"...to remain silent and indifferent is the greatest sin of all..." Elie Wiesel -- Holocaust survivor, author, human rights activist, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate _____________________________________
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DISMANTLING THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE FORUM |
The "School To Prison Pipeline" (STPP) refers to a disturbing national trend in which students are funneled out of public schools and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems.
in conjunction with
 
Presents
DISMANTLING THE
SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE FORUM
March 13, 2010
at
Atlanta's John Marshall Law School
1422 W. Peachtree St. NW
Atlanta, GA 30309
10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Room 301
Opening Speaker:
Clayton County Juvenile Court
Forum Registration
Space is Limited!
The forum and lunch are free. However, you must register in order to receive lunch.
For more information contact: Lisa Skinner at [email protected] or
Lunch provided by:
Atlanta Community Engagement Team (ACET) |
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GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS THREATEN PRE-K
From the Southern Education Foundation and Voices for Georgia's Children:
"The Southern Education Foundation (SEF) and Voices for Georgia's Children have released two policy briefs analyzing Governor Sonny Purdue's proposed 2011 budget for the lottery-funded Georgia Pre-K.
[Governor Purdue] is proposing to keep the lottery-funded Pre-K budget flat while increasing HOPE scholarships by almost 25 percent. His proposal also would cut 75% of the Department of Early Care and Learning's Resource Coordinator (RC) program. The proposal endangers the state's capacity to deliver essential services for an effective high-quality Pre-K program and the states' national ranking in this vital service.
The RC Program prepares Pre-K children for school--many of [whom] are from low-income families--by providing support services in health and wellness, child development, community resources and kindergarten readiness. The program costs $18.5 million-costing just over 5% of the Pre-K budget.
Georgia Pre-K needs to expand to meet demand and keep Resource Coordinators who are vital to providing high-quality Pre-K experiences:
· Only 58% of Georgia's 4-year-olds are currently served by Georgia Pre-K.
· More than 8,300 children are on a waitlist for lottery-funded Georgia Pre-K.
· Nearly 500 Resource Coordinators serve more than 47,000 children in over 130 Georgia counties.
· Georgia has $872 million in annual lottery revenue and almost $1 billion in lottery reserve to support both Pre-K and HOPE.
Cutting the state budget may be necessary this year, but cutting a service with a proven track-record of improving the well-being and achievement of thousands of low-income children, and where lottery revenue shortfalls are not a problem, is counterproductive."
ICM CALL TO ACTION!
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JUVENILE JUSTICE MATTERS:
JUSTGEORGIA LEGISLATIVE UPDATE |
| ACTION ITEM: Next Hearing on SB 292: The Child Protection and Public Safety Act
As a member of the JUSTGeorgia coalition, ICM is calling on you to help us bring juvenile code reform to Georgia. The next Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on SB 292: The Child Protection and Public Safety Act is scheduled for Tuesday, March 9, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., in Room 125 of The State Capitol.
The Child Protection and Public Safety Act is a comprehensive reform of Georgia's current Juvenile Code. Not only does it bring order and clarity to the Code, it calls for restorative justice for Georgia's children.
We need your supportive presence at these hearings. Also, contact your state legislators and let them know that you support juvenile code reform and JUSTGeorgia.
We especially need for you to contact the following members of the Senate Judiciary Juvenile Code Rewrite Sub-Committee:
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SPIRITUAL WITNESS FOR CHILDREN |
One of the most important things faith communities can do for children is to pray for them.
Every child is a child of God and deserves justice and compassion. Every child deserves our prayers.
ICM encourages every faith community to become a spiritual witness for children. Hold a worship service in your church, synagogue, mosque or temple and invite others to join in praying for the well-being of all children. |
ICM Mission and Goals
The Interfaith Children's Movement was formed in 2001 as an intentional association of individuals and communities of faith from all religious traditions.
The Interfaith Children's Movement strives to be a voice for all Georgia children, but especially the poor and marginalized whose voices are often unheard.
ICM works closely with Georgia's policy-oriented child advocacy organizations, such as:
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Voices for Georgia's Children,
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The Barton Child Law and Policy Clinic at Emory University,
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Georgia Appleseed,
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JUSTGeorgia,
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Prevent Child Abuse Georgia and
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A Future.Not a Past. (child prostitution prevention).
These organizations set the agenda for our advocacy work for children.
ICM's faith community members provide a megaphone to the legislature about what needs to be done for children.
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73% OF GEORGIA VOTERS FAVOR $1 TOBACCO TAX INCREASE TO HELP CUT STATE'S BUDGET DEFICIT
Tobacco tax would bring in $354 million in new revenue, reduce youth smoking
ATLANTA (March 2, 2010) - As the Legislature prepares to reconvene next week, a new poll released today shows that 73 percent of Georgia voters support raising the tobacco tax by $1 per pack to cut the state's budget deficit and help preserve Medicaid funding in the state.
This support comes from a broad-based coalition of voters, including 72 percent of Republicans, 79 percent of Democrats, and 65 percent of Independents. Even half of smokers (50 percent) support the tobacco tax increase to preserve health care funding. [MORE] |
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TOBACCO TAX RALLY
MONDAY, MARCH 8, 2010 |
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How many reasons do we need?
The Tobacco Tax Rally will be gin at 9:00 a.m. on March 8, 2010, at Central Presbyterian Church, directly across the street from The State Capitol.
Rally contact: Bernard Reynolds, [email protected], (404) 862-5615. |
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A.B.L.E. LOBBY DAY @ THE CAPITOL
MARCH 17, 2010 |
| ABLE will meet at The Coverdell Legislative Office Building (CLOB- located on Mitchell Street across from the Capitol) in Room 307 at 9:00 a.m. Coffee and light snacks will be provided.
For more information, please contact Rev. Tracy Blagec at 404.218.7913 or [email protected] or Azadeh Shahshahani at 770.303.8111 or [email protected]. |
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IMMIGRATION ON THE HOMEFRONT
Immigrant Students on 1,500-Mile Protest March from Florida to D.C. Stop in Atlanta for Support
Posted on March 3, 2010, by meagan (NOTES FROM THE TRAIL - "Gwinnett County Sheriff Meeting")
"We've had wonderful success in Atlanta. On Saturday we walked the final 1.5 miles into Atlanta with over 200 people and a marching band from Georgia Tech. We left from Moreland Plaza and arrived to the First Iconium Baptist Church on Moreland Avenue where there were over 300 attendees. At the meeting we had a state representative come out, and we received a letter from the mayor in support of the Trail. Monday night we had dinner at the GLAHR office where high school students such as Rubi from Marietta joined the regular crowd for the community meeting. We stayed in warm, clean beds at Agnes Scott College, where Suzy, Irene, and Kalena met us for breakfast every day.
Today is the first time that we are really leaving the Atlanta perimeter, and potentially starting another dark chapter in the Trail of Dreams like the KKK rally we had before Atlanta, as the walkers attempt to meet with the sheriff of Gwinnett County, R.L. "Butch" Conway. The sheriff is proud of his recently implemented 287-G program, which is the reason that the walkers, if arrested, face deportation in as little as 2 days.
We have many going with us - many leaving their documents at home - from organizations such as ABLE, GLAHR, SPLC (the Southern Poverty Law Center), and the ACLU. Gaby, Felipe, Juan, and Carlos only want to talk - to show not only that they as immigrants are human - but also to reaffirm - that they are not afraid."
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STATE BUDGET ISSUES  |
Lawmakers Have Plenty of Options to Avoid Deepest Cuts to Education, Healthcare, Public Safety
March 3, 2010 - Historic declining revenues caused by the recession and an out-of-date tax system are to blame for Georgia's tremendous deficit, despite using Recovery Act funds. Rejecting targeted revenue increases is irresponsible management of the state's budget.
The Georgia Budget and Policy Institute's latest fact sheets demonstrate that economies of states which raise targeted taxes fare the same as those which do not, and outlines revenue solutions Georgia lawmakers can employ immediately to stem the deep cuts to vital services.
Several legislators noted today that we need to seek a balanced plan in managing the deficit for the state's university system, a balance of service cuts and revenue increases. Deputy Director Sarah Beth Gehl agrees, "Legislators should seek a balanced approach to the entire budget process, with an eye toward targeted cuts as well as responsible revenue measures.
Download the one-page fact sheet: Spending Cuts Harm Georgia's Economy More Than Targeted Tax Increases
Download the fact sheet: Georgia Has Revenue Options
To review an analysis of the governor's proposed 2011 budget, read Highlights of the Governor's Amended FY 2010 & FY 2011 Proposals. |
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