Durham People's Alliance

February Newsletter

Kate — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:33:58 +0000

Continue reading for our February Newsletter, filled with PA-PAC election news, a special membership meeting notice, and more!

Special Membership Meeting – March 7th

Kate — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:32:27 +0000

The lifting of the NC cap on charter schools has brought charter schools to the forefront of the education debate. A special membership meeting has been called to provide PA members with information about current NC charter law. It will include a discussion about the pros and cons of charter schools for North Carolina. The membership will be voting on a set of expectations for Durham Charter Schools, which has been crafted by the PA Education Committee with the support of the Coordinating Committee. Click Here for the proposed set of expectations.

Wednesday, March 7th

7:00 p.m.

The Kings Daughters Inn

204 N. Buchanan Blvd.

PA Resolution Opposing Constitutional Amendment

Kate — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:44:24 +0000

PA Resolution Opposing Hydraulic Fracturing in North Carolina

Kate — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:42:15 +0000

PA Education Committee Partners With Local Education Groups for Movie Screening

Kate — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:56:56 +0000

People’s Alliance is partnering with local education groups for a screening of the documentary The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman. Made by teachers and community activists, this documentary challenges the assumptions behind the education reform movement and the film Waiting for Superman.

Join us on Sunday, February 19th at 2:30 p.m. at the North Regional Library (221 Milton Rd.) for this special screening, followed by a discussion about problems and solutions in our community.

Click Here for Event Flyer. Please help us spread the word!

PA Membership and Community Meeting

Kate — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:17:42 +0000

Join us on Tuesday, January 31st for our first membership meeting of 2012! Click here to RSVP through our Facebook event page.

PA’s Stop Amendment One Committee

Kate — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 19:19:19 +0000

Find out what PA is doing locally and how YOU can help stop the marriage amendment in NC. Visit our Action Center now to sign-up!

December Newsletter – 2011

Kate — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:43:09 +0000

Continue reading for our December Newsletter. We highlight our accomplishments from 2011, and look forward to the hard work needed in 2012. The newly formed Stop Amendment One Committee will present at our January 31st membership meeting.

Education Committee News

Kate — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:07:51 +0000

If you recall, the PA education committee re-formed less than two years ago. We are proud to say that our education committee has turned into a force to be reckoned with! The group worked with others on the Durham Public Schools (DPS) budget and with their intense lobbying and creative negotiations were able to save all but 36 teaching positions in Durham. They also increased transparency within DPS and worked on equitable school funding.

PA co-hosted a well-attended community education screening and discussion about school reform, thanks to a grant from the PA Fund. In addition two members attended a workshop on teacher evaluation to better understand what may be coming down the pike for our Durham teachers.

Last but certainly not least, they worked to pass the ¼ cent sales tax referenda, once again saving teaching positions and funding from pre-K through college. It was a successful year in no small part thanks to the committee forming coalitions with other groups in Durham and across the state to become even more effective.

The Committee usually meets on the first Monday of the Month, but will meet on January 9th. If you’d like to join, please contact our committee chair.

PA-PAC Election News

Kate — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:33:49 +0000

We have just concluded a stellar year for PA-PAC. Thanks to a fortuitous series of events, we succeeded in electing progressive council members, and assisting in the re-election of Mayor Bill Bell. We want to thank Mayor Bell and council members Diane Catotti, Steve Schewel, and Eugene Brown for their willingness to serve the citizens of Durham. We are now looking forward to an exciting but complicated election year in 2012.
Next year looks to be complicated for a number of reasons. The conspicuously flawed Republican redistricting (with not only its cracking, stacking and packing but the division of an incredible number of precincts) promises much mischief and confusion, and the lawsuits concerning it only add to the uncertainty. It is possible (but unlikely as of this writing) that the primary, which is scheduled for May 8, could be delayed.
The most remarkable thing about the May election is a Constitutional Amendment so egregious that the Republicans who adopted it are now running away from it. We could be positioned to be the only southern state to drive a stake through the heart of this intolerance. The text of the measure reads: “Constitutional amendment to provide that marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State.” Legal scholars agree that this language goes far beyond the stated intent to “ban gay marriage”. If adopted, this bigoted amendment could potentially invalidate all same-sex domestic partner relationships and even impact domestic violence protection for unmarried couples, child custody and visitation, end-of-life directives, and domestic partnership benefits for public employees.
If you are an “unaffiliated” voter, you may have to decide between voting in a heavily contested Republican Presidential Primary (echoing the decisive role Durham and North Carolina unexpectedly played in the 2008 Democratic Primary); and an equally contested primary among incumbents and challengers for the five seats on the Board of Commissioners. Dissatisfaction among some voters with the performance of the current board means that there will be several challengers; and if Pam Karriker upholds her pledge not to run for a full term, there will be an open seat, creating a free-for-all in this contest.
New leadership for the Durham Committee on the Affairs of Black People means that the PA-PAC may have a more dynamic relationship with this venerable organization. We salute Dr. Lavonia Allison for her dedication and past leadership, and look forward to getting to know the new members of the leadership, including Reverend Philip Cousins.
Durham County is now part of four congressional districts, not only one. We will be closely watching the filing for these seats. In addition, there is a new Senate District 22 which lacks an incumbent. Some candidates are making their intentions known.
In the realm of more-or-less wild speculation, it is possible that we will witness yet another special election for Durham District Attorney. This would mean that we would have had elections every two years (2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012) for an office that ostensibly has a four year term!
Do stay tuned, and keep your powder dry. Be prepared to support the candidate(s) of your choice with your money, your emotional support, and your time and energy. You can make a difference! And do not forget to write a generous check to PA-PAC for 2012, it may be a bumpy ride!