CommunityWatch has followed the continuing story of the three teens in Lacey who participated in the extremely ill-advised act of ‘sexting.’
Convicting these children as Registered Sex Offenders would be grossly inappropriate, a complete misuse of the Registry, and is a punishment that far exceeds the severity of the crime. There are instances where ‘sexting’ can meet the severity or purpose of the Registry, but we have read no indication of those details here. There was no coercion, no extreme age difference, no profit. The only ill-intent was standard, deplorable, teen maliciousness.
Child pornography laws were not written to cover this crime. This is clearly an area where law has not caught up with technology, and as responsible adults and care-takers of both children and justice, it is important that Thurston County prosecutors use discretion and compassion to mete out appropriate consequences. Community service is a much more appropriate punishment than the life sentence of exclusion and shame that they’re facing.
We hope that this is a learning moment for teens across Washington, and for parents and care-givers across Washington, that some decisions can be made quickly, and affect your entire life negatively. In the digital age more than ever, we need to think before we act, because you really can never get that digital file back again. There is a great new resource for teens with regard to digital responsibility: A Thin Line, from MTV, is having a very relevant and teen-oriented conversation about sexting, and we encourage teens and tweens to join that conversation. http://www.athinline.org/
We would like share our support and best wishes to the parents of these teens, and to other parents in Lacey, so that the community can move past this in a constructive manner.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Increasing School Safety Legislation in WA
Five days a week in Washington, the law says that kids need to get up and go to school. Many of them have a safe trip, many of them don’t. In some areas, kids walk past gang members who are actively recruiting, selling drugs, and/or soliciting. During tough economic times, gang activity increases.
Well, we’re in tough economic times, and some of the state’s hardest hit areas are suffering from economic trouble and epidemic gang problems. For example: in Mattewa, the Wahluke School District, which has approximately 2,000 students, spends $40,000 a year to bus every single child to and from school, because it has been determined that it is too dangerous for the children to walk.
Two Bills have been introduced to provide local schools and school districts with the tools they need to effectively protect students from gang activity at the community level. Time is running out, however, and if these do not pass, another year will go by with some policies being applied inappropriately, and many children not receiving much-needed protection from predatory gang violence.
Gang Policies in Schools, Senate Bill 6511, and Increasing School Safety Senate Bill 6512
We have been told that this Bill does not have support because these issues are largely taking place in Eastern Washington. We find this very confusing, and want to be sure that the folks in Eastern Washington are aware of this Bills existence, and invite them to speak up.
As a member of the Gangs In Schools Task Force representing the PTA, and as a person who has heard time and again from parents how worried they are for their children and communities, and who has heard from teachers and school staff that they’re sometimes afraid coming and going from school… I have to say that this Bill would serve a valuable purpose.
State-level laws are incredibly difficult to draft, because they need to work for every person in the state. SB 6512 offers a tool to schools across the state, with standards in place, that can be used at the community level. With oversight, to protect freedom of expression and to protect the rights of WA children to receive an education.
Well, we’re in tough economic times, and some of the state’s hardest hit areas are suffering from economic trouble and epidemic gang problems. For example: in Mattewa, the Wahluke School District, which has approximately 2,000 students, spends $40,000 a year to bus every single child to and from school, because it has been determined that it is too dangerous for the children to walk.
Two Bills have been introduced to provide local schools and school districts with the tools they need to effectively protect students from gang activity at the community level. Time is running out, however, and if these do not pass, another year will go by with some policies being applied inappropriately, and many children not receiving much-needed protection from predatory gang violence.
- Until Olympia can figure out how to help these communities end the gang epidemics that many are facing, Olympia needs to make sure that these communities have the tools they need to keep themselves, and their students, safe. Period.
Gang Policies in Schools, Senate Bill 6511, and Increasing School Safety Senate Bill 6512
- were passed out of the Senate K-12 and Early Learning Committee, and have passed to the Senate Rules Committee for second reading.
- Gang Policies in Schools seeks to standardize definitions and policies so that youth across Washington State receive equal and appropriate experiences in school. It can be extremely challenging for many to determine what is gang culture and bad, and what is youth culture, and is simply self-expression. Further, there is currently some inconsistency between actual gang policy definitions in schools and state law. SB 6511 would correct these issues.
- Increasing School Safety is an effort to provide local communities with an effective tool to keep gang members and other predatory criminals away from the area around schools, where these criminals often gather. According to the
We have been told that this Bill does not have support because these issues are largely taking place in Eastern Washington. We find this very confusing, and want to be sure that the folks in Eastern Washington are aware of this Bills existence, and invite them to speak up.
As a member of the Gangs In Schools Task Force representing the PTA, and as a person who has heard time and again from parents how worried they are for their children and communities, and who has heard from teachers and school staff that they’re sometimes afraid coming and going from school… I have to say that this Bill would serve a valuable purpose.
State-level laws are incredibly difficult to draft, because they need to work for every person in the state. SB 6512 offers a tool to schools across the state, with standards in place, that can be used at the community level. With oversight, to protect freedom of expression and to protect the rights of WA children to receive an education.
Friday, January 29, 2010
SB 6432 - WA Enhanced Intelligence Act
Members of the Senate Judicial committee,
I’ve reviewed SB 6432, as well as information from DOJ, DHS, EPIC, the ACLU, and various pieces of legislation from other states designed to allow for the effective and appropriate collection of information by law enforcement.
SB 6432 is an intelligent and functional piece of legislation that allows law enforcement to gather information in an appropriate and standardized manner that does not interfere with civil rights. It’s really unfortunate that we need this Bill, but the fact is that we really need this Bill, to protect the civil rights of Washington’s citizens, and to protect the value of information that is collected through diligent and intelligent investigation where investigation is warranted.
We started looking at fusion centers last summer, and now consider associated methods of data collection to be consistently so injurious to crime prevention, and to the legitimacy of real and necessary police work, that we plan to prioritize the issue to our national membership in the coming year.
This Bill can go through the legislature this year, and Washington can be known as one of the states that acknowledged an civil rights problem and dealt with it in an expeditious and progressive manner, or you can wait until there are more lawsuits and awareness has risen to the point that people are wondering “What is going on with our legislators?”
I hope to see that this is through executive committee and on to the next within the next few days. If not, please let me know why so I may relay that information to our Washington membership.
Thank you. I appreciate your time, consideration, and your efforts on behalf of Washington citizens.
I’ve reviewed SB 6432, as well as information from DOJ, DHS, EPIC, the ACLU, and various pieces of legislation from other states designed to allow for the effective and appropriate collection of information by law enforcement.
SB 6432 is an intelligent and functional piece of legislation that allows law enforcement to gather information in an appropriate and standardized manner that does not interfere with civil rights. It’s really unfortunate that we need this Bill, but the fact is that we really need this Bill, to protect the civil rights of Washington’s citizens, and to protect the value of information that is collected through diligent and intelligent investigation where investigation is warranted.
We started looking at fusion centers last summer, and now consider associated methods of data collection to be consistently so injurious to crime prevention, and to the legitimacy of real and necessary police work, that we plan to prioritize the issue to our national membership in the coming year.
This Bill can go through the legislature this year, and Washington can be known as one of the states that acknowledged an civil rights problem and dealt with it in an expeditious and progressive manner, or you can wait until there are more lawsuits and awareness has risen to the point that people are wondering “What is going on with our legislators?”
I hope to see that this is through executive committee and on to the next within the next few days. If not, please let me know why so I may relay that information to our Washington membership.
Thank you. I appreciate your time, consideration, and your efforts on behalf of Washington citizens.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Children of Haiti - Restaveks
Hello – I work for a small non-profit based in Redmond, WA, with members nationwide. I am a citizen of Washington state, and so am sending this email to you, as is appropriate. This is a message, however, that needs to be heard everywhere. It does not originate with me, I’m not the first person to share this message: the message is about slavery.
Right now citizens of the United States and other nations are working around the clock to save Haitians. When we have found, fed, or memorialized every Haitian, there will still be a monumental task ahead of us – turning Haiti into a country that can support itself and thrive. Roads, homes, hospitals, schools, community centers and more are all needed before there can be any expectation that Haitians are on the road to recovery from this profoundly traumatic event, and from years of grinding poverty and violence.
That cannot truly happen while there is an acceptance in Haiti (or with those who have a diplomatic relationship with Haiti) of what is, effectively, slavery. Whatever word applied, children bound to servitude is slavery, and I cannot articulate how distressing their situation is to me, as a person who is free and who is a parent.
At this time,
· There approximately 300,000 restaveks in Haiti
· Only 11% of restaveks receive an education
· Most restaveks are females between 5-15 years of age
There is no mention of rights, oversight, or community expectations dictating treatment of these indentured children. They are typically malnourished, overworked, and neglected emotionally.
This is unnecessary and unacceptable. This pivotal time must function as a catalyst for change, and one essential change is an end to the practice of indenturing children. They are human children. They should know love, affection, and security, whether in an environment of poverty or not. It is not about relative wealth, it is about allowing them to be children.
In this country, and likely elsewhere in the world, there are many adults who want nothing more than to invite children into their homes, and to care for them in constructive and healthy environments. I have heard again and again how difficult it is to adopt children from Haiti, despite the desperate need felt by these children.
As Senators, you have considerably influence. As US citizens, we have considerable privilege. As people who are free, we have considerable obligation to value the freedom of others.
Honestly, I’m very upset. I’m writing this as a mom, as a person who sees an excess of suffering where none is needed, and who values freedom and family above all else.
What do I want to happen? I want the practice of indenturing children to be illegal in Haiti. I want those who currently ‘own’ restaveks to be rewarded financially for turning them over, and to be sentenced to community service if they attempt to refuse. I want those children to be made available for adoption within a system modeled on the Mockingbird Family Model, so that there would be support for the transplanted children and the adoptive parents. I want the whole thing to be organized and implemented by a multi-national committee under whatever international agency you’d like.
There is a lot of misery in the world, but there is typically a lot of parental love as well. There is no parental love for these children. There are many who advocate for them, but Haiti is an island far away, and their voices haven’t been sufficiently heard. We can hear them now, and we must listen and take action.
What action do you intend to take? I hope to hear your answer very soon.
Resources:
The Restavek Foundation: http://www.restavekfreedom.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=cms.home
I too am Haiti: http://www.itooamhaiti.org/
Pan America’s report on children in Haiti: http://www.itooamhaiti.org/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/13583
Mockingbird Society, Mockingbird Family Model: http://www.mockingbirdsociety.org/the-mockingbird-family-model/
Thank you for the work you do in representing the people of Washington.
Bethan Tuttle
Executive Director
Community Watch
http://www.communitywatch.us/
Right now citizens of the United States and other nations are working around the clock to save Haitians. When we have found, fed, or memorialized every Haitian, there will still be a monumental task ahead of us – turning Haiti into a country that can support itself and thrive. Roads, homes, hospitals, schools, community centers and more are all needed before there can be any expectation that Haitians are on the road to recovery from this profoundly traumatic event, and from years of grinding poverty and violence.
That cannot truly happen while there is an acceptance in Haiti (or with those who have a diplomatic relationship with Haiti) of what is, effectively, slavery. Whatever word applied, children bound to servitude is slavery, and I cannot articulate how distressing their situation is to me, as a person who is free and who is a parent.
At this time,
· There approximately 300,000 restaveks in Haiti
· Only 11% of restaveks receive an education
· Most restaveks are females between 5-15 years of age
There is no mention of rights, oversight, or community expectations dictating treatment of these indentured children. They are typically malnourished, overworked, and neglected emotionally.
This is unnecessary and unacceptable. This pivotal time must function as a catalyst for change, and one essential change is an end to the practice of indenturing children. They are human children. They should know love, affection, and security, whether in an environment of poverty or not. It is not about relative wealth, it is about allowing them to be children.
In this country, and likely elsewhere in the world, there are many adults who want nothing more than to invite children into their homes, and to care for them in constructive and healthy environments. I have heard again and again how difficult it is to adopt children from Haiti, despite the desperate need felt by these children.
As Senators, you have considerably influence. As US citizens, we have considerable privilege. As people who are free, we have considerable obligation to value the freedom of others.
Honestly, I’m very upset. I’m writing this as a mom, as a person who sees an excess of suffering where none is needed, and who values freedom and family above all else.
What do I want to happen? I want the practice of indenturing children to be illegal in Haiti. I want those who currently ‘own’ restaveks to be rewarded financially for turning them over, and to be sentenced to community service if they attempt to refuse. I want those children to be made available for adoption within a system modeled on the Mockingbird Family Model, so that there would be support for the transplanted children and the adoptive parents. I want the whole thing to be organized and implemented by a multi-national committee under whatever international agency you’d like.
There is a lot of misery in the world, but there is typically a lot of parental love as well. There is no parental love for these children. There are many who advocate for them, but Haiti is an island far away, and their voices haven’t been sufficiently heard. We can hear them now, and we must listen and take action.
What action do you intend to take? I hope to hear your answer very soon.
Resources:
The Restavek Foundation: http://www.restavekfreedom.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=cms.home
I too am Haiti: http://www.itooamhaiti.org/
Pan America’s report on children in Haiti: http://www.itooamhaiti.org/ht/a/GetDocumentAction/i/13583
Mockingbird Society, Mockingbird Family Model: http://www.mockingbirdsociety.org/the-mockingbird-family-model/
Thank you for the work you do in representing the people of Washington.
Bethan Tuttle
Executive Director
Community Watch
http://www.communitywatch.us/
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