Civil Rights

For the past month and half, as a founding member of the Brothers, Sons, Selves Coalition, the Community Rights Campaign has been a part of leading the "School Climate Bill of Rights" campaign. We've seen the campaign raise the level of public debate. Here's a recap as we head into the LAUSD board vote tomorrow!

Yesterday, in between yawns and "oh, was there some kind of election in the news that I missed?" 8 candidates ran in the "fight for the soul-less city" mayor race. Meanwhile, on the same day, in Venezuela, a true champion of the people, the amazing Hugo Chavez, died.

FIGHT FOR THE SOUL OF THE CITIES OFFERS OUR BEST HOPE 

On March 5th, LA voters are being asked to pay another regressive sales tax, Measure A, which will generate another $215 million to cover the city's budget deficit

In the fight for educational justice, the struggle to keep public schools public has become as critical as ending the school-to-jail track. In Los Angeles, two historic Black high schools, Crenshaw HS and Dorsey HS, face daunting "reconstitution" that will undermine community leadership and roots. On Jan 12, we will gather with grassroots organizers from Chicago, New Orleans and Philadelphia to explore what forces are driving school privatization and how they intersect with forces behind the school-to-jail track.

LA Metro's rail expansion plan under Measure J and R can lead to less transit ridership with continued hikes in fares and bus service cuts. As voters are asked once again tomorrow to extend a regressive sales tax measure funneling another $90 billion, will LA Metro's rail expansion plan deliver skyrocketing transit ridership for the region and reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution as touted by it's proponents? Our answer is "no" based on history and experience of the last 20 years of rail experiment.

It's September and back-to-school stories--and the CRC!--are in the news.
Our work rolling back the daytime curfew (truancy/tardy ticketing) in LA is capturing attention and shaping the national debate with stories in Atlantic Magazine, Time Magazine, LA Times, and Our Weekly.