In our previous issues, we discussed the importance of bringing community members into local schools and engaging them in changing the climate in Minnesota schools to make it safer and more respectful of human rights and diversity. Human Rights Commissions throughout the state have taken on the responsibility of building school-community partnership, and today we are meeting with Judy Reinehr, a Human Rights Commissioner from Hopkins, Minnesota to learn about her involvement in this process.

Judy Reinehr is a retired politician and advocate for human rights. As a Human Rights Commissioner, she works with over 20 educational facilities in Hopkins. Where most other commissioners throughout the state focus on direct violations of human rights, she focuses her time and energy on education, which is also a Hopkins initiative.

Judy’s typical day includes giving a one-hour presentation on human rights in one of the many Hopkins schools. She talks with teachers, principals, and students about what they can do in their community to raise awareness. Judy talks with students, shows the This is my Home video distributed from the Human Rights Center at the University of Minnesota, and encourages children to engage in a dialogue about what they can accomplish in their community. She always leaves students and teachers with follow-up materials that she receives from the Center. Teachers usually receive K-12 Human Rights Education Curriculum Toolkits, and students receive posters and passport-sized copies of Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Judy is also happy to provide suggestions and further help to teachers on how to use these materials.

Judy believes that education is the best way to achieve the commission’s goals of protecting and promoting human rights, but this is clearly a slow process. It is something that takes time and energy. Yet, she is convinced that every step she takes to ensure human rights education creates a ripple effect in her community that leads to positive change. “Our Children have tremendous power,” she said confidently, “they have the power to change us and make us remember what is truly important.”

If you would like to have a Human Rights Commissioner help you with resources and training in your classroom, visit the League of Human Rights Commissions’ website and connect with your local representative at: http://www.hrusa.org/league/LMHRCcontacts.shtm

This is My Home:

Human Rights Education and Community Building Workshop

When:  Wednesday, May 16, 2007, 8:30A.M. -4:00P.M
Where:  Grand Rapids (TBD)
Who should attend:  Grand Rapids Educators, Para-professionals, and any school staff; and Community Partners
How to register:  Please contact Len Rothlisberger at lenrothlisberger@isd318.org by May 4, 2007.
Should you have any questions about the project, please contact Natela Jordan at jorda274@umn.edu, or 612-625-2857.
Cost:  There is no cost to register. Coffee, Lunch and materials will be provided.

Space is limited, so don’t delay!

About the session: Human Rights Education contributes significantly to a full educational, cultural, and social development of the child. In partnership with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, and the League of Minnesota Human Rights Commissions, the University of Minnesota Human Rights Center has developed, piloted, and launched one of the most innovative, emergent human rights education programs in the country. This is My Home: A Minnesota Human Rights Education Experience (www.thisismyhome.org) is a multi-faceted human rights education curriculum, and it is currently being distributed statewide to all Minnesota schools and globally via Internet free of charge. The goal of this project is to promote human rights and increase cultural competencies that will lead to long-term changes in students’ attitudes and levels of engagement toward school, the family, and the community.

Pilot Project Opportunity: The University of Minnesota Human Rights Resource Center with St.Paul teacher Lynn Schultz received a grant from the Education Minnesota’s Foundation for Excellence in Teaching and Learning to conduct a pilot set of human rights education workshops and evaluate their impact on effective teaching practices. During the next two years, educators from several cities in Minnesota will be engaged in a pilot project of integrating This is My Home in their schools and communities. By attending workshops and using existing human rights educational resources, you will be exposed to the relevant knowledge, skills, and attitudes that we hope will foster a positive and dynamic classroom climate and increased cultural competency, implement inclusive curriculum, and create connections with students and the larger community. This project will also work to share effective practices in classrooms and schools throughout Minnesota, by documenting and evaluating ways in which teachers are integrating cultural competency and human rights education activities into the curriculum and school.

Human Rights Commissions throughout the state will be instrumental in this process, and the Human Rights Resource Center strives to create long-lasting partnerships between schools, communities, and Human Rights Commissions in implementation of This is My Home and evaluating its impact and sharing successful practices.

For more information on what This is My Home provides, please visit:
http://www.hrusa.org/thisismyhome/project/documents/teachersloungeofhope.doc

Those who participated in the Minnesota Immigrant Freedom Network’s 3rd Annual Immigrant Day at the Capitol were young teens seeking equality. Some of the teens were born in Minnesota; others have only lived here for a few months. What do they all have in common? They all want the right to a higher education.

On February 27th, 2007, about 720 teens marched into the state capitol in St. Paul and dropped off their DREAM to Governor Pawlenty. The day started with a kick off March on the capitol steps where students chanted: “What do we want? Education for All! When do we want it? Now!”

The students chanted loud and proud in hopes of getting the attention of a few key Representatives and Senators. The students, who urged legislators to support the bill, were later given the opportunity to meet with legislators to share their life stories and dreams.

The DREAM Act has gone to the State Capitol three years in a row. If passed, this act would allow graduates of Minnesota high schools who have lived in Minnesota for at least three years to attend state colleges and universities for in-state tuition rates. It would require an undocumented student to fill out an affidavit stating that s/he isin the process of becoming a legal U.S. citizen in order to receive the same benefits.

In Minnesota, this bill has been twice approved by the legislators, but the Governor vetoed it this year. The Minnesota Immigrant Freedom Network believes Governor Pawlenty is unwilling to pass any pro-immigrant bill during his term. He has favored stricter policies on illegal immigrants and has pledged to veto the DREAM Act again this year.

The students at Ramsey International Fine Arts School have worked with the Minnesota Immigrant Freedom Network for quite some time. They have a working relationship and have inspired each other to continue forging ahead this challenging campaign. The students in Linnea Hempel de Valdez’s 7th and 8th grade class attended the Immigrant Day at the Capitol, and discussed their dreams with various representatives.

They felt that their presence at the capitol was met with lukewarm reception. Some of the representatives were happy to see them, and others acted unsympathetic. “He didn’t even care what we had to say,” said one of the students about the meeting with a legislator. “All he wanted to talk about was wrestling.”

The students were disheartened and felt that they were not important enough to the State of Minnesota. Nevertheless the students have vowed to work with the Immigrant Freedom Network to ensure that the state's poorest citizens are able to receive higher education. “Yeah, I’m going to keep working on it,” said another student in Mrs. Valdez’s classroom. “I want to go to college, just like a lot of my friends.” Someday, they are hopeful that their dream will come true.