4 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, June 4, 1997 Edited and managed by ERIN MARSH JACK SCHILLACI students at the +w tt.Editor in Chief Editorial Page Editor University of Michigan Unrless otherwise noted, unsr.ignred editoriarls reflect the opainiton o . 420 Maynard Street majority o the Dai 'seditorial board. All other articles, ltersr. an Ann Arbor, M I48109 0 ar)o USrdonot iecessa reeet the opinion ofTrhe Aichigan Daily L ike every school system, the Ann Arbor Public School District has dis- cipline problems. One common solution - out-of-school suspension - recently came under fire by the Equity Audit Committee formed by the Ann Arbor School Board. Their main concerns come from disparate suspension rates among different racial groups. In 1995-96, there were 18.7 suspensions per 100 African- American students while only 3.8 per 100 white students went home for unscheduled vacations. According to EAC, the reasons behind different suspension rates goes beyond simple misbehavior among African- American students. The committee points to a perceived inclination among the pre- dominately white teachers and administra- tors to treat minorities differently than whites. Furthermore, it suggests the dis- trict's staff also exhibits condescending behavior toward the parents of minorities, perpetuating negative stereotypes. Taken as a whole, these attitudes create Bridgethe gap Schools must examine suspension policy an environment in which minority children are more likely to face suspension than their white counterparts, even for similar offenses. During the 1995-96 school year, 51 percent of all middle- and high-school suspensions in the district went to African- American students. At the same time, there is a large achievement gap between white and minority students in the school system as measured by standardized test scores and GPAs. EAC accuses the school district's disciplinary policies and suspension prac- tices with exacerbating the achievement difference between races. Ample evidence exists showing a strong correlation between attendance and achievement in the classroom. Sending a child home therefore necessarily disrupts an education. If the suspended student is troubled - perhaps most in need of the education - or a minority student, sus- pension can be a damaging and hurtful cycle. On one hand, teachers remove a stu- dent from the classroom setting for their unwillingness to obey the rules. While some may argue that the suspensions are warranted because suspended students could disrupt others' education, out-of- school suspension may cause students to feel alienated from the educational envi- ronment. By sending offenders home, administrators deny the suspended the chance to learn - further limiting their educational opportunities. As minorities are suspended at a far greater rate than white students, their grades and performance on standardized tests suffer, as a group. Thus, the achieve ment gap grows. In an effort to combat the problemt EAC made a number of suggestiont Foremost, the school district needs t explore alternative disciplinary act* such as in-school suspensions - allowin students to attend classes while servin out their punishment. Making anger rese lution and conflict-resolution course available to disruptive, suspended student could also reduce the need to forcibl remove them from the educational atmos phere. EAC also recommended teacher undergo diversity training, to allow mor sensitivity toward minority students an( parents. The school district should heed to recommendations and take a long har( look at their disciplinary policies. Facet with enormous budget cuts, the distric may not be able to implement all of EAC' ideas. However, the district cannot afforc to continue using policies that create more problems than they solve. Sign me up Center offers volunteers valuable services A nn Arbor is a haven for people who like spending their leisure hours helping those less fortunate, working for their favorite political causes or cleaning up the highway. Numerous volunteer opportunities abound throughout the city, offering residents and students the chance to enrich the community through work done gratis. The Washtenaw United Way's Volunteer Action Center served as a cen- tral clearinghouse for nonprofit agencies where city residents could find a place to spend their volunteer hours. However, the center closed earlier this year due to a lack of funding - causing volunteers and nonprofit agencies to lose a valuable resource. The Ann Arbor Community Foundation recently doled out $16,000 to fund a study of volunteer centers across the state and create a program to supplant the United Way's Center. The grant was part of more than $150,000 given to vari- ous community organizations to support volunteerism. The Nonprofit Enterprise at Work took over some of the center's func- tions after it closed but only "... on the most basic level," as stated by Judith Cawhorn, NEW's director of develop- ment. NEW will conduct the study to design a replacement for the center - it should ensure that all volunteers have easy access to agencies that need their help. Volunteers provide a unique and valu- able service. They contribute to the com- munity's well-being while providing themselves with a feeling of satisfaction. With volunteers working in soup kitchens and nursing homes, among other places, they also work to help soci- ety deal with many problems. Furthermore, they save taxpayers money by preventing additional government investment in many areas. The city should support volunteerism as it contributes greatly to the communi- ty. Beside offering the- city free labor toward community projects, volunteering also promotes a feeling of community. Volunteers feel a strong attachment to their neighborhoods because they invest their time and energy into them. The city should support the creation of a volunteer clearinghouse as it pays the city back in the form of a strong, cohesive communi- ty. University students are known for their volunteerism efforts. A significant por- tion of the student population regularly spends time helping others out through numerous on- and off-campus programs. A volunteer clearinghouse could provide students with a valuable service to help guide them toward volunteer activities that may interest them. In addition, small- er nonprofit agencies that do not have a sufficient staff or volunteer workforce could utilize such a service to help attract new people to their regiments. Replacing the center is an effective way to help pro- mote volunteerism that contributes great- ly to the community. It behooves the city to support pro- grams that provide it with work done on city problems and a more cohesive com- munity. Volunteerism provides many peo- ple with a way to spend their free time while gaining personal satisfaction that they contributed to the good of their com- munity. NEW should create a replacement for the United Way's Center soon to ensure that all potential volunteers have a place to spend their time. Smoking gun Kelley could regain Medicaid dollars A long with more than 20 of his coun- ward with a confession that nicotine wa terparts, Michigan Attorney General addictive - a first in the tobacco indus Frank Kelley has trained his cannons on try. the wobbling tobacco industry, seeking to The Surgeon General's warning - oi recoup damages to the state's Medicaid all tobacco products for more than 2 bills. In his original lawsuit, Kelley sought years - informs people of the har u to have tobacco companies recompense and addictive qualities that tobacco the state for approximately $4 billion for ucts possess. However, the tobacco indus past and future medical-care bills related try never admitted to the health conse to smoking-induced cancers and illnesses quences smoking can cause instea among low-income state residents. In defending itself from those who migh addition, Kelley asked for $10 billion in besmirch the Marlboro Man - a ridicu punitive damages. If successful, Kelley's lous idea that puts the bottom line befor suit could set a good precedent by damag- consumers' health. ing the tobacco industry's insistence that Armed with the Liggett Group's con smoking is not a health risk. fession and information gathered by th Last week, the lawsuit arrived in Food and Drug Administration durin r Ingham County Circuit Court. Judge mer attacks on the tobacco industry Lawrence Glazer struck down the punitive numerous state attorneys general presse damages clause along with various cases against tobacco companies. Most, antitrust allegations. However, Glazer including Kelley, seek monetary damages established a strong precedent by allowing for costs incurred by states in caring fo the tobacco industry's failure to admit to tobacco's low-income victims. While the health hazards of smoking can lead to smokers' health problems result from a legal action against them by the state. voluntary act, the state should work to The battle over tobacco has fermented recover financial damages resulting from for many years. Individuals have tried to high Medicaid bills caused by the tobacco sue giant tobacco corporations, such as industry's products. Phillip Morris and R.J. Reynolds, for Should Kelley win, the tobacco in s- large health-care bills caused by their try would have to confess to the health smoking habits. In most cases, tobacco dangers involved with smoking. In addi- companies, backed by an impressive array tion, it would set up educational programs of lawyers, won by using the same argu- that would help inform state residents ments plaintiffs used to defend their habit about those dangers. A victory by Kelley for many years - that the act of smoking would help all state residents. His lawsuit is an exercise of a person's free will. Some would help compensate the state's coffers plaintiffs won minor victories but tobacco and holds much promise to force the companies never budged from their offi- tobacco industry into admission of the cial belief that nicotine is not addictive consequences associated with smokir9- and that tobacco has not been fully proven he must pursue it to ensure that the tobac- to cause cancer - until earlier this year. co industry faces penalties for its repeated In March, the Liggett Group came for- denial.