Chambers: NAACP Mistaken About OPS Split

[norml]

Chambers: NAACP Mistaken About OPS Split
NAACP Shames Senators Who Voted For OPS Division

POSTED: 11:23 am CDT April 19, 2006
UPDATED: 6:03 pm CDT April 19, 2006

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Video: Chambers Responds To NAACP

OMAHA, Neb. -- The man behind a proposed split of the Omaha Public Schools told KETV NewsWatch 7 on Wednesday that the NAACP is mistaken in its interpretation of his bill.

State Sen. Ernie Chambers said that if anything, the law gives already segregated schools more control over their destinies.


Tommie Wilson

The NAACP on Wednesday broke its silence on the state's decision to split OPS. It said it is opposed to LB 1024, and President Tommie Wilson said all the senators who voted for it should be ashamed.

"LB 1024 is an obvious violation to NAACP policies. It is our belief that any legal separation from would be counterproductive and would work against the African-American people in the long run," Wilson said. "We will use every advocacy tool -- including legal -- at our disposal to fight this unconstitutional law."

The districts would represent north, south and west divisions of the city, and while opponents believe the law creates three racially segregated school districts, supporters say the law is designed to create local control over smaller districts. Supporters also said free busing and open enrollment will create a climate of competition among the schools.

Wilson said the plan could improve schools for minorities, but she believes such legalized segregation will work against blacks in the long run.

Chambers disputes that claim.


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http://www.ketv.com/newsarchive/8826314/detail.html

[Nebraska_Liberal]

1. Chambers is completely out of his mind.

I admired the guy before this. He fought the racists and tried to better his community, now he is just nuts. He is reversing everything that ops has tried to do to integrate schools over the last 30 years. I was a product of the busing intergration, a white kid from central Omaha that went to a predominatly black school, Omaha North. It is a tragedy that my kids will not be able to do the same if they wanted to.

Earth to Ernie Chambers, integration does not come about by putting walls up between parts of the city. You can argue all day that North Omaha would be better off by segregating from everyone else, but you still wont convince me. Seperate is inherently unequal, that is obvious. Who do you think this segregation will be unequal to? Im telling you right now that it won't be the white west Omaha schools. It is tragic to think about the consequences this will have on race relations in Omaha.

[norml]

2. It was the more liberal Democrats who voted for it, and the more...

"conservative" Republicans who voted against it.

It's also part of the whole school consolidation fight that's been going on.

Why should it be only hicks from the sticks, and suburban bedroom communities that get to have smaller school districts?

Ernie is great!

Had he left this, one of the reddest of states, a long time ago, everyone here would know his name.

[stillcool]

3. I am not well versed in this subject..

but I have read that all is not as it seems with this issue, which leads me to think that people are reacting to buzz words, and assuming the content. A little bit of condemnation before investigation.

[Nebraska_Liberal]

4. The conservative republicans voted against it...

because Ernie voted for it, that is it, that and they hold no stake about what goes on in Omaha.

Listen to Gwen Howard, she voted against it, and I beleive she is the most liberal state rep! She is definitely the smartest. This is just a plan to weaken ops so that it can not enact the one city plan that would bring equality to the funding of the schools.

[Solo_in_MD]

5. Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it

Heard the same things said about Compton...