whites.”
This extended-contact effect, as it is called, travels like a benign virus through an entire peer group, counteracting subtle or not so subtle mistrust.
“It’s important to remember that implicit biases are out there, absolutely; but I think that that’s only half the story,” said Linda R. Tropp, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts. “With broader changes in the society at large, people can also become more willing to reach across racial boundaries, and that goes for both minorities and whites.”
Friday, November 07, 2008
Among Young Muslims, Mixed Emotions on Obama - NYTimes.com
Among Young Muslims, Mixed Emotions on Obama - NYTimes.com: It was easy for them to love the candidate. With the same passion, and for the same reasons that millions of other young people did, they loved Barack Obama’s call to activism, the promise of change, the sheer newness of the guy.
What was hard was feeling they could not show it because they were Muslims.
“I pretty much kept away, because I didn’t want to appear with an Obama button and have people look at me and say: ‘Oh, a Muslim girl supports him. Aha,’ ” said Sule Akoglu, a 17-year-old New York University freshman, who wears a head scarf.
Like just about all the Muslim students who gathered Wednesday night at the university’s Islamic Center on the day after the election, Miss Akoglu described a mixture of delight and frustration at the successful campaign of the nation’s first black president-elect.
He had run a great race, broken so many barriers, done so much right. Yet the persistent rumor that Mr. Obama was a Muslim had led his campaign to do things that the students found hurtful, they said. The campaign had dismissed a Muslim staff member for seemingly flimsy reasons. A campaign worker had shuttled two young Muslim women wearing head scarves out of the line of sight of TV cameras at a rally.
And the candidate known for his way with words had never said the words they waited for.
No Retreat on Affirmative Action Under Obama, Black Think Tank Predicts
No Retreat on Affirmative Action Under Obama, Black Think Tank Predicts: An administration under President-elect Barack Obama will protect race-based affirmative action in education and employment, political pundits said at a post-election analysis discussion convened Wednesday at the nation’s leading think tank on African-American affairs.
Responding to the idea floated by some observers that a post-racial Obama administration might lend support to class-based affirmative action over race-based affirmative action, a leading analyst on race in American politics said he does not expect the new president to abandon racially conscious affirmative action, which is widely accepted and legally permissible in higher education.
Obama has told news media interviewers over the past year that affirmative action would not be necessary for his two young daughters because of the privileged life he and his wife have provided for them. He has said that class-based affirmative action in higher education is appropriate for economically disadvantaged Whites as well as for non-Whites.
Responding to the idea floated by some observers that a post-racial Obama administration might lend support to class-based affirmative action over race-based affirmative action, a leading analyst on race in American politics said he does not expect the new president to abandon racially conscious affirmative action, which is widely accepted and legally permissible in higher education.
Obama has told news media interviewers over the past year that affirmative action would not be necessary for his two young daughters because of the privileged life he and his wife have provided for them. He has said that class-based affirmative action in higher education is appropriate for economically disadvantaged Whites as well as for non-Whites.
Not Lost in Translation
Language is no longer a barrier to getting informed on the best colleges across the country. The Spanish-language version of the college guide College is Yours in 600 Words or Less debuted this fall and will be distributed for free.
Each part of the book in under 600 words provides information on the college selection process. “The college decision must be all about the student’s interests, and the book helps students keep that goal in mind,” says author Patrick O’Connor.
O’Connor came up with the idea to translate College is Yours when he was considering developing counseling resources in Spanish. However, since he could not translate the book himself, he asked colleagues and professional translation services in Detroit for help. When they agreed to do it for free, O’Connor says, “It was then I realized the goal of the book was simply to get the information out there. No one is going to make any money on the book.”
Grace Printing in Chicago offered to print the book at a discount rate, and O’Connor, a school counselor, asked several Hispanic celebrities to sponsor it, including shipping costs. The writer has waived all royalties for La Universidad Es Tuya, and he is already taking orders via e-mail (collegeisyours@comcast.net) for the book’s next printing.
“High school counselors throughout the world have been notified about La Universidad Es Tuya,” says O’Connor.
Each part of the book in under 600 words provides information on the college selection process. “The college decision must be all about the student’s interests, and the book helps students keep that goal in mind,” says author Patrick O’Connor.
O’Connor came up with the idea to translate College is Yours when he was considering developing counseling resources in Spanish. However, since he could not translate the book himself, he asked colleagues and professional translation services in Detroit for help. When they agreed to do it for free, O’Connor says, “It was then I realized the goal of the book was simply to get the information out there. No one is going to make any money on the book.”
Grace Printing in Chicago offered to print the book at a discount rate, and O’Connor, a school counselor, asked several Hispanic celebrities to sponsor it, including shipping costs. The writer has waived all royalties for La Universidad Es Tuya, and he is already taking orders via e-mail (collegeisyours@comcast.net) for the book’s next printing.
“High school counselors throughout the world have been notified about La Universidad Es Tuya,” says O’Connor.
U.S. accepts Black President, struggles with other social advances
U.S. accepts Black President, struggles with other social advances: Americans made history this week by electing their first Black president while banning affirmative action and gay marriage at the same time.
In some cases, such as in California, Black and Hispanic voters who overwhelmingly supported President-elect Barack Obama, also helped lead the way in revoking laws that allowed gay couples to marry.
So does this mean Americans, including ethnic minorities, can accept a Black president but are still not ready for other progressive initiatives?
While the country is becoming more tolerant, some scholars suggest it is not completely ready to embrace some hot-button cultural policies, especially when it comes to homosexuality and pocket-book issues.
People voted for Obama because they felt he was the better candidate, says Toni-Michelle Travis, a political scientist who specializes in race issues at George Mason University. But when it comes to policies that impact voters financially, such as affirmative action, it is not surprising that many voters are less accepting, she adds.
When voting on economic issues people feel more threatened, Travis says, and they ask themselves, '‘can I get a job, or is the government going to favor ‘those people.’ When you get to issues that affect your family and personal well being, I think race takes on a different tone.'
In some cases, such as in California, Black and Hispanic voters who overwhelmingly supported President-elect Barack Obama, also helped lead the way in revoking laws that allowed gay couples to marry.
So does this mean Americans, including ethnic minorities, can accept a Black president but are still not ready for other progressive initiatives?
While the country is becoming more tolerant, some scholars suggest it is not completely ready to embrace some hot-button cultural policies, especially when it comes to homosexuality and pocket-book issues.
People voted for Obama because they felt he was the better candidate, says Toni-Michelle Travis, a political scientist who specializes in race issues at George Mason University. But when it comes to policies that impact voters financially, such as affirmative action, it is not surprising that many voters are less accepting, she adds.
When voting on economic issues people feel more threatened, Travis says, and they ask themselves, '‘can I get a job, or is the government going to favor ‘those people.’ When you get to issues that affect your family and personal well being, I think race takes on a different tone.'
Poll: Hopes are high for race relations - USATODAY.com
Poll: Hopes are high for race relations - USATODAY.com: WASHINGTON — Barack Obama's election has inspired a wave of optimism about the future of race relations in the United States, according to a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken the day after the first African American won the White House.
Confidence that the nation will resolve its racial problems rose to a historic level. Two-thirds of Americans predict that relations between blacks and whites 'will eventually be worked out' in the United States, by far the highest number since Gallup first asked the question in the midst of the civil rights struggle in 1963.
Optimism jumped most among blacks. Five months ago, half of African Americans predicted the nation eventually would solve its racial problems. Now, two-thirds do.
"Barack didn't elect himself; we Americans elected him," says Roger Wilkins, a civil rights leader and professor of history and American culture at George Mason University in suburban Virginia. "And I think that there are lots and lots of people who say, 'Damn, we're not as racist as we thought we were,' so they're pleased."
Thursday, November 06, 2008
In Florida, an Initiative Intended to End Bias Is Killed - NYTimes.com
In Florida, an Initiative Intended to End Bias Is Killed - NYTimes.com: MIAMI — An obscure ballot initiative in Florida intended to end a legacy of bias against Asian-Americans was defeated Tuesday, apparently because voters incorrectly assumed it would prevent illegal immigrants from owning property.
Had it passed, the initiative, known as Amendment No. 1, would have removed from the state’s Constitution language adopted in 1926 allowing the Legislature to prohibit foreigners who were barred from citizenship — Asian-Americans at the time — from owning land.
No such legislation was ever enacted here, and every other state that had such laws has scrapped them on grounds of equal protection. But on Tuesday, Florida’s effort to delete the provision went down, with 52 percent voting “no” and 48 percent voting “yes.”
Immigrant advocates said they were stunned.
“It’s terribly disappointing,” said Cheryl Little, executive director of the Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center. “At a time when our country has turned away from a history of racism, we have left a racist and anti-immigrant provision in Florida’s Constitution.”
Ms. Little and others who supported removing the provision said that a mix of confusion and prejudice seemed to have led to defeat.
Hispanic Activists Cite an Uptick in Threats of Violence - washingtonpost.com
Hispanic Activists Cite an Uptick in Threats of Violence - washingtonpost.com: Andrea Bazan said she has thick skin and is not easily frightened by death threats. But when the Hispanic activist arrived home one day to find her voice mail packed with profanity, and when she noticed a man watching her house in Durham, N.C., from a white commercial van with no license plates, her heart started to pound.
On a recent Monday night, she said, an unidentified man pounded on the front door of her house, frightening her. About a month earlier, on Labor Day, her house was broken into, and the smoke detectors were removed. 'I am a mother. . . . I was scared,' said Bazan, president of the Triangle Community Foundation in Durham and a board member for the National Council of La Raza. 'I've been open with them about the fact that sometimes I have a bodyguard.'
For some Hispanic activists such as Bazan, this is life on the front lines of the debate over illegal immigration. Leaders of the largest Hispanic civil rights groups -- the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and La Raza -- have received anonymous threats of violence and death. Bazan's home address and the names of her daughters were posted on a Web site."
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Morehouse College’s Next Step in Eliminating the N-word
Morehouse College’s Next Step in Eliminating the N-word: As a first-year student at Morehouse College, Alex Bibb, 21, said the N-word every other sentence. Now a graduating senior, the word has nearly disappeared from Bibb’s vocabulary.
Morehouse is hoping to duplicate Bibb’s development from boisterous adolescent to trenchant Morehouse man with its new “Free Zone” campaign, focused on eliminating the use of cursing, sagging pants and the N-word from residence halls. Beginning this semester, every dormitory is a designated “Nigga” Free Zone, No Saggin Zone, and No Cursing Zone.
“We are not making it mandatory that you cannot say the N-word or curse or sag your pants. We want people to have an understanding of how these things affect the community,” says William Tweedle, first-year resident director of Hubert Hall at Morehouse and founder of the “Free Zone” program.
Disturbed by the frequency in which residents used the N-word and other expletives in casual conversation, Tweedle initiated the “N-Free Zone” campaign at Bowie State University in Maryland in 2004. Faculty, parents and administrators extolled the program, Tweedle says.
Morehouse is hoping to duplicate Bibb’s development from boisterous adolescent to trenchant Morehouse man with its new “Free Zone” campaign, focused on eliminating the use of cursing, sagging pants and the N-word from residence halls. Beginning this semester, every dormitory is a designated “Nigga” Free Zone, No Saggin Zone, and No Cursing Zone.
“We are not making it mandatory that you cannot say the N-word or curse or sag your pants. We want people to have an understanding of how these things affect the community,” says William Tweedle, first-year resident director of Hubert Hall at Morehouse and founder of the “Free Zone” program.
Disturbed by the frequency in which residents used the N-word and other expletives in casual conversation, Tweedle initiated the “N-Free Zone” campaign at Bowie State University in Maryland in 2004. Faculty, parents and administrators extolled the program, Tweedle says.
High school keeps Klan leader's name - Race & ethnicity- msnbc.com
High school keeps Klan leader's name - Race & ethnicity- msnbc.com: JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A Florida school board voted late Monday night to keep the name of a Confederate general and early Ku Klux Klan leader at a majority black high school, despite opposition from a black board member who said the school's namesake was a 'terrorist and racist.'
After hearing about three hours of public comments, Duval County School Board members voted 5-2 to the retain the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School. The board's two black members cast the only votes to change the name.
'(Forrest) was a terrorist and a racist,' argued board member Brenda Priestly Jackson, who is black.
Betty Burney, the board chairman and the board's other black member, also voted against retaining the name.
"It is time to turn the page and get beyond where we are," she said.
Board member Tommy Hazouri voted to keep the name and said it is difficult to know "who the real Forrest is."
The board listened to passionate arguments from those on both sides. More than 140 people crowded into the meeting room, with another 20 watching the meeting on a television in the lobby.
Many urged a name change, saying the Forrest name was an insult.
"Nathan Bedford Forrest was part of the Ku Klux Klan, no matter how you put it. Nathan Bedford Forrest needs to be changed," said Stanley Scott, who is black.
After hearing about three hours of public comments, Duval County School Board members voted 5-2 to the retain the name of Nathan Bedford Forrest High School. The board's two black members cast the only votes to change the name.
'(Forrest) was a terrorist and a racist,' argued board member Brenda Priestly Jackson, who is black.
Betty Burney, the board chairman and the board's other black member, also voted against retaining the name.
"It is time to turn the page and get beyond where we are," she said.
Board member Tommy Hazouri voted to keep the name and said it is difficult to know "who the real Forrest is."
The board listened to passionate arguments from those on both sides. More than 140 people crowded into the meeting room, with another 20 watching the meeting on a television in the lobby.
Many urged a name change, saying the Forrest name was an insult.
"Nathan Bedford Forrest was part of the Ku Klux Klan, no matter how you put it. Nathan Bedford Forrest needs to be changed," said Stanley Scott, who is black.
Monday, November 03, 2008
Study First to Link TV Sex To Real Teen Pregnancies - washingtonpost.com
Study First to Link TV Sex To Real Teen Pregnancies - washingtonpost.com: Teenagers who watch a lot of television featuring flirting, necking, discussion of sex and sex scenes are much more likely than their peers to get pregnant or get a partner pregnant, according to the first study to directly link steamy programming to teen pregnancy.
The study, which tracked more than 700 12-to-17-year-olds for three years, found that those who viewed the most sexual content on TV were about twice as likely to be involved in a pregnancy as those who saw the least.
"Watching this kind of sexual content on television is a powerful factor in increasing the likelihood of a teen pregnancy," said lead researcher Anita Chandra. "We found a strong association." The study is being published today in Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
There is rising concern about teen pregnancy rates, which after decades of decline may have started inching up again, fueling an intense debate about what factors are to blame. Although TV viewing is unlikely to entirely explain the possible uptick in teen pregnancies, Chandra and others said, the study provides the first direct evidence that it could be playing a significant role.
The study, which tracked more than 700 12-to-17-year-olds for three years, found that those who viewed the most sexual content on TV were about twice as likely to be involved in a pregnancy as those who saw the least.
"Watching this kind of sexual content on television is a powerful factor in increasing the likelihood of a teen pregnancy," said lead researcher Anita Chandra. "We found a strong association." The study is being published today in Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
There is rising concern about teen pregnancy rates, which after decades of decline may have started inching up again, fueling an intense debate about what factors are to blame. Although TV viewing is unlikely to entirely explain the possible uptick in teen pregnancies, Chandra and others said, the study provides the first direct evidence that it could be playing a significant role.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Color Connection: Studying Abroad in India - washingtonpost.com
Color Connection: Studying Abroad in India - washingtonpost.com: ...I studied at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi. I stayed in a home-stay, where you live with a host family as an adopted member. The first interaction I had with my host mother and father: I walked into the apartment, and, when I was waving hello, she looked at me and said, 'What part of Africa are you from? Nigeria?' I said, 'No, no, I'm American.' And she scrunched her face oddly and walked out of the room. I was taken aback. I couldn't understand initially what that was all about until I learned there is a deep, embedded color-grading in India that's probably been there for centuries. Obviously, as an African American, that was a point of contention for me. Sometimes when I would walk around in the markets, there was a sense of awe, which I appreciated. I guess, in the United States, many times I'll walk around, and I can sometimes feel invisible. But there it was the opposite: There was a sense of intrigue that I noticed in other people's eyes.
The School That Chocolate Built - washingtonpost.com
The School That Chocolate Built - washingtonpost.com
... The 5,000-acre campus of the Milton Hershey School is located in the town named for its founder, chocolate magnate Milton S. Hershey. The grounds are pristine: all green rolling hills and jewel-like gardens. The school and administrative buildings are spotless, and the student homes look like neatly landscaped suburban dwellings with swing sets and bird feeders outside. There's an AstroTurf football field, lots of computer labs and a recreation area with three swimming pools, a water slide and two sandy volleyball courts. A wealth of after-school activities are available, from motorcycle-building to horticulture, a rabbit-raising club, soccer, dance or cooking.
It's a residential school for 1,800 underprivileged students from preschool through high school, many of whom arrive with learning deficits and psychological issues. More than 70 percent of the students, who must be U.S.-born, come from families at or below the poverty line. The school doesn't take students with significant criminal records, and acceptance is based on a complex analysis of poverty levels, living conditions and geography. Priority is given to students who come from the three Pennsylvania counties surrounding the school, though 65 students from the Washington area attend.
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