The Rev. Jarrett Maupin II submitted a letter resigning as a member of the Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board member, Friday, April 17.
Maupin, 21, plans to pursue a career opportunity which requires him to be away from Phoenix, according to the letter.
Maupin represented Ward 2, which includes an area of South Phoenix roughly south of McDowell and east of Central Avenue. He was elected to the Board in November, 2006, and began his four-year term in January of 2007. His term was to end in 2010.
The District will work with the Maricopa County Superintendent of Schools to find a replacement for Maupin on the seven-member board. Maupin’s successor must reside in the ward (Ward 2) they represent.
The Phoenix Union Governing Board is made up of five members who represent wards or geographic districts, and two at-large members who represent the entire school district. The next School Board Election in 2010 will determine the five ward representatives. Current members are Amy Kobeta, President, Ward 3; Linda Abril, Clerk, Ward 5; Dr. Cristy Lopez, Ward 1; David Lujan, Ward 4; Lela Alston, At-Large and Ben Miranda, At-Large.
Source: Phoenix Union High School District
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
Relics of bigotry triumph over Arizona school kids
The Arizona Supreme Court ruled last month against voucher programs for children with disabilities and for children in foster care. The almost 500 children in those two programs will only be allowed to finish out the remaining few months of the school year, but are out of luck next fall.
In 1999 the Arizona Supreme Court wrote about the Arizona tax credit program (that was challenged by the same groups) in its Kotterman v. Killian decision, "We would be hard pressed to divorce the amendment's language from the insidious discriminatory intent that prompted it." You can read the shameful origin of the amendment for yourself starting on page 35 of the decision.
After the most recent decision, an anonymous commenter on an Arizona newspaper website was gleeful (grammatical and logic errors in the original):
Vouchers was just a scam to give money to parents rich enough to send their kids to private schools. There is no private school that can compete with public ("no profit motive") school, hence the voucher cannot fully fund a private school education. It's a giveaway, plain and simple, with the bonus side effect of destroying the education system for people too poor to send their kids to private schools. Nice try, but no cigar!
I'd like to see this person try to explain this to one of the plaintiffs in the school voucher case. Andrea Weck is a single mom who works in a beauty salon and whose daughter with multiple disabilities has benefitted enormously from the program. School choice for rich kids? Hardly.
The ACLU is employing weapons forged by bigots in order to force children like Lexie Weck out of their schools. Andrea and Lexie are not abstractions in an ideological fever dream, but real people who need and deserve programs like those struck down by the court.
It now falls to Arizona lawmakers to fashion replacement programs that will help these families. Let's hope they have the courage to do it.
Source: Matthew Ladner, Ph.D. for The Goldwater Institute
In 1999 the Arizona Supreme Court wrote about the Arizona tax credit program (that was challenged by the same groups) in its Kotterman v. Killian decision, "We would be hard pressed to divorce the amendment's language from the insidious discriminatory intent that prompted it." You can read the shameful origin of the amendment for yourself starting on page 35 of the decision.
After the most recent decision, an anonymous commenter on an Arizona newspaper website was gleeful (grammatical and logic errors in the original):
Vouchers was just a scam to give money to parents rich enough to send their kids to private schools. There is no private school that can compete with public ("no profit motive") school, hence the voucher cannot fully fund a private school education. It's a giveaway, plain and simple, with the bonus side effect of destroying the education system for people too poor to send their kids to private schools. Nice try, but no cigar!
I'd like to see this person try to explain this to one of the plaintiffs in the school voucher case. Andrea Weck is a single mom who works in a beauty salon and whose daughter with multiple disabilities has benefitted enormously from the program. School choice for rich kids? Hardly.
The ACLU is employing weapons forged by bigots in order to force children like Lexie Weck out of their schools. Andrea and Lexie are not abstractions in an ideological fever dream, but real people who need and deserve programs like those struck down by the court.
It now falls to Arizona lawmakers to fashion replacement programs that will help these families. Let's hope they have the courage to do it.
Source: Matthew Ladner, Ph.D. for The Goldwater Institute
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Consciousness Helps Encourage Equal Respect
Kurt and Brenda Warner hosted two assemblies at Central as the finale to a week-long campus program that encourages inclusion and disability awareness. C.H.E.E.R., a program of Warner’s First Things First Foundation stands for Consciousness Helps Encourage Equal Respect. Central’s Student Government adopted C.H.E.E.R. in collaboration with the school’s special education department to organize a week of activities. Student volunteers, called C.H.E.E.R.Leaders were assigned disabilities March 16-20. 125 students participated in a Disability for a Day, where they had to deal with school blindfolded, hearing impaired, wheel chair-bound or using charades and non-verbal communication. Teachers received daily information on special education laws and definitions, disability descriptions and tips for teaching students with disabilities. The students shared their “disabled” experiences” to the audience at the two assemblies.
The Warners, who have a teenage son with disabilities, addressed the students on the definition of a champion, and encouraged students to embrace inclusion and acceptance and continue efforts to better understand disabilities.
In keeping with the sports theme, the Central Special Olympics athletes and cheerleaders came on stage to meet the Warners and received a warm reception from the Central student body.
Beth Viquesney, the special education coordinator at Central who coordinated the event said the students were standing in line each day to volunteer as “disabled” students. She hopes the week inspires like it inspired her as a student.
“When I was in grade school they added a group of students with a variety of disabilities to our elementary school campus, an idea that was unheard of back then, and more a factor of cost savings than an idea of inclusion. I was one of the students who volunteered to work with the students daily at lunch and weekly in gym class. Those early experiences lead to my current role. I didn't realize the lessons I was learning from those early experiences would have such a profound affect on my future. I hope this experience will provide even just one of our Central High School students the thought of continuing to work with these wonderful young people. “
Source: Phoenix Union High School District
The Warners, who have a teenage son with disabilities, addressed the students on the definition of a champion, and encouraged students to embrace inclusion and acceptance and continue efforts to better understand disabilities.
In keeping with the sports theme, the Central Special Olympics athletes and cheerleaders came on stage to meet the Warners and received a warm reception from the Central student body.
Beth Viquesney, the special education coordinator at Central who coordinated the event said the students were standing in line each day to volunteer as “disabled” students. She hopes the week inspires like it inspired her as a student.
“When I was in grade school they added a group of students with a variety of disabilities to our elementary school campus, an idea that was unheard of back then, and more a factor of cost savings than an idea of inclusion. I was one of the students who volunteered to work with the students daily at lunch and weekly in gym class. Those early experiences lead to my current role. I didn't realize the lessons I was learning from those early experiences would have such a profound affect on my future. I hope this experience will provide even just one of our Central High School students the thought of continuing to work with these wonderful young people. “
Source: Phoenix Union High School District
Central singers earned two gold ratings at the Forum Music Festival
Central singers earned two gold ratings at the Forum Music Festival at Fullerton, Calif. March 20. Both Concert Choir and A Cappella Anonymous earned the festival’s highest rating following their performances. A rating of gold signifies that the judges believe that the performance should be rated in the top 10% of all choirs. In addition to the gold, the Men's Section for Concert Choir received the Outstanding Musicianship Award and Erika Lopez received the outstanding soloist award for her performance with A Cappella Anonymous. The concert choir was accompanied by school piano teacher, David Schmitz.
Source: Phoenix Union High School District
Source: Phoenix Union High School District
Grammy Foundation
Central and Maryvale music students got a first-hand insight into the music industry from professionals at a Career Day, March 25, brought to Phoenix by the GRAMMY Foundation.
Students heard from panelists Larry Batiste, a producer, vocalist, songwriter, publisher instrumentalist and arranger, Manny Marroquin, an engineer and four-time GRAMMY winner. Batiste has written and published over 300 songs and has worked with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Dweezil Zappa, Keyshia Cole and Al Jarreau. Marroquin has worked with Usher, Alicia Keyes; Kanye West, Jennifer Lopez and John Legend. About 80 students from Central, and over 100 at Maryvale asked questions about the recording industry, technology, performing and producing. It is part of the foundation’s efforts to enhance educational opportunities.
Central and Maryvale were two of 31 national finalists for a GRAMMY Foundation
grant.
Source: Phoenix Union High School District
Students heard from panelists Larry Batiste, a producer, vocalist, songwriter, publisher instrumentalist and arranger, Manny Marroquin, an engineer and four-time GRAMMY winner. Batiste has written and published over 300 songs and has worked with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Dweezil Zappa, Keyshia Cole and Al Jarreau. Marroquin has worked with Usher, Alicia Keyes; Kanye West, Jennifer Lopez and John Legend. About 80 students from Central, and over 100 at Maryvale asked questions about the recording industry, technology, performing and producing. It is part of the foundation’s efforts to enhance educational opportunities.
Central and Maryvale were two of 31 national finalists for a GRAMMY Foundation
grant.
Source: Phoenix Union High School District
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
