HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-21-2014 Human Rights CommissionIOWA CITY
HUMAN RIGHTS
_ COMMISSION
51 Years of Advancing Equality 1963-2014
AGENDA
CITY OF IOWA CITY HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
HELLING CONFERENCE ROOM, CITY HALL
January 21, 2014
6:00 P.M.
1. Call Meeting to Order/ Roll Call
2. Approval of Minutes from the December 17, 2013 Meeting
3. Public Comment of Items Not on the Agenda
4. New Business:
a. Vote for Chair and Vice -Chair 2014
b. Establishing A Policy for Funding Request to Commission
c. SEATS (Olmstead)
5. Old Business:
a.
Inventory of Ramps (Ohnstead)
6.
Subcommittee Reports:
a.
International Students Subcommittee (Olmstead, Cohen, Retish, Townsend)
b.
Racial/Ethnic Equity Roundtable (Cohen, Townsend)
c.
Breakfast
d.
Education (Retish, Olmstead, Coulter, Amos)
e.
New Comers to Community (formerly Immigrant Subcommittee)
f.
Building Communities (Townsend)
g.
University of Iowa Center for Human Rights (Ghoneim, Olmstead)
h.
Building Blocks to Employment Job Fair (Retish).
7.
Reports of Commission
8.
Reports of Staff
9.
Set Next Regular Meeting for February 18, 2014 at 6 p.m.
10.
Adjourn
The Iowa City Human Rights Commission meetings follow the Iowa City Community School District closings for
inclement weather except for early dismissals for heat.
Minutes
Human Rights Commission
December 17, 2013 — 6 P.M.
Helling Conference Room
Preliminary
Members Present: Harry Olmstead, Orville Townsend Sr., Paul Retish, Joe Coulter, Shams
Ghoneim, Andrea Cohen, Diane Finnerty, Jewell Amos, Kim Hanrahan.
Staff Present: Stefanie Bowers.
Recommendations to Council: Yes.
Coulter moved that the Human Rights Commission wishes to request the City to provide a description of
when and at what cost and the procedure to come into full compliance with the ADA (Ramp Inventory) to
the Commission as soon as possible. Olmstead seconded. Motion passed 8-1. Retish voted against.
Finnerty moved to add a friendly amendment to the above motion, for the Council to respond in writing to
the Iowa City Ramp Inventory Report and indicate its response to the findings, its intended actions, and
how the findings will be prioritized in the Fiscal Year 15 budget, with target dates for implementation and
completion. Amos seconded. Motion passed 9-0.
(See Inventory of Ramps discussion below).
Call to Order:
Chao Townsend called the meeting to order at 18:00.
Consideration of the Minutes of the October 15, 2013 (Revised) & November 19.2013:
October 15, 2013 moved by Coulter, seconded by Hanrahan with information added under Building
Communities-- Townsend provided an update on a meeting held with Steve Rackis that discussed The
Housing Choice Program including the process and reasons why an applicant may be denied or removed
from the program. Motion passed 8-0. Amos abstained.
November 19, 2013 moved by Olmstead, seconded by Coulter with information added under Breakfast --
Olmstead discussed a radio interview that he and Townsend participated in where they discussed the
Human Rights Breakfast and the history of the Commission. Motion passed 8-0. Amos abstained.
Public Comment of Items Not on the Agenda: None.
Meeting Business:
Certificate of Appreciation
The Commission presented Diane Finnerty with a Certificate of Appreciation for outstanding
commitment and dedication to Human Rights. Finnerty's term on the Commission ends at the end of the
year.
Inventory of Ramps
Olmstead reports that the City is doing an inventory of sidewalk ramps throughout the city. The inventory
is planned to take until the end of December 2013 to complete. Olmstead believes that many of the
currently existing ramps need to be redone. Olmstead also believes that many new ramps need to be
installed throughout the City and the Commission should send a letter to that effect to the Council. More
specifically, the letter should request the city to come into compliance under the Americans with
Disabilities Act ("ADA"). Olmstead is requesting that the letter go out now, so that the City can allocate
sufficient funds for remodeling and installing the requested ramps.
Coulter moved that the Human Rights Commission wishes to request the City to provide a description of
when and at what cost and the procedure to come into full compliance with the ADA (Ramp Inventory) to
the Commission as soon as possible. Olmstead seconded. Motion passed 8-1. Retish voted against.
Finnerty moved to add a friendly amendment to the above motion, for the Council to respond in writing to
the Iowa City Ramp Inventory Report and indicate its response to the findings, its intended actions, and
how the findings will be prioritized in the Fiscal Year 15 budget, with target dates for implementation and
completion. Amos seconded. Motion passed 9-0.
SEATS
Olmstead requested that this item be moved to the January 2014 meeting agenda.
Racial/Ethnic Equity Roundtable
Finnerty would like the Commission to co-sponsor and have representatives on a planning team to create
a day -long training on racial and ethnic equity (racial/ethnic roundtable) that community members and
businesses can attend. Finnerty would like to see the Commission set up a subcommittee for this purpose.
Finnerty moves that Human Rights Commission take on, as a 2014 initiative, racial and ethnic equity and
identify a representative to serve as an official conduit to a community group to do the planning for this
workshop. Olmstead seconds. Motion passed 9-0.
Amos moves that Cohen and Townsend serve as the representatives of the Commission. Olmstead
seconds. Motion passed 9-0.
2014 Choice Event
This fundraiser will be held in January. The funds raised will go directly to subsidize services and health
care services for underinsured women and men at the Emma Goldman Clinic. Sponsors of this fundraiser
will be listed in various literature and advertisements.
Finnerty does not feel that donating to this fundraiser falls under the Commission's charter, as it is a
private nonprofit organization and not an educational program.
Coulter moves that the Commission not fund the 2014 Choice Event and that the Commission place on
the next agenda an item regarding the formation and development of criteria for consideration of funding
requests. Commissioners agree that this is two motions. There is no second, motion fails.
Hanrahan moves to deny funding this event. Coulter seconds. Finnerty amends that the funds are denied
due to current understanding of criteria. Motion passed 6-0. Finnerty, Townsend, Amos abstain.
Olmstead moves that the Commission develop a policy statement regarding future requests for funding of
organizations that may come before it. Coulter seconds. Motion passed 9-0.
UI Center for Human Rights Funding Request
Olmstead suggests that personal contributions from Advisory Board Members of the Center for Human
Rights be considered contributions from the Commission. Olmstead and Ghoneim both serve on the
Center for Human Rights Advisory Board.
2
Coulter moves that the Commission goes on record as supporting the University of Iowa Center for
Human Rights. Ghoneim seconds. Motion passes 3-2. Townsend, Amos against. Hanrahan, Finnerty,
Olmstead, Retish abstain.
International Students Subcommittee
Olmstead moves to establish a subcommittee to assist international students at the University of Iowa as
discussed in the November meeting under public comments. Olmstead, Cohen, Townsend, and Retish
will serve on the subcommittee, with Olmstead serving as the convener. Coulter seconds. Motion passed
9-0.
Olmstead reports that a recently held `Town & Gown' meeting to assist international students was
successful. Representatives from the University, City Council, and several local organizations attended
and discussed the difficulties Chinese students face when coming here and ways to help them with the
move. Also discussed was the possibility of helping incoming students of other nationalities and meeting
with student representation from various groups about every three months or so. It is noted that the
orientation of international students is the University's responsibility and that the Commission should just
help ensure cooperation between different agencies and provide educational tools. Olmstead will notify
as to the neat meeting of the subcommittee.
Structure of Human Rights Commission
Olmstead suggested at the last meeting that the Commission be increased from 9 members to 12
members. The reasons for a possible increase of Commission members is to include a student liaison,
representatives from other minority groups and to avoid what happened to Finnerty when she applied for
a second term on the Commission.
Olmstead moves to increase the Commission from 9 members to 1 1 members with one student liaison.
Coulter seconds. Motion fails 3-3. Amos, Ghoneim, Retish vote against. Hanrahan, Finnerty, Townsend
abstained.
Ecological Human Rights
Coulter moves that the Commission go on record to state that the Commission appreciates Professor
Burns Weston supplying the Commission with the information on Ecological Human Rights. Hanrahan
seconds. A friendly amendment by Olmstead requesting that the article on Ecological Human Rights be
sent to the Council. No further action is requested at this time of the Council. Coulter accepts the
amendment. Motion passed 9-0.
Subcommittees & RenOrts:
Human Rights Breakfast
The I Have a Dream slide show is currently playing on City Channel 4. Commissioners are especially
pleased with the photos and historic documents collected.
Olmstead believes there should be a clear policy against political statements at any future Awards
Breakfast. Coulter is concerned about infringing on the First Amendment. Other Commissioners agree
with Coulter and suggest that there should be suggestions against partisanship without making a solid
policy against such statements.
Commissioners also discussed the letter from the Sheraton (re: unpaid workers). Upon reading the letter it
appears that there is some confusion on the part of Sheraton between the Center for Worker Justice and
the Commission. Finnerty moves that Bowers call Sheraton on behalf of the Commission to clarify the
role of the Commission versus that of the Center for Worker Justice. Hanrahan seconds. Motion passed
9-0.
Education
Retish is the chair for this subcommittee. Discussions at School Board meetings regarding
whether to have school on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day have been heated. Coulter moves that the
Commission continue to monitor the situation. Finnerty seconds. Motion fails 2-6. Hanrahan, Finnerty,
Olmstead, Townsend, Ghoneim, Retish vote against. Cohen abstains.
Olmstead moves that the Commission send correspondence to the Iowa City Community School District
that says when issues arise pertaining to the minority community the school district should consult the
minority community or any of its committees. Finnerty proposes another friendly amendment to use
policies. Ghoneim seconds the motion and amendment. Motion passed 7-0. Amos, Cohen abstain.
Immigrant
No report.
Building Communities
Retish suggests that Townsend speak with Bob Welsh regarding conditions at area trailer courts as this is
an affordable housing concern in the community.
University of Iowa Center for Human Rights
Olmstead reports that the advisory committee met and discussed the activities and programs sponsored by
the Center.
Building Blocks, Resume Training
No report.
Commission
Coulter suggests that if there is a conflict of interest, it should be given as the reason for abstention.
Hanrahan thinks that the voting has been rushed lately and would like to take more time for discussion to
improve understanding of the topics.
Amos believes that public schools should use the same holiday schedule as the federal government.
Retish will send a report from the Transition Services for Disadvantaged Young & Adults to Bowers so
that the Commission may review it.
Cohen hopes to develop a display in local school buses that contain human rights educational exhibits.
Townsend thanked the Commission for its hard work during his time as chair (2013).
Staff
Bowers discussed the number of recent abstentions citing that it is usually used if a person has a conflict
of interest when voting on a matter.
Olmstead moves to adjourn. Finnerty seconds. Motion passed.
Adjournment: 20:12
0
Next Regular Meeting — January 21, 2014
Human Rights Commission
ATTENDANCE RECORD
YEAR 20122013
Meetin Date
NAME
TERM
EXP.
1/15/
13
1/28
113
2/19/
13
3/19/
13
4/16
113
5/21
/13
6/18/
13
7/16/
13
8/20/
13
9/17/
13
10/15/
13
11/19/
13
12/17/
13
Diane
Finnerty
1/14/14
O/E
X
X
X
O/E
X
X
X
X
X
O/E
X
X
Orville
Townsend, Sr.
1/1/14
X
X
X
x
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Paul Retish
1/1/14
-
-
-
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
X
X
X
Dan Tallon
1/1/14
X
X
X
O/E
X
X
X
O/E
R
R
R
R
R
Kim
Hanrahan
1/1/15
X
X
X
X
O/E
X
X
X
X
X
X
O/E
X
Shams
Ghoneim
111115
O/E
O/E
X
X
X
O/E
X
O/E
X
X
X
X
X
Jessie Harper
111115
X
X
X
X
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
Jewell Amos
111115
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
X
X
X
X
O/E
X
Katie
Anthony
l/l/16
X
X
X
X
X
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
Joe D. Coulter
1/1/16
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
O/E
X
X
X
X
X
Harry
Olmstead
1/1/16
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Andrea Cohen
1/1/16
-
-
-
-
_
_
_
_
O/E
X
X
X
X
Connie Goeb
1/1/13
-
Howard
Cowen
1/l/13
-
David B.
Brown
1/l/14
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
Henri Harper
1/1/14
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
I
F-t
L
KEY: X = Present
O = Absent
O/E= Absent/Excused
NM = No meeting
— = No longer a member
R =Resignation
Agenda Item 4b
Stefanie Bowers
From: Jewell Amos <jewellamos@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, January 10, 2014 8:28 AM
To: Stefanie Bowers
Subject: Amendment to By -Laws
After much thought about how to handle requests for donations, I propose the following:
Add appropriate language to ordinance of the Iowa City Human Rights Commission Article 2 "Purpose"
Section C to state: The purpose of the Commission is not to donate it's funds to individuals or Organizations.
All individuals and organizations that solicit for donated funds will be denied such funds.
Jewell Amos, Chair
Iowa City Pride
319-931-1092
Iowa City Pride
C/o WRAC
130 N. Madison St.
Iowa City, Iowa 52245
www.iowacitypride.com
CORRESPONDENCE
Stefanie Bowers
From: Barron, Sara [CO PD] <barrons@iastate.edu>
Sent: Friday, December 13, 2013 2:26 PM
To: Tracy Hightshoe; Steve Long; Stefanie Bowers; Tom Markus; Geoff Fruin
Subject: From Big Brothers Big Sisters --Our year-end progress report
Dear City of Iowa City staff/administrators,
Thank you for your support of youth and their mentors through Big Brothers Big Sisters. We can't do this
important work without you.
We hope you'll take a moment to celebrate the year's accomplishments with us. The following is a progress
report on our current strategic plan, as well as just a snapshot of some of the great opportunities enjoyed by our
youth, families, and mentors in 2013.
Take care,
Sara Barron
Community Relations Director
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County
P.S., Stefanie and Tracy, would you be willing to share this email with the Human Rights Commission and the
Housing and Community Development Commission? Thanks again.
Strategic Plan
2013 Progress Report Big Brothers Big Sisters of Jr
Last year,
we set some Outcomes Stronger, longer mentoring relationships
ambitious 1 Organization Training, collaboration and supported g
three-year
goats' for our a Public Relations Visible, meaningful, and clear comr
organization. • Revenue Diversified and well -managed income growtl
Now, at the
end of 2013,
it's time to
share our
progress with
you.Thanks
to everyone
for your
support and
action on
behalf of our
youth.
scoTr HANSEN
egg erotheh Big Sralcrs
Exec.t, C 0 r[ for
'To v+r. Mt f W 1 7013 2016
strategic plan Wise vns4
v w bCoyc org
Want to
find out how
you can
contribute to
the mission
--A _t
75% increase
in the number of
school -based
mentoring relationships
lasting longer than
Over 5000 personal
contacts by our staff
Expai
with volunteers, youth, and families in
schot
support of their mentoring relationships
menu
to Grant V
12 months Welcomed
72% of youth
in our school -based
program reported
academic
improvements
after one year with
their mentor
155 new
youth
Into our programs, and
continued to served
more than 30o youth
for a second year or
more
Launched a new
partnership with
Offered 35
group learning
opportunities
artd soul evarfb for our
youth and mentors such as science
nights, community -service activities.
and outdoor recreation
Sought out triininq
on cultural competency, mentoring
best practices, mental health, and
substance abuse among youth
The Dream Center
in order to strengthen
mentoring opportunities
for 14— and 1 5-year-old
African -American males
2
Created
leadership roles
for experienced
program staff
in order to facilitate better
day-to-day collaboration, skill.
sharing, and decision -making
Particip
partner
such as the Dh
Contact comma
Youth Develop
Way and the V
Network. Comi
Protecting Chil,
Drstriot Parent
Assl
lead
in reduc
ethnic d
juvenile
i a u _ ► _ ♦�_/mil
wsru: MLL
t
raw# , e
,. JO
2013
Big Brothers Big Sisters
A Year in Pictures
Sara Barron, Community Relations Director
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County
3109 Old Hwy 218 South I Iowa City, IA 52246
319-337-2145, x. 143 1 FAX: 319-337-7864
A program of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Help children reach their potential. Start Something."
www.bbbsic.org I www.facebook.com/bbbsic I www.twitter.com/bbbsmentoring
Stefanie Bowers
From: Coulter, Joe D <joe-coulter@uiowa.edu>
Sent: Saturday, December 14, 2013 9:36 AM
To: thompbobson@mchsi.com
Cc: Stefanie Bowers; coulter.joe.d@gmail.com
Subject: RE: Iowa City "Citizens Survey"
Mr. Thompson:
Thank you for your concern and analysis of the City of Iowa City "Citizens Survey". I hope you will share
your work with the appropriate City Offices and members of the City Council. As a member of the Iowa City
Human Rights Commission, I have copied this email to Ms. Stefanie Bowers, the head staff of the Commission.
Joe D. Coulter, Ph.D.
Professor
Community and Behavioral Health
College of Public Health
105 River Street, N414 CPHB
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa 52242
Phone (319) 384-1478
FAX (319) 384-4106
Joe Dan Coulter
From: Bob Thompson [mailto:thompbobson@mchsi.com]
Sent: Saturday, December 14, 2013 1:09 AM
To: Coulter, Joe D
Subject: Iowa City "Citizens Survey"
Dr. Coulter,
In a recent City Council Info Packet, I saw your breakdown of demographics in the City's "Citizens Survey"
compared to U.S. Census data, and posted it on the Facebook group "Reform the Johnson County Justice
System." That topic revived recently, and some scrutiny of the full report ensued. As your comparison reveals
the significant racial disparities of the survey's sample, and a lot of questions in the survey were relevant to the
local justice system, we looked at stuff related to economic disparities, which are of course related to the racial
ones; one very striking economic disparity is the percentage of home ownership. 91 % of survey respondents
live in an owner -occupied household (p. 62), whereas U.S. census data shows that only 48.8% of the I.C.
population reported this. It's doubtful that selection bias (e.g. financially stable people more likely to respond to
the survey) alone could account for this huge disparity; obviously some condition of the survey methodology
was responsible for this.
Someone noticed on page 84 of the survey that "City of Iowa City officials were concerned about the large
number of students in the City. Therefore, they opted to provide their own list from which the sample was
obtained." Fair enough, by their own admission they didn't want students participating in the survey. No details
pertaining how City staff went about excluding students, but whatever method of exclusion was used, it was
pretty effective, since only 5% of respondents reported being U of I students. However, that's not the problem
you pointed to, and it appears to me that the method of exclusion may have had some effect in the extreme
disparities your data show.
A map of survey recipients was provided on page 85 of the full report; however, it was conspicuously lacking in
detail; the map background is merely a blue background, with dots indicating the survey recipients, with no
useful detail such as street locations. Useless, in and of itself, because of the total lack of detail in the
background. It occurred to me that it would be easy to make that image semi -transparent, and paste and align it
to a real map. So I did that, aligning it with a map of neighborhood zones. There are minor spacial distortions of
one or both maps, but the result is accurate enough to get a picture of the alleged "random" distribution of the
recipients of the survey:
K „
1_ ..
Pepperwood
•
Noticing a large number of "dead zones" with few or no recipients, I then did a visual comparison of this map
with Gooele's hybrid satellite/street map of Iowa City (zoom in, and move around a lot, an informal visual
comparison of these maps will be arduous). I may have better visual comparison skills than most people, so one
might not be convinced by this evidence alone. What this shows (to me) is that quite a number of "dead zones"
3
on this map correspond to areas with housing where low income people are likely to reside: trailer parks, large
apartment complexes, and areas with a high density of rental housing. And let's remember that this map of dots
is a map of recipients of the survey, not respondents, so points to deliberate manipulation of the sample. I
conclude that since City staff elected to grant themselves the luxury of excluding whoever they wanted, they
elected to disproportionately exclude low income people.
Some specific areas of systematic exclusion I've identified so far:
-Bon Aire Mobile Home Court
-Hilltop Mobile Home Court
-Forest View Mobile Home Court
-the large apartment buildings around Lakeside and Highway 6 (where "them Black people from Chicago" live,
as local white racists are prone to say)
-large apartment complexes in the vicinity of Benton and Melrose
-and obviously, the rental neighborhoods in the vicinity of downtown
I think there are many more excluded zones than what I've identified so far. Thank you for your efforts at
debunking this remarkably bogus "survey." I have yet to see any official reaction to the questions you raise, but
that's not at all surprising. Maybe we need an inquisition to discover the precise methods used by City staff to
exclude lower income people from this survey; to me, it's pretty obvious that they were in fact systematically
silenced.
Memo originally sent in December 19 Information Packet
0. = CITY OF IOWA CITY
--`o4 MEMORANDUM
Date: December 19, 2013
To: Tom Markus, City Manager CO
From: Simon Andrew, Administrative Analyst
Re: 2013 National Citizen SurveyTM U
This memo is in regards to the Iowa City 2013 National Citizen SurveyTm and the rationale
behind using utility accounts as the basis for the sampling frame.
First it is important to recognize that because this survey sampled only utility account
households, it is not meant to be, nor was it used as, a definitive snapshot of the perceptions of
Iowa Citians as a whole. Rather, it is one piece of a large puzzle that includes, but is of course
not limited to, input from boards and commissions, the ad hoc diversity committee
recommendations, neighborhood and community organizations, various planning documents,
Council meeting public comments, staff, and other department -specific surveys.
Each of the sampling frames staff considered had advantages and drawbacks. Many of the
same addresses that were left out of the utility account sampling frame were also not included in
the USPS mailing list. These include dormitories, assisted living facilities, and other group living
quarters. Mobile home parks, with the exception of Baculis, have individual utility accounts and
thus were represented in both sampling frames. Similarly, the vast majority of multifamily units
have individual utility accounts and were also included in the sampling frame.
Furthermore, the large number of questions in the survey that are specific to City utility services
made utility account -holding households a logical frame to consider. Given the number of
dormitory/group living quarters represented in neither frame, utility accounts were deemed more
useful. Registered voter roles and telephone lists are also frequently used as sampling frames;
both are also prone to selection bias. The 2011 Iowa City survey used a telephone sampling
method.
Another factor that was considered was the overall response rate. The timing of the survey's
distribution gave rise to the concern that the potentially large number of empty student
apartments would drive down the response rate to the point that the survey would be neither a
useful assessment of utility account holders nor the City as a whole. Using utility accounts
allowed the minimization of vacant addresses.
The large number of Iowa Citians that aren't represented in any of the sampling frames
considered made demographic weighting undesirable. Even using a USPS mailing list that
excludes dormitories/group living quarters could make the sampling frame deviate from census
data substantially, making weighted results questionable. Rather than attempting to generate a
survey that manipulates statistical data in order to broadly characterize the City as a whole, staff
thought it better to present a more specific survey of utility account holders. Ultimately, while
the survey does not characterize the perceptions of the City as a whole, it does represent the
opinions of over 500 utility customers in an identical format simultaneously. Though not used to
represent the City in its totality, staff believes that it is useful as a piece of public input to be
considered as one among many.
CITY OF IOWA CITY
410 East Washington Street
Iowa City, Iowa 52240-1826
(319) 356-5000
(319)356-5009 FAX
www.icgov.org
December 30, 2013
Jennifer Price and Francine Thompson
Co -Directors
Emma Goldman Clinic
227 North Dubuque Street
Iowa City, IA 52245
Dear Jennifer & Francine:
The Iowa City Human Rights Commission has decided not to contribute to the 2014 Choice
Event. The Iowa City Human Rights Commission chose to decline sponsorship this year
because the current Commission does not find the event within the scope of its charter as it is
not an educational program. In closing, the Commission sends well wishes for a very successful
event and looks forward to working with you in the future.
Sincerely,
Stefanie Bowers
Human Rights Coordinator
City of Iowa City
Stefanie Bowers
From: Stefanie Bowers
Sent: Monday, December 30, 2013 1:58 PM
To: 'Weston, Burns H'
Subject: Ecological Human Rights
Dear Professor Weston:
Thank you for attending the Human Rights Commission meeting on November 19, 2013 to discuss Ecological
Human Rights. The Human Rights Commission discussed this topic at its December 17, 2013 meeting. At this
meeting, the Commission chose not to take any action on this topic. However, the Commission did agree to
send a copy of the journal article Universal Covenant Affirming A Human Right to Commons and Rights Based
Governance of Earth's Natural Wealth and Resources to the Mayor and Council. In closing, the Commission
expresses its gratitude to you for sharing this important information.
Sincerely,
Stefanie Bowers
Human Rights Coordinator
City of Iowa City
www.press-citizen.com I Printer -friendly article page
Page 1 of 2
January 10, 2014
School boundaries on the table
Board to vote on a series of changes to start next year
By Holly Hines
Iowa City Press -Citizen
Proposed school district boundary changes would affect nearly every school in the Iowa City
Community School District and could impact students at nine elementaries twice between 2015 and
2019.
A proposed boundary change time line released by district administrators Thursday calls for changes
to roll out in a series of clusters affecting two to eight schools at a time. There are five clusters at the
elementary level, two at the junior high level and three at the high school level. Only Tate High School
is unaffected.
Elementary school changes would take place between 2015 and 2019. Changes affecting all three
junior high schools would take place in fall 2015 and then again in fall 2021. Changes at both high
schools would occur in fall 2015, and a new high school and changes to existing high schools are set
for fall 2019 and fall 2022.
At the junior high level, some students at South East may move to Northwest, some students at
Northwest may move to North Central and some students at North Central may move to Northwest,
Superintendent Stephen Murley said.
He said this would help address crowding at South East as well as discrepancies among schools
regarding the number of students receiving free and reduced -price lunches.
School Board members are set to discuss the proposed plan at a board meeting Tuesday. Its
approval is required for the changes to take effect.
Murley said district administrators sought to keep potential student transitions at a minimum and to
put distance between the boundary changes in the plan. He said administrators considered when new
schools and school additions are set to open as well as requirements in the district's diversity policy
while crafting the time line draft.
"Hopefully, this provides some level of framework or structure for people to understand it," he said.
School Board member Chris Lynch said he thinks the idea of using clusters makes sense.
"I think it's simple," he said.
Lynch said it will be important for board members to discuss their long-term vision when it comes to
rezoning plans in part so they can keep the overall number of transitions at a minimum.
The proposal calls for students to potentially be moved to another school in their original cluster.
Murley said that in most cases, students would move to a school near their current one.
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One way administrators reduced possible instances of students moving from school to school, Murley
said, was by creating large clusters of schools up for rezoning.
"The clusters will just affect a larger number of schools at one given time," he said.
Murley also said there will be time for community members to provide feedback about boundary
change specifics during the spring before each cluster of changes.
If the plan were approved as is, the district would eventually meet all but one of the requirements of
its diversity policy. Murley said administrators may fail to bring the number of students receiving free
and reduced -price lunches at Mann Elementary to within 15 percent of the district's average by 2018
to avoid moving students right before a new eastside elementary opens and then again when the
school opens in 2019.
Five of seven School Board members could not be reached for comment before deadline. Board
member Brian Kirschling said he had not yet examined the proposals and declined to comment.
Additional Facts
Proposed schedule for school district boundary changes
Schools affected in fall of 2015:
• Elementary cluster 1: Coralville Central, Garner, Kirkwood, Lincoln, Penn, Van Allen and
Wickham.
• Elementary cluster 2: Hills, Lemme, Longfellow, Twain, Weber, Grant Wood and the new
southside elementary.
• Junior high cluster 1: South East, Northwest and North Central.
• High school cluster 1: City and West.
Schools affected in fall of 2017:
• Elementary cluster 3: Borlaug, Hills, Horn and Weber.
Schools affected in 2019:
• Elementary cluster 4: Hoover, Lemme, Longfellow, Lucas, Mann, Shimek and the new eastside
elementary.
• Elementary cluster 5: Garner, Lincoln, Penn, Van Allen, Wickham and the new northside
elementary
• High school cluster 2: City, West and the new northside high school.
Schools affected in 2021:
• Junior high cluster 2: South East, Northwest and North Central.
Schools affected in 2022:
• High school cluster 3: City, West and the new northside high school.
http://www.press-citizen.com/print/article/20140110/NEW SOl /301100020/School-bounda... 1/ 10/2014
Celebrating MLK's legacy
Main Page Content
Events dedicated to human rights include a visit from journalist Soledad O'Brien
By:
The University of Iowa's Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration of Human Rights runs Jan. 20-31 this year. Illustration by
Caitlin Barnes, UI BEA Graphic Design 13' of Charles City, Iowa, who is employed by the UI Division of Student Life
Marketing + Design.
The University of Iowa will honor and the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. during the annual MLK
Celebration of Human Rights Jan. 20-31.
The 2014 poster design promoting MLK Celebration day challenges us to help others. With this year's theme
in mind, UI students, faculty, and staff were asked to create posters sharing what they are doing for others. See
the responses here.
This year's events include a Day of Service focused on hunger and homelessness, a unity walk and tribute on
the Pentacrest, and a lecture by CNN journalist, documentarian, and TV news producer Soledad O'Brien.
Visit mlk.uiowa.edu for the latest information on the full range of activities and exhibits. Some of the
celebration's events include:
Unity March and "Time to Remember," Monday, Jan. 20, 3:30 p.m. at Pentacrest and Old Capitol Museum:
Participants will gather at the east entrance of the Old Capitol. After the walk, a "Time to Remember Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr." will be held in the Old Capitol Senate Chambers.
"Building Positive Care Relationships Between Health Care Workers and Transgender Patients,"
Tuesday, Jan. 21, at noon Nursing Clinical Education Center, W417 General Hospital: Presentation by stef
shuster, graduate fellow in the UI Department of Sociology, sponsored by UI Health Care.
"Structural Violence: Health Disparities in the U.S. and Abroad," Wednesday, Jan. 22, at noon in Galagan
Auditorium, Dental Science Building: Chris Buresh, clinical associate professor of emergency medicine in the
tine, will draw on his experience in Haiti to discuss social factors that affect health.
Soledad O'Brien
Soledad O'Brien lecture, Thursday, Jan. 23, at noon at Prem Sahai Auditorium, Medical Education and
Research Facility: The award -winning journalist and founder of Starfish Media Group --a multimedia
production company focused on issues of race and class —will discuss "Diversity: On TV, Behind the Scenes,
and in Our Lives." A reception follows.
Community of Color reception,Thursday, Jan. 23, from 4 to 6 p.m. in Van Oel Multipurpose Room, Currier
Hall: Food, fun, and resources for students, faculty, and staff. Sponsored by the Center for Diversity and
Enrichment in the UI Chief Diversity Office and Residence Education.
"Bringing the Vision Home: Celebrating Iowa Women of the Civil Rights Movement," Thursday, Jan. 23,
from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in Black Box Theater, Iowa Memorial Union: Presenting a spoken -word performance by
Wisdom Beyond Words and a multimedia tribute to Iowa women civil rights activists. A reception follows.
Larry Yazzie performance, Friday, Jan. 24, at noon in the Filling Station, south first floor, Dental Science
Building: Performance by the two-time World Champion Fancy Dancer and member of the Sac and Fox Tribe
of the Mississippi in Iowa/Meskwaki.
"Sweet Songs of Sorrow and Joy: Jazz, Poetry, MLK, and Civil Rights," Saturday, Jan. 25, at 8 p.m. in
Theatre B, Theatre Building: A free music and theater production featuring Damani Phillips, assistant
professor of jazz studies and African American studies, playing classic jazz pieces and discussing the artists'
and work's connections to King and the civil right movement. Student poets, playwrights, and actors from the
Darwin Turner Action Theater will read from original work and MLK speeches.
In addition, the UI College of Education will host its Martin Luther King Jr. Research Symposium Friday, Feb.
7, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. in N300 Lindquist Center, showcasing student research projects related to diversity.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all UI-sponsored events. If you are a person with a
disability who requires a reasonable accommodation to participate in these programs, contact the UI Center for
Student Involvement and Leadership in advance at 319-335-3059.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Annual Program & Celebration
Monday, January 20, 2014
1:00-3:00 p.m.
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church
411 South Governor Street
Iowa City, Iowa