City of Sacramento to Consider Economic Sanctions on Arizona

Go K.J. Go!  Why on earth would the City of Sacramento stick their nose in to the Arizona Immigration issue?

Most of the 80 speakers who addressed the council supported the city boycotting Arizona, including former Sacramento Police Chief Arturo Venegas, who called the law “the civil rights issue of today.”

“Will a boycott hurt Arizona?” Venegas asked the council. “Absolutely, that is the intent. However, the true intent is to repeal the racist law of Arizona.”

City officials were still working Tuesday to compile the value of the contracts the city has with companies based in Arizona.
But many of the speakers criticized the council for spending time on an Arizona law while the city grapples with its own issues, notably a $43 million deficit. Many others said they supported the Arizona law.

“You do this (boycott) to Arizona, we’ll do it to Sacramento,” said speaker Jim Ricketts.
Under the law, which takes effect July 29, police will be required to check for immigration status when they suspect those they stop, detain or arrest are in the country illegally. Critics have charged the law will lead to racial profiling, while supporters have touted it as an essential tool against violent drug cartels from Mexico.
The mayor said earlier Tuesday that, “personally, for me, I think a boycott would be the thing to do.” But he said he wanted the council to talk about it before the city took an official stand.

How can K.J. actually support this?  Does he not have more pressing issues?  Budgets, Unemployment, RUNNING A CITY, just to name a few.

Let’s not even discuss the fact that what Arizona is doing is the right thing to do.  If they are here illegally, send them packing!

K.J., you need to get your priorities straight…

Superintendent Backs Bonehead Decision

How quickly can these fools be fired?  It needs to happen now!  Feel free to voice your concerns here:

Dr. George V. Fornero

Superintendent
Administrative Center
1040 Park Ave West
Highland Park, IL 60035
Phone: (224) 765-1000

email: gfornero@dist113.org

Date: May 13, 2010 12:57:41 PM CDT

Subject: HPHS Girls’ Basketball Trip

Township High School District 113

1040 Park Avenue West · Highland Park, IL 60035-2283

May 13, 2010

Dear District 113 Parents, Students and Staff:

As you are aware, there has been significant media attention to Township High School District 113’s decision to not send the Highland Park High School varsity girls’ basketball team to a tournament in Scottsdale, Arizona scheduled for December, 2010.  This decision is not a political statement regarding the State of Arizona’s recently enacted legislation regarding immigration.

Under long standing constitutional law, all school districts are required to provide an education to all childrenwithin the District’s borders regardless of immigration status. District 113 boasts a diverse student population and, as a school district, we believe in equal opportunity for each of our students.  The selection of a girls’ varsity basketball team for the 2010-2011 winter athletic season will take place in November, 2010.  The team has yet to be selected.  When our students travel, the school district is responsible, both legally and ethically, for their safety, security and liberty.  We cannot commit at this time to playing at a venue where some of our students’ safety or liberty might be placed at risk because of state immigration law.  Our athletes will play in a competitive basketball tournament during their winter break.

Another important clarification relates to the misreporting that is present in some media outlets.  The basketball team has not qualified for a national championship tournament. Rather, they were striving to find a venue for next season that would stretch them and serve to unify the group as a team.  The protocol to take a trip within the US is to request approval from the Executive Council team.  The Arizona travel request was submitted to Executive Council just two weeks ago.  The request was denied for the reasons previously stated.

I believe it is important that our community members understand the facts of the situation.  While I am sure that with a complex issue such as this, reasonable people can disagree on a decision, it is essential that the community understand that our primary motivation is to show care and concern for all of our students.  Ensuring equality for all is a fundamental value for District 113.

Sincerely,

George V. Fornero

Superintendent

School Administrator Puts Politics Before Children

Parents in Illinois are outraged over a move by a local high school to scrap its girls basketball team’s trip to Arizona over the Grand Canyon State’s new immigration law.

The Highland Park High School varsity basketball team has been selling cookies for months to raise money for a tournament in Arizona..

Now, after winning their first conference title in 26 years, the girls are being denied the opportunity to play in the tournament over safety concerns and because the trip “would not be aligned” with the school’s “beliefs and values,” Assistant Superintendent Suzan Hebson told the Chicago Tribune.

Hebson said Arizona is off-limits, at least until it’s more clear how the state’s new law, which makes it a crime to be in the country illegally, will be enforced.

“We would want to ensure that all of our students had the opportunity to be included and be safe and be able to enjoy the experience,” Hebson told the Tribune about the tournament. “We wouldn’t necessarily be able to guarantee that.”

But Hebson is no stranger to controversy. She’s been criticized for making decisions based on politics numerous times in the past.

In 2007, when she was assistant superintendent for human resources in the district, Hebson made national news for supporting an initiative at Deerfield High School that required freshman students to participate in orientation panel discussions, one of which was led by members of the school’s Straight and Gay Alliance Network. During the seminars, upperclassmen spoke to the ninth graders about a variety of topics affecting homosexual teens, including their own personal experiences — and all students were required to sign confidentiality agreements swearing never to disclose what they heard.

Parents were not allowed to attend the panel discussions, leading some to call it an attempt to indoctrinate students into a homosexual lifestyle.

“This is unbelievable,” Matt Barber, policy director for cultural issues with Concerned Women for America, said at the time. “It’s not enough that students at Deerfield High are being exposed to improper and offensive material relative to unhealthy and high-risk homosexual behaviors, but they’ve essentially been told by teachers to lie to their parents about it.”

Their outrage grew as Hebson defended the program as a way to ease freshmen students’ transition into their new school. “We have a great deal of pride in the program and don’t feel we are overstepping any boundaries that [most] parents would feel are inappropriate,” Hebson told the Chicago Tribune, adding that the orientation included talks on subjects other than homosexuality.

See the Facebook Page that supports the girls!

Angelique Ashby for City Council

Looking for a solid candidate that’s not concerned with how many trees we have? Look no further!

Check out Angelique’s Website.

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Global Warming, Really???