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150 Hopkins High School Students Walk-Out to Protest Unequal Treatment of Black Teens

April 28, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Hopkins High School Students Walk-Out:  More than 150 students walked out of Hopkins High School last Friday protesting the unequal treatment of black teens. Some of the black teens said they have been punished more severely than white teens. MPR News reports that the teens said they brought their concerns to the attention of school administrators to no avail.

The walkout comes after an incident earlier this month when two African-American teens were charged with misdemeanors. According to a police report, one student put a hand on a school police officer while attempting to re-claim posters in an administrator’s office. The posters protested what some students called “Ghetto Day” staged by other students in February.

Administrators took down the posters. Hopkins High School principal Patty Johnson said the students did not follow proper protocol. University of St. Thomas associate law professor Nekima Levy-Pounds represents the two students charged and was at the walkout.

“The fact that there was such a large contingent of students who felt the same way gave them the courage to raise their voices and express their perspectives about the unjust treatment that they have allegedly had to endure,” Levy-Pounds said.

In a statement, Jolene Goldade, public relations and communications coordinator for Hopkins Public Schools said officials responded fairly and appropriately. The statement said the school takes the matter seriously and intervenes when a student brings an issue to an administrator.

“Our high school has a richly diverse student body, and we are committed to teaching all students. We recognize our student’s right to protest, but also invite them to come back into the building to share any grievances they may have with the high school administration,” the statement read. The statement also said that Hopkins principal Johnson will host a listening session for any student who wishes to be heard. Source

The 150 students who walked out have taken a stand and they should be applauded. There is strength in numbers and we will continue to urge our readers that you have to speak up when you feel you have been wronged. Imagine if the foot soldiers in the civil rights movement decided not to speak up?

Filed Under: Latest News, Racial Discrimination Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Black Workers Banned from Gare Du Nord During Israeli President’s Visit Over Muslim Fears

April 14, 2013 by Leave a Comment
300px Shimon Peres in Brazil cropped Black Workers Banned from Gare Du Nord During Israeli Presidents Visit Over Muslim Fears

Black Workers Banned from France’s Gare Du Nord Station During Israeli President’s Visit (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Black and North African railway workers were banned when Israeli president Shimon Peres visited France ‘because they might be Muslim,’ it was revealed Sunday. The alleged discrimination occurred March 8, when Peres arrived at the Gare du Nord station in Paris, the hub for high-speed trains.

An official complaint was filed with the SUD-Rail transport union, which alleges that everything was done to ensure that there were ‘no Muslim employees to welcome’ Shimon Peres. The day before Peres and a group of senior Israelis arrived, a site manager allegedly told all workers at the state about the ban on black staff, particularly those of North African descent, who might be Muslim.

SNCF, which is France’s national railway, initially leveled blame for the discriminatory act on ‘security protocol’ advised by the French Interior Ministry and the Israeli Embassy in Paris. That allegation was vehemently denied by both. The order allegedly came from SNCF management. SNCF has been down this road before by playing a role in the extermination of Jews and other minorities during World War II.

Read more at UK Telegraph.

 

Black Workers Banned from Gare Du Nord During Israeli Presidents Visit Over Muslim Fears
Filed Under: European News, Racial Discrimination Tagged With: , , , , ,

‘Scottsboro Boys’ to Get Posthumous Pardons 80 Years After Falsely Convicted for Raping Two White Women

April 6, 2013 by Leave a Comment
300px Leibowitz%2C Samuel %26 Scottsboro Boys 1932 Scottsboro Boys to Get Posthumous Pardons 80 Years After Falsely Convicted for Raping Two White Women

‘Scottsboro Boys’ to Get Posthumous Pardons 80 Years After Falsely Convicted for Raping Two White Women. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

‘SCOTTSBORO BOYS’ TO GET POSTHUMOUS PARDONS: The Scottsboro Boys are set to get posthumous pardons more than 80 years after they were accused of raping two white women in Alabama in the early 1930s. With the exception of one teen, all were convicted by white juries and sentenced to death row on false allegations. They were eventually freed, their lives were snatched away from them because they missed out on may opportunities, such as getting an education and marriage.

The Alabama House and Senate have voted unanimously in favor of a bill to posthumously pardon the Scottsboro Boys and Gov. Robert Bentley is expected to sign it. The Bill, SB97, is dubbed the Scottsboro Boys Act.

Is it a little too late? That depends on who you ask. The NAACP said it’s a step in the right direction, but now we are grappling with the Supreme Court case brought by Shelby County challenging the Voting Rights Act.

ruby bates and victoria price scottsboro boys accusers Scottsboro Boys to Get Posthumous Pardons 80 Years After Falsely Convicted for Raping Two White Women

Ruby Bates and Victoria Price accused Scottsboro Boys of Rape

The names of the Scottsboro Boys are:  Olen Montgomery (age 17), Clarence Norris (age 19), Haywood Patterson (age 18), Ozie Powell (age 16), Willie Roberson (age 16), Charlie Weems (age 16), Eugene Williams (age 13), and brothers Andy (age 19) and Roy Wright (age 13). They were accused of raping Ruby Bates and Victoria Price.

 

Scottsboro Boys to Get Posthumous Pardons 80 Years After Falsely Convicted for Raping Two White Women
Filed Under: Civil Rights Movement, Race in America, Racial Discrimination Tagged With: , , , , ,

Wilcox County High Seniors Organize First Ever Integrated Prom at South Georgia School

April 4, 2013 by Leave a Comment

WILCOX COUNTY HIGH SENIORS ORGANIZE INTEGRATED PROM: Out of the mouth of babes, as Georgia teens fight for integrated prom to end decades old segregation on prom night. Black and white students at Wilcox County High School have been attending separate proms from decades despite a federal law banning institutional racial segregation. This year’s group of seniors is taking a stand and saying no more, organizing the first integrated prom at the Macon school.

“We’re embarrassed, it’s embarrassing, yeah it’s kind of embarrassing,” said a group of students who want to change the policy. The group – Stephanie Sinnot, Mareshia Rucker, Quanesha Wallace and Keela Bloodworth – said they do everything together, except prom night.

“We are all friends, that’s just kind of not right that we can’t go to prom together,” Sinnot said. In a world full of color, Wilcox County High School still sees things in black and white. White and black students have different prom and homecoming dances.

“There’s a white prom and then we have our integrated prom,” said Bloodworth. If any race other than Caucasian tries to attend the white prom, Bloodworth said they “would probably have the police come out there and escort them off the premises.”

That was the case just last year as a biracial student was turned away by police. It’s been that way for as long as anyone can remember, and it doesn’t stop at prom – homecoming is also segregated.

While still having two separate dances, the school decided to elect only one pair for king and queen for the first time this school year, and one of the integrated prom organizing students, Wallace, won. Source

Hats off to the group of Wilcox High seniors who aren’t satisfied with the status quo, but are ready to change things, starting with an integrated prom.

Filed Under: Atlanta News, Racial Discrimination Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Apartheid Incident: Swedish Bus Driver Separates ‘Swedes’ from ‘Foreign-Looking’ Passengers

March 25, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Modern-day apartheid? A Swedish bus driver with operator People Travel Group is facing disciplinary action after he forced black and white passengers on his route to travel in separate vehicles to catch a ferry, in what was described as an ‘apartheid incident.’ The Local reports the unnamed driver allegedly divided “Swedes” and “foreign-looking” people to transport them between Stockholm and the Eckerölinjen ferry terminal in Grisslehamn.

The divisions happened on several occasions on Wednesday and Thursday at Stockholm’s City terminal (Cityterminalen), reported newspaper Dagens Nyheter (DN) on Saturday.

The bus passengers were travelling to catch the ferry to the Finnish archipelago island of Åland. “It was a very unpleasant experience… It felt like we were on our way to Arlanda airport to be deported from Sweden,” one of the passengers, Samer Chatila, told DN.

Chatila, who was born in Sweden, is currently studying mechanical engineering on Åland. He was travelling there with his brother Ahmad and a friend when the three noticed that the bus driver was dividing passengers up based on their looks.

The driver stood between the exit and the bus and pointed the three to one of the buses, following them to make sure they got on board.

At first they thought the driver was being friendly, but they soon realized that something else was going on. They noticed that all “Swedish-looking” passengers were being directed to a different bus, while everyone who boarded their bus was foreign-looking or dark-skinned.

“We felt insulted, offended and discriminated against,” said Chatila. “I never thought this could happen in our Sweden.” When they challenged the driver, he told them that if they did not like the system they could get off the bus. Source

Filed Under: European News, Racial Discrimination Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

SURVEY: Black Residents in Orange County CA Feel Racially Profiled by Law Enforcement

March 9, 2013 by Leave a Comment

A survey found black residents in Orange County, Calif., feel racially profiled by law enforcement, discriminated against in schools and others in the community. The Orange County Human Relations Commission held a series of public “listening sessions” across the county after a black family in Yorba Linda said they were forced to move from the community after enduring months of racial attacks and racially-charged vandalism.

The stories — collected in a document released Friday and that will be discussed at a public forum next week — include those of a woman who said a company chief executive seemed “shocked” when she complained about the Confederate flag outside his offices and the high school student whose classmates said they planned to dress up in KKK garb for Halloween and “lynch” black people.

And although African Americans make up only about 2% of Orange County’s population, officials with the human relations group — which has been tracking hate crime and discrimination in the county for more than 20 years — say black residents have been the most targeted in hate crimes.

The report, which is not a scientific poll and is based on first-hand accounts at the listening sessions, was designed to highlight festering feelings of alienation among African Americans, even as the county becomes more diverse.

Of the 144 people who participated, nearly 30% reported being racially profiled by police officers, and 21% of youth participants said they had experienced harassment or racial profiling. Source

Unfortunately, black residents in Orange County aren’t the only ones who have experienced racial profiling and harassment. While such behavior may not be prevalent, unfortunately there are pockets in the U.S. where it thrives.

Filed Under: Black Politics, Race in America, Racial Discrimination Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Oberlin College Cancels Classes After Person Wearing KKK-Style Hood and Robe Seen on Campus

March 4, 2013 by Leave a Comment
oberlin college 300x165 Oberlin College Cancels Classes After Person Wearing KKK Style Hood and Robe Seen on Campus

Oberlin College Cancels Classes After Person Wearing KKK-Style Hood and Robe Seen on Campus (Photo credit: Oberlin College)

Oberlin College cancels classes Monday after a person wearing a KKK-style hood and robe was seen on the campus near the school’s African Heritage House.

The college, located in Oberlin, OH,  issued a statement on the school’s website: ”We hope today will allow the entire community—students, faculty, and staff—to make a strong statement about the values that we cherish here at Oberlin: inclusion, respect for others, and a strong and abiding faith in the worth of every individual.” “Indeed, the strength of Oberlin comes from our belief that diversity and openness enriches us all, and enhances the educational mission at its core.”

This is the latest in a spate of “hate-related incidents on campus” in the last few weeks. Last week, a swastika and other graffiti appeared in Oberlin’s Conservatory of Music, while earlier February, anti-Semitic, racist and homphobic graffiti was found on the campus.

Filed Under: Education News, Racial Discrimination Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Montgomery AL Police Chief Apologizes to Freedom Fighter Rep. John Lewis for 1961 Beating

March 3, 2013 by Leave a Comment
300px Old Montgomery Greyhound Station May2009 Montgomery AL Police Chief Apologizes to Freedom Fighter Rep. John Lewis for 1961 Beating

Montgomery AL Police Chief Apologizes to Freedom Fighter Rep. John Lewis for 1961 Beating. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Montgomery Ala., police chief Kevin Murphy apologized to Rep. John Lewis, who was one of the Freedom Riders in the 1960s, for failing to protect them during a trip to Montgomery in 1961.

Chief Murphy offered John Lewis his badge in a gesture of reconciliation and said the Montgomery police had “enforced unjust laws” in failing to protect the Freedom Riders more than 50 years ago, NBC News reports. John Lewis and other civil rights activists were beaten by a mob after they arrived at a Montgomery Greyhound bus station in May, 1961.

Lewis, who was arrested during civil rights protests in cities across the south, said it was the first time a police chief had apologized to him. ”It means a great deal,” Lewis said in a video posted on the website of the Montgomery Advertiser. “I teared up. I tried to keep from crying.”

Lewis and other members of Congress were taking part in the 13th Congressional Civil Rights Pilgrimage to Alabama, a three-day event that also included trips to Selma, Tuscaloosa and Birmingham.

Murphy said the decision to apologize was easy. ”For me, freedom and the right to live in peace is a cornerstone of our society and that was something that Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and Congressman Lewis were trying to achieve” Murphy said. “I think what I did today should have been done a longtime ago. It needed to be done. It needed to be spoken because we have to live with the truth and it is the truth.” Source

Some people will take offense to Chief Kevin Murphy’s apology, but I applaud him for his courage in doing so. The reality is he didn’t have to do it, but he chose to. It is a step in the right direction to help right the wrong.

Montgomery AL Police Chief Apologizes to Freedom Fighter Rep. John Lewis for 1961 Beating
Filed Under: Race in America, Racial Discrimination Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Black Nurse Tonya Battle Sues MI Hospital After Being Barred from Taking Care of White Baby

February 15, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Tonya Battle, a black nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit at Hurley Medical Center in Michigan, has filed a lawsuit, alleging she was barred from taking care of a white baby because of the color of her skin. Tonya Battle alleges she was caring for the baby in the neonatal intensive care unit when the baby’s father asked to speak with a supervisor, saying he didn’t “want any African Americans taking care of his baby.”

Instead of standing up for what’s right, nurse’s supervisor chose to assign the baby to another nurse. That was after the father allegedly pulled up his sleeve and revealed a tattoo believed to be a Swastika. Wow. That’s horrible. Are we back in the early and mid-1900s?

The lawsuit also claims a staff meeting was held to inform the nurses of the father’s demands and that a new policy regarding the child had been instituted.

Tonya Battle has worked at the hospital since 1988. To read the full complaint, click here. This is a disgrace.

WNEM TV 5

Filed Under: Race in America, Racial Discrimination Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Black Teacher Arthur ‘Chuck’ Matthews Sues Philadephia Prep School for Racial Discrimination

January 6, 2013 by Leave a Comment

RACIAL DISCRIMINATION LAWSUIT:  Veteran teacher Arthur ‘Chuck’ Matthews has filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against Philadelphia prep school, Springside Chestnut Hill Academy,  after he was terminated as a math teacher for sending inappropriate text messages to a female student.

He alleges that his termination was part of a pattern of discrimination at the “predominantly Caucasian” school, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.  Attorneys for Arthur ‘Chuck’ Matthews, who is black, said the school fired him even though the student and and her parents felt the messages contained nothing improper.

Priscilla Sands, the school president, sent a letter to parents saying the school had concluded that the texts were of a personal, but not sexual nature and that Mr. Matthews had used poor judgment, the suit alleges. The suit also states that when gossip about the matter had started to spread, Priscilla Sands demanded that he confess to improper conduct and resign.  When he refused, the was terminated.

pixel Black Teacher Arthur Chuck Matthews Sues Philadephia Prep School for Racial Discrimination
Filed Under: Education News, Racial Discrimination Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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