[Imc] Call to action: Fight racism in the Champaign School District.

[Sascha Meinrath]

I would also be quite willing to talk with the press about my own
experiences working in the School District.

--Sascha

On Wed, 6 Mar 2002, Mike Lehman wrote:

> News Tips:
>
> Here's a link to contact info for the federal court in Peoria. Of course
> courts are notoriously close-mouthed when it comes to dealing with the
> press, even if you're not from the IMC;>)
> <http://www.ilcd.uscourts.gov/judges_P.htm>
>
> My guess is to try to find out which law firm is handling things and ask
> for comment there. John Lee Johnson will know this.
>
> You can also go to the link on the left of the webpage linked above that
> says "Public Access" to gain access to fed court records. There may also
> be a lag in them being posted, which would give you an excuse to press
> whoever is answering the phone at the courthouse in Peoria for a little
> more info, if you determine that the decision hasn't been posted yet.
> You have to register for this "Public Access", although it's free to
> use. This might actually be the best short term link to the decision
> that put the Champaign schools under supevision of the court.
> You damn sure haven't seen it in the News-Gazette (surprised?) but I
> seem to recall hearing about it on WILL-AM580; maybe someone in the
> newsroom there can steer you in the right direction.
>
> Just some tips. I can't work the story itself. I have too many other
> irons in the fire.
> Mike Lehman
>
> Sascha Meinrath wrote:
> >
> > Hi everyone,
> >
> > I just found out this evening that on Wednesday, March 6, 2002, there is
> > going to be a Board of Education meeting at 5:30 p.m. at 703 S. New Street
> > in Champaign.  At this meeting the Board of Education is going to attempt
> > to fire Deloris Henry from her job as Assistant Superintendent for Equity
> > and Education.  I have been working with Deloris for years now and she has
> > been one of the most vocal supporters for addressing racial equity issues
> > in the Champaign School System.  Right now, the entire School Board is
> > White; and, as far as I know, Deloris is the only African American in the
> > School District's higher administration (this for a school district whose
> > student body is roughly 40% minority).
> >
> > I am stunned that the Board of Education would be so blunt in its
> > disregard for equity issues and so blatant in singling out the lone
> > African American left in a major position of power in the school district.
> > If you have never come to a Board of Education meeting before, if you
> > believe in racial justice, or if you are concerned about the quality of
> > education students receive in our local school districts, then this is a
> > meeting you should absolutely attend.
> >
> > This is a logical progression of the entrenched, systemic, institutional
> > racism that is so prevalent in the Champaign School District.  The School
> > Climate Research Team found massive racial inequities when we conducted
> > our survey last year; the School District's own auditors found racial
> > inequities in 1998; and the United States Department of Education's Office
> > of Civil Rights found racial inequities when they audited the Champaign
> > School District.  The latest numbers from this last school year document
> > that in many areas, the discrepancies have INCREASED over the last year.
> >
> > Without a strong show of solidarity, it is likely that this status quo
> > will be reinforced and progress in addressing racial inequities will be
> > set back substantially at tomorrow night's meeting.  Please come to this
> > meeting, forward this message to people who care about this issue, and let
> > the Champaign School Board know of your concern over their plans to fire
> > Deloris Henry from her position as Assistant Superintendent for Equity and
> > Education.
> >
> > --Sascha Meinrath
> > Concerned Community Member
> >
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