WSSN Stories

LOS ANGELES, CA-  A dinner celebrating The Eva Longoria Foundation raised funds to support the Foundation’s mission to help Latinas build better futures for themselves and their families through education and entrepreneurship. The dinner took place on Thursday, November 5^th at Eva Longoria’s restaurant, Beso, in Los Angeles. Attendees included Eva Longoria, Mario Lopez, Zachary Levi (“Heroes Reborn”), Roselyn Sanchez (“Devious Maids”), Judy Reyes (“Devious Maids”), Amaury Nolasco (“Prison Break”, “Telenovela”), Holly Robinson Peete, Rodney Peete, Alex Meneses (“Telenovela”), Diana Maria Riva (“Telenovela”), Izzy Diaz (“Telenovela”), Jadyn Douglas (“Telenovela”), Steven Bauer (“Ray Donovan”), Robin Antin (Pussycat Dolls), Rebecca Da Costa (THE BAG MAN) and philanthropist and activist Henry Muñoz.  

Guests arrived at Beso Hollywood for cocktails followed by dinner and remarks from Eva Longoria and Laysha Ward, President of Community Relations at Target. Host Eva Longoria spoke about the launch of the Foundation’s nationwide Latina mentorship network and its 2015 Parent Engagement Convening, which brought 40 top experts together to find ways to involve exponentially more parents in their children’s education. Longoria also described the Foundation’s signature STEM education programs, which have helped more than 2,600 Latinas develop technology skills, such as coding and robotics. Actress, producer, and star of “Devious Maids” Judy Reyes spoke about the Foundation’s commitment to cultivating the full potential of Latinas. Actor and host of EXTRA Mario Lopez and CEO of Muñoz & Company and Foundation Board Member Henry Muñoz also made remarks about the value of the Foundation’s work to Latinas and the country as a whole. Premiere event sponsor Target announced an additional $100,000 contribution to the Foundation. Event sponsors included HBO/Time Warner, The Jacki and Gilbert Cisneros Foundation, Creative Artist Agency, and the Televisa Foundation. Denim designer Henry & Belle and apparel brand good hYOUman provided guests with complimentary women’s jeans and men’s shirts. Executive Chef Angel Estrada prepared an exquisite four-course meal for guests.

The Eva Longoria Foundation was established in 2012 by actress, activist and philanthropist Eva Longoria. The Foundation gives Latinas the tools to succeed through education and entrepreneurship. There are currently 25 million Latinas in the US and by 2015, they will make up 15% of the total population. The Foundation works to improve the futures not only of the Latinas they serve, but also of the US as a whole.

If you would like to donate to the Eva Longoria Foundation, please visit www.evalongoriafoundation.org/donate.

The IE Hair EXPO 2015 is WHAT IT DO WITH THE LUE! Umm, can you say major SUCCESS! I can’t say enough how much fun and how exciting the hair show was. This past Sunday, I had the pleasure of attending the 1st Annual IE Hair Expo hosted by Jacquetta Green of Cali All Stars Entertainment and Jessie Green of Joe Reed Records and all the sponsors that helped to make this happen in the IE. They knocked it out of the ball park. This was a much needed event, not just for the San Bernardino Community, but for the Cosmetology and Barber community as a whole.

I mean, you had just about every barbershop and hair shop from the IE in that thang representing to the fullest. You had Loved Ones, Artistically Yours, Cold Cutz, Anointed Braids, Star’s A Cut Above, Nappy Roots Salon, and Barber City to name a few. There was nonstop action! It was an all age event that included barber competitions, a fashion show, tutorials, food vendors, and community vendors such as Crown Wigs and The Plug, an urban fashion and graphic store; and Ribs. Local artists also lit up the stage with their talent.

The event was hosted by DJ Fredy Fresco of 99.1 KGGI. There was a special guest appearance by Doris Mosley, Mater Stylist educator, and produce of SIBE which stands for Spectrum International Beauty EXPO.

Sunday this was the place to be in the Inland Empire. I was especially happy that I was able to spend $20 bucks and receive $75.00 to $100.00 worth of hair product. Now that’s winning!! The day ended with a night of celebration featuring rapper Staxx Huges and Fitz Taylor and others. Congratulations to all the talented winners which included: Anointed Touch Braidery, they took 1st place in Most Original; Make Up artist Peaches of Straight To The Head; DJ Mysteree and Deevetva Foy, Director of ADMIN for LUE Productions; Jacquetta Greeen, event coordinator and CEO of Cali All Stars; and Mr. Wilson, owner of Crown Wigs in San Bernardino. Can’t wait for next year! L’zzz!

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- It’s Scorpio season and the Westside Story Newspaper has quite a few ladies born in the month of November. Our Editor Naomi K. Bonman, Marketing Director Naomi Riggins, and Columnist/Administrative Manager Lou Coleman all work very hard to edit and market the paper each week to bring you the latest news within the Inland Empire.  If you also have a birthday coming up or know someone who does, send them or yourself a special keepsake that can be cherished and posted on the wall. Please email walleniv@yahoo.com or hired2market@gmail.com for rates.

Lou Coleman, November 14

Naomi Riggins, November 11

Naomi K. Bonman, November 20

Sheba Jennings – 11th grader at Summit High School

By Angela M. Coggs

Student Rally in front of the Department of Education, Sacramento, Ca

On November 4, 2015, 50 African-American students and educator chaperones from the Inland Empire boarded a charter bus at 11:00pm that was headed to Sacramento to rally for equal access to education in front the Department of Education and the state capital. The group, invited by Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement (C.O.P.E.), consisted of 9^th -12^th grade students from the following high schools: Cajon, Carter, Grand Terrace, Pacific, San Bernardino, and Summit. The trip was sponsored by The California Alliance of African- American of Educators (CAAAE), The California Endowment, The Education Trust-West, and UMOJA Community.

C.O.P.E. got involved in the Black Minds Matter rally because the Education Trust-West report features the work of the Task Force for African American Achievement, convened in the San Bernardino City Unified School District, as a promising practice for addressing

Terriq Singer (10th) and Joshua Stewart (9th) both from Cajon High School

persistent poor academic outcomes for African American students. “We wanted students from our district to participate in the rally because of the important strides SBCUSD is making for African American students and to address their needs, “stated Felicia Jones, C.O.P.E. Associate Director.

The Education Trust-West recently released the Black Minds Matter white paper. The paper is a reality check for secondary and postsecondary education. At the subsequent Student Rally the goal was Black Minds Matter to serve as a rallying point for engagement and, discussion, and action. The rally was held at the state capital on Thursday November 5th at 10 am. The event was called Black Minds Matter – A Day of Student Activism.

Cajon High School Students: Ashley Rodgers (10th), Yonathan Habtemariam(9th), Brianna Robertson(10th), Lyndon Nicholls(12th), Cherq’uora Hunn (10th), and Terriq Singer(11th)

The California Alliance of African- American of Educators (CAAAE) sent over 300 students and advocates to Sacramento to convene with over 200 Community college students attending the UMOJA conference and where they joined another 100 California State University and University of California systems students on the steps of the Capital Building to make a historic statement: “Black Minds Matter.” The mission of the California Alliance of African American Educators (CAAAE) is to provide programs and services to students, families, and teachers in order to create culturally conscious African American students who are life-long learners and critical thinkers. The summit featured highly-interactive workshops, dynamic student speakers, motivational words from inspired educators, and support from local California politicians.

Antonio Villaraigosa and Yonathan Habtemariam

The “Black Minds Matter” is a powerful and important research report written by The Education Trust-West and released at the Black Education Summit looked at the statistics of the educational success of black children in California. The report indicated that black children are least likely to:

• Become proficient readers by third grade;
• Be placed in Gifted and Talented Education programs;
• Master the mid-level mathematics skills that position students for success in college-preparatory math courses;
• Be placed in a full sequence of college-preparatory courses;
• Graduate from high school in four years; and
• Complete a college degree.

At the same time, black children are the most likely to:

• Be suspended or expelled;
• Be taught by ineffective teachers;
• Be identified for special education; and
• Take remedial, non-credit bearing coursework as college students.

Villaraigosa taking pics of the crowd

Outside the Capital building

Although California has the fifth largest Black population in the country and is home to about 900,000 African American under the age of 25, the California Department of Education lacks and office, initiative, or committee focused on African American achievement or the achievement gap. The inequalities and problems start in the early years. Black children are more likely to live in homes affected by financial hardship and caregiver instability and more than half of California’s Black children live in low-income households. Because of disparities on financial stability, health, and well- being, learning gaps appear early. By age 2, low-income children- regardless of race- are already six months behind their higher  income peers in language development, and by age 5 they are more than two years behind ( “Research Shows: The Benefits of High-Quality Early Learning”, Oakland, Ca: Early Edge California).

The students did not know what to expect from the trip but many had a positive disposition as they took to the streets outside of the Department of Education to participate in the rally. “I expected this trip to be an experience I’d never forget and cherish due to the information and movement we were participating in,” said Kalynne Brantley, 11^th grade student from Carter High School in Rialto. “It (the trip) empowered me to be more active and vocal in my community ad stand up for what matters to me.”

During the rally, Yonathan Habtemariam, 9^th grade student at Cajon High School, noticed former mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa in the crowd. “I walked up to him, introduced myself, and had a really good conversation with him regarding school. He asked me if I was going to college and I told him that my parents never made it an option.” Later Villaraigosa, who put on a Black Minds Matter t-shirt over his shirt and tie, addressed the crowd of over 300 people and mentioned meeting Habtemariam and his mother prior to his speech. “It was cool how he mentioned meeting us in speech and that he believed that not only would I attend college but will also graduate.”

C.O.P.E. Staff- Sonya Hunn-Gray, Pastor Sam Casey, Devona Robertson, Sam (bus driver), and Felicia Jones

Cherq’uora Hunn, 10^th grade student from Cajon High School, said she learned “that we can make a huge impact if we try.” Her favorite part of the trip was chanting in front of the Department of Education office building.  Like Hunn, this was the first time many of the students had ever visited the state capital.

According to the Black Minds Matter research report, African American children often begin kindergarten already behind. Yet, instead of organizing the K-12 school system to ameliorate the problem the students also get less academically in school too. One notable fact is that California’s African American students, along with Latino students, often attend highly segregated schools. Where nearly 70 percent of their peers are African American and Latino, and just over 65 percent are poor.

Academically speaking, African American students not only have less rigorous core academic content, but they also have less access to a board and enriching curriculum. African American students are underrepresented in laborious courses such as Algebra 2, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, and Physics.  In addition, less than one third of African American students complete the A-G courses required to be eligible for a UC or CSU. According to the California Department of Education, only 31% of 12^th grade graduates African American students completed the A-G course sequence.

For some of the older students who are currently applying to college, the statistics regarding the state of African American success rates was upsetting but not discouraging. Dropout rates are far higher for African American students than for other students, and conversely, graduation rates are lower. This is not new information. “I feel that it (the rally) was very eye opening to the issues still present today,” said Lindsay Collins, 11^th grade student at Redlands East Valley High School. She believes that it was a great experience and that more students need to be able to be engaged in and that she was empowered by the event. “I matter in all things I do.”

The experience was eye opening for the students, even the ones who did not expect to learn anything new. “I came in expecting to hear things I heard before, but I ended up coming away with new knowledge and possibly a new mindset,” stated Lyndon Nicholls, 12^th grader at Cajon High School. “I learned, to achieve the best, that I can be anything I set my mind to and to ignore all negative voices.”

It is refreshing to hear the positive attitude of a African American student who’s next step in life is college, however; that is not what the numbers show as a majority. African American students are far more likely to attend community colleges that pubic four-year universities, partly because they are not properly prepare for the level of work needed to exceed in those school. Based on Education Trust-West analysis of California’s Academic Performances Index data from 2013, the institution types attended by California’s African American first –time freshmen are as follows: 67% California Community Colleges, 12% California State University, 11% Private For-Profit, 6% Private Nonprofit, and 4% University of California. For University of California, Irvine (UCI) student Sion Habtemariam, graduate of Citrus Valley High School and now in her junior year in college, not seeing other African American students on campus who are not athletes is a sad reality. “I know more African American could succeed in the UC system but the requirements are based on a students’ course load/level and the admission process is very competitive.” Just like UCI, African American students represent only 4%of the student body at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), a figure that has declined by 2 percentage points since affirmative action was banned at the University of California in 1995.

The Black Minds Matter report has “challenged district and state leaders to address the systematic inequities bearing down on you Black California’s. Both the report and the recommendations included in it are intended to be part of a larger effort that addresses educational disparities with the sense of fierce urgency our students deserve.” A concerted effort must be made by all that are involved, including educators, administrators, elected officials, policymakers, parent, and students to make equality a priority. Trimonisha Singer, mother, teacher, and active community, was pleased that her son Terriq Singer, 10^th grade student at Cajon High School, was able to participate in this historic event. “I am thankful that C.O.P.E. gave my son the opportunity to experience history. Many negative stereotypes exist about this generation and in particular black youth. This not only showed that our youth do care about their future and letting their voice be heard but also gave the students a chance to experience their civil duties and what being a part of positive chance looks like.” It was a very important event that was made a positive impact on all the students in attendance. Singer also noted that her son “came home with the desire to be involved in his community and helping others realize that Black Minds Matter.”

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

It’s too late… There is nothing more I can do!  I want you to know that one of the most tragic phrases in the English language is “too late.”  It indicates something that once held promise now is without hope.  The tragedy of being “too late” is the implication that there was a time when it wasn’t too late.  There was a time when options were still available, an escape was still possible, a remedy was still viable. The parable of the ten virgins is a tragic story of being “too late!”  The parable of the ten virgins is a direct parable with a terrible consequence following a foolish decision.  In the parable Matthew 25 Jesus compares the coming of the kingdom of heaven to a wedding feast.  The parable concludes with the arrival of the bridegroom.  The time has arrived.  The celebration begins.  The great banquet is open.  The five wise bridesmaids with oil in their lamps enter the house, while the five foolish bridesmaids went wandering around the dark village streets looking for oil.  Jesus sternly said, “And the door was shut” verse 10.   And who were going to enter had already entered.  No one else would be allowed in.  It was too late! The five foolish bridesmaids finally showed up.  They shouted out “Sir, Sir, Open the door for us!” verse 11.  The bridegroom responded to their desperate pleas with an unflinching resolve, “I tell you the truth, I know you not” verse 12.   It’s a terrible word.  It’s a final word.  There is no room for negotiation. It’s too late! The sad part about it….The foolish virgins knew the bridegroom was going to get married, they knew he would come to the banquet, and they knew they needed oil for their lamps. It wasn’t a matter of a lack of information or having the wrong information. All ten virgins started with the same facts. The five foolish virgins just weren’t ready. Don’t do it…. Don’t wait until it’s too late!

Of course some will argue that it is never too late to mend, but the Bible says in Hebrews 6:4-6, “It is IMPOSSIBLE for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance.” I do not speak to you as an originator or discoverer of this tremendous truth—the impossibility of certain souls to be saved after they have reached a certain point; my business is to be faithful first to God, then to His Holy Word. Yes, people say, “It is never too late to come to Christ. It’s never too late to change my ways.  I can come at any time.  It’s never too late to be saved…” My friend, the idea that you can go just as far as you please, then turn back; the idea that you can descend into the well of sin and climb out again is a very comforting creed for those who believe it. But the question is, is it true? Will it stand the test? On the authority of the Bible, I do not think so; I say to you, it is False. I want you to know that the parable of the ten virgins reveals the awful truth that the kingdom of heaven has a door and it does close. I cannot tell you when the door will shut, only that it will shut one day.  I cannot tell you who will be allowed into the kingdom of heaven but only that Jesus is the gatekeeper.  And according to the gatekeeper’s own testimony, there will be those who will be left outside, the foolish ones, the ones who were invited but rejected the invitation or were so negligent and casual about the invitation they failed to prepare properly for it. Don’t do it… Don’t wait until it’s too late! Come to Christ now and let Him save you.

In Ezekiel chapter 33, God says, “As I live, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked” verse 11. That’s the heart of God, a God who pleads with His people, Repent, Repent. I don’t want to judge you. I don’t want to damn you to Hell. I don’t want you to come under My chastening hand of discipline as believers. Turn, Turn.”… I beg you my friend, I plea with you, don’t do it… Don’t wait until it’s too late! “Too late” is the heartache of sin. “Too late” is the history of missed opportunities. “Too late” is the heat of a burning hell, and Hell is real!  Don’t do it… Don’t wait too late!

By Naomi K. Bonman

The votes are in the tallies have been marked and read for the November 2015 San Bernardino County Election. It was a great race with amazing candidates. The overall precinct turnout was 7,721 and the vote by mail turnout was 36,314, giving the election a grand total of 44,035 votes. Here’s a recap of the winners for those who missed the results:

For the Chaffey Community College District the winners were Gloria Negrete Mcleod (9,388), Lee C. McDougal (9,129), and Gary Ovitt (9,458). In the Baker Valley Unified School District the winners were Linda D. Maria (30.83%) and Kelly Fisher (30.00%). The San Bernardino City Unified School District winners were Margaret G. Hill (19.57%), Gwen Dowdy-Rodgers (14.24%), and Scott Wyatt (15.77%).

Next up are the City of San Bernardino Wards and Council Seats. In the Third Ward the winner and only candidate that ran was John Valdivia. In the Fifth Ward the winner was Henry Nickel (66.67%). The Sixth Ward was a very close call between Roxanne Williams (36.22%) and Bessine Littlefield-Richard (37.64%). Bessine Richard took it for the Sixth Ward. The Seventh Ward winner was Jim Mulvihill (29.10%). The City Attorney winner, which only had one candidate, went to Gary D. Saenz; and the City Clerk went to Georgeann “GiGi” Hanna. Lastly, the City Treasurer went to David C. Kennedy (71.16%).

Other winners included: Morongo Valley Community Services District, Johnny G. Tolbert (34.18%) and Matthew M. Campos (39.26%); Newberry Community Services District, Paula L. Deel (47.42%) and Larry W. Clark (27.96%); Phelan Pinon Hills Community Services District, Alex Brandon (23.52%) and Mark W. Roberts (22.80%); Chino Valley Independent Fire District, Brian Johsz (31.23%), John Demonaco (24.28%), and Sarah Evinger (24.70%); East Valley Water District, David E. Smith (29.24%) and Chris Carrillo (26.15%); West Valley Water District, Alan G. Dyer (17.90%), Greg Young (18.69%), and Don Olinger (14.15%); Bighorn-Desert View Water Agency, Michael H. McBride (44.59%) and J. Larry Coulombe (36.49%); and the Crestline-Lake Arrowhead Water Agency, Ron Kelly (54.34%).

For more results, please visit www.sbcounty.gov/rov/elections/Results/20151103/default.html.

Covered California is using a new data-driven approach to target specific ZIP codes across the state, pinpointing where higher numbers of uninsured and subsidy-eligible African-Americans live.

Research conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago in the spring of 2015 revealed that while California’s African-Americans are aware of Covered California, they lag behind other ethnicities when it comes to awareness of the financial assistance that is available only through Covered California and that helps consumers pay for their monthly insurance premiums. Data can be found at www.CoveredCA.com/news/PDFs/AAEI-slides.pdf.

New data show that active enrollment among subsidy-eligible African-Americans is at 2.4 percent while African-Americans constitute 5 percent of the state’s subsidy-eligible population. The exchange’s focused efforts to increase the enrollment percentage begins with the third open-enrollment period, which runs from Nov. 1, 2015, through Jan. 31, 2016.

The campaign centers around establishing enrollment storefronts at highly familiar and visible locations; conducting marketing and outreach that is specific to African-American consumers; and engaging businesses, schools, churches and community organizations. The exchange will encourage uninsured Californians to stop coping with a lack of health coverage and instead enroll in a health insurance plan through Covered California.

“Changing our state from a culture of coping to a culture of coverage is a long-term proposition,” Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee said. “We’ve made great progress in helping African-Americans gain the coverage they need and deserve, but we recognize there is much more to be done to prove to the remaining uninsured the value of having health coverage.”

Outreach materials will advise African-American consumers that their health and well- being is worth insuring and that many Californians are receiving thousands of dollars each year to help with the cost of health insurance premiums — money that African-American consumers should not walk away from.

Covered California is targeting specific areas in Los Angeles and San Diego counties and the Inland Empire, where two-thirds of California’s 130,000 subsidy-eligible African-Americans reside, as well as targeting areas in Northern California in parts of Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano and Sacramento counties.

Covered California will push enrollment through service channels like storefronts in African-American communities where Certified Insurance Agents and Certified Enrollment Counselors will be on hand to assist consumers. With support from Covered California community partners, the agency will sponsor education and outreach campaigns, with resources for pastors at church enrollment events, informational materials for barbershops and hair salons, and “enrollment block parties” in high-priority African-American neighborhoods.

In addition, enhanced social media and marketing campaigns will be launched to reach African-Americans, and Covered California will have partnerships with local schools, businesses and community-based organizations that serve African-American communities.

“We’ll reach out to consumers where they live, work, pray and play,” Lee said. “Covered California will continue to focus on reaching the state’s diverse population and enrolling consumers in all communities during its upcoming open-enrollment period. We want to make sure we see the enrollment numbers in our African-American communities rise.”

Students at New Generation Nursery and Primary School are all smiles after receiving shoes and school supplies donated from Helping Hands and the 1 Uganda Project.

By Sheri Stuart

A team of local missionaries has returned from Uganda.  The team departed Oct. 7 to work side-by-side with the founders of New Generation Nursery and Primary School and the nonprofit organization Open Hearts in Action based in Mukono, a district located in the Central Region of Uganda. The team, working in support of the 1 Uganda Project, distributed much needed supplies and resources to the children and school staff, including back packs, paper, pencils, LED flashlights and candles.  Helping Hands, associated with Amazon, donated hundreds of shoes and rain boots, which were distributed to the more than 300 students enrolled at the school.

“Our team is overwhelmed by the generous support received from Helping Hands through the connection from Amazon”, said Angela Morrow, founder of 1 Uganda Project based in Bloomington.  “Because of the support from both Amazon and Helping Hands, we were able to put smiles on the faces of many children in need and continue our legacy of promoting self-sufficiency through spiritual, emotional, educational and economic support.”

The team also visited the District of Jinja and distributed food supplies and mosquito nets to help prevent the spread of malaria, a leading cause of death in Uganda. The 1 Uganda Project will return to Mukono in April and October 2016.

Lou Coleman

By Lou Coleman

Jesus! —- You pause in astonishment; with your tail between your legs. You want to run but you can’t move. You don’t know what to do. Then you hear a voice that says, “Tonight, your soul will be required!”  I want you to know that this is not a childhood game. Eternity is at stake and Jesus is saying, “Ready or Not, Here I come!” There are warnings that should be heard and heeded by every person reading this message. This is a wake-up call! It challenges the saints to be ready, and it calls for the lost to get ready. The Bible says, “Christ will come like a thief in the night, when you least expect him. It will happen in the twinkling of an eye, with the sound of a trumpet.” But the devil has whispered a different lie into the ears of many believers. That lie is, “Christ has delayed His coming.” Jesus addresses this in Matthew 24 in his parable about being ready for his return: “Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” Paul constantly cried, “Wake up! It is past midnight, and the Lord’s coming has drawn near. Stir yourself and don’t be slothful. Jesus is coming for those who are expecting him.” He wrote to the church in Rome: “Knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light” Romans 13:11-12. In Revelation 22:17, “The Spirit and the bride say, come.” This verse shows us the very last cry, or prayer, of the Holy Spirit, when he knows his work on earth is about to be completed: “Come, Lord Jesus!” In Verse 7 of this chapter, Jesus announces, “Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that kept the sayings of prophesy of this book.” May all such blindness be removed!

The truth is that God is shaking all that can be shaken. And what is still to come is too dreadful to think about. In the midst of all this, I hear Jesus saying, “Surely I come quickly” Revelation 22:20. I also hear the bride of Christ answering, as John did, “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” I want you to know that before the flood, people couldn’t imagine water falling for forty days and forty nights. They couldn’t imagine the great deep bursting forth and the floodgates of heaven opening up. It was inconceivable to them that water would destroy them and their world. If anyone did believe it and actually prepared for it, they called them a fool Genesis 7:14. But then one day, the flood came and wiped the earth away. I don’t know where a message such as this finds you today. If you have never trusted Jesus as you Savior and you would like to be saved, I invite you to give your life to Him today.  If you are saved, but the Lord has shown you that you are not ready for Him to return, confess your sin(s) before the Lord and repent. If He has spoken to you on any level, heed His voice. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour God is coming. The Bible says that when Noah and his family entered the ark God shut them in Genesis 7:16. There always comes a time when it is too late. Why not make preparation? “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” 2 Cor. 6:2.

By Angela M. Coggs

On Tuesday, October 20th at 5pm an important rally took place at the San Bernardino City Unified District Board meeting in support of a new discipline policy. The community asked the school board to institute new policy that will ensure new discipline practices, such as Restorative Justice and Positive Behavior Support to be implemented throughout the district. The rally was attended by activist, students, parents, community members, and elected officials.

Restorative Justice is defined as a system of criminal justice that focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community at large. Positive Behavior Support is based on understanding why problem behaviors occur – the behavior’s function. This approach to behavior can occur on a school-wide level, in a specific setting, classroom, or with an individual student.

San Bernardino Unified School District ranks the 14th highest in suspension rates among African American students in California. Also, San Bernardino is 44th in the state with the highest number of willful defiance suspensions. This translates to the increase: 614 Latino and African American student related arrests, and the direct decline: 274 African American and Latino students who graduated this year college ready. The cities of San Bernardino and Stockton made over 90,000 arrests from 1997 to 2013. These numbers are inconceivable.

What is the school-to-prison pipeline? The “school-to-prison pipeline” refers to the policies and practices that push our nation’s schoolchildren, especially our most at-risk children, out of classrooms and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. This pipeline reflects the prioritization of incarceration over education. For a growing number of students, the path to incarceration includes the following: failing public schools, zero-tolerance and other school discipline, policing school hallways, disciplining alternative schools, and court involvement and juvenile detention.

This failure to meet educational needs increases disengagement and dropouts, increasing the risk of later court involvement. Some school districts have embraced zero-tolerance policies that automatically impose severe punishment regardless of circumstances. Overly harsh disciplinary policies push students down the pipeline and into the juvenile justice system. Many under-resourced school districts become pipeline gateways by placing increased reliance on police rather than teachers and administrators to maintain discipline. Students pushed along the pipeline find themselves in juvenile detention facilities, many of which provide few, if any, educational services. Students of color are far more likely than their white peers to be suspended, expelled, or arrested for the same kind of conduct at school. Though many students are propelled down the pipeline from school to jail, it is difficult for them to make the journey in reverse. Students who enter the juvenile justice system face many barriers to their re-entry into traditional schools. The vast majority of these students never graduate from high school.

Schools that neighbor a state or federal prisons are more likely to have higher suspensions. San Bernardino City Unified School District is one of two districts in California to have the authority to arrest students and administer citations on their permanent record. The determination of organizations such as C.O.P.E (Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement), Youth Action Project (YAP), and I.C.U.C. (Inland Congregations United for Change) have played a vital role in organizing community leaders, parents, and students in rousing their mutual voices in implementing policy change. A direct result of this groundbreaking progress is the decline in overall suspensions from 11% to 5%, and the significant number of willful defiance suspensions from 7001 to 1371.

The criminalization of youth of color remains a threat, especially to African American students who continue to experience significantly disproportionate discipline for disruption/willfull defiance and face higher rates of school related arrest and referrals to law enforcement than other subgroups of students. Research has shown that when committing the same or similar subjective behavior offenses, African American students are inclined to receive more severe disciplinary consequences (Noltemeyer & McLoughlin, 2010a; Noltemeyer & McLoughlin, 2010b; Skiba, et al., 2002). African American and Latino students combined experience school-based arrest at a higher rate than those who complete A-G course requirements and are prepared for college and career.

“My prayer is for all students to have an equal opportunity to access information and skills that will prepare them to be whatever they wish to be and to make a significant contribution in the communities they will inherit. I commend C.O.P.E. and ICUC for identifying all current barriers that prevent students from that goal or divert them toward a negative outcome, particularly one that leads to prison,” said Carolyn Tillman, Special Assistant to the Superintendent, San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools. “I commend C.O.P.E. and ICUC for their commitment to educate, monitor and hold accountable all institutions and individuals who contribute to or uphold the status quo for conditions that are counter to creating positive outcomes for kids. A rally is a good start; still we must do the daily intentional work to divert a pipeline from failure to success.”

San Bernardino City Unified School District board member, Danny Tillman, spoke from his heart in regards to the issue of the school to prison pipeline. He explained what the real intent for the citations has been misconstrued. He also stated that he is proud of the San Bernardino City Unified School District Police Department but they were put in place to “keep our students safe and benefit them. It was never meant to put our kids at a disadvantage because of a citation we give them which happens to be from a sworn police officer or sworn peace officer of the state of California. So whatever it takes to fix that, that’s what we must do.” He also mentioned an incident in his youth that could have been detrimental to his future if he was subjected to what many children are faced with today in our schools. “I would not have been able to achieve what I have if I had a citation given to me with the same repercussions.”  His comment spoke volumes. It was an honest response to the facts that were presented to the board.  His passion has felt by many of the parents and students in the room.

“The school to prison pipeline has been a concern of mine since I heard a hip hop album called, ‘No More Prisons’ by Raptivism in the late 90s and most recently I consider it to be one of the foremost issues of our time after reading the New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander.  San Bernardino area groups and coalitions like COPE, ICUC, WAG, The Fellas and the African American Education Collaborative are doing to highlight the fact that if we can reduce student suspensions and arrest, we have a greater chance of keeping students in the classroom and on a path to graduate and accomplish career goals. I know other determinants like having multiple teaching methods and deeper cultural awareness trainings for teachers and staff assists in the cause,” stated Jonathan Buffong, Buffong Consulting Solutions, a Consulting Group that work with local educational providers in the areas of leadership and program development.

“I also know that the desperate increase involvement by the families of students play large role in dropping those numbers but the of show concern this past Tuesday evening at the school board was geared to the San Bernardino Unified School District and their implementation of policies that will ensure that the current numbers drop. My hat goes off to this effort because I believe it is a step in the right direction. We also must support these efforts by educating our students and parents to understand that our schools should not have to put up with anything that distracts our children from learning so that they can accomplish their goals,” added Buffong.

Several board members participated and mingled with the community members during the rally prior to the school board meeting. The energy of the crowd was positive and uplifting. However, once the subject of citations was up for board discussion the mood in the room was turned quickly to serious business. It was a call to action. “As a lifelong resident of San Bernardino it was nice to see so many community members and activists come out and voice their concern for our students with a very supportive board who always keeps the best interest of our students in mind,” said Trimonisha Singer. “I am positive that they will do what is best for our community.”

This was just the beginning of what’s more to come. The board members all appeared to agree with what was presented to them that evening but only time will tell. Superintendent Dale Marsden suggested a subcommittee be convened to research what others districts are doing. However, Tillman and Flores both pointed out that C.O.P.E. and ICUC have already done the work for them. The community will not let this issue fall by the waist side. It is too important. “C.O.P.E. and ICUC has brought this to our attention, that we have to do more,” said Flores. “I admit it, we’ve come a long way but we need to do more.”