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Vol. 34 • No. 11 • Thurs., March 12, 2015 - Wed., March 18, 2015 • An NCON Publication Serving The Milwaukee Area • 65¢
Pastor Fred Crouthers nominated to Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission By Steve Waring Special to the Milwaukee Times Mayor Tom Barrett said the road to an improved relationship between the Milwaukee Police Department and residents in the city’s north side neighborhood begins by supporting his nomination of Pastor Fred Crouther to the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission. State law and the Milwaukee City Charter have empowered the Fire and Police Commission (FPC) to oversee all aspects of Fire Department and Police Department operations, according to information published on the FPC website. “The Commission sets overall policy while the chief
Staff Photo
Pastor Fred Crouther
of each department manages daily operations and implements the Commission’s policy direction and goals.” Hiring and disciplinary action of personnel are among the responsibilities granted to the FPC in the Milwaukee City Charter. The FPC is composed of seven part-time civilian commissioners who serve overlapping five-year terms and are appointed by the Mayor. Nominees must be approved by a majority of the city’s Common Council. The next meeting of the full council is March 31, 2015. One of the seven seats is currently vacant. Mayor Barrett spoke in favor of Pastor Crouther for several minutes at a neigh-
borhood forum sponsored by Pastors United on March 3, 2015 at Jerusalem Baptist Church, 2505 W. Cornell St. Noting that confirmation of Pastor Crouther would mean the FPC commissioners would better reflect the overall Milwaukee population, Mayor Barrett also said that Pastor Crouther would be a fair and independent voice on the commission. “The Fire and Police Commission is probably the most important civilian job in the city,” Mayor Barrett said. “This is one of those rare instances when I sought him out. He did not come to me.” In very short remarks Pastor Crouther said he would “respect the dignity of the (Continued on pg. 2)
Lloyd Barbee School honors locals for community service for Black History Month Lloyd Barbee Montessori School hosted its annual African American History Program on Thursday, February 26, 2015. The program theme was “Celebrating African American History, Culture and Service to the Community.” The students engaged in poetry readings, various musical songs and modern dance routines. Service to the Community Service Awards were presented to: Lynda Jackson Conyers, publisher of the Milwaukee Times Newspaper; Thema Ponton of WISN Channel 12 News; and Pastor Nathaniel Deans of Holy Temple Baptist Church. The event was organized by Ms. Crawford and Ms. Williams. Lloyd Barbee Montessori School is located at 4456 North Teutonia Ave., the principal is Catharine Loss. Photo By Robert Bell
Sen. Larson and Rep. Barnes introduce the Student Equal Opportunity Act Bill will strengthen rights and accountability standards for students with disabilities in voucher schools
On Tuesday, March 10, 2015, State Senator Chris Larson (D-Milwaukee) and Representative Mandela Barnes (D-Milwaukee) introduced legislation aimed at strengthening rights for students with disabilities in voucher schools, as well as making sure they have teachers licensed and trained to educate children with special needs. The Student Equal Opportunity Act would: • Require voucher schools to employ licensed special education teachers or therapists, if pupils needing such service attend the voucher school • Require voucher schools to comply with Title II of
the Americans with gated by the U.S. Disabilities Act of Department of 1990 Justice. Passing • Allow DPI to prothis bill would be hibit a private school a great leap forfrom participating in ward in ensuring a PCP if the private the right of our school fails to satisfy children to receive these requirements the quality edu“Protecting the cation they have rights of children a right to under with disabilities to reour State's consticeive a proper, qualtution, and help ity education, tailored Rep. Mandela Barnes State Senator Chris put an end to Larson to their needs should the cycle of disbe basic practice for crimination and all schools – public, mistreatment charter, and voucher. Our Larson continued, “Allega- of special needs students in bill is a first step in providing tions of discrimination and voucher schools today.” those protections to children mistreatment of students “Access to quality, diswith disabilities in Wiscon- with disabilities in voucher crimination-free education sin’s publicly funded voucher schools is extremely alarm- is a freedom and right that schools,” said Larson. ing, and now being investi- every child deserves, and
Wisconsin students with disabilities absolutely should not be denied the opportunity to achieve and succeed in schools because of inadequate standards in any publicly funded schools,” said Rep. Barnes. “Especially given that our publicly funded vouchers schools are being investigated for complaints of discrimination against children with disabilities, this common-sense legislation is necessary to ensure basic accountability for students with disabilities who attend publicly funded schools and taxpayers who support them with their hard-earned money.”