e e k l y W EL CHICANo Features, Lifestyle & News You Can Use!
Vol 53, NO. 10
THIS WEEK Gloria’s Corner and Words To Think About A3 & A5
Renee’s Return to San Bernardino A7
Groups say more to be accomplished with school suspensions, policing
F
By Anthony Victoria
or over two years, community organizations have met with San Bernardino City Unified School District officials to present policy recommendations for Section 48900-K of the California Educational Code that allows school administrators to suspend students for defiance.
Dignity Health Awards Community Grants
Last October the three groups recommended that the board adopt alternative discipline pracSuspensions cont. on next page
“The leadership say they are ready,” Valdemar declared.
COURTESY PHOTO
Recent incidents have put into question the tactics used by San Bernardino City Unified School District police officers at school sites and whether their conduct is justified. In Nov. 2012, Josue Muniz, 20, was arrested for hugging his girlfriend during lunch time at Arroyo Valley High School--an incident that led to him being pepper sprayed.
ONE SECTION, 16 PAGES
A6 A11 A12 A4 A6 A10
HOW TO REACH US Office: (909) 381-9898 Fax: (909) 384-0406 Editorial: iecn1@mac.com Advertising: sales@iecn.com
A
In an interview on Tuesday evening, Valdemar explained the coalition has planned meetings with Fontana and Rialto Unified School District officials in March and April to implement pilot programs focusing on multiethnic interdisciplinary education at their high school sites.
INSIDE
Inland Empire Community Newspapers
REGION’S ETHNIC STUDIES CAMPAIGN MAKING INROADS
ccording to community Mary organizer Valdemar, the Ethnic Studies Now campaign in the Inland region may be making strides.
A15
Calendar Classifieds Legal Notices Opinion Calendar Sports
February 25, 2016
By Anthony Victoria
Although there have been statements made by district officials to ensure the public they are making inbounds in regards to student suspension rates, leaders of the Inland Congregations United for Change (ICUC), Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement (COPE), and the Youth Action Project (YAP) believe there is much more to be accomplished.
“For us it’s been a frustrating experience,” said ICUC Executive Director Tom Dolan. “But we’ve made some advances.”
IECN
.com
COURTESY PHOTO
ICUC executive director Tom Dolan (center) said it has been a frustrating experience working with San Bernardino City Unified School district officials, but remains optimistic that policy changes can be made on willful defiance suspension policy.
Last October, the San Bernardino City Unified School District approved an agreement to grant Cal State University Los Angeles Professor Enrique Ochoa the capacity to create a curriculum pilot program for students, faculty, and staff at San Bernardino High School. Cajon High School launched a similar program that same fall.
Valdemar, who lives in San Bernardino, said the coalition-comprised of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the Chicano Indigenous Community for Culturally Conscious Advocacy and Action (Ch.I.C.C.C.A.A.), the Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán (M.E.Ch.A.) at San Bernardino Valley College, the Indigenous Defense Resistance Unity Movement (IDRUM), the Inland Congregations United for Change (ICUC) and local educators-have gathered letters of endorsement from community members. She hopes the working party could garner wider ethnic representation.
“We would like to see a broader representation of people,” Valdemar said. “We need more Asian-American, AfricanAmerican, and Native/Indigenous participation. We want to be more inclusive of ETST cont. on next page