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WWW.TRIANGLE TRIBUNE.COM Back to school The Triangle Ensuring a high quality education for all students in North Carolina districts By Cedric Johnson THE POLICY WATCH RIBUNE It’s back to school time, and more than 1.5 million students embarked TTHE TRIANGLE’S CHOICE FOR THE BLACK VOICE upon a new school year. Currently, the 10th-largest public school system in the nation, North Carolina has experienced steady growth in the number of students entering school doors in local communities across the state – VOLUME 18 NO. 30 WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2016 $1.00 enrolling more than 100,000 additional students over the past decade. This makes it more important than ever to increase investment in schools to en- sure the growing number of students receive a high quality education. The makeup of students in public schools has changed over time. Last North Carolina Central school year, no single race or ethnic group represented a majority of North Carolina’s student enrollment — a reflection of the changing demographic adds six transfers to trend in the state’s broader population. Furthermore, one of every two stu- recruiting roster. dents in public schools qualified for free or reduced school meals, which indicates that a significant number of students reside in low- and moder- ate-income households and face persistent economic challenges. One way to ensure that our schools have the resources to provide a qual- ity education to all students, regardless of their socioeconomic background, is through the state budget, which serves as an important source of educa- tion funding for our schools. For the new school year, the state budget under which schools will oper- Please see BACK/2A Proposal Police for more group NC police backs training juvenile By Herbert L. White THE CHARLOTTE POST justice North Carolina’s black lawmak- ers have launched an initiative to provide more extensive training reform for law enforcement. The Legislative Black Caucus, By Herbert L. White N.C. League of Municipalities and THE CHARLOTTE POST more than 150 police command- ers met last month in Raleigh to North Carolina’s largest review training and tactics, in- police organization wants cluding use of deadly force. From 16- and 17-year-olds tried as juveniles. that forum, Sen. Joel Ford of EMERY DALESIO/AP Charlotte, a co-convener of the The N.C. Police Benevo- Darryl Howard walks with his wife, Nannie, minutes after being freed from prison after lent Association has en- conference, said steps will be serving 21 years in Durham. taken to introduce a bill for addi- dorsed the N.C. tional training next year when the Commission on the Admin- General Assembly convenes. istration of Law and Justice “It was very productive and en- Criminal Investigation and Review of convictions Adjudication Committee’s lightening,” Ford said, “under- standing the premise, the recommendation to raise backdrop to pull together law en- the age of juvenile court ju- forcement statewide and look at risdiction for all crimes ex- underway in N. Carolina cept Class A through E some of the best practices and opportunities to implement felonies and traffic of- those best practices into legisla- By Martha Waggoner behind bars. Re-examining the cases be- fenses. North Carolina is tion so we can standardize those The group has focused that came necessary after the Duke one of only two states to and Emery P. Dalesio prosecute 16- and 17-year- across the state.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS investigation on about 20 case and after Howard's con- Said Rep. Kelly Alexander of cases, the center's executive di- viction was thrown out, said olds in adult criminal Charlotte, who attended the DURHAM – Advocates are un- rector, Chris Mumma, told The defense attorney Kerry Sutton, court. meeting. “We weren’t talking at dertaking a massive review of Associated Press on Thursday. who defended some of the “We recognize the nega- each other. We were talking to convictions in a North Carolina She said four directly involved three lacrosse players accused tive impact the current law each other about training, what county where one prosecutor work by Mike Nifong, the pros- of rape by a stripper a decade is having on 16- and 17- can be done to improve training was disbarred for misconduct ecutor in the Duke case; more ago. year-olds in North Car- and how it might relate to some in the Duke University lacrosse than half were handled by "I don't know that it was re- olina,” said Randy Byrd, of the topical issues of the day.” case and another was sus- other staffers during his nearly ally optional. There was not president of the North Car- Ford and Rep. Ed Hanes of Win- pended for ethics violations. three decades prosecuting any way around it. It was going olina PBA and member of ston-Salem called for the meeting Inspired by the innocence crimes in Durham. to be done," said Sutton, a the NCCALJ’s Criminal In- in the wake of last week’s deadly claims of Darryl Howard, who Mumma would not say friend of current District Attor- vestigation and Adjudica- police-civilian confrontations in was freed Wednesday after specifically why the center ze- ney Roger Echols. "I'd be sur- tion Committee. “We Louisiana, Minnesota and Texas. spending 21 years in prison for roed in on those 20 cases. prised if other damaging appreciate the efforts of The meeting included the High- two slayings he says he didn't However, cases in North Car- pieces of evidence of flaws or Chief Justice Mark Martin way Patrol, State Sheriff’s Associ- commit, the North Carolina olina and elsewhere have been things not done correctly – in- to convene the NCCALJ and ation, community college system Center on Actual Innocence re-examined when there are tentionally or unintentionally – bring together stakehold- and the Governor’s Office. has spent about two years qui- problems with evidence or wit- weren't found." ers to address this impor- Training time was a point of etly combing through hun- ness testimony, or suggestions Nifong became district attor- tant issue affecting the emphasis. To earn a barber’s li- dreds of cases from Durham of misconduct by police or ney in 2005, just before the youth of our state.” County of people who remain Two years ago, a biparti- cense in North Carolina, a candi- prosecutors. Please see REVIEW/2A date must complete 1,000 hours san bill to raise the age of of training, Ford said. For law en- juvenile jurisdiction forcement, it’s 616. passed in the N.C. House, “It takes more training to have a but has yet to move hot comb in your hand than a through the Senate. weapon,” Ford said. “That was North Carolina automati- truly a shock.” cally prosecutes 16- and The caucus wants to establish a Poll: Support for Black Lives Matter 17-year-olds with misde- program for improving officer meanors as adults, even for training and de-escalating con- “low-level offenses like frontations before deadly force is stealing a bag of Doritos,” grows among white young adults according to NC Child, an considered and used. The U.S. Justice Department drafted advocacy group. Until the By Jesse J. Holland and law changes, those who guidelines for police training and Emily Swanson tactics after finding systemic commit violent crimes will THE ASSOCIATED PRESS racism throughout Ferguson, Mis- still be prosecuted as souri’s mostly-white police force WASHINGTON — Support for the adults, which makes up a against black residents. The re- Black Lives Matter movement has low percentage of overall view was ordered after Darren increased among young white age-group offenses. Wilson, a white officer, shot and adults, according to a poll that sug- According to killed Michael Brown, an un- gests a majority of white, black, raisetheagenc.com, “Adult armed black man, in 2014. Asian and Hispanic young adults jails can turn kids in career Recent deadly confrontations now support the movement calling criminals, with tax payers between African Americans and for accountability for police in the footing the bill. By raising police like the 2013 Ferell shoot- deaths of African-Americans. the age of how we punish ing, in which a jury deadlocked Fifty-one percent of white adults and straighten out kids on whether to convict Charlotte- between the ages of 18 and 30 say who make minor mistakes, Mecklenburg Police officer Ran- in a GenForward poll they now we’ll keep our communi- dall Kerrick of killing the strongly or somewhat support ties safer, our kids on the unarmed Ferrell, have raised Black Lives Matter, a 10-point in- right track, (and) our tax dollars working toward awareness of the relationship be- crease since June, while 42 percent KATHY KMONICE/AP tween law enforcement and the said they do not support the move- common sense solutions communities they serve. ment. Supporters of Black Lives Matter rally outside Westhampton Beach rather then perpetuating The caucus held a similar meet- But most young whites also think Village Hall in Westhampton Beach, New York, in response to white problems.” ing with police leaders before, the movement’s rhetoric encour- supremacist flyers being found in local residents’ driveways. According to the website, Ford said, but partnering with the ages violence against the police, the policy change could generate $97.9 million in League of Municipalities broad- while the vast majority of young Matter movement in the June poll. the Associated Press-NORC Center long-term benefits among ened the participation to locally- blacks say it does not. And young Eighty-five percent of African- for Public Affairs Research.