Stop ‘the pipeline’ There is a school-to-prison pipeline in the United States and it flows right through Volusia County. Children in our schools are subject to higher rates of arrests and suspension than almost anywhere else in the country! Just one suspension leaves a child 10 times less likely to graduate from high school, according to the Florida Association of School Psychologists. In a state with the highest suspension rate in the country, Volusia ranks fifth highest out of 67 counties. As a consequence, our graduation rate is lower than state and national averages. According to the U.S. Department of Civil Rights’ 2013-2014 report, Volusia students of color are twice as likely to be suspended than their white classmates. It should come as no surprise that our black graduation rate in Volusia County is 16 percent lower than the white graduation rate. Students with disabilities are also twice as likely to be suspended than their classmates.
[READ: FAITH leaders meeting will focus on juveniles)
Children in our county are also being arrested at a rate higher than almost anywhere else in the state. Hundreds of children in our community who are eligible for diversionary programs are instead being arrested. This criminal record can haunt them for life, preventing them from getting a job, joining the military, or getting housing.
The 32-member congregations of F.A.I.T.H. (Fighting Against Injustice Towards Harmony) find this reality unacceptable. We are excited to announce that Sheriff Mike Chitwood, State Attorney R.J. Larizza, multiple police chiefs and four of our county’s five School Board members are expected to join 1,800 F.A.I.T.H. leaders at our Action Assembly to fight for our children. The meeting will be held Monday, 6:30 p.m., at the Peabody Auditorium. It is free and open to the public.
Pedro Dash, Daytona Beach and Fr. Chris Hoffmann, Port Orange
Dash and Hoffman are co-chairs of F.A.I.T.H.
The wrong direction
A few weeks ago Broward County was the scene of a mass shooting. That county is home to the idea of “ending the school-to-prison pipeline.” They say too many disadvantaged youth are being sent to prison because they were disciplined too harshly, diminishing their opportunities.
It’s also bad to keep lists of criminal activities. That list prevents them from getting into college, graduating high school, joining the military or finding a job. This mindset focuses on the arrest — not the behavior that led to the arrest.
In 2011, the Broward County Public Schools District had the highest number of school-related arrests in Florida, but today it’s one of the lowest. So-called “learned, professional, and knowledgeable” people apparently agreed not to report, arrest or prosecute students like the one who killed 17 students — even after he assaulted students, cursed teachers, kicked in classroom doors, had fist fights, threw furniture, threatened to kill other students, etc. By the simple expedient of ignoring criminal behavior, student arrests declined by a whopping 78 percent. End the discipline — problem solved!
They made high school students their guinea pigs for an experiment based on a noxious ideology. The blood of 17 people is on their hands:
Broward Superintendent of Schools Robert Runcie; Peter Weinstein, former chief judge of the 17th Judicial Circuit; State Attorney Michael J. Satz; Public Defender Howard H. Finkelstein; Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel; former Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Frank Adderley; former Department of Juvenile Justice Secretary Wansley Walters; and Marsha Ellison, president of the Fort Lauderdale NAACP and chair of Juvenile Justice Advisory Board
In my opinion, F.A.I.T.H. is barking up the wrong tree.
Frank Jablonski, Port Orange
Start on Main
I would like to give input on the future of Main Street. Main Street businesses are mostly busy during Bike Week, but what about all year round? I feel the city needs to make improvements to Main Street, and really to all of Daytona Beach. The city also needs to market — perhaps outdoor festivals on Main Street that could be music festivals or an Italian festival. Have festivals for charities and celebrations. Main Street needs to represent more than just Bike Week.
I’m all for the improvements on Main Street and look forward to the changes. The city needs to change Daytona Beach’s bad reputation and make it more upscale. Also I think the strip clubs need to go. If they make all these improvements but still keep the strip clubs, then what is the point? Daytona Beach will still have a trashy reputation.
The city needs to do a total cleanup of all it’s representing. If the city wants to attract decent people then it needs to get rid of the trash that they are promoting to come in this town. I love Daytona Beach, and I believe with the right improvements it could be one of the luxurious places to live and visit. Give people a reason to come live and visit here. I think Main Street would be just the beginning of where things need to start.
Antonia Chandler, Daytona Beach
Nurture growth
I have been removed from Daytona Beach for over two years, but continue to follow the area. It is great to see the possibility of Daytona Beach returning to the jewel it should be. Local leaders need to lead the initiative and become more hands on. Driving up and down Main Street a few times does not give people accurate insight. Talk to the business owners, talk to the residents. Work on the homeless problem. Give tax incentives for businesses and residents who improve their properties. Stop making it so hard for entrepreneurs.
Sam Wright, Algonquin, Illinois
Is energy the answer?
I attended several meetings of the Beachside Redevelopment Commission. I found it to be a sleepy-time fest, with lack of representation from the city of Daytona Beach.
I delivered, in my three-minute allocation of public speaking (civic karaoke), an idea of renewable energy as the main focus of the impetus of redevelopment and investment of the barren wasteland known as beachside Daytona Beach.
Over the last 15-plus years I have seen layers of politicians, coalitions, power brokers, and economic development types lord over the direction of East International Speedway Boulevard. Those same people make up the BRC. We need new and fresh leadership and the old guard must retire, as they have been given more than enough chance, monetary support, etc. for their failed plans and they just need to move on. Bring the barren wasteland into the renewable energy economy and the investment that comes with it: jobs, infrastructure, quality of life. Let’s have community utilites and let the new and old residents participate in the ownership and building of the aforementioned. People all over the world are doing this with great success. The only thing that gives me hope is that the properties are still available and nothing has been done yet.
Robert Stolpmann, St. Augustine
Short-term rentals
Thank you, News-Journal, for all of your work in shining a light on the issues currently affecting the beachside. Your work is making a difference.
A lot of little changes can move us forward in a positive direction. One thing that has been mentioned is allowing vacation rentals. I support changing the regulations to allow short-term rentals. Not only will it encourage private investment in areas that sorely need it, but it will free up code enforcement to concentrate on fixing the blight and deal with other issues.
Daytona Beach runs on tourist dollars. Visitors today expect choice. Those who shop for vacation rentals want room for families, kitchens, private pools and the feel of a home. If it is not available, they will stay somewhere else. These visitors stay longer and spend extra dollars on restaurants, shopping and entertainment.
Daytona Beach’s regulation prohibiting rentals under six months drags down citizens who wish to rent their property for part of the time and personally use it the rest of the time. It prevents owners from making extra dollars that might be the difference between losing a property to foreclosure or keeping it, or having funds to keep up with maintenance. It discourages investors from renovating vacant and dilapidated properties.
The city government should get out of the way, enact reasonable regulation to manage quiet hours, parking, trash, etc, to be applicable to short-term and long-term rentals and let the market work for us.
Jennifer Rosse, Daytona Beach
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