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Youth 411: Youth in the News Volume 2, Number 1, January 1-15, 2007 Contents STATE WATCH
RESEARCH
GOVERNMENT
ARTICLES CALIFORNIA The Ridgecrest City Council Youth Advisory Committee voted Tuesday to support the Sierra Sands Unified School District's application for a state violence-prevention grant. According to Committee President Courtney Smith, the program would place a police officer at Burroughs and Mesquite high schools. She said the school district asked the committee for its support. “It's a collaborative effort to continue to be proactive at violence prevention and student safety in our community,” said Sierra Sands Special Projects Coordinator Laura Hickle. “You want to make sure you have all your stake holders involved,” she said explaining the significance of the Youth Advisory vote. “That involves every facet of the community including students, school, police department, Boys and Girls Club, all organizations.” Hickle said the Youth Advisory Committee will be part of a focus group giving input on what they feel the safety issues are. “We're going to do a multifaceted approach, and one of them would be the addition of another school-resource officer. We're also asking for some activity directors so that if high school like at lunch time, there are some people to help provide some alternative positive activities for students,” she added. Hickle said the grant will also support programs such as peer mediation, the Too Good For Drugs Program at both high schools and Burroughs' Link Crew Program. If approved, the district would receive up to $100,000 a year for five years, she said. “Through the collaborative and focus groups, we've identified the need for programs at the high school,” said Hickle. “Through those same collaborative and focus groups, we determined the highest priorities. “What this program does is allow you to identify areas that you would like to put more focus on and gives you funds to channel in that direction,” she added.
HISPANIC YOUTH She was born in Utah, but her parents are from Mexico. Most of her friends are Caucasian. She said one of her friends makes jokes about Hispanics and Mexicans. Fourteen-year-old Sandra Vegara speaks Spanish at home but said she doesn't feel like she fits in with Hispanics who have just immigrated to the United States. "A lot of times there's a difference when you're just coming here from a different country," Vegara said. "There is a different attitude, but when you've been here for awhile you know how people here are. It kind of changes your view a little bit." Like Sandra, a small, but rising portion of first and second generation Hispanics in Utah find themselves stuck in a cultural dichotomy that schools and society are not prepared to deal with. This cultural dichotomy is not new to Hispanics born in the United States. Eighty-year-old Jessie Soriano, who was born to Mexican parents in the United States, said he always thought of himself as a Mexican until he was stationed in Europe during the Korean War and someone yelled "Yank." He said he was shocked when he realized they were talking to him. Currently educators can see the effect this cultural dichotomy is having on Hispanics born in the United States. "There is a huge difference between Hispanic kids who were born here in the states and those who were born outside of the states," said Claudia Rios, who works with Hispanic fifth graders in the Nuevo Dia program. "Kids born here are more street smart. They know the system." Hispanics who have just arrived do not know the system. "Many newly migrated families, especially those who are not legal, anything they do bad they are afraid of being deported," Rios said. "They teach their families: 'you have to behave. You have to do what they say otherwise they'll kick us out.'" Rios works with fifth- and sixth-graders to help them stay in school. She said sometimes she can tell who was born in the United States just by the way they talk to her. She and other educators agree that Hispanic youth born in the United States usually have more behavioral problems and are more at-risk then their counterparts. "The school system I think has to do a lot with it," Vegara said. "Outside of the U.S., the way kids learn in school in other countries, it's very, very strict. In Latin America, you never raise your voice to a teacher. They do see a teacher as an authority." Gonzalo Palza, CEO of Centro de la Familia and with years of experience in education, said some Hispanic youth might be involved in delinquency because "they are hopeless in their productive choices." Palza said according to recent studies, 50 percent of all Hispanic third-graders - about 5,000 - score below the proficiency level in reading, math and science. When these students begin to mature in the system and realize that they are not comparable, he said they "will feel helpless with regards to ever graduating from high school." Educators agree a solution must be found. "It takes a true visionary to understand the magnitude of this problem and offer a solution to this," Palza said. "The solutions ... are generational. You will not see the results for 10 years. The education institutions are slow in acting. Every year that goes by we are losing a big chunk of our Latino generations from schools." Palza said solutions require an "important paradigm change." "The first thing that needs to happen is that our stakeholders have to realize and understand and accept that there is an achievement gap," Palza said. In Provo some educators say people are ignoring the problem. West Provo is an area where lower income and government housing is located. There is graffiti on the sidewalks and buildings. Sirens are heard often. Some local school children call it a "ghetto." Jose Enriquez said the problems of the achievement gap are here, and people cannot ignore them. "So long as it's hidden it's not going to solve anything," Enriquez said. "This community professes to be service oriented ... but, we don't have to go to another country to serve. There is so much to do in our own backyard." Enriquez and David Dominguez, a professor at the BYU School of law, are writing a document about the problems Provo faces because of the achievement gap. They hope to get the community talking. "You can either do something about it or you can just have another California in about 10 years and deal with it then," Enriquez said
TENNESSEE Students in Metro's magnet high schools feel safer and more challenged and graduate at a higher rate than students from traditional high schools, according to a study to be released Monday by the Oasis Center. The study, organized by teens from the center's Youth Innovation Board, surveyed more than 7,600 Metro high school students to find out how they view the culture and climate at school. The Oasis Center is a nonprofit organization focused on the needs of children. The goal was to get a glimpse into the life of a high school student. And according to the study, the average day for a student in a traditional high school is filled with more violence, less teacher-to-pupil interaction and lower expectations than a day in a magnet school. "These kinds of things affect whether a student wants to be at school every day," said Jane Fleishman, director of youth leadership and action for the Oasis Center. "And with the dropout rate so high here and nationally, we wanted to look at what makes young people want to show up at school every day — it seemed important to us and it was important to young people." According to the survey, the graduation rate for magnet school students was 96.3 percent, while the rate for traditional students was 64.7. In terms of safety, 95.4 percent of students at Metro magnet schools reported feeling safe at school, compared with 74.3 percent of traditional high school students. The study defined safety as "being able to feel confident and comfortable in your school, not only physically but mentally and emotionally." Students at magnet high schools saw considerably fewer fights, with 15.9 percent having seen zero to five fights a semester compared with 68.7 percent at traditional high schools. In addition, 9.7 percent of magnet students said they worried about gangs in school, vs. 50 percent of traditional high school students. Size, intimacy praised Isabelle Dautherty, a 15-year-old magnet student from Nashville School of the Arts, said there was no fighting at her school and that she didn't worry about violence or gangs. Dautherty asked her mother to send her to magnet school in fifth grade because she felt her self-described "strange" personality was more attuned to kids there than to those she saw at traditional high schools. "I wanted to get as far away from those kids as possible," she said. "I was really im-pressed (with magnet school) because the kids there were just like me — they were kind of shy and it was a smaller school, so it felt more like a family." Her feelings on size and intimacy were echoed by other Metro students. According to the study, 84.6 percent of magnet students said they felt they had a chance to voice their opinion, vs. 61.3 percent of traditional high school students. To boost smaller learning environments, Metro schools applied for and received a $5.2 million federal grant to create special programs such as ninth-grade academies and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs. Clay Myers, Hunters Lane High School principal, said his school had created several of these smaller environments with the hope that students will feel more connected to their school. "We've already seen how well it works in IB," he said. "Within five years we would like every student to be in this small learning community." Less expected of some Fewer traditional students said they felt adults expected a lot from them. About 76 percent of traditional-school students, vs. 95 percent of magnet students, said they felt the school held high expectations for them. Michael Pedro, a 16-year-old from Antioch High School, said at least one of his teachers challenged him to try more difficult coursework by registering him for honors biology. He said traditional high school students view magnet students as smarter kids who got a good opportunity. "I would definitely go, but my mom never had the chance to sign meup, plus transportation would be difficult, so I stayed at Antioch," said Pedro, who also plays sports. "I would definitely drop (basketball) if I had the opportunity to go to a better school and get a better education."
OHIO Teen-age parties and underage drinking are nothing new or unique to northwest Ohio. Across the country, underage teens are engaging in risky -- not to mention illegal -- behavior, with some of their actions resulting in devastation. "There is a ton of underage consumption in this area that we have seen for years," said Defiance County Sheriff Dave Westrick. Responding to two to three major parties a year, Westrick said As an officer of the law and as a concerned resident, Westrick said, "I am very candid and outspoken about these parties. It's my job to give the tough message about these issues." In a 2005 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, conducted by the Department of Health and Human Service's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 28.2 percent of youth ages 12-20 reported drinking alcohol in the past month. The survey also found that 18.8 percent of youth reported that they were binge drinkers. These numbers are not exclusive to northwest Ohio. Local statistics are even a bit more daunting. According to the 2005 Defiance County Health Needs Assessment Survey, 65 percent of all Defiance County youth surveyed said they have had at least one drink of alcohol in their life (excluding a few sips). Of those who drank, 64 percent reported binge drinking at least once in the past year (binge drinking was defined as having at least five or more drinks of alcohol in a row within a couple of hours). Henry County's statistics are quite similar, according to its 2005 Health Assessment Project, with 55 percent of Henry County youth reported having had at least one drink in their lifetime. That number rose to 80 percent for youth age 17 and older. Of those who reported drinking in the past 30 days, 68 percent of those surveyed said they had at least one episode of binge drinking. The survey also noted that 26 percent of all Henry County youth had ridden in a vehicle driven by someone who had been drinking alcohol at least once in the previous month. "It would be my belief that, yes, there is a drinking problem" in northwest Ohio, said Kay Kerr, CDCA, a chemical dependency counselor and adolescent outpatient counselor at Five County Alcohol/Drug Program. While she mostly sees adolescents with heavier alcohol and drug problems, she knows that teen drinking is occurring. "Sometimes they are doing drinking games and sometimes there are parties in homes where parents are allowing drinking," she said. Henry County domestic relations/juvenile court Judge Denise McColley said she sees "an awful lot of cases that relate to underage consumption." She has even seen cases where teens have had to be hospitalized due to their extensive use of alcohol. "It's pretty scary," she said. Add driving to the equation and "you have a recipe for disaster," McColley said. "You're combining an inexperienced driver with an inexperienced drinker," she said, noting that most people who are of legal drinking age know their bodies and their drinking limits. Underage drinking "is a problem of great significance," Westrick said. And parents or adults who supply alcohol to underage youth or knowingly let them drink are also part of the problem. "We have charged parents in the past," Westrick said. "Parents allowing kids to drink is unconscionable to me." In Kerr's line of work, she sees youth whose casual drinking turns into serious problems. Teens who drink, especially those who binge drink, "are absolutely at risk of a deeper problem," Kerr said. There are also other risks associated with drinking, Kerr noted. Not only are youth at risk of dying or serious injury if driving or excessive drinking occurs, but "girls are at risk of being raped and fights can occur." While there are many programs and lines of intervention in place for teen drinking, McColley admitted, "I don't know what the answer is." But as a judge, McColley has intervened to the point of sending troubled you to a 90-day, in-house program at the local juvenile detention center. "I've sent kids there with some successes and some failures," she said. When drinking does get out of hand, Kerr said the sooner a person can seek treatment, the better their chances of avoiding a more serious problem down the road.
WORK PRODUCTIVITY It's 3 p.m. Do you know where your children are? Every weekday afternoon, Claire Celsi faces that question as she thinks about her two teenagers, ages 13 and 14. With no after-school program available for them, she must keep tabs on their whereabouts and activities from her office. "It's a huge balancing act," says Ms. Celsi, a publicist in Des Moines, Iowa. "I make them call me from our home phone, so I know they're home." Millions of working parents share similar concerns as they watch the clock and hope that their after-school arrangements are in place. For their employers, these distractions can take a huge toll on productivity, according to a new study by Catalyst and the Women's Studies Research Center at Brandeis University in Waltham, Mass. "The good news is that many parents have good support and good programs in place to help them," says Laura Sabattini, a researcher at Catalyst. "But many have concerns about what's going on [after school]. Calling children or even just being worried can lead to distraction at work." Despite progress, many communities still face a serious shortage of affordable, high-quality after-school programs. More than 14 million students between kindergarten and 12th grade take care of themselves after school, says Jodi Grant, executive director of the Afterschool Alliance in Washington, D.C. That includes 40,000 kindergartners and almost 4 million middle school students in grades 6 to 8. More than a third of the US labor force consists of parents of minor children. Almost three-fourths of those children are between 5 and 18 years old. Two- thirds of these parents are employed full-time. The gap between the time school lets out at 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. and the time most full-time employed parents get home at 6 p.m. or 7 p.m. adds up to 15 to 25 hours a week. Researchers call this challenge Parental Concern over After School Time, or PCAST. It affects workers from the factory floor to the executive suite, mothers and fathers alike. "They may be called at work or have to leave work for any disruption of their after-school care arrangements," the Catalyst report explains. "Just worrying about [that] possibility may affect productivity - and thus the employer's bottom line." In one study, more than half the women and almost a third of the men said that work/family stress affected their ability to concentrate on the job. Parental concern is greater when children are older - from grades 6 through 12 - because this age group is more likely to be unsupervised. "Researchers find that teenagers don't like to go to after-school programs," says Ms. Sabattini. Supervised programs for teens often do not even exist, says Celsi, a single parent. Those that do exist, she finds, often serve at-risk children. "At some point my kids became aware of that and wouldn't go. They were perceived as at-risk kids, poor kids." The challenge, she says, is to find something acceptable to the child and affordable for parents. Many programs are funded through a combination of federal, state, local, foundation, and private monies. Some cost parents between $1,000 and $2,000 a year, Ms. Grant says. Yet federal support is eroding. "If we were funded at the level President Bush signed into law [in the No Child Left Behind Act], we'd be at $2.5 billion a year," she says. "Federal funding has been frozen since 2002. Twice there's been an across-the-board cut. Our high was $1 billion. Now it's down to $981 million." Nearly three-quarters of those polled in November want Congress to increase after-school funding, according to the Afterschool Alliance. Grant finds widespread misunderstandings about what after-school care includes. "Far too many people still think it's just child care. It gives kids all sorts of opportunities. It includes homework help, tutoring, hands-on learning, physical fitness, internships, and apprenticeships." In Andover, N.J., Claudia Avgerinopoulus knows the advantages. Her children, ages 8 and 10, attend an after-school program at their school, run by the YMCA. Her husband picks them up at 6 p.m., when it ends. When schools close, as they did last week for the holidays, the children go with her to Citigroup in Long Island City, N.Y., where she works in marketing. The company sets up a "camp" in a conference room and brings in a trained staff. "It's in the same building." Ms. Avgerinopoulus says. "We get to have lunch together. This is a definite advantage." She also enjoys the advantage of being able to work remotely some of the time. "If I am able to stay home three days a week, it makes a big difference." Carlos Gonzalez, a financial analyst at Fannie Mae in Washington, D.C., is the father of a 7-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter. Their school offers an after-school program. His wife goes to work early at the Food and Drug Administration and picks up the children after school. When their regular arrangements are not available, such as on snow days, he takes the children to work with him. Fannie Mae employees can use the child-care center for emergencies for 30 days per year. "It's a great place, not only because it takes the stress off parents, but because the kids meet new friends." Mr. Gonzalez says. He would like the program expanded to more than 30 days. Fannie Mae established emergency care, including after-school care, when it recognized that primary child care sometimes falls through, creating "a major productivity issue," says Emmanuel Bailey, chief diversity officer. "Anything that's a drainer to top talent, we want to address." Helen Patrikis, a publicist in New York, has two sons, ages 17 and 15. Until last year, her parents, who live nearby, came to the house every afternoon to greet her sons when they arrived or to pick them up from sports practices. Now that her older son drives, this is no longer necessary. "Obviously you worry," Ms. Patrikis says. "I can be sitting in a meeting with somebody in my office. I'll get an instant message or a phone call [from one of my sons]. You have to stop what you're doing. It does impact your work." She adds, "We're in constant communication. We're always talking on the phone: 'What are you doing? Where are you going?' " While situations like hers highlight the need for an understanding boss and flexible work schedules, one day Celsi received the kind of call that underscores the need for after-school programs. She learned that several boys had pushed their way into the house and said to her children, "Give me something." They stole $150 from Celsi's bedroom and a CD player. "I had to run home at 4 o'clock," she says. "The neighbors were all there, the police were there. It was extremely frightening." For several weeks after that, her parents monitored the house after school. Not all parents are able to leave work in an emergency, as she did. "A lot of low-wage workers can't just walk away in the afternoon if their child is in trouble," Grant says. "They may not even be able to pick up the phone. Some don't have transportation." A lack of after-school programs also raises concerns about childhood obesity. "They're home alone, and they're eating," Grant says. "They're not out running around. They're watching television, playing on the computer. They're not being active." She adds, "One of the ironies we have to face is, there's great support for after-school programs, [and] there are all these kids who need these services. After-school is not a partisan issue. It spans across the aisle. It goes from far right to far left." In some cases, she notes, "Parents had eight fewer unscheduled absences a year when children were in after-school programs." In the business world, says Sabattini, the Catalyst researcher, companies can lessen the high toll of decreased productivity after school by developing an "agile" workplace that thrives on flexibility and emphasizes results rather than rigid schedules. Celsi offers a suggestion of her own. Asked what would make her after-school situation better, she says, "I wish I could have a [global positioning system] on each of my kids and look at that on my laptop. I'm totally serious."
COLORADO A study to be released today has found that black youths in Colorado are much more likely to be incarcerated in juvenile detention facilities than the U.S. average for black youths. The report, by the Oakland, Calif.-based National Council on Crime and Delinquency, found that 1,150 of every 100,000 black youths in Colorado were placed in detention facilities in 2003. The national average was 754 per 100,000. That figure compares with juvenile incarceration rates in Colorado of 268 per 100,000 for whites, 396 per 100,000 for Latinos and 646 for American Indians. "Colorado needs to look at this problem and figure out what is driving it and move from there," NCCD President Barry Krisberg said. The study also revealed that minority youths, ages 10 to 17, are overrepresented in every stage of the juvenile justice system - arrest, detention, adjudication and sentencing. Other key national findings:
"Crime patterns have something to do with it, but do not explain it all by a long shot," Krisberg said. "On a national level, we're not doing so well. The number of kids in custody has gone up. The number of whites in custody has gone down." Black youths in Colorado are more than 12 times as likely as white youths and more than twice as likely as Latino youth to be incarcerated in adult prisons, the study found. Still, Krisberg said simple racism is not to blame. However, unconscious racism crops up in subjective decision-making that occurs within the juvenile justice system, he said. Also, minority youths don't always have the same number of viable alternatives to juvenile hall in their neighborhoods. Minority youths also often lack good legal representation, he said. "If you improve the quality and quantity of legal representation for poor kids, that helps," Krisberg said. "Just diversity training is not doing the trick."
FAITH-BASED PROGRAMS Of all the organized activities teens participate in, faith-based youth groups provide the highest rates of personal and interpersonal growth experiences, according to a new University of Illinois study published in the September issue of Developmental Psychology. Religious youth groups also stand out from the classroom, part-time jobs, and hanging out with friends as contexts in which such growth occurs, the study of over 2,000 eleventh graders reported. “Faith-based youth groups give teens rich opportunities for identity development, learning to regulate their emotions, and developing positive relationships with peers and meaningful connections with adults,” said Reed W. Larson, the Pampered Chef, Ltd., Endowed Chair of Family Resiliency at the U of I. The teens in the study rated faith-based youth groups higher than sports, performance and fine arts groups, academic clubs, service groups, and community-oriented activities such as scouting, said the researcher. “Youth reported frequent personal and social growth experiences across these activities, but they reported them most often in religious youth groups,” he said. For example, in the study, 66 percent of students in faith-based activities reported, “This activity got me to thinking about who I am,” compared to 33 percent in other organized activities, he said. Forty percent of students in faith-based groups said they “got to know people in the community,” compared to 20 percent of students in other organized activities. And 46 percent of teens in faith-based groups reported, “This activity improved my relationship with my parents,” versus 21 percent of students in other activities, he said. Why are growth experiences so frequent in faith-based youth groups? “We think it is because these groups -- whether at church, synagogue, or mosque -- provide a positive belief system that addresses the issues that teens struggle with. “Faith-based groups give teens the opportunity for self-exploration, discussing values, and figuring out where they fit in the world. This doesn’t happen as often in other settings,” he said. The belief system provided by such groups acts as a ”glue” that connects teens to their peers and adults in a positive way, said Larson. “Although scholars tend to ignore the spiritual dimension of teenagers’ lives, research suggests that religion is an important part of teens’ experiences,” he added. The statistics come from Larson’s survey of 2,280 eleventh graders in 19 diverse schools, in which Larson and collaborator David M. Hansen used laptop computers to ask the teens about their learning experiences in extracurricular activities. The study also asked teens how often they had such experiences in the classroom, at part-time jobs, and while hanging out with friends. The six types of growth experiences surveyed were identity work, initiative development, emotional regulation, teamwork and social skills, positive relationships with peers, and positive relationships with adults. Negative experiences, such as stress, inappropriate adult behavior, peer pressure and influence, social exclusion, and negative group dynamics, were also assessed. “Other types of activities had high rankings in some of the personal and interpersonal skill categories but not across as broad a spectrum as faith-based activities,” Hansen said. For example, students in organized sports reported high rates of initiative experiences; 61 percent said that they had “learned to push myself” compared to 36 percent in other activities. These students also reported high rates of learning about regulating their emotions. But youth in sports also reported higher levels of stress. Performance and fine arts groups ranked high in initiative development, while academic clubs and organizations scored significantly lower than other activities in four of the six categories. All types of organized activities ranked higher in the growth experiences surveyed than the youths’ school classes. “Schools have to place so much emphasis now on developing cognitive skills that they’re less able to provide some of these other types of learning experiences,” Larson said. “But these types of personal and interpersonal growth are very important to raising a family and being a contributing member of the community. Having emotional intelligence, being able to work in a team, and being able to manage your emotions in a group setting are skills that employers are looking for,” he said. Yet even working part-time didn’t provide these experiences as much as faith-based activities, and 21 percent of working students said their jobs “stressed them out.” “Hanging out with friends” also provided learning experiences across the spectrum, but it too was associated with more negative experiences,” said Larson. “For example, 18 percent of teens reported of their time with friends: ‘Youth in this activity got me into drinking alcohol or using drugs.’”
VIRGINIA At Chimborazo Elementary, apples aren't just for teachers. The glossy fruit lined lunch trays on a recent Wednesday, alongside wheat rolls, low-fat sorbet and gobs of greens--healthy choices all happily scarfed by fourth graders. "There's a direct correlation between a healthy child and achievement," said Richmond schools spokeswoman Felicia Cosby, smiling as students tore into string beans and low-fat milk. State lawmakers hope this is the lunchroom of the future. They're considering bills targeting childhood obesity, regulating what children eat at schools and empowering administrators to measure Body Mass Indexes among their youngest students. "It's a state responsibility," said Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, who introduced a bill requiring state educational and health officials to cooperate in targeting childhood obesity and other juvenile health problems. Last session, the lawmaker introduced a bill requiring school superintendents complete nutritional training, as well as establish uniform lunch policies. That bill is pending. Other lawmakers have urged a comprehensive study of obesity in Virginia's schools, and even Gov. Timothy M. Kaine touched on the topic during a State of the Commonwealth address Wednesday night. "It's becoming a problem--not just in Virginia, but nationwide," Edwards said. "The first approach is to ensure that there are nutritional standards statewide." Virginia's Department of Education requires food sold a la carte _ items sold separate from planned meals--meet at least 5 percent of the daily recommended intake of one of eight essential nutrients, like calcium, iron or protein. A 230-calorie Hershey's chocolate bar, with 8 percent of the daily recommended value of calcium, meets that standard. Schools receiving funds for participating in the federal lunch program are restricted by nutritional guidelines developed by the government; all Virginia public elementary and middle schools participate in the school lunch program, according to July data. There are no federal or state regulations that apply to meals or any other foods served by schools not participating in the federal program, which include some Virginia high schools. Those schools are on their own. Edwards said efforts toward healthy eating are strongest in larger, wealthier districts like Fairfax County, where a monthly nutrition message and special healthy living classes helped earn one school, Mantua Elementary, recognition from the governor's office. "Others, there's nothing formal," Edwards said. "It's kind of a hit-and-miss situation." Healthy measures stumble most in less affluent school systems, said Sen. Yvonne Miller, D-Norfolk, whose bill would require a Body Mass Index measurement for every first-time kindergarten or elementary student. Schools could then monitor the height-to-weight ratios annually. "In poor districts, localities cannot put in as much money" for creating wellness programs, Miller said, comparing Arlington to relatively less affluent Richmond, for example. Such districts often contain minority-rich schools: More than 90 percent of Chimborazo's 538 students get free lunch, and most are black. Experts say that group is hardest hit by obesity, an epidemic affecting an estimated 17 percent of U.S. youngsters. Virginia joined New Jersey, New York and Maryland in weighing BMI-related legislation last year. Seven states already have such laws in place, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. It alarms Deb Burgard, an eating disorders specialist and advisory board member for the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, in California. Such legislation "adds to the stigma against fat children," said Burgard, who questioned the emphasis on BMIs, which some critics say offer an oversimplified view of one's health. "We should be having debates about what constitutes a healthy environment for our children," Burgard said. "But we should not be having those debates on the backs of fat children." Other critics say a 2004 law requiring federally funded schools develop wellness plans should be given time to effect change. At Chimborazo, the new wellness plan is making waves. Rainbow sprinkled cookies, last school year a hefty 2 ounces each, are now half that. Wheat pizza with low-fat cheese is standard and even staffers pick 100 percent juice over syrupy sodas. Administrators favor the state legislation. "Whatever does support a healthier lifestyle for our children, we support," Cosby said.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA The D.C. Council opened its legislative year by introducing a bill that could make the District one of the first jurisdictions in the country to require girls younger than 13 years old to get a new nationally debated vaccine against cervical cancer. Female students enrolling in the sixth grade would be asked to show proof of receiving the vaccine against the sexually transmitted human papilloma virus (HPV) under the bill, introduced yesterday by council members David A. Catania (I-At Large) and Mary M. Cheh (D-Ward 3). A parent or legal guardian would have the right to "opt out" of the requirement, Catania said, but the bill does not detail under what circumstances exemptions would be permitted. Similar proposals are pending in Kentucky and California, and several other states are also considering such legislation. A bill to require the vaccine failed last year in Michigan. In other business during the council's first working session, Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) withdrew a motion to override the veto of his bill that would protect former criminal offenders against job and housing discrimination. Mayor Anthony A. Williams (D), who left office last week, rejected the measure, agreeing with business and community leaders that the bill could open employers to public safety issues and unfair litigation. Although the council approved the bill 10 to 2 last month, members of the new council said the bill needed re-examination. Catania's decision to introduce the vaccine proposal was based in part on the high incidence of cervical cancer in the District. HPV causes cancer in about 10,000 women in the country annually and kills about 3,700, according to the American Cancer Society. The national incidence rate of the disease is 8.8 per 100,000 females, and the District's rate is 13.5 per 100,000, according to the society. Catania also said he was introducing the bill now because federal support is available for the vaccine, which costs $360 for a full three-shot series. He said children receiving Medicaid benefits and others who are uninsured or underinsured can receive free HPV vaccinations. "With January being National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, now is the perfect time for the District to lead the nation in the fight against what is in essence a preventable disease," Catania said at the council meeting. Reaction to the local legislation was mixed. "I think this makes perfect sense," said Stanley A. Gall of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. "There would certainly be a significant health benefit." There were questions by some about the timing of such a requirement. Although the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the vaccine for all girls ages 11 and 12, an adviser to the academy said he thought it was premature to recommend making it mandatory. "I think it's too early," said Joseph A. Bocchini, who chairs the academy's committee on infectious diseases. "This is a new vaccine. It would be wise to wait until we have additional information about the safety of the vaccine." Although a number of public health organizations have promoted widespread use of the vaccine, some groups and parents fear that such requirements can infringe on parental rights and unintentionally encourage sexual activity. "That's really a decision between parents and doctors," said Iris Toyer, co-chair of Parents United for D.C. Public Schools. "I understand the intent, but a lot of discussion must be done." "It would be one thing if the American Medical Association or the D.C. Health Department was telling me to do it," she said. An official at Focus on the Family, a Colorado-based conservative group, said that although the group supports widespread access and use of the vaccine, it was also concerned about actions that affect parental authority. "Parents should have total control over whether they vaccinate their children or not," said Linda Klepacki, an analyst for the group. District students must be vaccinated against such diseases as chicken pox, measles and mumps, she said, but HPV is different because it can't be spread casually. Klepacki expressed concern that a program that would give parents the chance to "opt out" might make it too difficult to do so or leave parents uninformed. "It depends on what 'opt out' means. How difficult is the process? Is it really their decision?" she asked. The introduction of the bill does not specify how parents could take that step, but Catania stressed that the option would exist and that there would be no penalties for children who were not vaccinated. He said he hoped parents and guardians would think long-term and use the vaccination to talk about the delicate subject of sexually transmitted diseases. "The hard stuff is putting the parents and guardians in a position to have this conversation," Catania said. Other bills introduced at the council session are expected to generate months of debate, including a measure that would remove the city's emergency medical services agency from the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department and make EMS a separate agency. Another bill would abolish the Anacostia Waterfront Corp. and the National Capital Revitalization Corp., quasi-public agencies whose disputes have delayed the $800 million redevelopment of 47 acres along the District's Southwest waterfront. The council also voted 10 to 1 to keep the $611 million cap on spending on the baseball stadium through emergency legislation. The cap, which the council approved last year, was established through emergency and temporary legislation, which expires Jan. 19. The latest emergency legislation opened nearly two hours of debate about overspending, parking garages and other matters related to the ballpark. Permanent legislation on the cap will require hearings, and council member Kwame R. Brown (D-At Large), chairman of the Economic Development Committee, said he expected them to be extensive. At the session, council members paused to chat with New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg (R), who was in town at the invitation of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D).
KENTUCKY A vaccine against human papilloma virus, which can cause cervical cancer, would be required for Kentucky schoolgirls under a bill introduced this week at the General Assembly. "It is proactive," said state Rep. Kathy Stein, D-Lexington, who introduced the bill. "This is the first time in the history of civilization that we have a vaccine against cancer. How cool is that?" The virus, HPV, is sexually transmitted, and some groups have opposed mandating the vaccine be given along with polio, mumps and measles shots already required. At least one group, the Family Foundation of Kentucky, has said it will lobby against Stein's bill. Even mandatory vaccinations, including the one proposed by Stein, allow parents to decline them for religious or other reasons. Stein said the law to require HPV vaccination would allow parents to opt out "if need be." The law would require girls to have the immunization before entering middle school. The bill was sent Tuesday to the House committee on Health and Welfare. Kentucky isn't the first state to try to make the HPV vaccine mandatory for middle school-age girls. Joy Johnson Wilson, director of health policy for the National Conference of State Legislatures, said yesterday that California and Michigan had proposed similar legislation making the vaccine mandatory. The bill passed the Senate but not the House in Michigan and is still pending in California. Wilson said multiple other states are expected to propose such legislation. "Making this mandatory is going to be difficult," said State Sen. Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville. "I'm never in favor of forcing parents. .... But this use of this drug is a no-brainer. We need to get it out there." Buford said he's in favor of the state providing the vaccine for free. At least one state, New Hampshire, will offer the vaccine for free to girls ages 11 to 18. Stein said she doesn't consider the vaccine at all controversial. "To me, it's unbelievable that some people think that by giving this vaccine, it's going to encourage young women to engage in sexual activity. I find that laughable." The vaccine is recommended to be given before women or girls first enter into sexual activity; research has found that it's 100 percent effective against four common strains of HPV, if given before any exposure to the virus, said Dr. W. David Hager, a Lexington obstetrician who has served on an FDA advisory committee for women's reproductive health drugs. Hager said he strongly supports the use of the vaccine. "I also believe parents have the right to choose," he said. Hager said he's been astounded at the demand for the vaccine. "We cannot keep in the stuff," he said. "It has really caught on. It's an extremely popular vaccine." In Kentucky, women suffer and die from cervical cancer at rates higher than the national average. Hager said it's important for people to note that even after they've had the HPV vaccine, regular Pap screening is still necessary, because the vaccine protects against only four strains of the virus. The Food and Drug Administration in June 2006 approved the vaccine, Gardasil, for use in girls and women ages 9 to 26. The vaccine is given as a series of three shots, which cost about $360. Martin Cothran, senior policy analyst for the Family Foundation of Kentucky, said his group will likely lobby against the potential legislation. "We have a lot of questions about it," Cothran said of the vaccine's safety. "There's no long-term track record yet." Cothran said it would be especially problematic to mandate it and not allow parents the chance to opt out.
UNDERAGE DRINKING More cities and counties across the USA are cracking down on underage drinkers with laws that give police authority to bust home parties and fine adults who permit them, including parents. These "social host" ordinances, some carrying fines of $2,500 or more, have been enacted in hundreds of locales, according to the Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center in Calverton, Md. Many were passed after a 2003 federal study warned of the health risks of teenage binge drinking and urged tougher enforcement. In recent months, cities in Oklahoma, California, New Jersey, Wisconsin and elsewhere have passed such laws. Every state prohibits furnishing alcohol to minors; 32 have specific social host laws, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD). But typically they're criminal laws and often not enforced aggressively, says Dan Hicks of Ventura County Limits, an initiative to curb underage binge drinking. "A criminal offense makes it an ordinance that sits on the shelf," Hicks says. "It clogs the courts, requires more burden of proof, takes more time and energy and costs taxpayers a lot more money." An appeals court threw out San Diego County's law in 2004 because the county couldn't prove that a host knew underage drinkers would be present. The county revised its ordinance last year to include civil penalties. Civil ordinances can be handled administratively. They permit police to respond to complaints, break up parties and fine adult "sponsors" if they see minors drinking alcohol or possessing it. "We get reports almost daily about a new city looking at a law or about to pass one," says Stacy Saetta of the Center for the Study of Law and Enforcement Policy in Felton, Calif. "We've seen increases in the New York area, in California certainly. In Illinois, I see many communities involved in passing laws." No group keeps track of the proliferation of these laws, but MADD says they've spread rapidly as communities see them used successfully. Alcohol is a factor in several of the leading causes of death among America's youth. "Communities feel that state laws aren't fully equipped to deal with their local situations, so they want to go above and beyond," says MADD'S Nicholas Ellinger. In a Marin County, Calif., survey, 75% of underage youth said they did most of their drinking at house parties, says Gary Najarian of the county health department. Fines under most ordinances rise when police have to break up parties at the same home more than once. In Ventura and Marin counties, for instance, adult hosts are required to pay law enforcement costs of busting repeat offenders, including officers' pay. Parents don't get off the hook if they're out of town or are unaware of an underage drinking party. Parents often can be cited if they knew or "should have known" teens might drink illegally at home.
ILLINOIS He's a high school senior now at a Kane County school, making plans to go to college. By his attorney's account, he's a good kid who made a grave mistake at 13, ringing the doorbell of a neighbor's home and grabbing the breasts of a 13-year-old girl living there. He pleaded guilty to home invasion and sexual abuse, and registered with the state's sexual offender list. As a juvenile, his record was shielded from the public. But if a state law enacted last year is upheld, this 17-year-old's name and photograph could soon appear on the state's public registry, available to anyone on the Internet--marking him as a sexual offender until he's 24. An increasing number of states are requiring that those who commit sex crimes as juveniles be added to public sex offender lists, a move that has stirred juvenile-offender and victim advocates alike. Under the law, some juveniles could be placed on the public lists for the rest of their lives and others for many years, depending on their crime. For victim advocates, publicizing juvenile sex offender records is necessary to protect the community. But juvenile-justice leaders say laws like Illinois' lump those guilty of "youthful indiscretions" with serious sexual offenders. Some say only the most serious offenders should be on public registries. Others say public exposure for any youth crime goes against the foundation of juvenile justice--that youths can be rehabilitated. The controversy is likely to intensify. Under a federal law passed in July, states will have to place certain teen sex offenders on public lists by 2009. Illinois law challenged Still, a year after Illinois' juvenile public registration law went into effect, none of the 1,629 juvenile sex offenders has been added to the public adult list. Illinois State Police, who manage the registry, say they are waiting for legal challenges to be settled first. Meanwhile, victim advocates in Illinois continue to applaud the law as long overdue. In 1997, west central Illinois resident Brandi Sheppard's 2-year-old step-daughter was sexually assaulted by the 15-year-old son of her baby-sitter over a period of several months. Sheppard said the teen was found guilty of aggravated sexual assault and received 5 years of probation and counseling, but never had to register as a sex offender. "He could have gone on to college and become a school teacher, and never would it have come up on his background that he was a sex offender," said Sheppard, a rape victims advocate who speaks publicly about her step-daughter's case. ".. Everybody thinks that they know where the sex offenders are living and they're safe. But juveniles are so protected from society that we don't know who they are." But some juvenile-justice advocates say requiring youths to register publicly would be detrimental to helping young offenders get better. "With all the science we have out there that kids [can be rehabilitated,] they're not fully formed, they're impulsive, how can we punish them for the rest of their life ...?" said Dorene Kuffer, chief of the juvenile justice division for the law office of the Cook County public defender. The Kane County case is cited as an example. In 2003, the South Elgin teen pleaded guilty to home invasion and sexual abuse, and was sentenced to registered with the state's shielded sexual offender list for 10 years. As a juvenile, his record was available only to law enforcement, day-care centers and schools. But under the new law, he is required to register publicly as an adult sex offender when he turns 17. His name, photograph, address and crime would be made public on the Internet, placing him alongside convicted sexual predators and child pornographers. Before the teen turned 17 last spring, his attorney, D.J. Tegeler, argued in district court that the law was an unconstitutional invasion of privacy. He contends the teen would not have pleaded guilty if he had known his crime would be made public. "[The teen] acknowledged that this was absolutely an atrocious thing he did," Tegeler said. "... But since our system is set up to give juveniles a second chance. That's what he's asking for." Kane County Assistant State's Atty. Linda Abrahamson disagrees with Tegeler's characterization of the teen's crimes but would not give more details, citing juvenile privacy laws. She says the teen has complied with probation and has not committed another crime. In December, a Kane County judge ruled the law constitutional but ordered the teen's name off the list, pending appeal. States take different tacks To date, 36 states have passed laws requiring juvenile sex offenders to register as adults with authorities, and many are starting to require those lists be made public at some point, according to the National Center for Juvenile Justice. But the laws vary greatly in scope, and some face court challenges. Some states allow juveniles to petition to stay off the lists. Others have enacted "Romeo and Juliet" laws exempting teens who engage in consensual sex. Three states passed laws creating a hearing process by which juveniles are placed on public lists. A new federal law called the Adam Walsh Act could spur even more change, as states try to fall in line with the law or face grant reductions. Illinois' law, passed unanimously in 2005, is broader than the federal law, and its stricter elements would remain under federal statute. The Illinois law requires juveniles who commit any sex offense at any age to register for the public registry when they turn 17. It does not allow for cases of teen consensual sex to be excluded. "Illinois went so far to the extreme when it made it mandatory," said Betsy Clarke, president of the Springfield-based Juvenile Justice Initiative. "They took all discretion away from the judges, from the prosecutors, from everyone involved." Opponents say juveniles cannot be held to the same standards as adult sex offenders because they are not afforded jury trials. They point to national studies that find juveniles could benefit from treatment. Contrary to popular public opinion, juvenile sex offenders are actually less likely to re-offend than adults or other non-sexual juvenile offenders, said Dr. Mark Chaffin, pediatrics professor at the University of Oklahoma and co-director of the National Center on the Sexual Behavior of Youth. Researchers place juvenile sex offender recidivism at somewhere between 5 and 15 percent, he said. Curiosity and opportunity, the idea of "wanting to know what sex is like," drives many juvenile sex offenders, Chaffin said. "It's not the same kind of deviant sexual attraction pattern [as with adults]," Chaffin said. Victim advocates caution that those numbers don't account for the large number of sexual crimes, especially those among children, which aren't reported. More cases may go to trial A major concern among victim advocates and juvenile-justice leaders is that youth offenders, fearful of the public lists, will take their cases to trial, and more young victims will have to testify. Faced with having to register publicly, juveniles may not agree to treatment and rehabilitation, they argue. Legislators last summer used Tegeler's case in Kane County to highlight the need for scaling back the state's new law and passed a bill giving judges discretion over which juvenile offenders get on the public list. But in July, Gov. Rod Blagojevich vetoed the bill, writing that he could not "condone leniency towards sex offenders." State Rep. Annazette Collins (D-10th), who proposed the bill, is still pushing for change. Yet victim advocates say striking the right balance between community protection and juvenile privacy remains is no easy task. "If the victim is a victim of a sex crime, it doesn't matter to them what the age of the offender is," said Lyn Schollett, general counsel to the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
CONGRESS It's a proposal that could save college graduates thousands of dollars: reducing the interest rates on some student loans from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent. Halving those rates played a big part in congressional campaign promises this fall, and is a part of the high-profile first 100 hours for the new Democratic majority. But the bill, unveiled by House Democrats on Friday and scheduled for a vote Wednesday, is scaled back from the initial promises – affecting only the subsidized Stafford loans designed for middle- and lower-class students and phasing the cuts in over five years. Already the proposal is under fire, not just from Republicans, but from some student-aid experts as well. "It's a great sound bite – cutting rates in half," says Mark Kantrowitz, the publisher of FinAid.org, which gives information about ways to pay for college. "But it's an incredibly expensive proposal with very little student aid benefit." The benefit, Mr. Kantrowitz notes, comes after students have graduated, which makes it unlikely to get more low-income students to enroll in college, especially since they tend to fear debt more. Even though the lower interest rates could add up to more than $4,000 over the lifetime of a typical graduate's loan, that would mean monthly payments only dropped by about $30. Congress "would be better off spending [the money] on something else, like increasing the Pell Grant" offered to the neediest students as aid that graduates don't need to pay back, Kantrowitz says. The limit that each student may receive from the Pell Grants program has been frozen for five years now. Students and their advocates, however, have been pushing hard for loan cuts, holding rallies last week and lobbying Congress for the lower rates. Soaring tuition, rising debt In the past five years, tuition and fees for in-state students at public colleges have risen 35 percent after being adjusted for inflation, according to the annual College Board survey of costs. And student debt – now carried by about two-thirds of students – has more than doubled between 1993 and 2004, according to the US Public Interest Research Group (US PIRG). Cutting the interest rates "is a good first step and shows that this Congress is interested in working to make college more affordable," says Luke Swarthout, a higher education advocate with US PIRG. He expects that more will follow – including raising the maximum Pell Grant from $4,050 to $5,100. "The fact that this is one of the top proposals Congress is talking about is very meaningful for America's students and families." The Democrats' bill comes with a hefty price tag. According to those backing it, the bill will cost the government $6 billion over five years. Critics say it could be three or four times that over the life of the loans. Democrats have said they'll make up for the cuts by reducing government subsidies to lenders. But others still say it's an expensive and inefficient way to go about tackling college affordability – and could even exacerbate the problem. "This proposal does nothing to encourage colleges and universities to keep tuition costs under control," says Ed Patru, communications director for the House Republican Conference. "Instead it creates an incentive for them to raise tuition and fees." The measure is likely to pass in the House. But, its chances in the Senate, where Democrats hold only a slim majority, is less certain. A different Democratic plan Sen. Ted Kennedy (D) of Massachusetts has supported the House bill, but also has his own, more comprehensive measure he'd like to push through. Senator Kennedy's bill would halve interest rates on more than just the Stafford loans, raise the Pell Grant limit to $5,100, cap federal student loan payments at 15 percent of a borrower's discretionary income, forgive the debt for those who stay in public service careers, and encourage schools to use the government's less costly Direct Loan Program. Some backers of the interest-rate cuts worry that tying so many other measures to it will make it harder to get anything passed, but others say that such a comprehensive plan would be far more meaningful for students, especially for the low-income students for whom college still seems an unaffordable goal. "The positive thing about having the Miller bill on the table is that it does provide an opportunity to revisit some of these issues, including the grant programs," says Lois Dickson Rice, a guest scholar in the economic studies program at the Brookings Institution, referring to Rep. George Miller (D) of California, who is leading the charge on interest rates. "There's no question that [cutting interest rates] is some attempt to try and address this issue of college access and affordability, but this is sort of a baby step in that direction." Ms. Rice would like to see the Pell Grant limit not only raised, but also have it retargeted at the neediest of students, and have other options – like expanding the repayment period on loans or making college tax credits refundable – put on the table. Students themselves, meanwhile, are advocating fiercely for the Housebill, seeing it as a sign of a big change in how Congress – which a year ago took $12 billion from student loan programs to help pay for tax cuts – views their needs. "College should be affordable for students, and for the future of our country, this is important," says Trevor Montgomery, a senior majoring in political science at the University of Illinois in Chicago, who will graduate with about $20,000 in student loans. If it passes, the bill won't affect him, since he's already graduating, but Mr. Montgomery says he can already see what a difference it would make if it does. "I'm starting the job search process thinking about the $20,000, thinking about how much that's going to cost, and it's playing a huge part," he says. "Some of the jobs I want the most are paying salaries on the borderline of being able to survive on with that. It stinks to have to consider those things."
ILLINOIS Cook County Board President Todd Stroger agreed Wednesday to transfer control of the county's troubled juvenile home to the Circuit Court in a dramatic move that advocates predicted would improve the lives of thousands of children. The transfer of power to Chief Judge Timothy Evans is the main recommendation in a report on fixing the center, to be released Thursday by the Chicago Bar Association. The move could come within six months, after the Stroger administration complies with a plan for improving conditions at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center. Violence, cleanliness and lack of appropriate health care at the facility have been ongoing issues central to a federal lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union. The bar association report goes beyond the current problems at the center and recommends long-term efforts to improve the juvenile justice system, including decentralizing services by placing new facilities in other parts of the county. "The president agrees with the recommendations in the report," Stroger spokesman Steve Mayberry said. "Given that he started the cleanup process, we would like to finish it before we turn it over to someone else's jurisdiction." Cook is the only county in the state in which the juvenile home is not run by the chief judge. The change will require approval by the General Assembly, and two House Republicans introduced legislation Wednesday to effect that change. Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin (D-Evanston) expects Democrats to support the bill but said they were waiting for word from Stroger. Suffredin, a lobbyist whose clients include the CBA, was in Stroger's office Wednesday when the board president heard bar association officials' presentation on the report. "He said, `All right, it's the right thing to do. We'll make it part of our legislative agenda,'" Suffredin said. "I would say that he was enthusiastic." Stroger's father, former board President John Stroger, asked the CBA in late 2005 to study the juvenile center. "I think [Todd Stroger] was convinced by the experts that if it works in the other counties and in judicial circuits throughout Illinois, it would be responsible to have that work here," Suffredin said. County Commissioner Mike Quigley (D-Chicago) called Stroger's move "a major concession and an appropriate one." Quigley expects the center to be run in a more professional and less political manner under Evans' direction. Evans, a former Chicago alderman, has been the county's chief judge since 2001. Beyond running the massive court system, his office also oversees juvenile and adult probation, the public guardian's office and other services. "This structure allows for a detention center that is values-and-mission-driven and works in concert with the spirit of youth accountability and rehabilitation that is at the core of an effective juvenile justice system," the 17-member panel of experts wrote in the report. In 1999, the ACLU filed a class-action lawsuit in U.S. District Court against Cook County officials, alleging they deprived residents of adequate medical, dental and mental health as well as subjecting them to violence and abuse. In 2002, a federal judge approved an agreement between the parties that appointed independent monitors. In 2005, however, the ACLU was back in court, alleging that the county had not complied with the agreement and that problems continued. An ACLU lawyer welcomed the news Wednesday but cautioned that the problems have not yet been fixed. "You still have to deal with the problem of changing the culture there," said Benjamin Wolf, a lawyer for the ACLU. In response to published reports of problems, the Chicago Bar Association began examining problems at the center, meeting with officials and visiting the facility as well as other Illinois facilities that could serve as models for improvement. The bar committee also recommended that the detention center be decentralized and that separate centers, including a facility for youths being tried as adults, be created elsewhere in the county, particularly in the south suburbs.
CALIFORNIA Mayor Ron Dellums basked in the love showered upon him at Oakland's ornate Paramount Theatre on Tuesday in an inaugural ceremony marked by pomp, promise and some discord. Dellums, Oakland's 48th mayor, vowed to take up as his first task addressing the street violence that claimed 148 lives last year. "Let us unite to bring peace to the streets of Oakland," he declared, speaking with his trademark passion and dignified bearing. "Peace is not just a foreign policy matter. "This is not about Ron Dellums," he said, sounding one of his main themes -- collaboration. "You just asked an old guy to come out of the comfort zone, suit up and play one more game. It's not about me, because it's together that we will do great things." Dellums is 71. He said the whole city working together to bring an end to the violence in Oakland, ending poverty, and ensuring that every resident has access to high-quality public schools and health care can make Oakland a model for the nation and the world. The high homicide rate "does not speak to community," he said, "because people with a sense of community do not kill each other." Dellums' oath of office followed a raucous City Council meeting in which Councilman Ignacio De La Fuente almost lost his presidency after a challenge by East Oakland Councilman Larry Reid. The ceremony included the swearing in of newly elected members of the council, the Oakland school board and Oakland city auditor. Dellums stepped up to address the audience -- many of whom cursed De La Fuente's re-election -- calling for civility and to set a good example for Oakland's youth. Dellums reiterated a campaign theme that his administration will not just be about fixing potholes and street signs. And he said youth will take a front-row seat in decision making. Dellums said the success of all Oaklanders depends on having a vibrant economy. His vision for making Oakland a safer, more economically sound city with better schools will involve strengthening relationships with leaders at the federal, state and county level, in the private and nonprofit sector and working with the school board. He likened the war in Iraq to the war on the streets of Oakland and called for people to work vigorously toward ending violence. He emphasized that the solutions will not come solely from him, but members of his 41 task forces, the many businesses and nonprofit organizations in the city, and those who come to City Hall to demand their civic rights. "I'm challenging Oakland to say let's figure out how to do it. If we have to come together with spit and baling wire, let's do it," he said. "Let's figure out how to collaborate on a level unprecedented in the history of Oakland. If we end up with not enough money, then put me on a plane; let me go see Washington or Bill Gates, and we'll find the money." Dellums said he will appoint youth to every board and commission in an effort to give them a stake in the solutions to the city's most vexing problems, including ailing schools, unemployment and spiraling violence. "I'm the old guy," he said. "I know we need to hear young people. We need to provide the mechanisms for them to speak. It's vital for us to hear them, to understand them, aid them, involve them ... in community. Brianna Holland, a 16-year-old student at Paul Robeson High School, said she appreciated the mayor's focus on involving youth. "He wants to help us to come together and help change Oakland," she said. "Right now I don't feel safe in Oakland. As young people, we have to come together to help stop the violence and have more unity." Emanuel McGee, a 91-year-old retired electroplater from North Oakland, said he hopes the mayor is successful in his goal of eradicating drugs and hopelessness from poor neighborhoods. "We need to get the dope and dope dealers out of this town," McGee said. "They're the source of most of our problems. If the mayor can manage to do that, we will be in a better position." In an interview after the ceremony, Dellums said he will spend the next several weeks reviewing recommendations from the task forces and working with the members on short-term and long-term solutions. Dellums said his task forces on crime and violence spoke loudly in favor of community policing, and the new mayor said he will begin working with police Chief Wayne Tucker and officers in the department to begin shifting their focus from tackling crime based largely on statistical hot spots to relating better to members of the community. "The statistics approach isn't working," he said. "Policing alone cannot solve the problem. The problem can only be dealt with in concert, in harmony with the community. Community policing allows us to do that. It gets police out of cars, into face-to-face situations, developing familiarity, confidence and knowledge of each other. It's in that spirit of cooperation involving police, other aspects of community and people in the neighborhoods that we're going to begin to deal with these issues, and solve this violence." 
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