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Gulag's For Children
Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Oakland and the Oakland UnifiedSchool District whereby OPD will assume policing duties in Oakland's Public Schools.
Gulag's For Children
By Lynda Carson--June 20, 2001
Oakland Ca--Like a scene from the Twilight Zone, we'll be back, we'll be back, screamed the kids being removed from Oaklands City Council Chambers this past Tuesday night, June 19, 2001. Oakland's City Council passed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Oakland and the Oakland Unified School District whereby Oakland's Police Department (OPD) will assume policing duties in Oakland's Public Schools. It was further revealed that interrogation rooms shall be established in the schools for the Oakland Police Department to operate from, when questioning the children. Scores of children held their ground during the Council Meeting taking their turn's at the podium with tales of woe regarding their experiences with the Oakland Police Department in an effort to get beyond the deaf ears of Council Members
that were hellbent on passing the MOU.
Speakers (kids) from Castlemont and Skyline High Schools spoke eloquently of feeling imprisoned, and that
this furthers the criminalization of youth. They spoke of
bars upon the windows, chains on doors, security camera's
and the fear of the police as they held up news print items of the nefarious Oaklands Riders (OPD). Speakers from Acorn and Kids First were also present for this evening's
procedures.
On three occaision's as the boo's and howls came forth from the chamber participants against the MOU, Council Member De la Fuente threatened to have people removed from the chambers. Soon, people were being dragged from the Council Chambers as they screamed
out, we'll be back, we'll be back...
It must be noted for other reason's that the landlord
lobby was out in force with Lou Blacklidge of S.O.F.T.,
leading the charge against an annual twenty four dollar fee to be voted upon by Council Members, intended to fund Oaklands struggling Rent Program. When the boo's or cat calls came from the landlords no threat's were offered to silence them by Council Member De la Fuente.
Despite the kids claims that they cannot tell the
difference from Castlemont High and Juvenile Hall, the MOU passed with the majority of Council Members supporting
this criminalzation of Oaklands youth. The Police now shall have interrogation rooms in the schools. Gulag's for children.
By Lynda Carson--June 20, 2001
Oakland Ca--Like a scene from the Twilight Zone, we'll be back, we'll be back, screamed the kids being removed from Oaklands City Council Chambers this past Tuesday night, June 19, 2001. Oakland's City Council passed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Oakland and the Oakland Unified School District whereby Oakland's Police Department (OPD) will assume policing duties in Oakland's Public Schools. It was further revealed that interrogation rooms shall be established in the schools for the Oakland Police Department to operate from, when questioning the children. Scores of children held their ground during the Council Meeting taking their turn's at the podium with tales of woe regarding their experiences with the Oakland Police Department in an effort to get beyond the deaf ears of Council Members
that were hellbent on passing the MOU.
Speakers (kids) from Castlemont and Skyline High Schools spoke eloquently of feeling imprisoned, and that
this furthers the criminalization of youth. They spoke of
bars upon the windows, chains on doors, security camera's
and the fear of the police as they held up news print items of the nefarious Oaklands Riders (OPD). Speakers from Acorn and Kids First were also present for this evening's
procedures.
On three occaision's as the boo's and howls came forth from the chamber participants against the MOU, Council Member De la Fuente threatened to have people removed from the chambers. Soon, people were being dragged from the Council Chambers as they screamed
out, we'll be back, we'll be back...
It must be noted for other reason's that the landlord
lobby was out in force with Lou Blacklidge of S.O.F.T.,
leading the charge against an annual twenty four dollar fee to be voted upon by Council Members, intended to fund Oaklands struggling Rent Program. When the boo's or cat calls came from the landlords no threat's were offered to silence them by Council Member De la Fuente.
Despite the kids claims that they cannot tell the
difference from Castlemont High and Juvenile Hall, the MOU passed with the majority of Council Members supporting
this criminalzation of Oaklands youth. The Police now shall have interrogation rooms in the schools. Gulag's for children.
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IMC Network
Schools and police allies in truancy battle
------------------------------------------------------------------------
New program slashes rate
BY DANA DiFILIPPO
The Cincinnati Enquirer
With one in four students absent or tardy daily, Taft High School Principal Mary Gladden has become creative in trying to get kids to school.
She required latecomers to sit in the auditorium until their next class. She disciplined chronic truants by requiring them to give up weekend time at “Saturday School.” She even posted a sign outside the 900-student, West End school imploring parents to help fight truancy.
In December, she turned to the Cincinnati Police Division for help. A new program that the division's Youth Services Section launched last month has become her antidote.
Every time a student is late or absent, a Cincinnati police officer visits that child's home to determine if there's a legitimate reason for the absence or tardiness. If not, the officer returns the student to school; chronic school-skippers get a trip to juvenile detention.
The “Target Truancy” program has slashed truancy 35.8 percent since Jan. 24, according to police. About 50 kids were tardy daily last week, compared with an average of 132 a day before the program, police said.
“We are unable to effect any kind of change in attendance without the participation of parents,” Mrs. Gladden said. “The police lend a voice of authority; they have the powers to take kids and parents to court. It's helping us tremendously with the number of kids who come late, but we're not sure yet on the impact on the daily attendance.”
The program this week expanded to Oyler School, a kindergarten-through-seventh-grade school in Price Hill, said Capt. David G. Ratliff, commander of the Youth Services Section. The truancy rate is about 10 percent at Oyler and is highest among sixth- and seventh-graders, Principal Donald Bearghman said.
Capt. Ratliff said he'd like to expand the program to more schools, but future funding is uncertain. The division earmarked $50,000 from a federal grant to fund the program at Taft through the end of the school year.
“Truancy is a gateway to crime, and it needs to be addressed,” Capt. Ratliff said.
http://www.infoshop.org/gulag/
I'd like to know more,especially more actual facts
and first-hand primary sources as to where this
information is coming from,other than (apparently)
someone attending a meeting.
Do you have any links or references to articles
with more information about this?
Thanks!
In Struggle, CR