September 25, 2014 VOLU M E 9 1 | I S SUE 6
LakewoodSentinel.com A publication of
J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
Biden urges strength to stop domestic violence Vice president speaks at agency in Denver By Vic Vela
vvela@colorado communitymedia.com
Volunteers keep an eye on a wood fire kiln at the Fall Firing Festival at Washington Heights. Photos by Clarke Reader
GETTING FIRED UP FOR FALL
The Washington Heights Arts Center, 6375 W. First Ave., hosted demonstrations on all of the pottery firing techniques: raku firing, a pit fire, salt kiln firing, wood kiln and gas car kiln firing. The Friday, Sept. 19, event featured food and entertainment for curious visitors.
Washington Heights teacher Sumi von Dassow pulls pots from the remnants of a fire pit. The firing was part of the first Fall Firing Festival held at the art center. Potters at the Washington Heights Fall Firing Festival pull their work from a Raku kiln. The family outing was a chance for people to see how the different kilns at the art center work.
Vice President Joe Biden came to Denver on Sept. 19 to urge men to stand up against domestic violence, saying that men have “an absolute obligation to intervene when you see violence taking place.” “That’s manhood,” the vice president said. “That’s being a man.” Biden gave his passionate remarks prior to taking part in a round-table discussion on domestic violence at a Safehouse Denver office on Capitol Hill. The organization provides services and shelter for battered women. Biden’s trip marks the 20th anniversary of the Violence Against Women Act, which he spearheaded as a U.S. senator. Biden recalled some pushback at the time of the legislation, saying that some used to consider domestic violence “a family matter.” The vice president thanked the press for covering that effort 20 years ago, saying the media was “the reason why we’ve been able to put a face on domestic violence.” Biden’s remarks came just a couple of hours after National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell apologized to fans for his handling of recent incidents involving domestic violence among league stars. “I would respectfully suggest to you had what has gone on in the NFL in the last four weeks been reported in 1984, I doubt very much it would get the coverage it’s getting now,” Biden said, in a nod to the changing cultural
Domestic violence victim and advocate Rose Andom wipes away a tear as Vice President Joe Biden talks about domestic violence during a Sept. 19 visit to a women’s safehouse in Denver. Photo by Vic Vela attitudes toward domestic violence. Biden was flanked by Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and domestic-violence advocates and survivors. Hancock — whose sister was shot 12 years as part of ongoing domestic violence suffered at the hands of her boyfriend — praised Biden’s work on the issue. The mayor also touted the soon-to-be built Rose Andom Center — named after a domestic violence survivor who sat next to the vice president — which will serve as a “onestop shop” for domestic-violence victims to receive care and services. The center will have on-site police, magistrates and child and pet care services. “Our goal here today is to shed light on the issue of domestic violence in our community,” Hancock said. Biden reminded the audience that violence isn’t unique to certain groups of people. He said that gays and lesbians are also victims, as are undocumented immigrant women, who may fear deportation by going to the
police to report abuse. And Biden urged college students to step up whenever a violent act against a woman seems imminent. “Turning away when you see a fraternity brother take an obviously, completely, thoroughly drunk young woman and head to his room, you have a moral obligation — you are a coward if you do not stop him,” Biden said. Biden’s visit was also meant to call attention to a newly launched White House campaign that calls attention to domestic violence. The campaign, called “It’s on Us,” asks every man in America to sign an online pledge to intervene in incidents involving domestic violence. Biden said one of the ways the society “wins” the fight against domestic violence is when men realize that certain actions are never acceptable. “(We win) when every young man in America knows there is not a single circumstance that exists that justifies any man in this room or this nation raising a hand to a woman, other than in selfdefense,” he said.
Three Arvada high schools walk out to show views By Crystal Anderson and Clarke Reader
canderson@colorado communitymedia.com creader@colorado communitymedia.com Students across Jeffco are walking out of class — for a cause. Across Jefferson County, students are organizing “walk outs” in protest against a resolution which would limit items in the AP U.S. History curriculum. The resolution, penned by board member Julie Williams, seeks to see that the material emphasizes positive aspects of American history and “should not encourage or condone” civil disobedience, social strife or disregard of the law. Started Sept. 19, following a teacher “sick day,” students have been seen protesting along major streets near school campuses in support of their teachers and against the resolution. Students at Pomona, Arvada West and Ralston Valley high schools in Arvada
staged walk outs on the morning of Sept. 23. More than 100 students walked out of class at Pomona, carrying signs that said “Stand up for teachers” and “Don’t’ censor history” and spread out along Wadsworth, between Pomona Drive and W. 80th Avenue. Students chanted cheers for the school as drivers honked as they passed by. “This was organized mainly through Facebook and the Internet, and together we made a plan that would work for everyone,” said junior Chrystal Sanborn. “You can’t censor history because if you don’t learn about it it’s going to keep happening.” Jacque Bruce, a freshman at Pomona, said that the teachers supported the walk out and were happy the students were standing with them. It wasn’t only students who participated in the walk out. “The public thinks this is just a teacher problem but education for the students is being dismantled,” said Andrea Stevens, a Jeffco mother whose son attends Creighton
Students from Pomona High School staged a walk-out on Sept. 23 and held signs along Wadsworth Boulevard in protest of recent actions by the school board. Photo by Clarke Reader Middle School in Lakewood. “This board is disrupting everything, and I wanted to try and help save my son’s education.” Several students voiced their concern about the effect the changes would have on their current education and their futures. “We love our teachers and I want to be one,” said junior Gabi Bruno. “I wanted
to stay in Jeffco to be a teacher but if this keeps on I’m going to have to look somewhere else.” Along with the protests, Jeffco students have organized a petition via www.moveon. org to oppose the curriculum change. At the time of publication, it had more than 10,000 signatures.