Winter 2008 ACLU News
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AMERICAN CI V IL LIBERTIES UNION OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA BECAUSE FREEDOM CAN’T PROTECT ITSELF WINTER 2008 newsV O L U M E L XX I I I S S U E 1 ACLUWHAT’S INSIDE Legislative Gains One-on-One With ACLU Report to Youth Exposé on 3 and Setbacks 6 Harry Belafonte 8 United Nations 10 Military Recruitment A CAuse for CelebrAtion: the bill of rights By Elaine Elinson he air crackled with excitement on Dec. 9, as an overflow crowd filled the hall at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco to celebrate Tthe ACLU of Northern California’s 34th annual Bill of Rights Day. Many civil rights veterans—and today’s youth activists—were in the audience, anxious to hear from the recipient of the 2007 Chief Justice Earl Warren Civil Liberties Award, Harry Belafonte. But even before the renowned singer and civil rights Administration, including warrantless spying on Americans leader took the stage, ACLU members and supporters were and secret flights that end in torture. exhilarated to hear from Executive Director Maya Harris of The audience was regaled with well-timed political zingers the victories the affiliate has achieved this year. Harris relayed from Master of Ceremonies and National ACLU Board rep- that the courage of our convictions has resulted in a landmark resentative Aundré Herron, who also offered her rendition of MICHAEL WOOLSEY settlement on behalf of Native-American schoolchildren in the “Day-O.” ACLU-NC Board Chair Quinn Delaney presented Nane Alejandrez of the National Coalition of Barrios tiny mountain town of Bishop, Calif.; a victory for the free the Dick Criley Activism Award to the Monterey County Unidos (left) enjoys the festivities next to Harry Belafonte, speech rights of middle school students in Napa; and a series Chapter, calling the group a “model of vigilant and forceful who received the Chief Justice Earl Warren Civil Liberties of promising challenges against abuses of power by the Bush civil rights advocacy on a local level.” Award at the ACLU-NC’s 34th annual Bill of Rights Day. CONTINUED ON PAGE 6 PAID Non-Profit Non-Profit U.S. Postage Organization Permit No. 4424 San Francisco, CA settlement stops Abuse of Native-American students By Rachel Swain hristine Wilson knew something was wrong at Home Street Middle School in the Bishop Union Elementary School District. In this Csmall town of 3,500, which borders the Bishop Paiute Reservation and sits 130 miles southeast of Yosemite, Wilson was sure that Native- American students like her own four children were being singled out for excessive punishment. She was particularly concerned about the tactics of the po- anywhere,” said Wilson. “They said ‘we don’t have bias, we lice officer assigned to patrol the school, a School Resource don’t have a problem.’” Officer (SRO). But even Wilson was shocked when the ACLU exposed the “I talked to adults, I talked to staff, I went to see the SRO scale of a problem that was all too real. For every year between and told him his tactics weren’t working, but I wasn’t getting 2000 and 2006, Native-American students were disciplined CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 WWW.ACLUNC.ORGWELCOME TO THE ACLU NEWS. READ MORE AT WWW.ACLUNC.ORG letter from the lAwyers CounCil Civil liberties briefing lunCheon exeCutive direCtor embers of the Lawyers Council steering committee gathered at Boulevard Restaurant on Nov. 14 M for the 2007 Civil Liberties Briefing Luncheon, an annual gathering attended by attorneys who play a significant role in raising funds to support the legal work of the ACLU-NC. The luncheon marks Dear Friends, the launch of an intensive fund-raising campaign in which teams of dedicated and perseverant lawyers s we welcome this appeal to their peers to contribute to the defense of civil liberties and fundamental rights. The luncheon ANew Year, I can’t is also an opportunity for ACLU-NC staff attorneys to review historic ACLU cases and introduce emerg- help thinking about ing civil liberties issues. that traditional image of the pudgy cartoon baby, draped with the “Welcome 2008” ban- ner and that sassy look of daring and anticipa- tion on his face. That image of an audacious youth kept coming into my mind as we prepared stories for this issue ESSELS of the ACLU News. You will read about Native V American children who challenged racial profiling and police abuse in their rural school, and spunky HOTOS BY JEFF elementary students in Napa who stood up for P their rights to free expression. You will learn about college and law school students who are launching Left to right: Francisco Lobaco, ACLU California Affiliates Legislative Director and Donna ACLU clubs on their campuses. Brorby, former ACLU-NC Board member; Sandy Holmes, ACLU-NC Senior Development We are especially pleased to share with you ex- Associate, Steve Vettel, Lawyers Council Co-chair, and Ruth Borenstein, Lawyers Council cerpts from the exposé written by our own Fried- executive committee member; guest speaker Lucas Guttentag, Director of the National man Project youth activists about their eight-day ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project. investigation of the myths and truths about military recruitment. Traveling from San Francisco’s Swords For more information about the Lawyers Council, please contact Sandy Holmes at [email protected]. to Ploughshares to San Diego’s Camp Pendleton Marine Base, these 23 high school students spoke with women of color veterans, formerly homeless veterans, military families and conscientious objec- tors. I am sure that you will be as moved as I was by their vibrant poetry, their thoughtful reflections new stAff At the ACLU-nC and their powerful commitment to, as they put it, “educate ourselves so we can educate others and ACLU-NC’s new Communications Director, Laura Prior to becoming our new Racial Justice Project Direc- make a difference.” Saponara, brings 10 years experience as a strategic com- tor, Diana Tate was a staff attorney with the Lawyers’ As you will see from the story about our ex- munications consultant, trainer, and writer for nonprofit Committee for Civil Rights, leading its African Ameri- hilarating Bill of Rights Day Celebration, youth organizations, labor unions, and philanthropic founda- can Agenda Project and supervising the Legal Services were center stage at that event as well. Our Lola tions, including the Women’s Foundation of California, Clinic and Education Equity Project. Her practice in- Hanzel Courageous Advocacy Award winner, col- the SPIN Project, and the American Federation of State, cluded litigating race discrimination cases and providing lege student Kiran Savage-Sangwan, expressed her County and Municipal Employees. Prior to joining our legal counsel to community groups advocating for racial deep appreciation to the ACLU, but also encour- staff, Laura worked on a national project, funded by the equality and social justice. While at the Lawyers’ Com- aged us to take even bolder stands, especially on Ford Foundation, focused on amplifying the voices of mittee, she also collaborated with the ACLU-NC on behalf of immigrant youth. It was thrilling to grassroots activists, policy advocates, and legal scholars various cases, including opposing San Francisco’s gang hear our Chief Justice Earl Warren honoree Harry who work to transform the media landscape in the in- injunctions and supporting the Berkeley Unified School Belafonte speak about his faith in today’s youth, terests of diversity and democracy. She holds a masters District’s integration plan. Tate earned her Juris Doctor- and his active organizing efforts to bring together degree in media studies from the University of Texas in ate at Georgetown University Law Center, and began African American, Latino, Native American, Asian Austin and has taught at UC Davis. Laura has worked her legal career as a media and litigation associate at the American and white young people in a Gather- on human rights projects in Mexico City, El Salvador, law firm of Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP. ing for Justice. His strong belief in their capacity and Puerto Rico. matched my own. And we need them now more than ever. Other stories in this issue explain how the federal Correction: In the Summer 2007 edition of ACLU News, government is expanding and perfecting methods boArd eleCtion we featured a photograph of Lorrain Taylor, whose twin of widespread surveillance of us all, how the gov- sons Albade and Obadiah were murdered, and who now ernment claims “national security” would be jeop- results runs a support group for victims of violent crime and is a ardized if it responded to ACLU lawsuits seeking to member of California Crime Victims for Alternatives to halt extraordinary rendition and torture, and how CONGRATULATIONS TO ACLU-NC’S NEW BOARD MEMBERS the Death Penalty. In the caption, we incorrectly iden- the government’s stepped up immigration raids Welcome to new Board members Farah Brelvi, Christy tified Taylor as LaShai Hickman. The editor of ACLU have had a devastating impact on children, families Chandler, and Clara Shin, who were recently elected by News sincerely regrets this error. and communities. These are challenges that will the general membership. Incumbent Board members continue to require our attention, resources and Cherri Allison, Karen Carrera, Lisa Honig, Goodwin tenacity in the coming years. Liu, Enrique Ramirez, Marsha Rosenbaum, and Ken ACLUnews We are fortunate that so many talented, com- Sugarman were re-elected for a second term. We thank THE QUARTErly PublICATION OF THE mitted young people have joined the fight for outgoing at-large Board members Bob Capistrano, Susan AmERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF NorTHERN CALIForNIA civil liberties. Armed with chutzpah and hope, Freiwald, and Guy Wallace for their valuable contribu- they are the best insurance we could ever want as tions to our work and mission.