Archive for March, 2010

Submitted by: Champaign County Branch-NAACP

Education, in the broadest sense, is any act or experience that has a formative effect on the mind, character, or physical ability of an individual. In its technical sense, education is the process by which society deliberately transmits its accumulated knowledge, skills, and values from one generation to another. The Latin word for educate- educere- means to bring up, bring out, and/or bring forth what is within; bring out potential.  Education is a concept referring to the process in which students can learn.

It is the position of the NAACP Champaign County Branch, in regards to District 116 budget reductions, that when it comes to programs that enhance the education and progress of students of color, the NAACP Champaign County Branch believes that such programs should not be part of district budget reductions. Specific programs include:

1. District parent and community outreach liaison including Latino liaison.
2. Minority Enrichment Program Coordinator
3. Alternative Education Program (Recapture)

We believe that these programs are essential to the success of our students. The media has reported that we are concerned only about persons, and not programs. The truth is that without key people, these programs wouldn’t be such a success. In this situation, the programs are the people who compose them and the two cannot be separated.  When students of color succeed, the whole district succeeds. Yes, Illinois is in a financial crisis, but that can’t deter us now, nor will it ever deter us. We believe the district has the ability and compassion in their hearts to see that these programs remain apart of the schools.

In closing, the Champaign County Branch of the NAACP will continue to fight for the equal treatment when it comes to all teachers and students, especially teachers and students of color. The NAACP is the oldest, biggest, and baddest civil rights organization of today. Last year we celebrated our Centennial anniversary.  What a feat! The organization was formed around the 1908 Springfield race riots. We have come a long way and still have a long way to go.  We won’t be turned around now!
Respectfully Submitted,

Rev. T.A. Burks-1st Vice President

Join us in a unified voice to let Congressman Johnson know that he must support small businesses and families, and NOT
the big profits of the insurance company gained by abusing consumers!

When: Thursday, March 18th at 5:30pm.
Where: Congressman Johnson’s Champaign Office, 2004 Fox Drive, Champaign IL

Bring a pair of shoes to demand that Congressman Johnson try “walking in our shoes” before he makes a final decision to side with the unfair insurance industry. Or bring a “message in a bottle”- write a message demanding that Congressman Johnson support health care reform and put it in a medicine bottle. We will deliver these to Congressman Johnson’s office.

Download Rally Flyer for more information

The Issue:

Too many Americans today are straining under the burden of two related trends: shrinking health care coverage and rising health care costs. Over the last decade, millions of Americans have found themselves uninsured, and millions more have become underinsured as the value of their coverage has declined. In the years 2008 – 2010, it is estimated that approximately 6,000 people a day, or almost 7 million Americans total, will lose their health insurance.  At the same time, health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs have risen steadily, and the number of families who are facing unmanageably high health care costs continues to grow. In fact, nearly one in four non-elderly Americans are in families that will spend more than 10% of their pre-tax dollars on health care in 2009, and the vast majority of them (more than 82%) have health care insurance.  Furthermore, in the United States today the color of your skin, your ethnic background and where you live can not only influence your health care access and quality; they can determine them. And while medical science has made a lot of advances over the last 10 years, the gains made by the discovery of new drugs and treatments have not passed on to all segments of our population.

Health care reform is currently moving through Congress, and the NAACP is working hard to ensure that the final product has the following four elements: (1) Full health care coverage that is affordable to every individual, family and business which also provides coverage for pre-existing conditions; (2) Standard, comprehensive health care benefits that meet everyone’s needs from preventive to chronic care; (3) The choice of a private (allowing recipients to stay with their existing health care coverage if they choose) or public health care plan, which includes a new public health care plan (the “public option”) that will provide a guaranteed backup which will always be there to ensure quality, affordable health care coverage no matter what; and (4) Equity in health care access, treatment, research, and resources to people and communities of color and stronger health services in low-income communities.

Download Full Action Item and Action Letter