And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >Reply-To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >From: "Gary Glenn" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Attacks Increase on Supporter of Hispanic & Indian school >Date: Thu, 10 Dec 1998 17:23:40 -0500 >X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook 8.5, Build 4.71.2377.0 >Importance: Normal > >Below is a follow up story on Flint (Michigan) Board of Education member >Lily Tamez Kehoe, who is being attacked and threatened with her job for >supporting the creation of a new public charter school for Latino and Native >American children. > >Following the FLINT JOURNAL article are two e-mail messages from supporters >of that new school, one of whom asked me to share his or her comments but to >withhold his or her identity, because, "Right now I have an invisible >'target sign' on my backside." > >Your assistance in defending school board member Kehoe in the exercise of >her free speech rights and her efforts to help Hispanic and Native American >children is deeply appreciated. > >GARY GLENN >President >School Choice YES! >517-839-4500 >517-839-4506 (fax) >www.SchoolChoiceYES.org >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > http://fl.mlive.com/news/index.ssf?/news/stories/oustli$01.frm > > >SCHOOLS CHIEF: KEHOE SHOULD QUIT > >Thursday, December 10, 1998 >by Dave Murray >JOURNAL EDUCATION WRITER > >FLINT - The head of the Flint Board of Education is calling for the >resignation of board member Lily Tamez Kehoe, saying Kehoe's support for a >charter school shows an "utter disregard" of her duties. >Board President Randall G. Talifarro on Wednesday sent a three-page letter >to board members and The Flint Journal attacking Kehoe, who said she has no >intention of stepping down. >"I can't legally demand that she resign," Talifarro said of the letter. "I >can't force her to leave the board. But I think her actions strongly warrant >it." >Kehoe dismissed the letter, calling Talifarro's demand at best a severe >overreaction and at worst part of a smear campaign orchestrated by >administrators who have the most to lose if a charter school opens in the >city. >"I don't know why they find what I did so threatening," she said. "Nobody is >forced to attend a charter school. If they're truly confident that they are >doing the very best they can for the Hispanic and American Indian children, >then nobody will want to attend the charter school and they have nothing to >fear." >A letter from Kehoe was included in an application filed by the Flint >Advantage Academy to open a charter school directed at Hispanic and American >Indian students. The application was sent to Central Michigan University and >was not intended for public release. It was obtained by The Journal through >the Freedom of Information Act. >In the letter, Kehoe states that the combined dropout rate for Hispanic and >American Indian students is 65 percent, the culture for such children is >typically ignored in traditional public schools and a subtle racism makes >students feel unwelcome. >Kehoe has said she wrote the letter in her role as executive director of the >Spanish Speaking Information Center and said she has no other role with the >proposed school. >Flint Advantage Academy's proposal is one of 10 applications to open charter >schools in the Flint area being mulled by CMU. >Kehoe said she can't understand why board leaders - who read a seven-page >statement criticizing her at last week's meeting - would spend so much time >rebuking her, yet continue to ignore the other nine proposals. >Charter schools are independent public schools that operate with the >approval of a university or school district. The schools can not charge >tuition and receive state aid. >Talifarro estimates that Flint Advantage Academy would cost the district $3 >million a year in state aid if it opens with 540 students as the founders >anticipate. >"Instead of using her position on the Board of Education to advance the >interests of Latino and American Indian students within our own school >system, Ms. Kehoe has given her support to the Advantage charter school," he >said in the letter. "This, in my opinion, is a breach of her duty ... and a >violation of her oath of office... . >"In my opinion, a Flint Board of Education member, who by supporting local >charter school efforts, potentially drains the resources of her own district >should no longer serve on this board." >Talifarro is the second district leader to suggest Kehoe step down. >George Wingfield, president of the city's teachers union, last week said >Kehoe probably should not remain on the board. He also said he will call for >her resignation in January. >His remarks have drawn fire from School Choice YES!, a Midland-based group >working to place a tuition tax credit plan on the 2000 ballot. >Gary Glenn, executive director of School Choice YES!, said Wingfield's >message appears bigoted unless he demands the resignation of every district >employee with a child in private schools and charter schools. >Wingfield said he did not want to respond to the group's statement. > >Dave Murray covers education. He can be reached at (810) 766-6383 or by >e-mail at [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >E-MAIL FROM SUPPORTER (NAME WITHHELD AT THIS PERSON'S REQUEST) OF HISPANIC / >AMERICAN INDIAN CHARTER SCHOOL FOR FLINT... > >Mr. Glenn: >Along with Vern Craig and other community members we have made application >to Central Michigan University for a charter school. We have formed a Board >of Directors and are working with Advantage Schools, Inc. from Boston, >Massachusetts. There are approximately ten groups in Flint who have made >applications for charter schools with C.M.U. and nine are NOT under attack. >I have sat back and carefully listened, and read, and considered the >extremely biased expressions, opinions, and condemnations of our group and >the charter school we are interested in opening. >We have sought to open a school with a strong curriculum that educates all >children. We want to develop a culture in the school that reflects the >traditional beliefs and values of American Indian and Latino children, their >parents, and communities. There are already, as I am sure you are aware, >other charter schools that have opened up that reflect an solid Afro-centric >curriculum and culture with a student population that is entirely >African-American. There already is the Medicine Bear (American Indian) >Academy in Detroit, the Benito Juarez Academy in Saginaw, and the Cesar >Chavez Academy in Detroit. There are two Afro-centric charters schools: El >Shabazz and W.E.B. Dubius (Lansing and Detroit). One of the applicants for >a charter school here in Flint is an African-American woman who wants to >open an Afro-centric based school. None of the members on our Board of >Directors have a problem with any of this because people of color should >have the opportunity and choice to have a school where their children can >learn the truth about their history and geography and traditions. >By the way...Flint already has a charter school: the Edison Project which >was implemented by the Flint Board of Education. Therefore they are already >in the charter school business. And...they are in the midst of opening >Northridge Academy, charter school, in the north end of Flint which will >have an Afro-centric curriculum and culture as the foundation of the >educational process. >The difference here is that Lily Tamez Kehoe, a member of the Flint Board of >Education wrote a letter of support...a letter that I asked her to write. >She is not the only person who I contacted but her letter reached me first >and so I sent it in with the application. Lily and I discussed the ethics >of this and agreed that because of the Edison Project and Northridge Academy >that there was no conflict. >We have not assumed or presumed to speak on behalf of any community members >or organizations other than ourselves as individuals and as a Board of >Directors for the charter school. We have not criticized particular >departments (Indian Education and Bilingual Education) within the Flint >Community Schools. >I have drawn my conclusions as to the hostile actions of the Flint Board of >Education, but I will state again...there is no other charter school under >attack the way ours is. >I am hoping that you will be able to give us some support in this matter. >Thank you > > > > >Dear Mr. Glenn, > >My name is Vernon Craig and I am a supporter of the charter school >application in process for Hispanic and American Indian children in Flint. > >I am writing in response to the School Choice YES! 12-3-98 press release >denouncing the UTF of Flint president's call for the resignation of Flint >board of education member Lily Tamez Kehoe because of her letter of >endorsement for the charter school. > >Since 12-3-98 , the Flint board of education, in concert with the Flint >school administration, has embarked upon a highly-orchestrated and >scurrilous agenda of intimidation and media blitz for the purposes of >driving Ms Kehoe from her elected board member position. While the president >of the Flint board of education cannot cite any Michigan Attorney General >opinions as legal basis for removal of Ms Kehoe from office, he is, along >with the endorsement and assistance of school administration leaders, intent >upon bringing about her resignation through intimidation and alleged >"community outrage". > >Ms. Kehoe, because of her courage to endorse an alternative learning >environment, is being subjected to a very substantial amount of pressure, >including the inference that her action could result in her removal as >Director of the Spanish Speaking Information Center in Flint and with it her >livelihood. > >Because of the degree to which this attack on Ms Kehoe has escalated in such >a short span of time, I would appreciate a reply regarding what, if any, >support from your organization and/or other statewide pro-charter/choice >groups may be available. This would/could be in the form of a local and >statewide counter-media blitz, as well as possible on-site demonstrations >and/or statements of support during the next open board meeting the 3rd week >of January 1999. > >Simply stated, a battle against school choice is being conducted in Flint. >Ms. Kehoe needs the support of Michigan school choice organizations as do >the parents, students and other supporters of school choice in this area. I >would be most appreciative of a response at your earliest convenience. > >Sincerely, > >Vernon Craig >3234 McClure Ave. >Flint, MI 48506 >Tel (810) 736-1525 >E-mail address: >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is distributed without profit or payment ...http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Tsonkwadiyonrat (We are ONE Spirit) Unenh onhwa' Awayaton http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ `"` `"` `"` `"` `"` `"`
