Summary: SCRAPPING WILLFUL DEFIANCE. California schools suspend thousands of students every day, mostly African American and Latino students, and largely for minor behavior issues. The Los Angeles Unified School District recently adopted a rule that students can no longer be suspended for what is known as “willful defiance,” refusing to comply with a teacher’s direction. A similar bill is pending in the state Senate. This edition takes a look at how these measures could benefit Latino students. Ruth Cusick, Staff Attorney, Children’s rights Project, Public Counsel Law Center, Los Angeles, CA. http://www.publiccounsel.org ; Silvia Méndez, Core Parent, CADRE (Community Asset Development Re-defining Education), Los Angeles, CA. www.cadre-la.org ; Luis Alejo, Assemblymember, Representing 30th District, California Assembly, Sacramento, CA. ALSO, NOT GUILTY. A jury in Florida declared George Zimmerman not guilty for second degree murder or manslaughter in the killing of the unarmed African-American youth Trayvon Martin. The verdict has sparked protests and demonstrations in multiple cities. A reporter joins this edition to give an update on the aftermath. Guest: Migdalia Fernández, Reporter, La Prensa, Orlando, FL, http://www.laprensafl.com
