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

[Sascha Meinrath]

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