Feb 25th, 2009
Posted by Suzanne Ito, ACLU at 2:10pm	Defending Targets of Discrimination, Racial Justice

Stimulus Funds: Mind the Gap

Now that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA, a.k.a. the stimulus package) is a done deal, everyone's talking about what they're going to do with the money. Today we sent a letter to Education Secretary Arne Duncan about how we think he should spend the $100 billion for public schools. We're thrilled that $13 billion is set aside to help states close the achievement gap between students in poor and minority communities and their more fortunate counterparts.

Putting more money into under-resourced communities accomplishes two goals: the first set by President Obama during the campaign to level the educational playing field for all kids; the second to meet this country's treaty obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD).

The last time the CERD committee reviewed the U.S.'s compliance to the treaty, the results were less than stellar. In fact, the committee found that racial segregation is alive and well in our public schools:

The Committee recommends that the State party undertake further studies to identify the underlying causes of de facto segregation and racial inequalities in education, with a view to elaborating effective strategies aimed at promoting school de-segregation and providing equal educational opportunity in integrated settings for all students. In this regard, the Committee recommends that the State party take all appropriate measures — including the enactment of legislation — to restore the possibility for school districts to voluntarily promote school integration through the use of carefully tailored special measures…

The U.S. will submit its next periodic report to the CERD committee in 2011.

 

As for leveling the playing field, we reminded Secretary Duncan of President Obama's remarks at his Howard University Convocation speech in September 2007:

It will take a movement to finish what began in Topeka, Kansas and Little Rock, Arkansas.  It will take a movement of Americans from every city and town, of every race and background to stand up and say that no matter what you look like or where you come from, every child in America should have the opportunity to receive the best education this country has to offer.  Every child.

In our letter, we also add that the incorporation of innovative human rights education programs would be great. Now that America's economy is a global economy, and good relations with other countries is more important than ever, there are few things more important than teaching today's kids about the human rights values this, and many other countries, share.

 

So while $100 billion is a lot of money, closing the achievement gap and implementing human rights programs in schools would be an incredibly sound investment in the future.

Permalink |	Defending Targets of Discrimination, Racial Justice

1. Charles from AZ Says:
   Feb 26th, 2009 at 7:39am

   We have thrown money at these low income schools for years now with no positive results. These school will never improve until the community as a whole gets involved and take responsibility for their actions. The students are taught that failure it not their fault and that is wrong. When a student fails part of that failure is their fault and they should be told that. You guys should stop supporting failure and support success.

2. Cc Says:
   Feb 28th, 2009 at 11:00am

   What Future?

   FEDS GRANT EMINENT DOMAIN AS COLLATERAL TO CHINA FOR U.S. DEBTS!

   February 26, 2009

   Beijing, China -- The United States of America has tendered to China a written agreement which grants to the People's Republic of China, an option to exercise Eminent Domain within the USA, as collateral for China's continued purchase of US Treasury Notes and existing US Currency reserves!

   On February 11, Bloomberg Business News reported that China was seeking "guarantees" for its US Government debt (Story Here), and it now appears they got it. Well placed senior sources at the US Embassy in Beijing CONFIRM the formal written agreement was delivered by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her recent trip to China.

   This means that in the event the US Government defaults on its financial obligations to China, the Communist Government of China would be permitted to physically take -- inside the USA -- land, buildings, factories, perhaps even entire cities - to satisfy the financial obligations of the US government.

   Put simply, the feds have actually mortgaged the physical land and property of all citizens and businesses in the United States. They have given to a foreign power, their Constitutional power to "take" all of our property, as actual collateral for continued Chinese funding of US deficit spending and the continued carrying of US national debt.

   This is an unimaginable betrayal of every man, woman and child in the USA. An outrage worthy of violent overthrow.

   Eminent Domain is the power of government to TAKE private property for public use without the consent of the property owner. Under our Constitution, the government can only "take" when providing "just compensation" for what they've taken.

   Who decides what constitutes "just compensation?" The government!

   in past "takings" homeowners who felt the government was not paying them enough for property have filed lawsuits. In absolutely every such case, the value placed upon the property by the government was upheld by the courts.

   Our federal government has now granted to China, this power to "take" our homes and businesses in the event the US Gov't defaults on its debts.

   Let's play this out as a worst case scenario. . . . . .

   The US Gov't goes belly-up and China comes in and says, "they owed us $700 Billion in Treasury Notes and another $2 Trillion in actual cash money which is now worthless. We are taking the entire state of Hawaii and the entire state of California in lieu of this bad debt. "

   With the stroke of a Chinese chop stick, Hawaii and California -- all the land and buildings in those states -- are now owned by China.

   The "taking" would be a "valid public use" because it was "taken" in payment of the public debt!!!!

   China could then turn around and declare the value of all that land to be worth. . . . . I dunno, ten cents on a dollar?

   If you own a $200,000 house in either state, you get a Chinese check for $20,000.

   Needless to say, the property owners would go ballistic and demand "just compensation" for what was taken. Who gets to decide what is "just?" China!

   Don't think you got a fair price for what they took? No problem, sue China. You'll lose.

   People who live in those states and own their land outright, might be able to negotiate with China to "rent" back what used to be their own property, as long as they continue to pay all their taxes (to China) ; but the land and buildings would belong to China!

   This is what our own Government has just done to us and it is the single most vile act of betrayal in the history of human existence.

   State Governments Knew This Was Coming

   In early February nine U.S. States began the process of re-asserting their Sovereignty pursuant to the Ninth and Tenth Amendments to the US Constitution; declaring null and void any actions by Congress that violated the Constitution.

   At the time, I wrote about those state efforts (Here) and wondered why so many states were taking-up such an arcane issue in such a seemingly urgent fashion. I guess now, we know why.

   The states were obviously privy to what the feds were planning to do with granting Eminent Domain to China. The states took action to make certain the feds couldn't give away cities or the states themselves!

   This situation is going to get VERY ugly, VERY fast as one sovereign power (the feds) tries to literally give away the land of other sovereign powers, (the states). This is the type of thing that starts Civil War.

   Our present federal government makes the treachery and betrayal of Benedict Arnold look like child's play.

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