The Michigan Daily - April 1, 1994 - .State fails to fund abortions DETROIT (AP) - Michigan is among dozens of states that were expected to miss yesterday's federal deadline to begin paying for the abortions of poor women who are victims or rape or incest. The Clinton administration notified states in December to start covering rape and incest abortions for poor women immediately and to bring their own rules into compliance by March 31. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services could cut off Medicaid funding to states that fail to compile with the order. Michigan receives more than $2.5 billion a year in federal aid for Medicaid. A 1988 voter initiative. ended Michigan's funding for poor women's abortions except to save the life of the mother. Michigan has made no change in its policy and instead plans to seek an exemption from the rule based on the state ban on abortion funding, Michigan Department of Social Services spokesperson Chuck Peller said yesterday. "We have not taken a stand that we will challenge the federal order," Peller said. "We are trying to find out what takes precedence, the vote of the people or the federal order." Carol King of the Michigan Abortion Rights Action League said she thinks abortion-rights advocates will have to take Michigan to court to force its compliance with the rule. "It is incumbent on the federal government to act and to insist that the states in fact enforce the law," King said. "We're not talking about an overwhelming case load. The cases we are talking about are the most tragic, heartbreak- ing, personally devastating circumstances you can imag- me." At the time of the federal rule change, only 13 states funded abortions for women who had been raped or were incest victims in all cases, said Ray Hanley, chair of the State Medicaid Directors' Association. The other 37 had constitutional, legal or regulatory barriers to such funding, said Hanley, who runs Arkansas' Medicaid program. He said many intend to ignore the order and test its legality. Hanley said the Clinton administration was on shaky ground in adopting the rule, based on a change in the so- called Hyde Amendment restricting federal funding of abortions. Congress last year added rape and incest to conditions under which abortions could receive federal funds. But * Hanley said Congress had no intent to require funding in those cases, only to lift an outright ban. Hanley also chal- lenged the federal government's assertion that only about 1,000 additional abortions would be covered nationwide each year. "In a number of states, any sex act with a kid under a certain age ... is by definition of law statutory rape," he said. In Michigan alone, he said about 700 abortions a year would be covered by this interpretation. Pennsylvania Gov. Robert Casey also has objected to letting physicians waive a requirement that the rape or * incest be reported to the authorities in cases where patients were unable to report for physical or psychological reasons. "I cannot imagine that it was congressional intent or that it is your intent to place states, such as South Dakota, in a dilemma ... over this narrow policy issue," South Dakota Gov. Walter D. Miller wrote President Clinton on Feb. 18. In a March 24 letter to state Medicaid directors, the federal government repeated the position that they must conform to the new rule. KNOWLEDGE IS NOT ENOUGH Hmong high school students learn about 'U' CHRIS WOLF/daily Harvard Prof. Johnathan Mann speaking on AIDS, public health and human rights yesterday. Clinton signs measure to increase school funding By DWIGHT DAVIS FOR THE DAILY It is a complaint heard all too of- ten. "One of the problems we are fac- ing is with gangs. Some kids are join- ing them in junior high school. Tru- ancy is a big problem. Many kids are dropping out of school." This is a description of one Detroit school from a teacher who accompa- nied 14 of his 8th grade students on a daylong workshop at the University. A workshop that hoped to bridge the gap between the promise of a univer- sity education and the pitfalls of grow- ing up poor in a city. But the ethnic identity of these urban middle school students might be surprising: Asian American, more specifically Hmong. Originally from Laos, the Hmong were an ethnic minority persecuted in their own country after the American withdrawal from the region in 1975. Many made their way to the United States, and as recent arrivals, most are still economically disadvantaged. The Detroit Hmong community has con- tinued to grow since its first arrivals in the late 1970's and it now numbers around 5,000. "The fact that most people have never heard of the Hmong people says a lot about the obstacles they are facing," said Marie Ting of the University's Office of Academic and Multicultural Initiatives, and one of the coordinators of the workshop. Called "Project Lighthouse," the workshop was first organized in 1992 as an outgrowth of the King Chavez Parks program. The program seeks to inspire Asian American youth to strive for an advanced degree by exposing them to the University setting. Ting said one of the inspirations for Project Lighthouse was the fact that the King Chavez Parks program had very little Asian American par- ticipation. "I would see groups of kids around campus but rarely would I see any Asian Americans. I wanted to do something for them," said Ting quickly adding, "It's the kids and the student leaders who make the program." One of those student leaders, Timothy Chu, spoke to the question of what, if any, responsibility he felt as a Chinese American from the sub- urbs to a culturally and ethnically distinct group of kids from Detroit.- "Because all Asian Americans arc- lumped together into one group it affects me. If they are discriminated against so am I. On some issues we (Asian Americans) are compelled to be unified." But the main reason Chu was i" volved was that he liked working with the kids. "They are so enthusiastic.; You can see it on their faces." Part of the reason 14 young stu-, dents were brought to the University yesterday was to try to reduce that awe and replace it with confidence. "If you want to go to college you. can find a way," was a message rel1 peated over and over by student lead- ers as the young students were given tours of the campus and hands-on demonstrations in various academia departments. One group went to the medical school to learn about the ef-'1 fects of drug abuse, another spent- some time in the Angell Hall corn' puter lab learning about word pro- cessing and e-mail. One student, with an oversized Michigan hat pulled down low on his head, admitted to preferring basket-, ball to computers, but for him it wasn' t a question of whether he was going to college, only of which one. "I like' Juwan Howard," he said. "Maybe I'1P go to Michigan." Positive benefits of the project are, already being felt. Truancy is reportly down among those who have visited, the University. Project coordinators hope to expand the program by gef- ting University students into th& Hmong community to further help the young students follow through oi their determination to go to college'' "I would like to go there and see their side of it," said Chu. "My view isp pretty one-sided. I rarely go to Detroit.' Watching over all of this were twa. African American teachers from the students' school in Detroit. "Peop wonder what we are doing with A these Asian kids," one of the teachers said, "these are our kids." When asked about the fate of those students who weren't going to maW' it to college, the same teacher said" very firmly: "Don't say that. These kids are smart. They will make it." -.: WASHINGTON (AP) - Half a decade after states began trying to improve their pub- lic schools, they finally have some financial support from the federal government. President Clinton signed the Goals 2000 Educate America Act into law yesterday and by July 1, the first $105 million will begin flowing to states that apply for it. "This is the beginning. It is the foundation. Today we can say America is serious about education," Clinton said. The law requires participating states to develop education reform plans that set volun- tary standards on curriculum, student perfor- mance and on the resources, materials and teacher preparation necessary to ensure that all children have an opportunity to learn. The bill authorizes $647 million this year for education reforms that move toward that goal, including $400 million in grants to states and local school agencies. The Education Department promises a "quick and simple application" process. "It's really inconceivable that any state that applies won't get funds," said Mike Cohen, a senior adviser to Education Secretary Richard Riley. How the states plan on getting the money to local school districts and individual schools will be studied. States will have two years to complete their reform plans. "If we're convinced it's aimed at challenging standards for all students, if the plan is really comprehensive and it's a promis- ing one, we'll continue to provide funding," he said. They will be allowed to apply for waivers from federal regulations. Cohen said virtually every state already has begun to search for ways to invigorate a public education system judged by many to be failing. American students consistently score behind their European and Japanese counterparts in math and science. *Peoples rejects plea bargain; now faces 3 felony counts Zeta Tau Alpha promotes awareness of breast cancer FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS Graduating Michigan Football player Shonte Peoples rejected a plea bargain Wednesday from prosecutors and now faces two additional felony counts of felonious assault. Visiting Judge S.J. Elden found suf- ficient evidence to order Peoples bound over for trial. Peoples faces an April 7 pretrial date and a May 2 trial. He also added two additional counts at the re- quest of the prosecutors office. Elden continued Peoples's per- sonal recognizance bond set at $5,000. Assistant Washtenaw County Prosecutor Julie Owdziej told the Ann Arbor News that Peoples' rejected a plea bargain. "He could have pleaded to one count," she said. "We gave him the opportunity and he wouldn't." Peoples, a strong safety, faces, if found guilty, up to four years in prison. There is little physical evidence to tie Peoples to the shooting. No one has reported a car riddled with bul- lets, and the detectives under cross examination from Peoples' attorney, Cedric Simpson, could not positively identify Peoples as the shooter. Det. Brian Jatczak also admitted that he was mistaken in orginally say- ing that Peoples had fired from two , different areas in the building. By MARISA MA FOR THE DAILY "Don't Be A Fool, Do Breast Self- Examinations" Today, April Fool's Day, over 100,000 Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA) mem- bers will pass out this message printed on 1 million, free waterproof cards on 150 college campuses and 265 cities across the nation. The cards, to be displayed in the shower, detail instructions on how to do breast self-examinations. Lisa West, the director of public affairs for the international ZTA of- fice, said, "We hope to bring aware- ness of breast cancer education and the importance of self-exam as a means of prevention to the forefront of women and communities across the country." Breast cancer poses a serious threat to women who are 45 or more years old, a reality made stark by statistics including: 0 One in eight women will de- velop breast cancer sometime during her lifetime. Durings the 1990s, 1.5 million women will develop the disease. In this decade, 500,000 women will die from the disease. Almost 30 percent of these women could be saved if all women practice breast self-examination regu- larly. But many University students are not very concerned personally, since the disease afflicts mostly older women. "I don't feel that it is an issue now, but (it might be) within the next 20 years," said LSA junior Cara Sartor. Sarah Carlson, the president of the University's ZTA chapter, agreed the incidence of the breast cancer is rare for younger women. However, Carlson said, "It could affect someone in their family or af- fect them possibly later in life." Carlson stressed, "It's something they should be aware, because it af- fects so many women." She expects students will pass the cards on to older women in their fami- lies. The ZTA chapter at the University will hand the cards out to sororities and dorms, but it targets grocery stores where they can reach women who are most likely to develop breast cancef., -. The hereditary factor in develop- ing breast cancer hits close to home for some students. Most of the women in Ann Silvio', family died from breast cancer or' another form of cancer, a common- subject of discussion for her and her female family members.. "There's a lingering fear that hangs*. over everyone's head," said Silvia, an RC sophomore. "I think about it in concern for the women in my family and because m sister and I have the same genes." This second annual event for breast; cancer education is sponsored by the Zeta Tau Alpha Fraternity for women and its national philanthropy, the Su~n- san G. Komen Breast Cancer Foun-,- dation.,- Correction AATU Director Pattrice Maurer said she thought the AATU deadline was March 31. Maurer turned in a report to MSA before LSA Rep. Michelle Ferrarese told her of the deadline. This was incorrectly reported in Wednesday's Daily. Omn riday a 76-GUIDE, peer counseling phone line, call 76-GUIDE, 7 p.m.-8 a.m. " Archery Club, Coliseum, 8 p.m. " Campus Information Center, Michigan Union, 763-INFO; events info., 76-EVENT; film info., 763-FILM. " Free Tax Workshop, 3909 Michigan Union, 12-4 p.m. U Indian American Students As- sociation, Michigan Union, Pendelton Room, 8 p.m. " Ninjutsu Club, IM Building, Room G21, 6:30-8 p.m. " North Campus Information Center, North Campus Com- mons 763-NCTC. 730 am.- Solemn Liturgy of Good Fri- day, 12:10 p.m.; Stations of the Cross, 2:10 p.m.; Good Friday Reflection Service, 7 p.m., 331 Thompson. Q Shorin-Ryu Karate-Do Club, 2275 CCRB, 6-7 p.m. 0 "Understanding Human Knowledge," Michael Will- iams, sponsored by the Depart- ment of Philosophy, 1412 Ma- son Hall, 4 p.m. Saturday U 76-GUIDE, peer counseling phone line, call 76-GUIDE, 7 p.m.-8 a.m. U Camnus Information Center Sunday Q 76-GUIDE, peer counseling phone line, 7 p.m.-8 a.m. Q Alpha Phi Omega, Michigan Union, Kuenzel Room, pledge meeting, 7 p.m.; chapter meet- ing, 8 p.m. Q Arab-American Students' As- sociation, Michigan Union, Pendelton Room, 7 p.m. Q Ballroom Dance Lessons and Dancing, CCRB, main dace room, 7-9 a.m. Q Campus Information Center, Michigan Union, 763-INFO; events info., 76-EVENT; film info., 763-FILM. Q Indian American Student As- sociation. 4202 Michigan 4 KIP4 CHINESE CUISINE 747-968. *Fax:747-9967 Sun: Noon-9pm " M-Th:11:80aw-9:30pm Fri & Sat: 11:30am-10:30pm AIRBOS A NO R i INAL it', Take-Out & Delivery Catering Mi Fung (rice noodle dishes) /y. AA7R 1 44 Alr /+ . i I I