december 19 -25 2013

1 www.cnyvision.com | DECEMBER 19 - 25| 2013

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national news

local News

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Delta adding flights between NYC and Syracuse

President Obama: Help Our Less Fortunate at Christmas

pg 8

state NEWS
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national news

pg 7
American Airlines to pay $135M settlement over 9-11 terrorist attack to firm that had 658 workers killed

Target: 40M card accounts may be breached

2 www.cnyvision.com | DECEMBER 19 - 25| 2013

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LOCAL

Delta adding flights between NYC and Syracuse

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) Delta Airlines is expanding its reach in upstate New York. New York Sen. Charles Schumer says Delta will add several new flights from Syracuse to major airline hubs in 2014, including two new daily flights to JFK International Airport in New York City. Schumer says he secured commitments to add the Syracuse flights during a meeting with Delta CEO Richard Anderson. Two new round-trip flights from Syracuse to JFK will be added in April, and Schumer says Delta has agreed to add an unspecified number of flights to Minneapolis during 2014. Schumer says Delta also will bolster its service from Syracuse to Atlanta by flying larger airplanes on the existing flights. The move will increase seating capacity by 8 percent.

Mistaken Identity Exonerates Murder Suspect

Eric Walker, 24, was killed in a driveby shooting on South Townsend St., November 18, 2012. Monday, twentyfive-year-old Dion Robertson, who was arrested and put on trial for Walkers murder, was found not guilty by an Onondaga County jury. Authorities said the ruling was due to a case of mistaken identity. A witness, who came forward to the police days after the fatal shooting, had been the anchor of the prosecutors case. According to the witness, he had been in the car with Robertson when the shooting occurred. This testimony might have won the case against Robertson, except for the fact that Robertsons lawyer, Michael Vavonese, called the witness credibility into question. The witness claimed Robertson had been wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, but a witness who had been with the victim said the shooter had been wearing a black hooded sweatshirt. In addition, the prosecutions witness claimed Robertson never used his cell phone; however, records showed he had been on his cell phone around the time of the murder. The witness also claimed he had been sleeping at the time; however cell phone records showed he had been on the phone seven minutes earlier. Ultimately, the inconsistencies Vavonese found failed to persuade the jury to convict Robertson. Vavonese also stated that Robertson was in a car, in a different area when the shooting happened. Authorities said they believed that Robertson was trying to get revenge for a prior gang-related shooting, but that Robertson had targeted the wrong person.

New York Teachers Hold Highest Average Salary in Nation

With the number of teachers who have been laid off recently and the constant debates about New York states educational and financial status, it may be hard to believe that some teachers are making close to $80,000 per year. However, a report released by the Washington Post showed the average salary for a teacher in New York in 2013 is $75,279, which is the highest in the country. Jon Boeckenstedt, associate vice president of DePaul University in Chicago, constructed the report from the National Center for Education Statistics, which gives the average annual salary of teachers in public elementary and secondary schools. According to the findings, with the cost of living in New York State on a continuous rise, teacher salaries have also been swayed. The trend appears to be, the more experience, the more money, the report stated. Teachers in Syracuse with a masters degree, and who are considered veterans in the teaching business, have been reported to earn approximately $77,530 and above. In addition, last year, it was reported that even a first-year teacher could earn a salary of $42,052. Massachusetts came in second with teacher salaries averaging $73,129, just above Washington D.C., coming in third with a $70,906 average. South Dakota had the lowest average in the nation with $39,580.

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publications and other media formats committed to fostering self awareness, building community and empowering people of color to reach their greatest potential. Further, CNY Vision seeks to present a balanced view of relevant issues, utilizing its resources to build bridges among diverse populations; taking them from information to understanding. CNY Vision reserves the right to edit or reject content submitted. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. CNY Vision does not assume responsibility concerning advertisers, their positions, practices, services or products; nor does the publication of advertise-

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4 www.cnyvision.com | DECEMBER 19 - 25| 2013

STATE

American Airlines to pay $135M settlement over 9-11 terrorist attack to firm that had 658 workers killed
NEW YORK (AP) -- Financial services firm Cantor Fitzgerald, which lost nearly two-thirds of its employees in the Sept. 11 attacks, revealed a $135 million settlement with American Airlines and insurance carriers Tuesday to a judge who said the deal will end the final airplane-focused case resulting from claims of wrongful death and personal injuries. The agreement averts a trial scheduled for next month, which means there will be no airing of such questions as how terrorists got through security, the best way to stop terrorists, whether there was really wrongdoing and negligence and how best to preserve liberties amid such threats, U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein said. All this will remain a mystery, he said. Calling the settlement a significant conclusion after 12 years of litigation that resulted in scores of settlements and not a single trial involving airlines, the judge said, Hopefully what was achieved was a measure of justice, a measure of reparation and closure. He added, But the lives that were lost were irreparable and being irreparable, there now are no words to describe that loss. The deal was announced by Cantor Fitzgerald attorney John Stoviak, who said money from various insurers is already in escrow and ready to be paid out pending formal approval by the court at or after a Jan. 13 hearing. Afterward, Cantor Fitzgerald Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Howard W. Lutnick said in a statement that the case for insurance companies was just another case, just another settlement, but not for us. Lutnick, whose brother Gary was killed in the attacks, added: We could never, and will never, consider it ordinary. For us, there is no way to describe this compromise with inapt words like ordinary, fair or reasonable. All we can say is that the legal formality of this matter is over. Cantor Fitzgerald lost 658 of its 1,000 people in its New York workforce when the 101st through 105th floors of its One World Trade Center headquarters were destroyed when terrorists struck the tower. Howard Lutnick was not in the office. American Airlines spokesman Sean Collins said in a statement American had vigorously defended itself in litigation brought against it by property owners and their insurers who allege that American should have done what the government could not do: prevent the terrorist attacks. He also noted that the courageous crew members and passengers on Flight 77 and Flight 11 were all victims of the terrorist attacks. Hellerstein praised lawyers on both sides, saying he once thought a deal was impossible. He noted that some litigation from Sept. 11 remains, including claims involving the trade center, developer Larry Silverstein, first responders and others.

Cantor Fitzgerald, meanwhile, has risen dramatically from a low of about 150 employees in the months after the attacks. It now has 3,200 employees in New York and about 8,000 worldwide, including the employees of a spinoff, BGC Partners, an achievement praised by Hellerstein. After the brief hearing, Hellerstein stepped off the bench and shook hands with lawyers on both sides.

NY judge sets trial on legal aid for the poor

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - A trial is needed to determine whether the state systemically provides inadequate staff and money for the constitutionally required defense of poor people charged with crimes, a state Supreme Court judge said. Justice Eugene Devine refused on Monday to throw out the class action lawsuit brought by the New York Civil Liberties Union. He also rejected the NYCLUs request for a decision based on evidence already presented that claimed indigent defense by the state and several counties routinely fails defendants and violates their constitutional rights to lawyers. NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman on Tuesday called the decision a tentative step toward justice. The lawsuit was filed in 2007 on behalf of 20 defendants in Onondaga, Ontario, Schuyler, Suffolk and Washington counties. In 2010, a divided New York Court of Appeals reinstated the lawsuit, rejecting a lower courts conclusion that the issue was simply poor performance by individual lawyers. The higher court noted that the complaint claimed 10 defendants had no lawyers at their arraignments and eight were sent straight to jail with bail

set beyond what they could afford. The judge said the testimony from attorneys serving in the defendant counties shows indigent criminal defendants consistently are arraigned without being afforded their right to counsel. The prevailing sentiment among the criminal practitioners that have testified in this matter is that such an occurrence does not necessarily result in the violation of a fundamental constitutional right, the judge wrote. The state attorney generals office, which sought to dismiss the lawsuit, declined to comment on Tuesday. A spokeswoman said the trial is scheduled for March 17.

PUZZLES STATE
NY Regents recommend school aid increase
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) - A Board of Regents subcommittee has voted to recommend a $1.3 billion increase in state aid for New York schools next year, along with fairer funding for highneeds districts and bigger investments in universal pre-kindergarten programs and teacher training. The recommendations announced Monday are expected to be approved by the full board and sent to the state Legislature. Also Monday, Education Commissioner John King Jr. and Regents Chancellor Merryl Tisch said they are moving forward on recommendations to improve implementation of the new Common Core learning standards statewide. The recommendations were made by the Educational Conference Board, a panel made up of parents, school board members, teachers and others. The recommendations include increasing understanding of the Common Core, ensuring adequate funding, and reducing testing time.

5 www.cnyvision.com | DECEMBER 19 - 25| 2013

Cuomo pushes tax break for renters statewide

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) Gov. Andrew Cuomo is supporting the minority position of his own tax commission when it comes to providing a property tax credit to renters across the state, with most of the break going to New York City tenants. Including renters in his property taxcutting plan along with home owners would strike a political balance that could get his proposal through the Legislature. Cuomos commission supported his goal of reducing property taxes upstate and in the New York City suburbs, where residents pay some of the nations highest taxes. A Cuomo spokesman said Monday that the governor will also push a tax credit for
Governor Andrew Cuomo

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renters statewide. Cuomo says its too early to say how much of a benefit renters could see in 2014, an election year.

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6 www.cnyvision.com | DECEMBER 19 - 25| 2013

NY law expands oversight of preschool special ed

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed a law to increase state oversight of special education programs for preschoolers with disabilities. The law authorizes the state comptroller to audit all of the independently run programs at least once in the next five years. It establishes new reporting requirements for committees that place children in programs and for providers. It also authorizes the education commissioner to examine alternative reimbursement methods. Sponsors of the legislation say limited audits have shown widespread fraud and abuse, including absentee directors, redundant costs and potential conflicts of interest where evaluators direct children into their own programs. Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli says fraud in the $1.3 billion program has cost taxpayers millions of dollars while depriving children of needed help. New York has more than 300 special education providers.

STATE

NATIONAL
Holidays can be Stressful for Seniors: Advice for Caregivers
(StatePoint) The holidays may be filled with joy, but for the ever-growing number of aging Americans and those who care for them this otherwise celebratory season can become mired in challenges. The stress of visitors, eventful meals, gift giving and social obligations can be overwhelming for anyone, but especially for those juggling busy schedules with caring for an elderly family member. An estimated 15 million Americans are sandwiched between two generations and working to support both, according to the Pew Research Center. Known as the Sandwich Generation, these adults struggle to balance caring for their children and their elderly parents. Staying organized is especially important during this time of year to ensure that loved ones arent ignored in the hustle and bustle of the season, says Mark Armstrong, founder and CEO of ComForcare Senior Services and At Your Side Home Care, an international senior care franchise that provides inhome, non-medical care to seniors and others in need of assistance. Armstrong is offering some juggling tips for family caregivers: Map out doctors appointments, prescription pick-up dates, school holiday pageants and other planned events on a calendar or on your smart phone to avoid double booking and overextending yourself. Members of the sandwich generation often feel they dont spend enough time with their children because theyre busy caring for their parents and vice versa. Combat this issue with intergenerational activities, such as decorating the home, trimming the tree, planning the menu or wrapping presents. Caring for another human being for an extended period of time can take its toll on even the most caring and nurturing of people. Dont be afraid to ask for help. It may mean alternating days with a relative or bringing in a professional caregiver. Watch out for these red flags that could mean your aging relative is in need of additional assistance: mismatched, wrinkled or soiled clothing, weight loss or gain, trouble remembering names or an unclean home. Discuss the possibility of hiring a professional caregiver to relieve some strain on you, especially around the holidays. In the long-term, a caregiver can help your loved one age safely and comfortably in his or her own home, by

providing a wide range of non-medical home care services, including help with bathing, hairstyling and dressing, incontinence care, medication reminders, chores and light exercise assistance. Look for a company that offers a wide range of services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays. For example, ComForcare Senior Services and At Your Side Home Care develop a customized care plan based on an in-home evaluation by a nurse and provides ongoing training and education to caregivers. More information can be found at

www.ComForcare.com or AtYourSideHomeCare.com.

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Even you need some care sometimes! Set aside me time every day to do something just for you and youll be able to return to your caregiving duties refreshed and ready to help. This holiday season, take the time to address the challenges facing you and your aging loved one SOURCE :Statepoint Media

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7 www.cnyvision.com | DECEMBER 19 - 25| 2013

NATIONAL
Target: 40M card accounts may be breached
Target says about 40 million credit and debit card accounts may be affected by a data breach that occurred just as the holiday shopping season shifted into high gear. The chain said customers who made purchases by swiping their cards at terminals in its U.S. stores between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15 may have had their accounts exposed. The stolen data includes customer names, credit and debit card numbers, card expiration dates and the three-digit security codes located on the backs of cards. The data breach did not affect online purchases, the company said. The stolen information included Target store brand cards and major card brands such as Visa and MasterCard. Targets first priority is preserving the trust of our guests and we have moved swiftly to address this issue, so guests can shop with confidence. We regret any inconvenience this may cause, Chairman, President and CEO Gregg Steinhafel said in a statement Thursday. The Minneapolis company said it immediately told authorities and financial institutions once it became aware of the breach and that it is teaming with a third-party forensics firm to investigate and prevent future breaches. The company said it is putting all appropriate resources toward the issue. Target Corp. advised customers to check their statements carefully. Those who see suspicious charges on the cards should report it to their credit card companies and call Target at 866852-8680. Cases of identity theft can also be reported to law enforcement or the Federal Trade Commission. Target hasnt disclosed exactly how the data breach occurred, but said it has fixed the problem and credit card holders can continue shopping at its stores. The company has 1,797 U.S. stores and 124 in Canada. Every if Target shoppers havent noticed suspicious activity on their credit card accounts, a Target spokeswoman said, we encourage everyone to be vigilant. In Wednesday mornings trading, Targets stock dipped $1.15, or 1.8 percent, to $62.40. Targets breach comes at the height of the holiday shopping season and threatens to scare away shoppers worried about the safety of their personal data. The November and December period accounts for 20 percent, on average, of total retail industry sales. The incident is particularly troublesome for Target because it has used its branded credit and debit cards as a marketing tool to lure shoppers with a 5 percent discount. The company said during its earnings call in November that as of October some 20 percent of store customers have the Target branded cards. This holiday season, Target added other incentives to use its cards. Two days before Thanksgiving, Target.com ran a special review sale with 25 exclusive offers, from electronics to housewares for those who used the branded card. As a result of these incentives, households that activate a Targetbranded card have increased their spending at the store by about 50 percent on average, the company said. This is how Target is getting more customers in the stores, said Brian Sozzi, CEO and Chief Equities Strategist. Its telling people to use the card. Its been a big win. If they lose that trust, that person goes to Wal-Mart. Target is just the latest retailer to be hit with a data breach. TJX Cos., which runs stores such as T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, had a breach that began in July 2005 that exposed at least 45.7 million credit and debit cards to possible fraud. The breach wasnt detected until December 2006. In June 2009 TJX agreed to pay $9.75 million in a settlement with multiple states related to the massive data theft but stressed at the time that it firmly believed it did not violate any consumer protection or data security laws. At TJX, for at least 17 months, one or more intruders had free rein inside TJXs computers. Without anyone noticing, one or more intruders installed code on the discount retailers systems to methodically unearth, collect and transmit account data from the millions of credit card and debit cards. An even larger hack hit Sony in 2011. It had to rebuild trust among PlayStation Network gamers after hackers compromised personal information including credit card data on more than 100 million user accounts. Greg Melich, an analyst at ISI International Strategy & Investment Group, wrote in a note published Thursday that Targets most important goal should be to maintain customer trust and therefore longer-term loyalty. Litan said she doubts the breach will have much of an effect on Targets sales, noting that TJX launched sales promotions immediately following the news of its breach. The promotions increased sales. People care more about discounts than security, Litan said. ___ AP Technology Writer Bree Fowler reported from New York.

8 www.cnyvision.com | DECEMBER 19 - 25| 2013

President Obama: Help Our Less Fortunate at Christmas

By Hazel Trice Edney (TriceEdneyWire.com) - With a bi-partisan budget agreement established with no continuation of unemployment benefits, President Obama has appealed for Americans to Help Our Less Fortunate at Christmas. Every year, we mark the holiday season with celebrations and good cheer. And I should remind my girls that I like getting Christmas presents as much as anybody. But this is also a time to remember the story of a child born to two faithful travelers on a holy night, long ago, said the President in a rare moment of public reflection from a Christian perspective. The sacred birth of Jesus Christ was Gods gift to man on Earth. And, through His example, He taught us that we should love the Lord, love our neighbors, as we love ourselves. Its a teaching that has endured for generations. And today, it lies at the heart of my faith and that of millions of Americans, and billions around the globe. With a gradually improving economy, a bipartisan budget agreement that will avoid another government shutdown, Chaand a Congress about to recess for Christmas, Obama made note of the economic disparities that remain. No matter who we are, or where we come from, or how we worship, its a message of hope and devotion that can unite all of us this holiday season, he said. It compels all of us to reach out and help our less fortunate citizens - our poor, our sick, our neighbors in need - and to serve those who sacrifice so much on our behalf. The Presidents words of compassion were spoken between the music and festivities of the 32nd Christmas in Washington Broadcast held at the National Building Museum in Washington Dec. 15. This years event benefitted the Childrens National Medical Center. With what appears to be a repaired Affordable Care Act website bringing a degree of justice and parity to health care in America, the President must now focus on his annual State of the Union Address before a joint session of Congress Jan. 28. With three more years in office, Obama is expected to speak strongly on strengthening the economy specifically healing economic inequities. Meanwhile, in establishing a bi-partisan budget deal, Congress cut off extended unemployment benefits to 1.3 million Americans.Those benefits will end just after Christmas, causing great hardships to many. While the budget agreement is a slight improvement over current law because it provides temporary relief from acrossthe-board, automatic spending cuts known as sequestration, it shortchanges federal employees and turn its back on millions of unemployed Americans, said Congressional Black Caucus Chair Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) in a statement. She refused to vote for the budget bill, noting Unless reauthorized, unemployment benefits to 1.3 million Americans will end on December 28th. This cutoff will affect more than 3 million Americans over the next six months. With 1.3 million fewer jobs than in 2008 when the recession began, Fudge pointed out that Unemployment benefits play a critical role in helping Americans get back on their feet and strengthening our economy. In fact, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has found that unemployment benefits are one of the most effective fiscal policies to increase economic growth and employment. Nevertheless, Republican members of Congress argued that continuing to extend the benefits hurts the deficit. President Obama had also appealed for the extension of the unemployment benefits as well as a hike in minimum wage, but - so far - to no avail. Giving hope for 2014, the conversation about poverty in America appears to be increasing despite little talk of new policies to deal with it. Upon the 50th anniversary celebration of the March on Washington, Martin Luther King III in the presence of President Obama pointed out that the economic gap between Blacks and Whites had remained consistent for the past five decades. That included the unemployment rate which, in 1963, was 5 percent for Whites and 10.9 percent for Blacks. In August it was 6.6 percent for whites and 12.6 percent for blacks, about the same 6 percentage points apart. Civil rights leaders have been consistent in their outcries on behalf of the poor. Many of those excluded are found waiting in America. They wait while some in Congress would cut $8 billion from food stamps, or cut off benefits for more than a million long-term unemployed citizens, wrote National Urban League President/ CEO Marc Morial in a recent column. They wait while the Presidents proposal and the economic wisdom of a raise in the minimum wage continue to languish on Capitol Hill. They wait while working jobs for wages too low to support the basic needs of their families. They wait while some in Congress continue to resist transportation and infrastructure funding and the good paying jobs that would result. Concluding his column, Morial quoted the late Nelson Mandela who was laid to rest on Sunday: Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice. Like Slavery and Apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is manmade and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Sometimes it falls on a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom.

NATIONAL

9 www.cnyvision.com | DECEMBER 19 - 25| 2013

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OPINION/EDITORIAL
Black Girls Disproportionately Confined; Struggle for Dignity in Juvenile Court Schools
(TriceEdneyWire. com) Nationwide, African-American girls continue to be disproportionately over-represented among girls in confinement and court-ordered residential placements. MONIQUE W. They are also significantly overMORRIS represented among girls who experience exclusionary discipline, such as out-ofschool suspensions, expulsions, and other punishment. Studies have shown that Black female disengagement from school partially results from racial injustices as well as their status as girls, forming disciplinary patterns that reflect horrendously misinformed and stereotypical perceptions. While academic underperformance and zero tolerance policies are certainly critical components of pathways to confinement, a closer examination reveals that Black girls may also be criminalized for qualities long associated with their survival. For example, being loud or defiant are infractions potentially leading to subjective reprimanding or exclusionary discipline. But historically, these characteristics can exemplify their responses to the effects of racism, sexism, and classism. More than 42,000 youth were educated in juvenile court schools located in California correctional and detention facilities in 2012, according to the California Department of Education, and a disproportionate number of them were Black girls. In the states 10 largest districts by enrollment, Black females experience school suspension at rates that far surpass their female counterparts of other racial and ethnic groups. Little has been shared about these girls educational histories and experiences inside the states juvenile correctional facilities or out in the community. As a response, I conducted an exploratory, phenomenological, action research study that examined the selfidentified, educational experiences of Northern Californias Black girls in confinement using in-depth interviews and descriptive data analysis, among other research activities. The study revealed the following about the educational experiences of confined Black girls in Northern California: They value their education. Ninetyfour percent of the girls in this study reported their education to be either very important or important to them, and nearly as many said their education was equally as important to their parents or guardians, where applicable. They have a history of exclusionary discipline in their district schools. Eighty-eight percent had a history of suspension, and 65 percent had a history of expulsion from non-juvenile court schools; half cited elementary school as their earliest experience with suspension or expulsion. They experience exclusionary discipline while in detention, too. Almost all had been removed from a juvenile court school classroom, and one-third of these girls believed it was because they simply asked the teacher a question. Two-thirds reported it was the result of talking back - but in each case, the student felt she was responding to an unprompted, negative comment made by the teacher. One participant recalled, She called me retarded in front of the class...I have a learning disability. They have missed a lot of school. The majority reported having recently missed at least 2 weeks of instruction. Among these girls who missed significant portions of school, 36 percent had removed their court-ordered electronic monitoring device and/or were on the run and avoiding a warrant for their arrest. Fourteen percent cited prostitution as a major deterrence from attending or participating in school. For 18 percent, mothering a child under the age of 3 years old made attending school difficult. Over half reported they had been expelled from or had dropped out of school. They have drug use and/or dependency issues. Almost all of the girls in this study admitted to a history of smoking marijuana, and 65 percent reported doing so at or just before going to school. Among these girls, 64 percent reported their teachers knew they were high in class - all said there was no action taken by the school. Many of them lack confidence in their teachers. Nearly 60 percent reported a lack of confidence in the teaching ability and/or commitment of at least one instructor in their school, and almost half perceived a teacher routinely refusing to answer specific questions about the material they were learning. They are not engaged. The majority

The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the position or viewpoint of MRMG or CNY Vision

found the coursework to be too easy and perceived it as below their grade level. Their school credits do not transfer seamlessly between juvenile court schools and district schools. Most reported a prior experience in the juvenile court school where this study took place. Among these girls, 57 percent believed that the credits they earned while in detention had not transferred appropriately to their district school; the majority were unsure of their credit status. They have goals, but they dont know how to reach them. Eighty-eight percent had ideas of their occupational goals, with one-third indicating they would like to be a staff counselor at the juvenile hall. However, 73 percent felt their education was not preparing them for their future. This studys findings show where future research and advocacy efforts might better interrogate the effects of inferior and hyper-punitive nature of these schools. Notwithstanding their status as juvenile delinquents with significant histories of victimization, these girls tended to find a potentially redemptive quality in education. Though most of the girls in this study did not consider their juvenile court school to be a model learning environment, they generally agreed these schools occupy an important space along a learning continuum that has underserved them. For many of these girls, the figurative lacerations from bureaucratic and ethical failures may leave lasting marks. While our ultimate goal is to prevent more girls from being educated in correctional facilities, these schools should be included in the conversation about equity, not only because are they structurally inferior and failing to interrupt student pathways to dropout or push-out, but because there is a moral and legal obligation to improve the quality of education for all youth - even those who are in trouble with the law. We must continue to explore ways for access to quality education in these facilities more equitable, while improving the rigor of the curricula, such that it is trauma-informed and culturally competent. We must also examine ways to facilitate a seamless reentry of these girls back into their district schools and home communities. Thurgood Marshall wrote in Procunier

v. Martinez (1974), When the prison gates slam behind an inmate, he does not lose his human quality; his mind does not become closed to ideas; his intellect does not cease to feed on a free and open interchange of opinions; his yearning for self-respect does not end; nor is his quest for self-realization concluded. It is a long-standing American value that education is a potential tool to restructure social hierarchies and elevate the conditions of historically oppressed peoples. However, current trends in the administration and function of the juvenile court school may exacerbate many pre-existing conflicts between Black girls and teachers and/or the structure of learning environments. The limitations and challenges of these conditions may nullify the opportunities for improved associations between Black girls, school, and academic performance antithetical to the stated educational goal of the juvenile court school. If we can improve the accountability and performance of these schools alongside their district counterparts, we will inevitably move toward a more comprehensive approach to reducing the impact of policies and practices that criminalize and push girls out of school. We will, in essence, begin the process of maintaining her human quality - an essential component of her successful rehabilitation and reengagement as a productive member of our communities. A more detailed version of this article was published in the latest issue of Poverty & Race www.prrac.org. Monique W. Morris, Ed.D. (info@ moniquewmorris.com) is the cofounder of the National Black Womens Justice Institute (blackwomensjustice. org) and author of Black Stats: African Americans by the Numbers in the Twenty-First Century. (The New Press, January 2014). Americas Wire is an independent, nonprofit news service run by the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education. Our stories can be republished free of charge by newspapers, websites and other media sources. For more information, visit www.americaswire.org or contact Michael K. Frisby at mike@ frisbyassociates.com.

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OPINION/EDITORIAL
(TriceEdneyWire. com) - Six out of 10 uninsured A f r i c a n Americans who are eligible for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace may qualify for Medicaid, ZENITHA PRINCE the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP), or tax credits to help with the cost of premiums. The percentage of eligible persons would increase to 95 percent if all states were to expand Medicaid coverage as provided by the Affordable Care Act, according to a Dec. 9 report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The health care law is working to address long standing disparities in health care coverage and improve the health of the African American community, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius said in a statement. Through the Health Insurance Marketplace, 6.8 million uninsured African Americans have new options for affordable health coverage that covers a range of benefits, including important preventive services with no out-of-pocket costs. Of the 41.3 million uninsured Americans and legal U.S. residents, 16 percent are Black. African Americans tend to be uninsured at a higher rate than other Americans, statistics show. While 16 percent of all nonelderly U.S. citizens and other lawful residents are uninsured, 20 percent of eligible African Americans lack health

11 www.cnyvision.com | DECEMBER 19 - 25| 2013

The views expressed on our opinion pages are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the position or viewpoint of MRMG or CNY Vision

Six of 10 African-Americans Eligible for Health Coverage May Qualify for Aid on Premiums
insurance. Many of those uninsured live in Florida (677,000), Georgia (631,000), Texas (617,000), North Carolina (380,000) and New York (354,000). But four of those five leading states all except New Yorkdo not plan to expand Medicaid, which advocates said is troubling as many African Americans lack insurance because of meager incomes. More than half3.8 million or 55 percentof all eligible uninsured African Americans have family incomes below 100 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), and nearly twothirds of these people (2.4 million) live in states that are not expanding Medicaid. This means that more than one in three eligible uninsured African Americans may not gain access to affordable coverage through Medicaid in 2014 because their state declined to take the federally funded option to expand Medicaid eligibility, the report concluded. Critics of these mostly Republican-run states said they need to stop playing politics with peoples lives. [This] report is further proof that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is helping address health disparities by reducing costs for health care coverage in our most vulnerable communities, Congresswoman Donna Edwards (D-Md.) said in a statement. But the gains for the African American community should be even greater: all 50 states should put politics aside and expand Medicaid to give 95 percent of eligible African Americans the health care coverage they deserve.

Political Poverty Pimps

(TriceEdneyWire. com) - An article published on nky.com, titled, Running for Senate not job for paupers, cited: The average household in the United States has a net worth of james clingman $69,000, but the average wealth of a U.S. senator is about $12 million, according to statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau and Center for Responsive Politics. To me, it illustrated the fact that we are far removed from the original intent of serving in Congress; no longer are regular people going off to serve for a few years and returning home to their jobs as farmers, shopkeepers, and factory workers, and the like. Washington, D.C. has become a veritable money pit, and candidates are doing and saying some of the dirtiest hypocritical things in order to set up residence there. At the likely prospect of becoming millionaires, its no wonder those running for office are quite willing to forget about the people and get to work immediately to maintain their lucrative jobs in Congress. They spend more time running and campaigning than they do governing, and they end up staying in their positions for ridiculously long periods of time, which is why we have such dysfunction in Congress. But, there is also a high level of dysfunction among the people because we are the ones who elect and keep them in office, despite their horrendous record of working on our behalf. They become multimillionaires and we keep losing ground economically. You would think, in light of the current debate over raising the minimum wage and the sad financial situations affecting a huge number of American families, the people would decide to do something about the disparity and the utter disregard some of these nouveau poverty pimps have for us. Now lets be real here. It takes two to tango, right? If some of our elected officials are pimps, what does that make us? You know the word, no need to say it here. Question is, Why do we allow ourselves to be treated this way? We are obviously mesmerized by what we perceive as royalty and celebrity in this country, but to allow our penchant for person-worship to bleed over into the political arena is very dangerousand we are seeing the results of having done that for so long. We respond to some of our politicians in ways that mimic idol worship, and pay them quite well in the process. Since award shows are in vogue now, we should have a Political Players Ball and give an award for the best playa. They could dress in their best playa outfitspinstripe suits with red or blue ties, that is, and strut their stuff down the runway while they rattle off their promises and claims, and tell us how bad they feel for the poor and for disabled veterans. Of course, the one who has the most money would have a leg up on the competition and would probably get the most votes for Political Playa of the Year. Amos Wilson wrote, The irrational economy ofAmerica, based as it is on irrational consumption, requires a high level of impulsivity and economic stupidity in its population, all the more in its lower classes and subordinated African American population. Of course, Wilson was referring to economic empowerment and the lack thereof within our ranks, but the same principle applies to political empowerment, not only for Black voters but for the entire U.S. electorate. This nations elite relies and thrives on the necessary stupidity of consumers and the electorate to keep them in their positions of power. Political pimps, with an average wealth of $12 million versus $69,000 for those over whom they rule, are definitely slapping us around and making us pay them for doing so. Whats that famous line Huggy Bear and other pimps used to say? better have my money. I encourage the bi-polar electorate and the blind consumers to be more aware and active around these issues. If we act like sheep, we will be treated like sheep, right? We must stop getting so fired up about politicians who are only interested in having a sweet job as a result of our voting for them. We must stop being so emotional about politics and start being more practical. We major in the minors and get fighting mad because someone calls our President a name, and we spend an inordinate amount of time allowing the talking heads to stir the flames, which keeps our attention diverted from important issues. President Obama is a multi-millionaire too; believe me, he is not the least bit concerned about folks calling him names. He and his family are going to be just fine. What about you and your family? Stop working for the political pimps; they are supposed to be working for us.

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12 www.cnyvision.com | DECEMBER 19 - 25| 2013