Punished For Having Too Many Poor Black and Latino Students
A federal civil rights investigation found that LAUSD has been failing to effectively teach its English Language Learners and black students and, as a result, will lose federal funding if it cannot rectify the problem promptly, the Los Angeles Times reported yesterday. The school district agreed to sweeping changes in order to remedy the problem, despite its huge budget shortfall.
As usual, policy makers are conflating the symptom with the cause. There is no question that black and Latino children are doing poorly in LAUSD schools, as they are throughout the country. But there is no logical reason to believe that it is the fault of the district or its teachers
Prison Hunger Strikers’ Health Deteriorating Rapidly
California’s second prisoner hunger strike this year is now in its third week. The health of many prisoners is deteriorating rapidly, with some exhibiting serious symptoms. Men are fainting in their cells. One striker at Pelican Bay prison was hospitalized after suffering a heart attack, according to the OB Rag. Family members are accusing guards of not responding to calls for medical help.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) has transferred some prisoners at Pelican Bay from the Security Housing Unit (SHU) to Administrative Segregation, where they have been accused by the Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity coalition of attempting