Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 7 October 2005 — Page 7

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2005

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

PAGE A7

HAITI ► Continued from Page 1 nity in the first coup was to express public disapproval and then to impose sanctions, which eventually had some effect. President Aristide was returned to his elected position and we were able to prosecute many of the human rights violations by people who carried out the coup. This time, however, the international community, especially the U.S., is openly giving assistance in guns and money to the killers. What should the U.S. be doing in Haiti? We should put our basic democratic principles in action. We should withhold all aid to the current Haitian government until they release the two dozen or more political prisoners being held. And we should demand that elections be conducted in a way that is consistent with a democratic process, and let the Haitian government know that the U.S. will not recognize a government elected in an undemocratic process. Presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled for Nov. 20 in Haiti. Will those be fair elections? It is possible they will be fair elections, but there would first have to be drastic changes from the current situation. There are two huge problems now: First, many of the people who would be the most popular candidates (including two high-profile supporters of ousted President Aristide - the Rev. Gerard Jean-Juste and former Prime Minister Yvon Neptune) are in jail. Others are in exile or in hiding. Second, there is an intentional effort to suppress the vote of poor people. The very poor Cite Soleil area of Port-au-Prince has 300,000 people but not even a single registration site. There are only 400 to 600 voter registration sites in all of Haiti. Compare that to the 4,000 sites in Los Angeles, which has about one-third the land area and much better transportation, or the 11,000 sites the democratically elected Haitian governments had in place. Haiti is a big place and the roads are bad, so the poor will have a difficult time voting. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with 8 of every 10 Haitians living in poverty. If and when democracy is restored, what can the democratically elected government do to reverse Haiti’s slide into desperation? A new government could continue what the previous democratically elected government was already doing. More secondary schools were built in Haiti in the years after the return of democracy in 1994 than were built in the previous 200 years. Literacy, sanitation and health care programs were started, but the latest coup government has dismantled them. But recovery will be tough: In Haiti, problems can build on themselves. Recently, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice visited Haiti and criticized the government for holding political prisoners and for the slow preparations for the November elections. Do Rice’s comments provide you with any optimism about the U.S.’ future involvement in Haiti? It is something that she at least raised the issue of the prisoners, which is better than ignoring it. But it is clear that it is only lip service. She was there to support (current Prime Minister Gerard) Latortue, who is presiding over a brutal war against Haiti’s democracy movement. The true feelings of the Bush administration were revealed in June, after the House of Representatives voted to cut off shipments of guns to Haiti until the unelected government’s human rights record improved. In response, the State Department announced they would send another $1.9 million worth of weapons to the Haitian government before the elections.

EDUCATION BRIEFS

Yeakey crowned Mr. KSU Frederick Thomas Yeakey, a senior from Indianapolis, was crowned Mr. Kentucky State University this week. Coronation of the university's king and queen took place in Bradford Hall Auditorium on the KSU campus in Frankfort. Stacey Davis was crowned Miss KSU. Yeakey is a public administration major who entered KSU in 2002 on a band scholarship. While at KSU, he has been a member of the Marching and Symphonic bands, Apostolic Lighthouse, student government and a residence hall assistant. He is the son of Merle and Anious Yeakey. He is a graduate of Arlington High School. Indiana State U. preview days TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - Indiana State University invites high school students and their families to find out what it means to be an ISU student and to achieve "More. From day one.” as part of Sycamore Preview Day Oct. 10 at Hulman Memorial Student Union. All preview days begin at 9:30 a.m. and conclude about 3:30 p.m. To make reservations for one of this year's Sycamore Preview Days, contact ISU's Office of Admissions at 1-800-742-0891 or register from the admissions Web site at http://www.indstate.edu/admissions/sycamore_preview.php. Specific event questions may be directed to the Office of Admissions at 1-800-742-0891 or 812-237-2121. College Fair to be Oct. 19 at Greenwood mall Greenwood Park Mall will be the site of the 11th annual Greater Indianapolis Southside College Fair on Wednesday, Oct. 19. The fair will take place throughout the mall and will run from 6 to 8 p.m. Students in grades 9 -12 and their parents will register at their high school table in the mall. They then will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from 75 colleges to learn about admissions, scholarships, financial aid, athletics, SAT and ACT information.

Conference to get parents and educators on same page

By BRANDON A. PERRY Staff Writer

In recent years there have been many national, state and local attempts to boost academic achievement and success among students through implementation of charter schools, new teaching methods in some public schools and education reform legislation. But many observers agree thatthe best way to make positive gains in schools is utilizing a proven and time-tested concept: Parents working closely with educators and community leaders to shape the curriculum and goals of their children’s schools. Realizing the importance of this concept, Indiana’s Parent Information and Resource Center is putting together an event to empower parents with the tools they need to become more active the education oftheir children and assist educators in developing relationships with their students’ families. The Families Are the Key to Academic Success conference will be held on Saturday, Oct. 15 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Light of the World Christian Church, 4646 N. Michigan Road. The $15 registration fee for the conference includes lunch. Twenty-seven workshops will be offered to address such topics as early childhood learning, parent involvement and leadership, and the No Child Left Behind Act. The keynote speakers will be Anne

Henderson and Karen Mapp, experts on the subject of home-school-commu-nity partnerships that support student achievement and co-authors of the book “A New Wave of Evidence.” “We are proud to be able to bring parents, educators, and community members this unique opportunity to hear each others’ voices and to demonstrate to our youth that we are united on their behalf,” said Jackie Garvey, director of the Indiana Partnerships Center. Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, the event is a collaboration between the education organizations that make up Indiana’s Parent Information Resource Center, including Dunebrook: The Indiana Parent Information Center, GEO Foundation PIRC, and the Indiana Partnerships Center. Stephen M. Jackson, director of the Parent Information & Resource Center, encourages all parents and educators to attend the statewide event in order to build lasting coalitions that could help revitalize schools where achievement is low. “We are definitely excited about this conference because it will highlight the importance of parental involvement and community engagement to improve the education of our children,” Jackson said. For jnore information, call the Indiana Parent Information and Resource Center at (317) 205-2595.

Prices and Items Valid Through Wednesday, October 12,2005.

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Tyson Boneless Chicken Breasts Fresh, Skinless, Breast Tenders, Thin ‘n Fancy or Marinated Fillets

Kroger Tender TWist Bread 20 oz, Assorted Varieties or 8 Ct Kroger Sandwich or Hot Dog Buns

Kroger Cheese Bars or Shreds 24 oz, Assorted Varieties

whole Boneless Pork Loin 7-9 lb Average, Sliced Free

lb

24 Pack Cans Pepsi Products

Marie Callender's or Healthy Choice Dinners or Entrees 10-17 oz Marie Callender's or 5.6-12.5 oz Healthy Choice Assorted Varieties

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Carving Pumpkins 15-18 lb Average

(Select T-Bone Steaks $4.99 lb)

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T-Bone Steaks

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