The Election is 23 Days away and Counting

OK There is another UCC resource for the election. It is called "Our Faith Our Vote". This is a non partisan look at the election process including the voting process as well. No matter who we vote for we must insure that every vote counts and the election process is fair and unbiased.

As an African American and also a woman there were times in which both of us had to fight for the right to vote. Even when given the right to vote African Americans had obstacles thrown in there faces in the form of poll taxes and unfair voter registration practices.

What about our immigrant populations who have become citizens and have the right to vote. Also we need to think of our homeless population which Christ Church serves in numerous ways. Are they registered? They do have the right to vote.

Also think of our college students who are away. Did they apply for an absentee ballot or are they registered to vote in their college town? I remember the very first time I could vote for president at 22 my absentee ballot arrived from New York State on the very day it was due back in New York! I was livid! You could not fax it to anyone and one day express mail did not exist! I sent them a scathing letter!

So look at the resources available on the UCC website I have given you the link.

Sign up to host or go to a debate party on Wednesday October 15. I did that with my young neighbors. The 13 year old boy was very interested in the first debate so he came to my house for the VP debate along with his older step sisters one of who will be voting for the first time this year. Wow I would have like to vote at 18 but it was not available in my time. I was so surprised that the 13 year old wanted to discuss the election and it was not homework! How our times have changed. Or maybe it is because this is an historic election that would inspire a 13 year old African American/Hispanic boy to be interested in a presidential election.

So enjoy the debates with you teenage children. This is democracy in action!

Jeannette Brown

Public Education in New Jersey

How timely my blog was about the UCC and public education. In today's Star Ledger (October 12,2008) John Mooney the education reporter for the Star Ledger wrote about the candidates and their positions on education and how it would affect New Jersey. The title of the article is: "Both Candidates want to see Uncle Sam in the Classroom". In the article Mr Mooney compares the effect "No Child Left Behind" has on a suburban community like Chatham with the effect it has on an urban community like Newark. It is vital for Newark to help equalize the educational experience for all children.

You may check both candidates education policies in the Star Ledger or other local papers or go to their websites and read them. I am not allowed to take sides on this blog. I just wanted you to be aware of the information.

Jeannette Brown

2009 Public Education Resource

Below I have copied the information from the UCC about Public Education. The "No Child Left Behind Act" is up for re authorization. Since congress did not act on it in 2008 it will be left for the new congress under a new administration to act on it. Since I strongly beleive in quality public education for all children I think we should all seriously consider this. By have a world standard education for all students we will be able to grow our own well educated work force and not have to import them.

Public Education

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." - Matthew 22: 35-39

As we think about whether American society embodies Jesus' teaching that we should love our neighbors as ourselves, we need to be concerned about public schools, the primary institution where we have agreed to nurture and shape God's precious children. Public schools are our largest public institution, serving nearly fifty million children.

In the national conversation about public education, our role in the church is special. We are concerned about our schools as an ethical and public policy matter. How do they embody attitudes about race and poverty, power and privilege, and cultural dominance and marginalization, and how do disparities in public investment reflect these attitudes?

The United Church of Christ has spoken prophetically to name poverty and racism as among the primary causes of injustice in our nation's schools. General Synod 15 warned: "While children from many areas have comfortable schools with all the educational trimmings, poor and ethnic minority children often face overcrowded and deteriorated facilities, and a lack of enrichment programs or modern technology." General Synod 18 cautioned: "Because the poor and their children are disproportionately people of color, the educational inequities in our public schools reinforce the racial/ethnic injustices of our society." General Synod 23 proclaimed public school support - and advocacy for the same - as one of the "foremost civil rights issues in the twenty-first century." General Synod 25 called all settings of the UCC to do justice and promote the common good by strengthening support for public institutions and providing "opportunity for every child in well-funded, high quality public schools."

Featured Resource for October 2008

Justice and Witness Ministries' annual beginning-of-school resource, the 2009 Message on Public Education, lifts up the importance of schools to form each whole child, created in the image of God, in contrast to the test-and-punish philosophy of the federal education law, No Child Left Behind, that has dangerously narrowed the curriculum in schools serving America's poorest children. A second key article challenges us to evaluate justice in charter schools according to values of access, equity, and public purpose. If you would like additional printed copies for discussion in your congregation, please contact Jan Resseger (216-736-3711) or ressegerj@ucc.org.

"Tyranny of the Test: One Year as a Kaplan Coach in the Public Schools" is Jeremy Miller's story of his role as a Supplemental Education Services tutor under the No Child Left Behind Act. Miller exposes the flaws of redirecting public tax money that could have been spent to strengthen public school staffing and programming to Kaplan, a private contractor providing NCLB-mandated services to schools labeled "failing" under the federal law. The story contains shocking statistics about the role of private contracting and profit: "The failure of schools serving low-income students has been a windfall for the testing industry. Title I funds earmarked for test tutoring increased by 45 percent during the first four years of NCLB, from $1.75 billion in 2001 to $2.55 billion in 2005. With the ever growing stream of funding flowing through the nation's schools, the number of supplemental-service providers nationwide has exploded... In 2003, Kaplan hired former NYC Chancellor of Education Harold Levy as an executive vice president and general counsel, and in 2006 relocated its headquarters for Kaplan K12, the division of the company that works in schools, from Midtown Manhattan to luxury offices downtown. According to Crain's, the company made the move 'to be closer to the New York City Department of Education.'"

Action Needed Now

The reauthorization of NCLB will now drag into 2009. Please tell your Senators and Representatives that you remain very concerned. Send the letter to Senators and Congressional Representatives at our TakeAction page. Please send the letter as-is or as you edit it, and urge others to do so.

Jeannette Brown

Are you able to refrain from violent TV — just for one week?

The United Church of Christ and many other churches are declaring a fast from viewing violent TV for one week starting October 12 -18.
Starting this Sunday, UCC members are pledging to refrain from watching violence as entertainment. Will you join us?

Sponsored by the UCC and Rainbow/PUSH, the Media Violence Fast is encouraging participants to take a stand against violent media by making a conscious decision not to watch it. We are asking people to seek other forms of programming and intellectual stimulation, and to reflect on what it means to purposefully distance oneself from violence as entertainment.

As a participant, you will receive a daily e-mail devotion/meditation for use individually or with family members or faith groups. You will also be encouraged to offer your own reflections and feedback in a group forum.

Just consider this: Before reaching the age of 18, the average U.S. child will witness 200,000 acts of violence on television, including 40,000 murders. The National Television Violence Survey has found that 60 percent of TV shows contain violence.

This Media Violence Fast is not about censorship. Instead, this is an opportunity to pause and consider how the saturation of violence on our TV screens also affects our spiritual lives, our relationships with others, how we see the world and how we promote peace as a religious value, starting with our remote controls.

Starting Sunday, I am changing the channel. Will you give it a try too?

The above was written by The Rev. J. Bennett Guess
Executive Director, OC, Inc
United Church of Christ

Note: This refraining from media violence does not include the last Presidential Debate on October 15 unless you think that will be violent! (:-)

Jeannette Brown