A March To Protect Our Children
By Tony Muhammad
Hiphopeducator19@gmail. com
www. myspace. com/tonymuhammad
As lime light Hip Hop celebrities prepare to take part in major-national voter registration drives in support of the upcoming Presidential Election, on a more local level socially conscious ambassadors of the culture continue to devote themselves to spreading awareness for major issues of concern that do not routinely get sufficient attention in the mass media.
Such is in the case of female emcee and Flint, Michigan representative of the National Hip Hop Political Convention, Theory.
In the past few months she has played an instrumental role in organizing a march in Jackson, Ohio to bring light of an unjust court decision that leaves children unprotected from physical or sexual assault. It is set to take place on April 11.
Theory's actions are in response to a story broadcasted on FOX News on Bernadine Wade and her struggles to gain justice after discovering in 2004 that her adopted daughter (who was 7 years old at the time) had been raped and sodomized by a teenage youth for over a year and a half almost everyday during the regular school year in the back seat of a school van. In the case, the Ohio Court of Appeals has ruled that a child who is assaulted or repeatedly raped on a school bus or van has no right to file a lawsuit against the school district. It further states that the driver of the vehicle is not responsible for protecting children from sexual assault. The only instance where there would be accountability is if children were to end up hurt as a result of the negligent operation of the vehicle. In the news broadcast, currently available on Youtube. com, it shows how the van driver as well as school officials refused to even acknowledge that the incident took place.
Theory commented, "I saw the callous attitude with the officials in the clip and it angered me … Had they had a different reaction I would have responded differently!" Theory, feeling empathy for Ms. Wade being a mother herself, added, "I felt the need to reach out to Miss Wade because when I saw the story about what happened to her daughter I thought of my own child.
"
Ms. Wade expressed to Theory that she wanted to draw attention to the situation so they decided to organize the march.
Theory stressed, "If enough people know, we could pressure the school in its accountability … We hope to get as many people as possible!"
Ms. Wade regards her troubles in dealing with the courts in her lawsuits against the school system as "a nightmare" for her entire family.
Responding to the Ohio Court of Appeal's decision, she notes, "We need to put a sticker on the buses that read 'SENDING CHILDREN AT YOUR OWN RISK!'"
The Wades, an African American family, have already experienced the court case being appealed three times and, most recently, after four years of handling the case their attorney had sent them a letter stating that he was no longer willing to represent them as their attorney and that he wished them well.
In addition, Justin Abney, the sixteen year old who committed the horrific acts on her daughter initially accepted a plea deal and only served six months in jail for the crime. Ms. Wade maintains that Abney's name does not appear on a sexual predators list even though the law requires that the names of all convicted felons charged with sexual crimes be put on such a list. According to record, Abney has a long history of violence in and outside of school as well as admitting in a deposition to having over twenty sex partners before the age of sixteen.
Considering that Abney is white, Ms. Wade emphatically argued, "If it was my son who had committed the crime his face would have been posted on the news, labeled a sexual predator and would have been given twenty-five years!" Citing how there has been very little media coverage of the case and a lack of support from the Jackson township and the media, Ms. Wade concludes that race has definitely been a factor in the case.
Ms. Wade mentions how her daughter suffers from seizures and how they have escalated since she finally discovered that sexual assaults were taking place. Her daughter is currently on antidepressant drugs. She emphasized that she didn't notice any signs while the abuse was taking place. From experience, Ms.
Wade advises, "We need to pay more attention to our children! We need to speak to our children! I now meet my children at the door! I'm asking for people to support the march!"
For more information on The March To Protect Our Children visit www. myspace. com/justiceforthewades, call 810-394-2211 or e-mail nhhpc_flint@yahoo. com.
By Tony Muhammad
Hiphopeducator19@gmail. com
www. myspace. com/tonymuhammad
As lime light Hip Hop celebrities prepare to take part in major-national voter registration drives in support of the upcoming Presidential Election, on a more local level socially conscious ambassadors of the culture continue to devote themselves to spreading awareness for major issues of concern that do not routinely get sufficient attention in the mass media.
Such is in the case of female emcee and Flint, Michigan representative of the National Hip Hop Political Convention, Theory.
In the past few months she has played an instrumental role in organizing a march in Jackson, Ohio to bring light of an unjust court decision that leaves children unprotected from physical or sexual assault. It is set to take place on April 11.
Theory's actions are in response to a story broadcasted on FOX News on Bernadine Wade and her struggles to gain justice after discovering in 2004 that her adopted daughter (who was 7 years old at the time) had been raped and sodomized by a teenage youth for over a year and a half almost everyday during the regular school year in the back seat of a school van. In the case, the Ohio Court of Appeals has ruled that a child who is assaulted or repeatedly raped on a school bus or van has no right to file a lawsuit against the school district. It further states that the driver of the vehicle is not responsible for protecting children from sexual assault. The only instance where there would be accountability is if children were to end up hurt as a result of the negligent operation of the vehicle. In the news broadcast, currently available on Youtube. com, it shows how the van driver as well as school officials refused to even acknowledge that the incident took place.
Theory commented, "I saw the callous attitude with the officials in the clip and it angered me … Had they had a different reaction I would have responded differently!" Theory, feeling empathy for Ms. Wade being a mother herself, added, "I felt the need to reach out to Miss Wade because when I saw the story about what happened to her daughter I thought of my own child.
"
Ms. Wade expressed to Theory that she wanted to draw attention to the situation so they decided to organize the march.
Theory stressed, "If enough people know, we could pressure the school in its accountability … We hope to get as many people as possible!"
Ms. Wade regards her troubles in dealing with the courts in her lawsuits against the school system as "a nightmare" for her entire family.
Responding to the Ohio Court of Appeal's decision, she notes, "We need to put a sticker on the buses that read 'SENDING CHILDREN AT YOUR OWN RISK!'"
The Wades, an African American family, have already experienced the court case being appealed three times and, most recently, after four years of handling the case their attorney had sent them a letter stating that he was no longer willing to represent them as their attorney and that he wished them well.
In addition, Justin Abney, the sixteen year old who committed the horrific acts on her daughter initially accepted a plea deal and only served six months in jail for the crime. Ms. Wade maintains that Abney's name does not appear on a sexual predators list even though the law requires that the names of all convicted felons charged with sexual crimes be put on such a list. According to record, Abney has a long history of violence in and outside of school as well as admitting in a deposition to having over twenty sex partners before the age of sixteen.
Considering that Abney is white, Ms. Wade emphatically argued, "If it was my son who had committed the crime his face would have been posted on the news, labeled a sexual predator and would have been given twenty-five years!" Citing how there has been very little media coverage of the case and a lack of support from the Jackson township and the media, Ms. Wade concludes that race has definitely been a factor in the case.
Ms. Wade mentions how her daughter suffers from seizures and how they have escalated since she finally discovered that sexual assaults were taking place. Her daughter is currently on antidepressant drugs. She emphasized that she didn't notice any signs while the abuse was taking place. From experience, Ms.
Wade advises, "We need to pay more attention to our children! We need to speak to our children! I now meet my children at the door! I'm asking for people to support the march!"
For more information on The March To Protect Our Children visit www. myspace. com/justiceforthewades, call 810-394-2211 or e-mail nhhpc_flint@yahoo. com.
