Today's Burlington High School Action Against Racism

Brave Somali Bantu and Congolese high school students, who have self-organized a one day boycott of Burlington High School, were protesting this morning in front of the school against the systemic racism there. The power elite of the school admin and Burlington school board have decided to tackle the racism slowly and on their terms, rather than listen to the concerns of the students. I was present for about an hour in solidarity with the students.

BHS students chanting "we didn't fail the school, the school failed us.".

This is not satire from The Onion.

This is for real from Reuters

"Members of a new Texas association are starting a college scholarship program for a group of students they say do not have as many scholarship options as others -- white men. Colby Bohannan, a student at Texas State University in San Marcos, and some friends have formed the non-profit Former Majority Association for Equality, which will provide the scholarships."

SOCIAL JUSTICE & WHITE PRIVELEGE

Human justice is neither automatic nor inevitable... Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering and struggle, the tireless exertions and passionate concerns of dedicated individuals
-- The Rev'd Dr Martin Luther King, Jr.

It is important to take advantage of opportunities to deal with the issue of racism within ourselves, our churches, our communities, and our state. An important opportunity will be provided in a Saturday program titled “SOCIAL JUSTICE AND WHITE PRIVILEGE: Facing Reality, Building the Vision.”

The event will be held on February 9 from 9:00-3:30 p.m. at St. James Episcopal Church in Essex Junction (RT 2A). Leadership will be provided by the Dismantling Racism Commission of the Episcopal Diocese of Vermont, the Task Force for Uprooting Racism of the Vermont Conference, UCC, and the Peace and Justice Center of Burlington. $5.00 donation; lunch and all materials will be provided. Phone 802-878-4014 for further information.