The School Board sent out notices earlier this year (in January) explaining to students if they receive ANY type of disciplinary action such as detention, suspension, referral that they will not be allowed to participate in any year end activities and as 8TH GRADERS they will not be allowed to participate in PROMOTIONAL EXERCISES.

Why is this wrong you may ask? Well, I will TELL YOU:

1) The School Board should have implemented this rule at the beginning of the year (August) when they initially sent out the SCHOOL YEAR POLICIES. They DID NOT follow protocol and comply with the WINDOW OF TIME alloted (every two years) to implement such “NEW” polices – therefore should withdraw it for further and future review. They should not try to infringe on students right to PARTICIPATE because of some rule made effective APRIL 1ST.

2) The School Board does not take into account each individual’s UNIQUE student record – i.e. if you are an honor student and you receive a referral AFTER APRIL 1st, you CANNOT participate in the PROMOTIONAL EXERCISES….Sounds fishy – YES IT REAKS WITH SOCIAL INJUSTICE!

3) The School Board is aware that this rule is WRONG, but would like to address it AFTER this school year because they want to save FACE and not publicly show TRANSPARENCY AND BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE FLAWED POLICY IN PLACE AT ALTA LOMA MIDDLE SCHOOL and quite frankly throughout the SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOL DISTRICT;

4) Many students and their families impacted by this rule don’t realize that they have the opportunity to SPEAK UP and address their concerns via the SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. MANY GIVE UP before the FIGHT.

The students heavily impacted by this rule are families of COLOR. There are reasons why this rule does not work and we as the PARENT community should have INPUT in rewriting this POLICY.

Yes, you may ask WHY INVOLVE YOURSELF – IT’S NOT YOUR KID? Well, as a parent you should be concerned when REPRESENTATIVES who are SUPPOSE to have your CHILD’S BEST interest at heart DOESN’T should concern you – IF IT CAN HAPPEN HERE, it can happen ANYWHERE!

WE ARE HERE TO HELP and WE WANT TO BE YOUR VOICE.

PLEASE JOIN US TONIGHT AT 6:30 P.M. AT SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO HIGH SCHOOL’ S LIBRARY – WE NEED YOU!

Peace & Blessings,

Manufou “Fou” Liaiga-Anoa’i
Samoan Parents In Actions
sfliaiga@hotmail.com

EDITOR’S NOTE: Email the school board members directly and inform them of your opposition.

APALSA is this year proud to honor United States Magistrate Judge Edward Chen with its Alumni of the Year Award.

Individual tickets are $100. Tickets for employees of non-profit organizations is $50. Sponsorship opportunities available.

Purchase your ticket online at http://www.apalsa-boalt.org/Fellowship/

This is Berkeley Law’s Asian Pacific American Law Student Association’s (APALSA) third annual alumni and public interest fellowship dinner. APALSA is the largest student-run organization at Berkeley Law as well as the largest Asian Pacific American law student association in the nation.

In addition to honoring alumni and leaders who have made significant contributions to the Asian Pacific American legal community, the dinner raises funds toward the endowment of the Dale Minami Public Interest Fellowship, which provides critical financial support to outstanding individuals who commit to serving the public interest.

Minami Fellows are selected for their diverse backgrounds, record of exceptional academic and professional accomplishment, leadership in community service, and commitment to social justice and public interest work. The 2010 fellowship recipient will be honored at the event.

Please e-mail minamifellowship@gmail.com or phone (916) 538-2826 if you have any questions or need additional information about this event.