Peace and Justice Commission Recommends That the Berkeley City Council Adopt the 2020 Vision for Berkeley’S Children & Youth (See Attachment 1, Below)

Peace & Justice Commission North Berkeley Senior Center Regular Meeting June 2, 2008

MINUTES

The meeting convened at 7:05 pm with Chairperson Bob Meola presiding.

ROLL CALL Present: Donald Brody, Patty Campbell, Elliot Cohen, Peter Kafin, Wendy Kenin George Lippman, Rita Maran, Bob Meola, Michael Sherman, Megan Winkelman,

Absent: Diana Bohn, Jane Litman (excused); Phoebe Anne Sorgen; Jonathan Wornick (excused)

COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC

Community members (11) regarding: John Yoo Zimbabwe elections

ACTIONS TAKEN

Item # 5: 2020 Vision for Berkeley’s Children & Youth (Commissioner Winkelman)

M/S/C: (Winkelman, Cohen)

The Peace and Justice Commission recommends that the Berkeley City Council adopt the 2020 Vision for Berkeley’s Children & Youth (see Attachment 1, below):

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Ayes: Donald Brody, Patti Campbell, Elliot Cohen, Peter Kafin, Wendy Kenin George Lippman, Rita Maran, Bob Meola, Michael Sherman, Megan Winkelman

Noes: None. Abstain: None. Absent: Diana Bohn, Jane Litman, Phoebe Anne Sorgen, Jonathan Wornick

Item # 6: Zimbabwe Election Justice (Commissioner Lippman)

M/S/C: (Lippman, Meola)

The Peace and Justice Commission recommends that the Berkeley City Council adopt the recommendation on Zimbabwe Election Justice (see Attachment 2, below):

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Ayes: Donald Brody, Patti Campbell, Elliot Cohen, Peter Kafin, Wendy Kenin, George Lippman, Rita Maran, Bob Meola, Michael Sherman, Megan Winkelman

Noes: None. Abstain: None. Absent: Diana Bohn, Jane Litman, Phoebe Anne Sorgen, Jonathan Wornick

Item # 7: Discussion on former Deputy US Assistant Attorney John Yoo (Commissioner Lippman)

M/S/C: (Lippman, Meola)

Establish a Subcommittee on John Yoo (with first meeting to be held on Saturday, June 14, 2008 @ 1pm).

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Ayes: Patti Campbell, Elliot Cohen, Peter Kafin, Wendy Kenin, George Lippman, Rita Maran, Bob Meola, Michael Sherman, Megan Winkelman

Noes: None. Abstain: None. Absent: Diana Bohn, Jane Litman, Phoebe Anne Sorgen, Jonathan Wornick Donald Brody (out of room during vote)

NEXT MEETING The next regular meeting will be on Monday, July 7, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. in the North Berkeley Senior Center with a deadline of Friday, June 27, 2008 for submission of agenda items and materials for the July agenda packet. Dates are subject to change, please contact the Commission Secretary to confirm.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

______Eric M. Brenman, Secretary Peace & Justice Commission

ATTACHMENT 1

RECOMMENDATIONS for the Berkeley City Council regarding 2020 Vision for Berkeley’s Children & Youth

Whereas the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission has often voted in support of racial and educational equality,

Whereas the 2020 Vision is a public declaration that sets a goal for the elimination of what is commonly known as the “achievement gap” by the year 2020, when Berkeley Unified School District children who entered kindergarten in September 2007 are scheduled to graduate from Berkeley high schools,

Whereas ensuring equitable outcomes for all children of color in Berkeley schools is a problem larger than any single institution can deal with alone and the 2020 Vision proposes a “total community approach” to address this urgent need,

Therefore Be It Resolved that the Berkeley Peace and Justice Commission recommends that the Berkeley City Council adopt the 2020 Vision for Children and Youth, and authorize the City Manager to develop plans and models for internal and cross-jurisdictional collaboration to remove barriers to learning and to promote healthy development for all Berkeley children and youth.

DRAFT

ACTION CALENDAR June 15, 2008 To: Members of the City Council

From: Mayor Tom Bates Councilmember Darryl Moore Councilmember Max Anderson Councilmember Linda Maio

Subject: 2020 Vision for Berkeley’s Children and Youth

RECOMMENDATION: That the Berkeley City Council adopt the 2020 Vision for Children and Youth, and authorize the City Manager to develop plans and models for internal and cross- jurisdictional collaboration to remove barriers to learning and to promote healthy development for all Berkeley children and youth.

BACKGROUND: The 2020 Vision is a public declaration that sets a goal for the elimination of what is commonly known as the “achievement gap” by the year 2020. 2020 is the year when our children who entered kindergarten in September 2007 are scheduled to graduate from our Berkeley high schools.

The 2020 Vision recognizes that there are many dedicated and outstanding efforts and programs in our schools and in our community that are working to advance our children. We need to continue to build on and support them each and every year. However, Berkeley schools as a whole also have one of the greatest equity gaps between African American and Latino students and White and Asian students. That cannot continue!

Ensuring equitable outcomes for all children of color in our schools is a problem larger than any single institution can deal with alone. The 2020 Vision proposes a “total community approach” to address this urgent need.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: May require new and/or redirected funding.

CONTACT: Mayor Tom Bates 981-7100 Councilmember Darryl Moore 981-7120 Councilmember Max Anderson 981-7130 Councilmember Maio 981-7110

RESOLUTION NO. XX,XXX N.S.

ADOPTION OF THE 2020 VISION FOR BERKELEY’S CHILDREN AND YOUTH

WHEREAS, The Berkeley Integrated Resources Initiative, a partnership among BUSD, COB, UCB, local community organizations and key stakeholders, was created in 2006 to identify and weave public and private resources together to effectively address barriers to learning and promote healthy development for all Berkeley children and youth; and,

WHEREAS, United in Action, a community-driven multi-ethnic coalition, formed in 2002, and consisting of Latinos Unidos, Parents of Children of African Descent, Berkeley Federation of Teachers, Berkeley Organizing Congregations for Action, and Berkeley parents and residents have been advocating to eliminate racial and ethnic inequities in educational opportunity and achievement in Berkeley Public Schools; and,

WHEREAS, The Berkeley Unified School District created the Office of Integrated Resources in 2005 to weave culturally relevant school and community programs and services together, launched the Universal Learning Support Systems to provide early and coordinated intervention services for students, and in 2008 launched a district process to develop a comprehensive plan to address the achievement gap within the schools; and,

WHEREAS, The City of Berkeley is committed to the elimination of health inequities which are directly correlated to educational achievement;

WHEREAS, The City of Berkeley in 2007 created a Youth Services Coordinator in the Office of the City Manager to lead an Interdepartmental Youth Services Team and collaborate with community agencies to improve the coordination and utilization of City resources for youth.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Berkeley City Council join together with the Berkeley Unified School District and the community in a call for urgent action to make educational success and equity for all Berkeley’s youth a communitywide priority, removing the barriers to learning, providing opportunities and creating an environment where all children can reach adulthood with the knowledge, skills and values to realize their full potential and participate meaningfully in the world.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Berkeley City Council, join with the Berkeley Unified School District and community to adopt the 2020 Vision for Children and Youth: That all children, regardless of race, ethnicity and income, who enter Berkeley public schools beginning in 2007 (and remain in the district), will achieve equitable outcomes with no proficiency differences by the time they graduate in June, 2020; and that all children born in Berkeley in 2007 and beyond, receive a healthy start and are equally ready to learn and succeed in the Berkeley public schools.

The 2020 Vision for Children and Youth calls for the following:

1. Create a comprehensive action plan to address educational success for all Berkeley’s children that articulates specific models, goals and measurable outcomes toward achieving the 2020 Vision.

2. Develop a comprehensive action plan to promote healthy child development and articulate specific models, goals and measurable outcomes to ensure school readiness for all children entering the Berkeley schools

3. Establish a culturally inclusive professional development and recruitment plan for teachers, administrators, and city youth-service and city-funded agency employees, that builds on the strengths of youth and family and that focuses on removing the barriers to educational success.

4. Lead a parent/guardian, and youth engagement process that amplifies the voice of typically under-represented youth, family and community, understanding that schools do not exist in isolation, and that community and family engagement and well-being are critical to achieving educational success.

5. Implement a community engagement process that brings together key stakeholders, including Berkeley City College, UC Berkeley, the local business community and community-based organizations to create clear and accessible pathways for career development and/or higher education for all Berkeley youth.

6. Leverage local, state and national public and private resources: Develop a coordinated effort with the City of Berkeley, BUSD, and other stakeholders to coordinate revenue generation for priority programs and services that leverage and maximize public and private dollars so that all students have adequate and equitable supports for their success.

7. Commit to shared accountability, with specific benchmarks for success. Both the City and the School District will work with the community to adopt short, medium and long-term outcome measures, and they will enhance their data collection systems and develop rigorous mechanisms to guide measure achievement towards results and to guide continuous improvement efforts.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Berkeley City Council adopts The 2020 Vision for Berkeley’s Children and Youth and authorizes the City Manager to work with city department directors in developing plans and models for internal and cross-jurisdictional collaboration in service of The 2020 Vision.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City in partnership with the School District and United In Action invite all relevant public and private entities to become part of a new citywide partnership devoted promoting educational equity.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City in partnership with the School District and United In Action help to convene a Community Commitment Conference (Future Search) to solidify a clear-sighted vision and to mobilize the will of the city around eliminating educational inequities.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City allocate resources to support the development of an All City Equity Taskforce (ACET) of experts and scholars empowered: (1) to hold all partners accountable for achieving progress on the 2020 vision and (2) to make policy recommendations to the City Council, School Board, and community partners.

The foregoing Resolution was adopted by the Berkeley City Council on Month XX, 2008 by the following vote:

Ayes:

Noes:

Absent: ______Attest: ______Tom Bates, Mayor Deanna Despain, Deputy City Clerk

ATTACHMENT 2

Peace and Justice Commission

DRAFT

From Commissioner Lippman, June 2, 2008

To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council

Subject: Zimbabwe Election Justice

RECOMMENDATION:

Council calls upon all national governments, both individually through their national structures and their representatives in international organizations, to demand an end to election related violence in Zimbabwe by government forces, and to ensure, by diplomacy and other non-military means, a safe environment for both the presidential runoff campaign and election day.

Council further calls upon all governments to come together to press the Zimbabwean Government to allow the free will of the Zimbabwean people to be expressed through free and fair elections monitored by internationally accredited independent observers.

Council directs the City Clerk to send this document to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, South African President Thabo Mbeki, African Union Chairperson Jakaya Kikwete, Zimbabwean President Robert G. Mugabe, Movement for Democratic Change President Morgan Tsvangirai, and the Southern African Development Community Chairperson Levy Patrick Mwanasasa.

FISCAL IMPACTS OF RECOMMENDATION:

None.

CURRENT SITUATION AND ITS EFFECTS:

Currently, the conditions for a fair and democratic election do not exist in Zimbabwe. While direct intervention by any foreign power is not recommended, international attention is being requested toward the nations of southern Africa and their ability to influence the Mugabe government to respect the rule of law and the right of the people to participate freely in the democratic process.

By directing an appeal to the African Union and to the Southern Africa Development Community, our community can support the people of Zimbabwe and affirm the principle of regional empowerment to directly engage the Mugabe government in talks aimed at quelling the violence, to provide election monitors and a process for investigating election irregularities

Without expressing support for any political party, our city can add its support to the growing number of governments, organizations and individuals around the globe who are calling for freedom in Zimbabwe. The “Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition" is made up of 350 civil society organizations inside Zimbabwe calling for fair elections and an end to the violence. Also, various well-known political and religious figures have added their voices to those calling for free elections including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nelson Mandela and the Rev. Allen Boesak.

Background:

On March 29, 2008, an election was held in Zimbabwe with current President Robert Mugabe running against Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai and Independent candidates

Simba Makoni and Langton Towungana. Although the election itself was relatively free of violence, the results of the presidential election were delayed for five weeks. After results were released, they were contested by the MDC party which claimed that it had won a majority of the votes. Since that time, a climate of terror has been created by elements within Zimbabwe loyal to President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF.

To date, 50 MDC party members have been killed and hundreds of supporters beaten for offenses such as participation in MDC activities, driving MDC supporters to the polls, and failure to promote the ruling party. In addition, thousands of MDC supporters have had their homes burned or been otherwise forced to flee their homes, thus rendering them unable to vote in the election run-off currently scheduled for June 27, 2008.

In addition, the opposition party has been banned from holding political rallies. Church meetings have been forcibly dispersed by government forces. According to the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, the current climate of fear and intimidation is not conducive to a free and fair election.

The African Union (AU) is an intergovernmental organization consisting of 53 African nations. The AU is the successor to the Organization of African Unity. Among the objectives of the AU are to accelerate the political and socio-economic integration of the continent; to promote and defend African common positions on issues of interest to the continent and its peoples; to achieve peace and security in Africa; and to promote democratic institutions, good governance and human rights.

The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) is a regional organization of governments in southern Africa The Member States are Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Web references: www.crisiszimbabwe.org www.standupzimbabwe.org