High school students hold back challenge to equality

Hundreds of Detroit high school students conducted a political science lesson on Dec. 14. Traveling two hours to the Michigan capital in Lansing, the mostly African American youths blocked an anti-affirmative-action proposal from the 2006 statewide election. Their militant, foot-stomping and chanting determination to defend equal opportunity won the day, preventing the Board of State canvassers from rubberstamping the racist proposal as the canvassers were ordered to do by the Michigan Court of Appeals.

At issue is the deceptively titled “Michigan Civil Rights Initiative.” Modeled after the California Proposal 209 passed in 1998, it aims to eliminate any program that increases opportunities for women and people of color—including recruitment, training and outreach programs in education, jobs and contracting, apprenticeships, summer jobs and fair housing. (www.oneunitedmichigan.org)

The deception is not only in the title. Paid circulators obtained signatures by misleading signers into thinking they were supporting affirmative action. At the Detroit Labor Day parade in 2004 workers followed the fraudulent petitioners to challenge false presentations.

Despite testimony of affirmative action supporters tricked into signing these petitions, the courts are using the weight of legality to roll back hard-won, real civil rights advances. The appeals court decision ruled the board of canvassers had no right to determine whether or not fraud was involved, only if sufficient signatures were gathered.

Chanting, “They say Jim Crow, we say hell no!” the youth refused to be fooled by the court order. Jim Crow laws legalized discrimination against African Americans. It was right to break Jim Crow laws.

Asia Armstrong, student protestor, said, “It threatens my chance to go to college. I work very hard in high school to go to college; they are not going to take this away from me. I’m not going to let that happen; that’s why I am here. We’ve seen how it is in California, and how there’s no more affirmative action, it’s not good. I do still think we have a chance and a hope for Detroit and Michigan.”

The two members of the board of canvassers who abstained or voted against placing the racist proposal on the ballot may face contempt-of-court sanctions. Or the courts may attempt to bypass the canvassers and place the proposal on the ballot directly.

Protest organizers from By Any Means Necessary (BAMN) promised to take the issue to the state Supreme Court next week. “We’ll be asking to set aside the Court of Appeals decision,” said George Washington, an attorney for the group.

But the ultimate decision will rest with organized workers and oppressed communities that join the high school students to say they won’t go back.