The Lincoln High community partnered with other Californians to learn about and advocate for passage of civil rights history education (AB 580), drug possession misdemeanor (SB 1506) and limiting education budge cuts in the 2012-13 budget bill. The Lincoln lobbying team met face-to-face with legislators and discussed the importance of the Civil Rights Movement in the lives of all Californians, and how we need to foster better understanding of the complexity of racial, social, economic and political challenges faced by citizens of our state by including the histories of our civil rights struggles in state curriculum (AB 580).
The San Diego contingent impressed upon lawmakers that only 6% of California’s population is African American, however 17% of felony drug arrests--19% of which are high school-aged students--are African Americans. To reduce the costs of incarceration in a time of austere state budgets, the NAACP supports making illegal drug possession intended for personal use a misdemeanor, with drug counseling over incarceration (SB1506).
Lincoln students began their lobbying journey aboard the NAACP-sponsored bus from Malcom X Library on Sunday night, May 20 and returned Tuesday, May 22 at 3 a.m., completing a 31-hour whirlwind legislative expedition.
“The experience was worth my time because we got to talk with legislators about bills that sometimes they may pay little attention to” said Octavio Guzman, 9th grade student, Lincoln High School Center for Social Justice.
For more information, contact Lincoln High teachers, Precious Hubbard-Jackson at pjackson@sandi.net; or Danny Blas at dblas@sandi.net.
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