4 -Friday, Decernber 6, 2013
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
4 -Friday, December 6, 2013 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
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MELANIE KRUVELIS
and ADRIENNE ROBERTS MATT SLOVIN
EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS MANAGING EDITOR
ANDREW WEINER
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board.
All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
Cutting the ties
It's time for the dissolution of the EAA and EMU's involvement
protesters and professors marched outside of Eastern Michigan
University's Welch Hall on Tuesday, calling for the school to end
its partnership with the Education Achievement Authority- a
program that forcibly takes control of the worst performing public schools
in Michigan. Since its inception, the EAA has been hugely controversial,
with opponents pointing out the undemocratic nature of taking over pub-
lic schools and placing them under the jurisdiction of an unelected body.
Some Michigan schools have refused to accept student teachers from
EMU out of discontent with the university's affiliation with the EAA. It's
time for the dissolution of the EAA, or at the very least, the termination of
EMU's involvement with it.
NOT ABL E QUO TA BLE
He was embraced even by white wardens,
his own jailers, because he demonstrated
that through the power of dialogue... peo-
ple on different sides, former enemies can
come together."
- Former South African Minister of Human Settlements Tokyo Sexwale said of Nelson Mandela to
CNN. Sexwale was incarcerated with Mandela on Robben Island for 27 years.
he liberty to voice your belefs
0
Established in 2011, the EAA identifies the
lowest performing 5 percent of schools in the
state and appropriates control of the school
to Detroit Public School Emergency Man-
ager Roy Roberts and a 11-member governing
board appointed by Governor Rick Snyder,
EMU and DPS. The EAA began its project
by taking over 15 schools in the DPS district.
Countless debates surrounding the EAA's
"educational program, accountability and
governance of the authority" led to a coalition
of parents and university professors to write
a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Arne
Duncan and President Barack Obama voicing
their concerns in December of 2012.
Being the only public university partnered
with the EAA, public schools in Michigan are
angered by EMU's unique relationship with
the controversial program. Led by chairman
Tim Hein, the Washtenaw County chapter of
the Michigan Education Association is boy-
cotting EMU student teachers in an effort
to coerce the school to abandon the partner-
ship. Hein explains that the EAA's primary
approach to improving schools to fire teach-
ers deemed inadequate through an evaluation
by their district. This is an overly simplistic
and unsustainable approach to improving
Michigan schools. Furthermore, the constant
staff turnover creates a tumultuous environ-
ment for students whose academic struggles
may be exacerbated by an unstable classroom.
Money spent on the EAA would be bet-
ter spent on long-term solutions like more
training for teachers and better resources for
students. The programs detract from local
control over schools, and in turn, the schools
have lost community support. Enrollment in
the schools has plummeted almost 25 percent.
Regardless of the progress the EAA says it's
making with students, if they are choosing not
to be educated through the system, these gains
are irrelevant.
A significant amount of these teachers are
replaced with volunteers from the Teach for
America program. This places young, inex-
perienced college graduates in difficult and
increasingly unstable situations. These new
teachers are asked to teach students in low-
income neighborhoods with higher-than-
average crime rates while simultaneously
dealing with the political controversy sur-
roundingthe EAA.
The WCEA's boycott against EMU and the
controversy surrounding the EAA directly
harms EMU and its students. Many professors
and department professionals are displeased
with EAA tactics and the fact that their input
is neither utilized nor valued. The growing
tension culminated in the protest organized
EMU's chapter of the American Association of
Teachers on Tuesday, Dec. 3. Despite faculty
ire, EMU spokesman.Geoff Larcom said in a
statement that the university intends to con-
tinue its partnership with the EAA.
The EAA takes a simplistic and detrimental
approach to fixingthe schools it commandeers.
Students at EMU and at EAA-run schools are
victims of this mismanagement. The program
should be ended. If state politics prevent the
EAA's dissolution, EMU should dissolve its
partnership.
arlier this week classic Amer-
ican rock-and-roll icon Bob
Dylan
was charged with
criminal "pub-
lic insult and
inciting hate" by
French authori-
ties for comments
he made in an
article published
Rolling Stone MAURA
magazine in LEVINE
September 2012.
Dylan's com-
ments, which offended not only
French authorities but also a Croa-
tian community group in France
were, "If you got a slave master or
Klan in your blood, Blacks can sense
that. That stuff lingers to this day.
Just like Jews can sense Nazi blood
and the Serbs can sense Croatian
blood." While these statements may
have been inflammatory, they were
made on American soil during an
interview conducted by an American
magazine. Dylan is protected under
the First Amendment to say what he
pleases. He can't possibly be subject
to criminal charges in another coun-
tryunder these circumstances.
In legal terms, jurisdiction is the
territory over which legal author-
ity-extends in any given area. In the
United States, there is both federal
criminal jurisdiction and state crimi-
nal jurisdiction depending on the
situation, the crime and the circum-
stances. For example, if someone
crosses state boarders with narcot-
ics, the federal government can file
charges against the carrier due to
federal interstate jurisdiction. The
person is then subject to different
and often greater penalties due to the
fact that the federal government is
involved, not just the state.
International jurisdiction has a
long historical background. Interna-
tionallaw only addresses questionsof
criminal issues and leaves civil issues
up to national jurisdiction. Accord-
ing to the Encyclopedia Britannica,
"the territorial principle" establishes
that, "states have exclusive author-
ity to deal with criminal issues aris-
ing in their territories." This means
that if the United States had deemed
Dylan's actions a criminal or civil
infraction, it would be under home-
land jurisdiction to charge him.
Interestingly enough, another policy,
called "universal jurisdiction, is
also in place, which grants states or
international organizations criminal
jurisdiction over an accused per-
son, regardless of where the person
is from or where the alleged crime
was committed. Based on this defini-
tion one may assume that Bob Dylan
could be subject to criminal jurisdic-
tion in France. The catch, however, is
that the only crimes that fall under
the category of universal jurisdiction
are "crimes against all," like interna-
tional terrorism or genocide. These
offenses are obviously much graver
than a few sentences in Rolling Stone.
Furthermore, in Article 689 of
the French penal code, France has
specifically outlined certain crimes
which fall under their jurisdiction
even when they were committed out-
side of French
territory. These
crimes include: P
torture, terror-
ism, nuclear the righ
smuggling, naval
piracy and air- offensiv(
plane hijacking.
other than that, and als
France does not
claim to have them if th
jurisdiction over_
people that are
not their citizens or over crimes that
were not committed on their terri-
tory. Unless Dylan was simultane-
ously hijacking a plane when these
statements were made, France has
already lost the battle here. They
simply do nothave the right to charge
him under the penal code.
The offended Croatian commu-
nity group in France has also filed a
lawsuit against Dylan, yet their law-
yer has reported that they are not
seeking monetary damages, just an
apology. Their lawyer commented
that he did not know why Croatians
in the United States have not filed
similar suits, based on the nature
of Dylan's comments. But being a
U.S. citizen and presumably. being
on American soil when he gave his
interview, Dylan is protected under
the First Amendment of the Consti-
tution, which guarantees his right
to free speech. While others may
argue that his words are not pro-
tected under the First Amendment
because they "incite an immedi-
ate breach of the peace" - which is
an accepted exception to the First
Amendment - this would be inaccu-
rate. While Dylan's words may have
offended some people, there is not
enough damage to sue him. This is
a grey area where people could pos-
sibly argue that his "personal attack"
on different ethnicities and minority
groups warrants a civil reprimand,
but this would be a stretch to say the
least.
It is important to recognize that
Bob Dylan's comments are disre-
spectfulto many people inthe French
nation, which is home to about
30,000 Croa-
tians who feel
.e have the very real and
recent effects
ht to say of the Serbian-
Croat conflict.
e things, But the beauty
of living in the
o ignore United States is
that freedom of
ley choose speech is pro-
tected. People
have the right
to say offensive things or prosely-
tize on a street corner because other
people have the right to ignore them
if they so choose. Bob Dylan was
making these crass statements to an
American magazine as a U.S. citizen
and therefore cannot be subject to
the jurisdiction of France's criminal
code. As George Orwell once said,
"If liberty means anything at all, it
means the right to tell people what
they do not wantto hear."
- Maura Levine can be reached
at mtoval@umich.edu.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Kaan Avdan, Sharik Bashir, Barry Belmont, James Brennan,
Rima Fadlallah, Eric Ferguson, Jordyn Kay, Jesse Klein,
Kellie Halushka, Melanie Kruvelis, Aarica Marsh,
Megan McDonald, Victoria Noble, Adrienne Roberts,
Matthew Seligman, Daniel Wang, Derek Wolfe
JESSE KLEIN
Progress beyond death
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MAJA TOSK I
In every town in the United States you
will probably find at least one street called
Washington and possibly one public park or
school named after our 16th president, Abra-
ham Lincoln. But I have never seen anything
like South Africa's passion for their first Black
president, Nelson Mandela.
You can't drive more than five minutes
without passing a mall or shopping center
named for him, and you probably drove on
at least two Mandela Streets to get to those
centers. And this isn't in one city or even just
his hometown, but it's in every city over the
entire country.
During my time in South Africa, Mandela
was hovering somewhere between life and
death. As the country absorbed itself in prayer
and reflected on his legacy, his family - the
South African version of the Kardashians -
squabbled over his money and burial site.
I have never experienced the death of a
public political figure. I wasn't alive for the
assassinations of Martin Luther King or John
F. Kennedy. Yes, Ted Kennedy died in 2009,
but I wasn't aware of his prestige. The clos-
est were the deaths of Whitney Houston and
Michael Jackson, but these celebrity deaths
were unexpected and sudden. There was no
time for prayer or debate over property until
after the fact. Camera crews weren't set out-
side their houses like they were at Mandela's.
In South Africa, people came to pray or
leave gifts and well wishes outside his home
and they did the same later at the hospital.
There were days when people were sure he
was going to die and reporters flocked to his
house, unenthusiastically hopingto break the
story. During my lifetime, this waiting game
has never been played in the United States.
Mandela is seen as the heart and savior
of their country, despite being president just
over a decade ago. Since his presidency, there
have been very few politicians that South
Africa has to be proud-of. As one of the most
corrupt countries in the world, according to
Forbes Magazine, their political system is
more of a burden than a highlight. The end
of Mandela's presidency turned quickly into
police bribes and millions spent to pamper
the current president's cattle faster than any-
one could have predicted.
It has taken more than 100 years for the
Republican Party in the United States to adopt
values different from those held during the
Civil War. South Africa's African National Con-
gress has turned from freedom fighters into a
corrupt political party in fewer than 30 years.
The South African people still hold on to
Mandela because he is a reminder of what
South Africa was supposed to be after the end
of Apartheid. His death is not only a tragic
loss of a beloved and inspirational leader,
but end of the hope that Mandela could see
a South Africa free of its apartheid past.
Yes, segregation has ended in South Africa,
but Mandela died without seeing equality
between the Black and White populations in
all aspects of life.
Jesse Klein is an LSA junior.
"I'm sorry.'
If you liste:
phrase is co
by half of t
on our camp
chairs scree(
echoed as th
closing rema
mentionedc
people are to
simple yet d
become seco
women.
I often ca
low women,
that shouldr
As our mout
answers, opi
word "sorry"
thing else. As
and interact
manages to
"Sorry" has p
our actions, b
never be apol
The intrica
The edge to
The sharpn
The push tt
The shove
voices.
The need t
The tears
from our bein
This simpl
er implicatior
You are not an apology
gizing for our actions. Words have ten to women critique other women.
n carefully, this simple an impact on our self-image and Messages and stereotypes have the
ntinuously whispered aspirations. Every time "sorry" is power to socialize people into believ-
he students bustling stated, a denial and suppression ingthese lies.
us. It's spoken when occurs. In that moment, we become our shields can only resist a
ch on the floor. It's labeled as wrong. Our bodies, opin- certain amount of bullets. After
he starting point and ions, reactions and needs become a while, they all come rushing in.
ark of sentences. It's inappropriate and incorrect. This Perhaps, the messages of women's
even when multiple inherent and often unnoticed apol- inferiority have broken our shields
blame. Uttering this ogy tells us and those around us and have burrowed deep within
angerous phrase has that we are not worthy. us. From within comes the need
nd nature for some If you listen closely, stating, "I'm to apologize. We have adopted
sorry," has become a widespread unnecessary insecurities. We have
itch myself, and fel- phenomenon. Such occurrences do become subjected to the power of
apologizing for things not merely happen by chance. Our socialization and dangerous ideas
not be apologized for. apologies are connected. Your sorry that have poisoned our minds and
hs open to state our is linked to mine. They are born from actions. We, women, are silencing
nions and truths, the the same source. As women, we are ourselves as we apologize for who
creeps in before any- consistentlytold by our surrounding we are and what we think. But we
we form relationships institutions, media and even those are notweak forlettingthese beliefs
with others, "sorry" close to us that we are to approach seep past our shields. We may have
cause a disturbance. the world with caution and one step fallen victim to these simple words,
)oured into so many of below our male counterparts. but we hold immense strength.
ut some things should These messages can be subtle We have the power to change our
ogized for: and indirect or a slap in the face, but vocabulary. We have the power to
te folds of our bodies. regardless of how they are present- radiate new messages.
our tone. ed, they still make the same point. We are strong and filled with
ess of our opinions. Women are seen as weak and passive inspiring ideas. Our minds hold
o lean in. sex objects. The size of a woman's beautiful knowledge. Our worth
to make space for our body is more noticeable thanthe size comes from fulfilling our own ide-
of her mind. A woman's worth stems als and passions.
o be real and honest. from her ability to adopt a limiting "Sorry" is not necessary. Be cou-
and laughter seeping notion of beauty. I'm bombarded by rageous enough to be yourself. You
gs. these messages every time I open are not an apology.
0
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
Readers are encouraged to submit letters to the editor. Letters should be fewer than 300
words and must include the writer's full name and University affiliation. We do not print anony-
mous letters. Send letters to tothedaily@michigandaily.com.
e phrase has far great-
ns than merely apolo-
a magazine, turn on the TV, hear
men's howls and whistles, and lis-
Maja Tosic is an LSA senior.