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A CALL TO ACTION EMPOWERMENT FORUM
FOR
“PARENTS, TEACHERS, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY”
On Wednesday, November 9, an informational forum will be hosted by the Parents’ District Advisory Council and the American Federation of Teachers. Parents, staff, community patrons and stakeholders will come together as a team to save our children’s right to receive a good education. The forum is scheduled from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Paseo Academy of the Arts, 4747 Flora, Kansas City, MO.
The purpose of the forum is to address the existing unaccredited status of Kansas City Public Schools as it relates to student achievement and the roles and accountability of all concerned. The plan to be presented is better known as “Our Voice” and consists of three (3) steps to generate accountability through local control by parents, teachers, and the community electorate.
A brief history of this dilemma includes how the Kansas City community deserted the KCMSD in 1969 when it refused to pass the School Levy tax increase. In 1985, a federal judge injected federal dollars into the system which at that time was his only alternative. A Desegregation Monitoring Team and integration followed in pursuit of so-called student achievement. In 1986, the community refused to pass a School Levy during three (3) elections, February 4, August 6, and November 4.
Now, we stand at the crossroads to recoup our children from years of outside forces preventing teaching staffs to help children learn without being guinea pigs of the testing syndrome. We further are willing to protect our accountability to an elected school board and first-class Kansas City Public Schools that remain economically sound as this administration has a proven track record of a balanced budget and a plan to move forward with an agenda for its children.
Contacts: Andrea Flinders, (816) 756-1818, Fred Hudgins, (816) 337-2490
Posted in Education
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NAACP VOTES TO RETAIN ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD
On Tuesday, November 1, The Kansas City, Missouri branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) voted unanimously for the retention of the current board configuration of the Kansas City, Missouri School District. The organization represents a membership of 1,000-plus members.
Following a lively discussion on the probability of the elected board to be dismantled during its unaccredited status, the organization felt it should defend parents, community, and stakeholders from disenfranchisement of their voices and ability to advocate during decision-making processes by the board.
Additionally, an elected board allows its citizens to retain public ownership of the educational system and further result in accountability of elected officials to their constituents.The democratic process for officials elected by one vote one person empowers the community to demand and take its rightful place in the education of children.
Contact: Rosa James (816) 923-2983
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OCCUPY WALL STREET MOVEMENT
STATEMENT OF NAACP POSITION ON THE “OCCUPY WALL STREET MOVEMENT”
The NAACP is encouraged by the broad national support and by the great diversity of Americans who have been participating in the “Occupy Wall Street” campaign. The movement and the peaceful protesters who are a part of the campaign seem to share many of the same goals as the NAACP. “For over 102 years the NAACP has supported, and continues to support, policies which create, preserve and expand living wage jobs, increase economic opportunity and protect the desire of every American to build and retain wealth and equity,” said Benjamin Todd Jealous, NAACP President and CEO. “And as such, NAACP units across the country are encouraged to work with local coalitions affiliated with the “Occupy Wall Street” movement to nonviolently advocate for policies which will improve economic conditions for all Americans consistent with NAACP priorities.” President Jealous went on to say that the largely peaceful protests are true to “the non-violent traditions and philosophies upon which the NAACP is based and has operated under for our entire existence.”
Specifically, NAACP policies support the “Occupy Wall Street” movement’s principles calling for:
• The creation and expansion of employment opportunities through job formation and support of small business development, support and growth;
• Job creation through government and private investments in infrastructure, school refurbishing projects, and the renovation and preservation of abandoned or foreclosed homes and properties;
• Decent, livable wages for all workers, including the right by employees to collectively bargain for adequate pensions, health care and other benefits;
• The fair opportunity for small and minority-owned businesses to obtain government contracts;
• The abolishment of predatory financial services, such as exploitative pay-day loans and unsustainable and discriminatory mortgage and lending products;
• Opposition to barriers to homeownership including exorbitant down-payments, predatory terms and continued housing segregation;
• Programs and policies which encourage wealth building and preservation, including housing counseling for Americans facing foreclosure, those wishing to purchase a home, renters and the homeless; and a strong government role in the secondary mortgage market which also serves to protect the interests of all homebuyers, encourages housing fairness and discourages discrimination.
NAACP membership units will continue to adhere to the coalition and engagement policies and procedures of the Association as we carefully evaluate the missions, goals, strategies and objectives of each “Occupy Wall Street” entity.
O. S
Director, NAACP Washington Bureau
Posted in Uncategorized
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Redistrict Meeting Public
All are encourage to attend today Oct 18, 5-7pm at MOHART Community Center KC
Posted in Uncategorized
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44th NAACP Freedom Fund Luncheon and Silent Auction
Rev. Nelson B. Rivers, III
Keynote Speaker
The Kansas City, Missouri branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) will host an audience of approximately 1,000 patrons at its Life Member Freedom Fund Luncheon on Saturday, November 5 at Westin Crown Center Hotel, One Pershing Road, Kansas City, MO. A silent auction will begin at 11 AM, before the doors open for the luncheon at 12 Noon. The cost of the luncheon is seventy-five dollars ($75) per person.
This year’s luncheon continues the tradition of past banquets to honor Life Members of the organization and serves as a fundraiser for the continuation of civil and human rights’ advocacy. Since memberships are the life-blood of the organization, we must encourage prospective and current members to elevate fundraising efforts from the Silver Life to Gold Life and to the ultimate Diamond Life memberships. While defraying costs to provide civil-rights advocacy, it is honorable to note that officers and members of the local branch are ALL non-paid volunteers.
Rev. Nelson B. Rivers, III will serve as keynote speaker. In September 2008, he became pastor of Charity Missionary Baptist Church which serves over 35 ministries in North Charleston, South Carolina. For thirty-four years, Rev. Rivers has worked at several levels of the NAACP, including president of the North Charleston branch; Executive Director of South Carolina State Conference; Director of the Southeast Region; Chief Operating Officer and twice as Chief of Field Operations. He is presently Vice President of Stakeholder Relations of the NAACP. His work led to the election of more than three hundred new African-American elected officials in South Carolina between 1986 and 1994. He was a leading organizer of the largest civil-rights demonstration in the history of South Carolina when over 50,000 marched on the capitol in January 2000 to demand the removal of the Confederate Battle Flag. Rev. Rivers has received numerous awards and most notable are his appearances on various electronic and print media, including NPR, CNN, 60 Minutes, BET Tonight with Ed Gordon, among others, and a speaking role in the movie, Separate but Equal, starring Sidney Poitier. He is a 1968 graduate of Burke High School, Charleston, South Carolina and received a Bachelor’s degree from Wilberforce University in Ohio. Rev. Rivers is pursuing a Master of Divinity at Erskine Theological Seminary in Due West, South Carolina.
Tables of 10 can be reserved at a $750 cost and special provisions are available including Table and Advertising packages for businesses, organizations, and individuals. Contact the NAACP Office at (816) 421-1191 or send email to naacpkcmo@sbcglobal.net. The office address is 1601 E. 18th Street, Suite 212, Kansas City, MO 64108, located in the historic Lincoln Building (18th & Vine) Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The general chairperson is Debra Foster Payne; general co-chair, Marquita Taylor; branch president, Anita L. Russell; and publicity chair, Rosa James.
Posted in Upcoming Events
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