Check out the link below to view the last Friday's edition of the Philadelphia Daily Record featuring State Reps. Ronald G. Waters, PLBC Chair and James Roebuck, Democratic chair of the House Education Committee.
http://www.phillyrecord.com/daily-2010/PDR-2011-11-18.pdf
Monday, November 21, 2011
PLBC hosts student town hall
 | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| State Rep. Ronald Waters D-Delaware/Phila. www.pahouse.com/waters |  |
PLBC hosts student town hall
HARRISBURG, Nov. 18 – State Rep. Ronald G. Waters, D-Phila./Delaware, chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, and other members of the PLBC hosted a youth town hall meeting last night, focusing on education to reduce crime and incarceration.
The event, held in the nearly full auditorium of West Philadelphia High School, was moderated by student representatives from Youth United for Change and the Philadelphia Student Union. State Reps. Ronald Waters, Vanessa Lowery Brown, vice chairwoman of the PLBC, and James Roebuck, chairman of the House Education Committee, were joined by Leroy Nunery, acting Philadelphia School District superintendent and CEO, and West Philadelphia High School Principal Mary Dean who welcomed all in attendance. Other speakers included Sam Staten Jr., business manager of Laborers’ Local 332 of the Laborers’ International Union of North America, and Judge James M. Deleon of the Philadelphia Municipal Court.
The theme of the evening was encouraging education as a way to reduce crime and prison sentences for city youth. Among the topics the youth discussed were violence and the presence of metal detectors in schools, zero tolerance rules and city curfew ordinances, and Act 104, the state’s school code. The audience included students, parents and others from the community interested in student education.
Much of the evening’s discussion focused on restorative justice, an attempt to work with both victims and offenders, where offenders take responsibility for their actions and make reparations to the victims, while the victims take an active role in setting the offenders’ terms. The goal is to keep the person out of the criminal system while establishing the offense was against a person, not the state, in the hope of preventing repeat offenders.
The students expressed their concerns that current rules and regulations make them all feel like criminals, and without improving their safety. Passing through metal detectors daily makes them feel imprisoned already, and the zero tolerance rules can lead to a criminal record and school expulsion even for those who are trying to protect themselves from violence started by another student.
Youth United for Change defined zero tolerance as: A group of polices that create an atmosphere where young people are criminalized for minor offenses and given mandatory exclusionary sentences for misconduct. Those policies include the Memorandum of Understanding, Student Code of Conduct, and Reporting Protocol.
The students also expressed their interest in keeping open the lines of communication between the students and community and educational leaders.
Waters encouraged the students to graduate high school and pursue higher education, as well.
“Study after study shows a quality education is the best way out of the circle of crime and poverty. There is no better way for a young person to create a stable and secure life than through education. A high school diploma, followed with a college degree, provides the best way to get ahead in today’s society,” Waters said.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
PLBC to co-host Youth Town Hall Meeting
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEState Rep. Ronald Waters
D-Delaware/Phila.
PLBC will co-host youth town hall meeting
HARRISBURG, Nov. 2- State Rep. Ronald G. Waters, D-Phila./Delaware, chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, has announced a Youth Town Hall Meeting from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 17 at West Philadelphia High School, 4901 Chestnut St., Philadelphia.
The theme of the town hall is "Education over Incarceration."
"We hope this meeting will result in a dialogue where youth feel comfortable to share their fears, hopes and dreams," Waters said. "We want to show how valuable an education is to reach career goals."
Two community groups, Youth United for Change and the Philadelphia Student Union, will be partnering with the PLBC for the event. Both groups are made up with city youth who are concerned about education, violence and the city curfew.
"Education is a crucial step for youth to break the cycle of violence which too often leads to incarceration instead of graduation," Waters said.
For more information, contact Waters' office at 215-748-6712.
PLBC to tour Marcellus Shale site
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
State Rep. Ronald Waters
D-Delaware/Phila.
PLBC to tour Marcellus Shale site
HARRISBURG, Oct. 18- State Rep. Ronald Waters, D. Phila./Delaware, chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, announced that he, other members of the PLBC and Harrisburg Mayor Linda Thompson will tour Williamsport's Pennsylvania College of Technology and a nearby Marcellus Shale drilling site on Friday, Oct. 21.
The tour, which begins at 10 a.m. at the college, is designed to allow the PLBC to study the impact of Marcellus Shale drilling in the region.
Waters said he is looking forward to seeing in person the economic impact of what he terms the three E's associated with the Marcellus Shale drilling industry: environmental issues, economic opportunities and employment.
"More people working will greatly impact our Commonwealth's economy," Waters said.
Pennsylvania College of Technology is the home of the Marcellus Shale Education & Training Center, and the Williamsport area is in the center of a possible Marcellus Shale drilling boom, where unemployment has fallen from 10 percent to 7.4 percent.
Michael Krancer, secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, arranged the Marcellus Shale site tour and will be accompanying the delegation to the site. State Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Bradford/Lycoming/Sullivan/Susquehanna/Union) assisted in setting up the tour to the college.
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