NU and Evanston already are partners in education
I appreciated Liz Raap’s April 26 column, “Teachers, not money, could be an answer to call for ‘fair share.'” Raap pointed out that Northwestern should work to support joint ventures between the university and Evanston and should strive to offer the community the university’s access to education.
I wholeheartedly agree, and in many meaningful ways, the university and its students already are doing so. Here are just a few:
The university has provided funding for two specific programs operated by the School of Education and Social Policy at local schools. The Lighthouse Project provides more than $500,000 to Evanston/Skokie School District 65 to improve science, math and bilingual education curricula. Project Excite is designed to help close the academic achievement gap between minority and non-minority students in the Evanston schools through high school. Project Excite funding will total $320,000 in a four-year period. Both projects are welcomed heartily by local school administrators, teachers and parents.
In addition, the university has developed important programming and monetary partnerships with Evanston businesses and with dozens of social-service programs throughout the area. They benefit the entire Evanston community.
And of course, students make important community contributions through their enormous volunteer efforts. Last year, more than 5,400 students were involved in student organizations invested in service and philanthropy, raising more than $560,000 and providing thousands of volunteer hours to organizations in need.
NU makes an impact on Evanston in the matter Raap suggests would be beneficial. Our partnerships are very important, and we will continue to find more and better ways to connect using the university community’s special strengths.
Eugene Sunshine
Senior vice president for business and finance
By siding with Israel, group ignores its inclusive rhetoric
I always have been proud to be a Democrat.
So it was with great shock and dismay that I learned that College Democrats were sponsoring a rally in support of Israel. I was not aware we, as a party, had decided it acceptable to label the Palestinians “terrorists.” And I was not aware that Democratic party organizations were encouraged to “stand with Israel” and organize pro-Israeli rallies.
As a member of College Democrats, I am disturbed that my group is sponsoring this divisive event. I also am disturbed that the members were not consulted before the group adopted a pro-Israeli policy.
It is shameful that our chapter of College Democrats is sending a message that Arab, Muslim and progressive Americans are not welcome in the party.
Now is not the time for inflamed rhetoric, partisanship and exclusion – it is the time for understanding, dialogue and peace. I hope the chapter will rescind its sponsorship of this event and repair its relationships with the Muslim, Arab-American and progressive communities.
Howard Lien
Weinberg junior
Debate on reparations helps start much needed dialogue
Though I strongly disagree with Joshua Elder’s April 24 column, in which he denounced reparations for blacks, the dialogue the column has inspired makes it worthwhile. The discussion taking place in The Daily corresponds with the nationwide discussion of reparations.
The reparations movement is forcing the United States to re-examine the darkest period of its history. Many Americans now are considering a correlation between the injustices of the past and blacks’ current state.
Many Americans do not understand the need for reparations. While blacks see the results of slavery daily, people outside the black community cannot easily understand the effects of years of injustice.
True understanding will come only through dialogue. If we are ever to heal the wounds of slavery, we first must admit that these wounds do exist.
This will be the reparations movement’s great accomplishment. Regardless of its final outcome, the movement will open lines of communication between the races.
Tara Davis
Music sophomore
