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Transplants’ Take on the Woes of ISD #118Letter to the Editor
By way of introduction I want to make it clear that we are “transplants” who retired to the Longville/Remer area. As such we have observed the apparently heart felt rivalry between the “locals” from both towns for the past 11 years, which has now degenerated into something which could, in the words of [former ISD #118 Board Member] John Dufner (in his letter to the editor published August 10 in the district’s legal newspaper) spell “the demise of ISD #118.”
Keep in mind that we are “transplants” who aren’t influenced by a rivalry between “locals”. Thus, we’ve consistently supported a consolidation of all ISD #118 facilities in Remer for economic reasons. If the main campus was in Longville, we’d be supporting consolidation there as well, and I suppose we’d be directing this message to Remer parents.
The current crisis is not due to a School Board vote to close the Longville Elementary School, but rather an irrational reaction to that vote. Does anyone truly believe the education of elementary students going to school in Remer vs. Longville will suffer? That answer is no. Then what is it that has caused what John Dufner accurately describes as “an exodus of students” from ISD #118? The answer to this question is equally obvious.
A number of Longville parents (don’t blame the kids) not only disagree with closing the Longville School but are willing to destroy ISD #118 solely because of such closing. Among that number are elected members of the ISD #118 Board who I understand are transferring their kids out of ISD #118, thereby not only leading, but are encouraging the “exodus”. It’s also my understanding such board members have not even resigned from the board!
John Dufner asks for ideas “to save ISD #118”. How about this? Suck it up, keep your kids in ISD #118 and make consolidation at the Remer campus work for all students. This of course requires putting petty rivalries aside in the interest of ISD #118.
It’s up to disgruntled Longville parents now, and as “transplants” with no dog in the fight, I hope common sense prevails.
Clayton and Barb Shonka
Remer, MN
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MN Sheriffs’ Association Scholarship Program AnnouncedLetter to the EditorSheriff Fisher of Cass County announced the commencement of the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association Scholarship Program for 2010. Sheriff Fisher proudly announced that the MSA has established a scholarship fund totaling $9000 for the awarding of up to 15 $600 scholarships for this year. This is possible due to the coordinated efforts of the 87 sheriffs of the State of Minnesota.The members of the Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association give special recognition to the financial needs of students attending the mandated peace officers skills course or two/or four year law enforcement degree school. The policy adopted by the MSA indicated it was their feeling that enforcement of the law in a democratic society is a complex task. The ability of a peace officer to render effective service responsive to the public’s need depends heavily upon job knowledge and skills. The MSA recognizes the importance of pre-entry training to the accomplishment of these requisites. It also recognizes that some candidates need outside help in meeting the costs of such training, even though they excel academically. To that end, the association stands ready to offer financial assistance in the form of these scholarships, as funds will allow.The scholarship committee, in making its selection of awards, intends to achieve representation from all geographical areas of the state. Applications will be received until October 15th of each year, with scholarships being announced by December 31st of the same year. Application forms and a statement of procedures are available at the Cass County Sheriff’s office. Scholarships are only available to students currently enrolled in one of the following three categories:1. Mandated post skills program2. In their second year of a two-year law enforcement program.3. In their third or fourth year of a four-year college criminal justice course.In order to qualify, students must have completed at least one year of a two-year program or two years of a four-year program. Students meeting this criteria are invited to obtain a scholarship application form from the sheriff’s office or online at www.mnsheriffs.org and to actively participate in the competition. |
Inside the First Amendment: A defining moment for religious liberty in AmericaBy Charles C. Haynes, First Amendment CenterThe angry and increasingly ugly debate over a proposed Islamic center in Lower Manhattan – misleadingly dubbed the “ground zero mosque” by the news media – raises troubling questions about the future of religious liberty in the United States.An astonishing one-third of the American public, including 53 percent who identify as Republicans, believe that Muslims do not have the constitutional right to build a mosque at the proposed site, according to a poll released this month by The Economist.Even more disturbing, 34 percent say there are some places in the U.S. where it is not appropriate to build mosques, though it would be appropriate for other religions to build houses of worship. Fourteen percent believe that mosques should not be permitted anywhere in the U.S.If this mosque debate is any measure of our national commitment to religious freedom, then these poll results are not encouraging.Propaganda works. The drumbeat of anti-Islam messages this summer – often conflating Islam and terrorism – on talk radio, the Internet and at political meetings around the country has apparently convinced a good slice of the public that American Muslims do not have the same rights as people of other faiths.The wholesale condemnation of Islam as inherently evil and violent, a viewpoint once confined to the political fringe, has become part of the mainstream discourse in New York – and has been repeated time and again at other anti-mosque rallies this summer in California, Tennessee, Connecticut and elsewhere.Although it should go without saying, let’s be clear: American Muslims enjoy the same protection for religious freedom under the First Amendment as people of all other faiths. The Muslim community group in Manhattan has a constitutional right to build an Islamic center and mosque two and a half blocks north of ground zero.More level-headed mosque opponents do recognize that right, but then go on to argue that it would be insensitive to put the Islamic center that near “hallowed ground.” Although no doubt sincere, this argument implicitly accepts the notion that Islam itself – and not extremists who distort Islam – is at the root of the evil perpetrated on 9/11.The best way to counter the al- Qaida version of Islam is not to move the Islamic center, but to build it as representation of authentic Islam – and a symbol of the American commitment to full religious freedom and interfaith understanding.Lest we forget, many American Muslims belong to families (including some of the "9/11 families” so often invoked in this debate) who have been in this country for generations – and consider themselves just as “American” as any of their neighbors.Since the 9/11 attacks, Muslim leaders in the U.S. have repeatedly condemned the terrorists who claim to represent Islam and have tried to educate the public about the true teachings of Islam. (For more about how American Muslims see this debate, visit www.groundzerodialogue.org.)As reported recently in The New York Times, a two-year study of mosques in the U.S. conducted by scholars at Duke University and the University of North Carolina “concluded that contemporary mosques are actually a deterrent to the spread of militant Islam and terrorism” because mosque leaders “had put significant effort into countering extremism by building youth programs, sponsoring anti-violence forums and scrutinizing teachers and texts.”Rather than banning mosques – or moving them elsewhere – American communities should be welcoming them as allies in the campaign against extremism.Attacks on Islam in America are not only wrong and dangerous, they are also devastating to millions of American Muslims who also care deeply about this country, especially Muslim citizens serving in the military. I received an e-mail this week from one of them, a soldier stationed in Afghanistan. Writing about the anti-mosque protests, he says this:“As a Muslim in the U.S. Army…what has been hardest to endure is the insulting comments about my religion and those who practice it… Do we not deserve the right to worship freely and mourn for the people who died on 9/11? They were our countrymen too.”He goes on to ask the question every American needs to ask whenever our ideals are sorely tested: “Do we really believe in and support the Constitution of the United States for the good of all?”If we are unwilling to protect the right of every American to religious liberty, then we have no business sending this soldier to risk his life in the name of freedom and democracy. Charles C. Haynes is director of the Religious Freedom Education Project at the Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001. Web: firstamendmentcenter.org. E-mail: chaynes@freedomforum.org. |
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Central Lakes one of 31 military friendly state collegesCentral Lakes College, Brainerd and Staples, is among the nation’s top 15 percent of colleges, universities, and trade schools doing the most to embrace America’s veterans as students.
Victory Media, the veteran-owned publisher of Military Spouse and Vetrepreneur magazines, in its publication G.I. Jobs, named CLC with 30 other Military Friendly Minnesota schools earning the designation through a research process driven by an academic advisory board of officials from Carnegie Mellon, Duquesne, Colorado State, other universities, the American Council on Education, and the Veterans Administration.
Colleges have long coveted veterans in the classroom, according to Dr. Dorothy Bassett, dean of Duquesne University’s School of Leadership and Professional Advancement. “Military students bring a high degree of maturity, life experiences, diversity, leadership, and worldliness to the classroom,” she said. "Other students and faculty benefit from the different perspectives that service members and veterans bring.”
Student veterans are advised to examine the list of military friendly schools. "The list is the gold standard in letting veterans know which schools will offer them the greatest opportunity, flexibility, and overall experience,” Derek Blumke, president of the Student Veterans of America. “It’s especially important now with so many schools competing for military students.”
CLC and others on the list provide additional benefits to student veterans, such as credit for military experience and the College Level Examination Program. CLC offers on-campus resource centers in Brainerd and Staples and a network of support services and academic accreditations.
One reason the college is “an excellent choice for military members,” according to G.I. Jobs, is a course called “From Combat to the Classroom – the Transition of Combat Veterans and Their Families.” Don Pfeffer, instructor, teaches the course for veterans, family members and anyone else with a strong interest in the military.
Pfeffer developed the Veterans Resource Center at CLC as a model for 60 centers established on public and private colleges and universities across the state. He is the state director of higher education programs through the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Military Friendly Schools list can be viewed at www.militaryfriendlyschools.com/2011list and includes 1,222 institutions across the U.S.
The Veterans Resource Center provides information and support to veterans, military members, their families, and community members. The Center is staffed by college staff, student employees, and volunteers and is open 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday and other times by appointment. For information contact Deb Dewey in the Center at 218-855-8279.
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Candidates Filed for Nov. 2 ElectionThe following candidates have filed for the November 2, 2010 general election
City of Breezy Point
Mayor: JoAnn Weaver (incumbent)
Council, 2 seats: Tom Lillehei and Scott Willer
Crooked Lake Township
(Outing), 3 seats: Donnie Anderson (incumbent) and Connie Glass, Dave Schaumburg (incumbent), Rod Schloesser (incumbent)
City of Crosslake
Mayor: Jay Andolshek (incumbent), Darrell Schnieder
Council, 2 seats: John Moengen (incumbent) Bruce Peck, Steve Roe (incumbent)
City of Emily
Mayor: Bonnie Kile
Council, 2 seats: Gregory Koch, Jan Mosman, Bill Spiess, Bob Swanson (incumbent)
Cuyuna Regional Hospital Board, 1 seat: Nancy Moritz, Jan Pope
City of Fifty Lakes
Mayor: Dick Schiller (incumbent), Steve Dahlke
Council, 2 seats: Dewey Bendt (incumbent), Jodi Schrupp and Les Degner
City of Manhattan Beach
Mayor: Paul Allen (incumbent)
Council, 2 seats: Clyde Brodt (incumbent) and Marlene Yurek (incumbent)
ISD #118 Northland Community Schools Board, 4 seats: Dan Switzer (incumbent), Ione Boor (incumbent), Dave Kitchenoff (incumbent), Tandi Kibler
City of Pequot Lakes
Mayor: Nancy Adams (incumbent), Brenda Myers and Jack Schmidt
Council, 2 seats: Dave Sjoblad (incumbent), Jerry Akerson, John Derksen, Sean Kaneski, Scott Pederson and Wes Wilson.
ISD #186 Pequot Lakes School Board, 3 seats: Valarie Wallin (incumbent), Brandon Andersen, Derrek Johnson, Donna Wilson, Jonathan Yahn.
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Liberals Class WarfareLetter to the Editor
Prior to our recent primary, we received 3 expensive mailings from the Dayton campaign. Mark Dayton's mantra starts with: "We have to MAKE the richest Minnesotans pay their fair share of taxes so: on and on". This man is a genius. Why didn't we think of that?
If the Liberals didn't have class warfare as their main weapon, they would be defenseless. The term "rich" is one of those words that tell us much more about the speaker than about the person being described. Briefly, it is a derogatory term for people who earn more money than the speaker wants them to earn! According to the Tax Foundation, Minnesotans are the fifth highest taxed in the nation at $4459.00 per capita.
Perhaps Mr. Dayton, who inherited his wealth, believes that those who earned theirs MUST share with those who haven't.. He wants to duplicate New York's achievement of driving the rich taxpayers out of the state. Once Mr. Dayton has run most of the rich out of Minnesota, he can start a new Mantra: We have to MAKE the upper middle class pay their fair share of taxes.
Marv Chell
Pine River
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Crisis Line Needs VolunteersToday’s economy has left many of us feeling anxious or emotionally numbed. Fortunately, most of us can turn to our families and friends to share our hurts and fears and find comfort. What if you don’t have that support system where you can turn? Crisis Line will be there. Crisis Line has been helping people deal with life’s problems for over 22 years in Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd and Wadena Counties.
The Crisis Line needs good people to join our 40 dedicated and caring volunteers. Crisis Line volunteers are there to support and encourage callers. Being a volunteer for Crisis Line is the perfect opportunity for the busiest person because you answer the phone right from your own home. You don’t have to drive in the rain or snow. In fact, you can crochet, ‘veg-out’ in front of the TV, bake cookies, or even sleep all while still putting in volunteer time for Crisis Line. The phone is diverted to your own home for the time slot you select at a time that is convenient to you. If you have good communication skills and want to help people, then we need your help. If anyone has ever thanked you for listening to them then I already know you have the skills we are looking for.
Our organizational base is our committed caring volunteers. Crisis Line perseveres because these volunteers have the courage to answer the phone, to give hope to strangers, and to share their humanness-the most precious gift of all. No one else does our job in the community. Our volunteers are the heartbeat of our organization. Our communities are a better place because they are in it.
They follow the tutelage of George Bernard Shaw who said: “I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live.”
The next training session for new Crisis Line volunteers will be in September. Be a friend to someone in need. Call our business number, 828-4515 for more information or to sign up today.
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Inside the First Amendment: Defending First Amendment rights is different from endorsing the messageBy Gene Policinski, First Amendment CenterWhether or not a Muslim community center and mosque in New York City is built near the former World Trade Center site remains to be seen.And whether or not a Kansas-based church can continue its anti-homosexual protests near military funerals remains to be determined – quite likely in the U.S. Supreme Court.In both instances there are heartfelt objections from those who have suffered, either from the Sept. 11 attacks or the loss of a loved one in combat. But beyond the passion, politics and propriety of those two hot-button debates, there is an important First Amendment point.Those 45 words in the Bill of Rights prevent government from interfering with our most basic rights – religion, speech, press, assembly and petition. Defending those rights does not mean endorsing either the construction of the Islamic center or approving the Westboro Baptist Church’s protests.Consider all five freedoms in the First Amendment: Freedom of religion, speech, press, assembly and petition. There's no “except for …” clause. No requirement that other nations adopt the same values or approach to one freedom or another, or our freedoms don’t apply here. Not a word about requiring public approval, legislative vote or judicial verdict in favor of an idea, a speech, a book or a religious belief. Not a mention of remaining silent because your words may be shocking or rude or insensitive.No one can deny that nine years after the terrorist attacks, the pain continues for those who lost family and friends. And the use of a funeral service for purposes other than religious observance or honoring the deceased likely is repugnant to most Americans.But President Barack Obama got it right the other day when he said of the New York controversy, “The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country and that they will not be treated differently by their government is essential to who we are. The writ of the founders must endure.” And a lawyer defending Westboro’s right to protest in Missouri during funeral services also got it right after a federal judge tossed a state law aimed at preventing the protests. ACLU attorney Tony Rothert said the law was too broad, would prevent even non-disruptive speech and that "just not liking speech isn't enough reason” to stop it.We frequently debate questions in this country about the location of religious-based operations – considering zoning laws, traffic congestion and the like – but rightly exclude considering the tenets of the faith involved. And we have seen time and again in our history the power of voices that were unpopular at the outset in matters ranging from women’s suffrage and civil rights to anti-tax and anti-war sentiments. Certainly deciding whether or not the community center and mosque can be built in a certain place is not the same as forbidding Muslims who would use those facilities from worshiping elsewhere as their faith dictates. But given that protests over mosques also rage in several parts of the nation, and the linking by some of Islam to terrorist activities, it’s not a stretch to envision those "not here” local disputes someday becoming a “not anywhere” challenge for an entire faith. And we’ve already seen a host of laws across dozens of states aiming to restrict Westboro from protesting at funerals. These laws invoke time or place restrictions. From the rhetoric that has surrounded passage of some of those laws, it’s not a stretch to see the reasoning behind them has more to do with stopping the protests than regulating them.The 45 words of the First Amendment are an easy read – but many times a tough a challenge to live up to. Debates over the “should” must not spill over into placing restrictions on the “could.”Gene Policinski is vice president and executive director of the First Amendment Center, 555 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, D.C., 20001. Web: www.firstamendmentcenter.org. E-mail: gpolicinski@fac.org. |
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Sen. Olson to head DNR Reorganization Task ForceState Sen. Mary Olson, DFL-Bemidji, has been appointed chair of a newly-formed Senate task force that will continue to study a possible reorganization of the state’s environment and natural resource agencies and programs.The Natural Resources Reform and Realignment Task Force will begin meeting next month to take input from stakeholder groups and the public on how the state can realign the state’s current environmental protection programs—which are currently spread throughout several agencies, departments, and boards—into a new organizational structure designed to be more cost-effective and consumer-friendly.“I have heard from many constituents who are frustrated with the level of redundancy and overlap they see in the state’s natural resource agencies and departments,” said Sen. Olson. “They report having to get multiple permits from multiple agencies with overlapping jurisdictions, and are finding it difficult to know what agency or department they should turn to with questions or requests. I’m confident that if we are able to strip away the bureaucracy and realign our existing resources, we can provide better service at a lower cost for Minnesotans.”Sen. Olson has championed an effort to reform these agencies and programs for the past several years. Last session, the Senate approved her proposal to form an advisory committee on the issue, which would have been made up of appointees from the governor and Legislature. However, the provision was not adopted by a House-Senate conference committee.In a letter to Sen. Olson, state Sen. Ellen Anderson, DFL-St. Paul, chair of the Senate’s Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Budget Division, said the proposal still had the support of the Senate, adding that it would be worthwhile to “continue to study these matters” before the start of the 2011 Legislative Session. “I appreciate the level of support I’ve received from my colleagues in the Senate, who clearly recognize the need to reform state government,” said Sen. Olson. “We all know the immense challenges facing our state and it’s clear we need to find ways to do more with less. The status-quo can’t be the solution. We need to take a step back and create a new model that takes a 21st Century approach to meeting 21st Century needs.”Sen. Olson said she hopes to schedule the task force’s first meeting sometime in September. Other members appointed to the task force include: Sen. Tom Saxhaug, DFLGrand Rapids, Sen. Dan Skogen, DFL-Hewitt, and Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis. For more information, contact Sen. Olson’s office at 651-296-4913 or sen.mary.olson@senate.mn. |
Political GamesLetter to the Editor
A bit of gratitude should be extended to the Obama administration for demonstrating how far our politicians will go for their own gain. More of our hard earned dollars are being confiscated and back room deals have stolen our power. So, the jig is up, our innocence is gone and we know the game. It is evident that our politicians have only just begun to create crafty ways to take more of our rights and personal resources.
For decades our politicians have taken our tax dollars with promises to solve our nations’ problems. Yet, fair and rational resolutions are rarely sought. Now, our nation is in desperate condition. The ugly truth is that our politicians have nothing to gain by enacting real resolution. Their costly, created agendas would not be necessary or notable if our problems were actually solved. Thus, the manipulative political game of both political parties remains intact.
Here is how the game is played; in order to get votes, money and power, our politicians must market dire problems. Resolutions to those problems are pork filled, costly agendas that are sold to the public with tired mantras like, “for the greater good”, “for the environment” and “tax those bad rich people!” Consequently, those policies cause increased dependency upon government goodies. Happily, the politicians get more votes for appearing benevolent. Sadly, we become weaker as individuals and as a nation. The government grows by leaps and bounds while your rights and personal resources shrink. The politicians do it all by preying on the kind hearts of responsible American tax payers and they feed upon our over stimulated sense of political correctness.
Our politicians’ abuse of our rights and tax dollars becomes a deeper violation as we realize that our hard earned money is used for policy that pays back favors to friends and supporters. The fact is that 90% of all special interest money goes to the incumbents and about 95% of the incumbents get re-elected. So, the back scratching and favors continue. The byproduct is a collection of career politicians whose only interest is to perpetuate their own power on your back.
We revisit this vicious cycle with each and every election. In local, state and federal politics, Democrats and Republicans have proven to be equal opportunity exploiters and we continue to elect them.
We are on our own and this is no time to surrender. There is hope on the horizon. Grassroots groups such as the 912 Project, the Tea Party and GOOOH (pronounced “Go”-- Get Out Of Our House), are gaining momentum. These groups are redefining what we the people want from our politicians. The group GOOOH has developed a concrete election system that puts forth politicians who actually represent the people without taking money from special interests. Perhaps this new breed of honorable politicians that we are clamoring for requires a new way to find them and elect them. In that case, the game is over.
Ruth Putnam
Breezy Point MN
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Don’t Rely on the Opinions and Perceptions of Others: Attend the ISD 118 School Board MeetingsLetter to the Editor
To The Residents of ISD 118
The decisions being made by our School Board will affect you, your children and your taxes for years to come. You owe it to yourselves to be involved and find out the truth by attending the meetings and asking questions of the whole Board. Please don’t rely on other people’s opinions and perceptions.
Please come to the next School Board meeting on August 19th at 7:00 p.m. in the high school cafeteria.
Donna de Neui, Mary Lou Lutz, Bev Gaines, Lori Sizenbach
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AIS Training Sessions held for Lake Service ProvidersLetter to the Editor
Whitefish Area Property Owners Association (WAPOA) would like to recognize the following service professionals who attended the Invasive Species Prevention workshop on June 8 which was sponsored by BLAISTF (Brainerd Lakes Area AIS Task Force), the MN DNR and Minnesota Waters. Time and willingness to learn more about the threats to our waters are greatly appreciated.
June 2010 attendees were: Bait Box Marina, BW Professional Caretakers, Cabin Care, Central Lakes Dock Service, Clasen Property Management, Lake Fun Rentals, Mauer’s Lakeside Service, Minnesota Shoreline Restoration, Otterness Dock Service, Personal Touch Property Services, RR Handyman/Aquatic Weed Harvest, Willey’s Marine Inc., Bradow Dock Service, and Gryphon Enterprises.
Previous Seminar Attendees were: Brainerd Sports & Marine, Point Marine Service, C & C Boat Works, Cabin Care, D.H. Docks, Gryphon Enterprises, Lake Bertha Boatworks, Inc., Lake Restoration, Inc, Lenny Hodgson, Marv Koep, Moe’s Hardware & Docks, John Niskanen, Neighborhood Landscaping & Development, Nisswa Dock Co, Nisswa Marine, Norlake Dock Service, PLM Professional Lake and Land Management, Ricka Mfg., Royal Karels, and “Walleye Dan” Eigen (Walleye Dan Guide Service).
Please remember to utilize these professionals in your lake service and recreational needs and thank them for their efforts in the area of AIS prevention.
- Denny Loechler, WAPOA
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In Support of John CarlsonLetter to the Editor
As a long term Minnesotan for 83 years, I believe our State representatives should be controlled by the people instead of politicians. I have met and talked with John Carlson and believe that he understands what it means to balance a budget. He stands for fiscal sanity and is beholden to no special interest groups. He refuses to take more than $100.00 from each individual contributor. Not so with Mary Olson. She owes allegiance to the organizations that support her political campaign. My vote will be for John Carlson.
Marv Chell
Pine River, MN
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Inside the First Amendment: Special Olympics Project Unify: Students standing up for justiceBy Charles C. Haynes, First Amendment CenterWhen kids begin the school day by reciting “with liberty and justice for all,” does all really mean all – including people with intellectual disabilities?That was the question asked by 136 young people from across America – students with and without intellectual disabilities – who gathered in Omaha in July to organize for school communities where no one is invisible and everyone has a voice.The Youth Activation Summit in Nebraska was organized by Project Unify, a new initiative of Special Olympics designed to empower youth to work for just and inclusive schools – places where every student is included in all aspects of school life: academic, extracurricular and social.If your image of Special Olympics is just fun and games, take a closer look.While thousands of athletes took the field in nearby Lincoln, young leaders from all 50 states and the District of Columbia met to devise strategies for bringing about change in their local schools and communities. Many came from school districts where students with intellectual disabilities are still marginalized, excluded from many activities, and often called names.Some of these students are already involved in Project Unify’s “spread the word to end the word” campaign – a nationwide, youth-led effort to end the use of the "r-word.” In some schools, early success in making the r-word socially unacceptable has inspired students to go beyond changing language to advocate for greater inclusion.As with every significant movement for social justice in American history, Special Olympics Project Unify is the First Amendment in action. Students in high schools across the country are exercising their constitutional rights by speaking out against unfair school policies, using media to promote their cause, and assembling together to petition for change.The student leaders meeting in Omaha modeled what they're asking schools to do. Kids with and without intellectual disabilities worked side by side. Every voice was heard and every person was treated with fairness and respect. I confess that when Special Olympics invited me to participate in the Omaha Conference, I was somewhat skeptical about how well the “unify” in Project Unify would work in practice. But seeing is believing.At one point during the conference, I was asked by students to sit in a "fishbowl" to help lead a discussion of social justice and the First Amendment. For the uninitiated, the fishbowl activity involves a few people – in this case two teens and me – discussing an issue with an empty chair available so anyone in the audience can join the conversation at any time.And join they did. Students of all abilities took the chair to ask questions about working for change, to share how hurt they are when called names, and to point out how unfair it is to be excluded from school activities or isolated from other kids. Then, in the next session, they huddled at their tables to come up with ideas for how to change things back home.“We have learned,” wrote students in one group, “that when people work together for an important cause, they can and will succeed. We must never give up.”As I quickly discovered in the fishbowl, Special Olympics Project Unify is not about “serving” students with intellectual disabilities; it’s about empowering them.Ensuring that people with intellectual and other disabilities are full participants in the life of our schools and communities is one of the most important civil rights issues of our time. As has been the case so often in our history, young people are speaking up – and leading the way.Charles C. Haynes is director of the Religious Freedom Education Project at the Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001. Web: firstamendmentcenter.org . E-mail: chaynes@freedomforum.org. |
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