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<DIV><FONT size=3>Click on the report and you can separately download just the
education section.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>The data are often appalling - Blacks twice and more as likely
as Whites to be in classes for those with "mental retardation," or to be
suspended. Interestingly, in a number of such categories Hispanics and Native
Americans are far closer to whites than blacks. These issues have been noted and
discussed for decades... </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>Much of the data is broken out by state, so you can see how
well (or poorly) your state performed on these various indicators. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>Monty </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=newsletter@childrensdefense.org
href="mailto:newsletter@childrensdefense.org">Children's Defense Fund</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=monty@fairtest.org
href="mailto:monty@fairtest.org">monty@fairtest.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, December 23, 2008 12:18 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Just Released: State of America's Children 2008
Report</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
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<P align=center><FONT
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face="Verdana " color=#ffffff><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 200%" size=5>Children's
Defense Fund</FONT><BR><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 120%" size=3>Monthly
Newsletter</FONT></FONT></P>
<P align=center><STRONG><FONT
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face="Verdana " color=#ffffff><A
href="http://www.childrensdefense.org">www.childrensdefense.org</A></FONT></STRONG></P></STRONG></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD>
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<P align=left><STRONG>In This Edition of CDF's
Monthly eNewsletter:</STRONG></P>
<P align=left><STRONG>>></STRONG> <A
href="#Write"><STRONG>Ensure that Children are a
Priority in 2009 - Write to Congress
Today!</STRONG></A><BR><STRONG>>>
</STRONG><A href="#Report"><STRONG>New! State of
America's Children 2008<SUP>®</SUP>
Report</STRONG></A><BR><STRONG>>>
</STRONG><A href="#Help"><STRONG>Help Improve
the Lives of Children by Supporting
CDF</STRONG></A><BR><STRONG>>></STRONG> <A
href="#BTO"><STRONG>Meet Five Students Who
"Beat the
Odds"</STRONG></A><BR><STRONG>>></STRONG>
<A href="#Book"><STRONG>Great Gift
Idea</STRONG></A><BR><STRONG>>></STRONG>
<A href="#YALT"><STRONG>Young Advocates: Apply
Today to Develop Child Advocacy Knowledge &
Skills</STRONG></A><BR><STRONG>>></STRONG>
<A href="#Youth"><STRONG>Summit Tackling Youth
Crime and Gang
Involvement</STRONG></A><BR></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></DIV>
<HR>
<P>
<P class=headline><A name=Write></A>Write to
Congress Today to Ensure Health Coverage for
<EM>All</EM> Children in 2009</P>
<P><IMG alt="Write a Letter Today!" hspace=5
src="http://www.childrensdefense.org/images/content/pagebuilder/46135.jpg"
align=left border=1>As a result of your advocacy
efforts over the past year, health coverage for
all children, and all people, continues to be a
"front burner" issue for our nation. In the next
few months, President-elect Obama and the new
Congress will consider health care reform, and CDF
wants to make sure that any reform legislation
includes health coverage for all children.
<STRONG>Step up and take action to make this
message clear by joining thousands of other child
advocates and <A
href="http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/R?i=Vc3H1hjRyubQ6eg8azF8fA..">send
a letter to your newly elected Members of Congress
today!</A></STRONG></P>
<P>Next to an in-person meeting, a hand-written,
personalised letter is the most effective way of
communicating with your elected official. We make
it easy by providing you with <A
href="http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/R?i=QigKwSdxReHmH-7xTsYDfg..">step-by-step
instructions and guidance on how to craft your
letter and who to send it to.</A> </P>
<P>It is critical that we get these letters to
Capitol Hill <EM>before</EM> the new Congressional
session begins in mid-January, so please write
your letters today to ensure that children are a
priority in 2009. <STRONG>Our goal is to generate
at least 5,000 letters by January 12.</STRONG> The
problem of America's uninsured children is
solvable if we all step forward and do our part.
<STRONG><A
href="http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/R?i=Lp8yfaOfIPXVH8Y1pAVDlg..">Please
take action today!</A></STRONG></P>
<P>
<HR>
<P class=headline><A name=Report></A>CDF Releases
State of America's Children 2008<SUP><FONT
style="FONT-SIZE: 80%" size=1>®</FONT></SUP>
Report </P>
<P><STRONG><IMG
alt="State of America's Children 2008" hspace=5
src="http://www.childrensdefense.org/images/content/pagebuilder/46269.jpg"
align=left border=1>CDF recently released its <A
href="http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/R?i=gmN4svlW9y-axDKtUuZkEQ.."><EM>State
of America's Children 2008</EM>
report</A></STRONG>, a compilation of the most
recent and reliable national and state-by-state
data on poverty, health, child welfare, youth at
risk, early childhood development, education,
nutrition and housing. The report provides a
statistical compendium of key child data showing
epidemic numbers of children at risk: the number
of poor children has increased nearly 500,000 to
13.3 million, with 5.8 million of them living in
extreme poverty, and nearly 9 million children
lack health coverage―with both numbers likely to
increase during the recession. The number of
children and teens killed by firearms also
increased after years of decline. </P>
<P><A
href="http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/R?i=WbbK8L5jVXMEyaKyJpBUNg.."><STRONG>Learn
more and download the report. </STRONG></A></P>
<P>
<HR>
<P class=headline><A name=Help></A>Help Improve
the Lives of Children</P>
<P><IMG alt="Help CDF Stand Up for Children "
src="http://www.childrensdefense.org/images/content/pagebuilder/29664.jpg"
align=right border=1>As you count your blessings
this holiday season, we hope you will remember the
less fortunate children and families among us. In
today's tough economy, our children need a strong
and powerful voice for the issues that matter.
<STRONG><A
href="http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/R?i=sepSvLulggTkrF78MYwNOA..">Please
show your support today to ensure that the
Children's Defense Fund continues to be that
strong voice for all of America's
children.</A></STRONG></P>
<P>With your help, the Children's Defense Fund
will demand that our elected officials take
critical steps to end family poverty by:</P>
<UL>
<LI>increasing the minimum wage to a livable
standard and increasing employment opportunities
by expanding job training targeted at low-income
youth and adults;
<LI>providing access to high-quality, affordable
child care and early childhood education;
<LI>making college affordable; and
<LI>simplifying the application procedures for
income supplements.</LI></UL>
<P><A
href="http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/R?i=t3ElY-bmy0FauFSr2ryuXA.."><STRONG>Your
tax deductible gift to the Children's Defense Fund
will help ensure that we continue to stand up for
those children and families who need help
most.</STRONG></A><STRONG> </STRONG>Don't forget
about matching gifts (ask your HR Dept. if your
organization will match your contribution) and CFC
Workplace Giving Drives (CDF's CFC number is
11812). </P>
<HR>
<P class=headline><A name=BTO></A>Honoring
Students Who "Beat the Odds"</P>
<P><IMG alt="Sara Acevedo" hspace=5
src="http://www.childrensdefense.org/images/content/pagebuilder/46279.jpg"
align=left border=1>For the past 18
years, CDF's Beat the Odds<SUP>®</SUP>
scholarships have been awarded to hundreds of
deserving young people who are overcoming
tremendous obstacles in their lives while working
hard, demonstrating academic excellence and giving
back to their communities.</P>
<P>Earlier this month, five Los Angeles area
students were the most recent youth to be awarded
the scholarships at an event at the Beverly Hills
Hotel. CDF congratulates Ayotunde "Ayo"
Ajijolyaiya, Sara Acevedo, Janet Robles, Randolph
Burleson Jr. and Cristal Chavez for their courage,
resiliency and success. <A
href="http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/R?i=uyUbbmqiG9WY8Pi4eEJP1A.."><STRONG>Learn
more about the <EM>Beat the Odds</EM> program,
read past recipients' stories, watch a slideshow
from past awards events and find out how you can
apply for a <EM>Beat the Odds</EM> scholarship.
</STRONG></A></P>
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<P align=center><FONT style="COLOR: #000000"
color=#000000><STRONG><A
href="http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/R?i=lrScp4i_mFgmy_CzH1SmOw..">Sale!
CDF Holiday Cards and Sweatshirts</A></P>
<P align=center><IMG
alt="CDF Sweatshirt (Adult size)" hspace=5
src="http://www.childrensdefense.org/images/content/pagebuilder/10707.jpg"
border=1></P></STRONG></FONT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></P>
<HR>
<P class=headline><IMG
alt="The Sea Is So Wide and My Boast Is So Small"
hspace=5
src="http://www.childrensdefense.org/images/content/pagebuilder/40011.jpg"
align=right border=1><A name=Book></A>Looking for
a Last Minute Gift? </P>
<P>Children's Defense Fund President Marian Wright
Edelman's newest book, <EM><A
href="http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/R?i=Ta_cRegpOHNeeN7o1I8UJA..">The
Sea Is So Wide and My Boat Is So Small: Charting a
Course for the Next Generation</A></EM>, is an
inspiring call to action for all Americans to
address the urgent needs of the country’s youth.
The book provides a great message of hope during
this difficult economic time.</P>
<P><A
href="http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/R?i=X73rEu3or4sUZouTUTI_rA.."><STRONG>Find
out where the book can be purchased and check out
recent coverage of Mrs. Edelman's book, including
audio and video clips of recent interviews, on our
website.</STRONG></A><STRONG> </STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG><BR></P></STRONG>
<HR>
<P class=headline><A name=YALT></A>Interested in
Being a Change Agent for Children? Apply to the
YALT<SUP><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 80%"
size=1>S</FONT><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 80%"
size=1>M</FONT></SUP><FONT style="FONT-SIZE: 80%"
size=1> </FONT>Program!</P>
<P><IMG alt="YALT program 2008"
src="http://www.childrensdefense.org/images/content/pagebuilder/46281.jpg"
align=right border=1>Are you between the ages of
18 and 24 and have a desire to be a "change agent"
for children? If so, the upcoming 2009 <A
href="http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/R?i=s-97aLq_mroneEx4LTzEbQ..">Young
Advocate Leadership Training <EM>(YALT)</EM>
program</A> might be the perfect opportunity for
you to develop your knowledge and skills in child
advocacy. </P>
<P>CDF's vision is to develop the next generation
of leaders who are committed to social justice and
improving the lives of all children in America. To
help achieve this goal, one of the many programs
that CDF offers is the <EM>YALT</EM>
program. During the <EM>YALT</EM> program,
participants are exposed to dynamic workshops and
plenary sessions, facilitated action plan
development, and targeted training sessions on
developing organizing and advocacy skills. Each
year, this exciting opportunity attracts hundreds
of young adults from across the country for a
weekend of knowledge and skills-building at CDF's
Haley Farm in Clinton, Tennessee. The 2009
<EM>YALT</EM> program will be held March 20-22. <A
href="http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/R?i=e2h80LHgC-6Ipr4EImearw.."><STRONG>Apply
today! The deadline is February
4th!</STRONG></A></P>
<P>
<HR>
<P class=headline><EM><A name=Youth></A>Youth
PROMISE Act</EM> Helps At-Risk Children</P>
<P><IMG alt="stop criminalization of children"
hspace=5
src="http://www.childrensdefense.org/images/content/pagebuilder/34401.jpg"
align=left border=1>Earlier this month, CDF
President Marian Wright Edelman gave the opening
remarks at Congressman Bobby Scott’s youth
violence summit entitled <EM>Empowering
Communities to Combat Gang Crime: The Youth
PROMISE Act.</EM> This event brought experts
together from various fields to focus attention on
the need to address youth crime and gang
involvement through evidence-based prevention and
intervention strategies before serious crimes are
committed.</P>
<P>Children are not the only casualty of youth
crime and gang involvement—communities suffer as
well. Summit participants explored solutions to
this problem that would save communities money
that could be better spent on programs for at-risk
youths. </P>
<P>CDF is also addressing this issue through its
Cradle to Prison Pipeline<SUP>®</SUP> Campaign,
created in 2007 to develop and promote
comprehensive policies that invest in prevention
and intervention, not punishment and
incarceration. <STRONG>Learn more about
</STRONG><A
href="http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/R?i=DexOBJPU72PbOifOh7kqeA.."><STRONG>CDF’s
<EM>Cradle to Prison Pipeline</EM>
Campaign</STRONG></A><STRONG> and the </STRONG><A
href="http://www.childrensdefense.org/site/R?i=eMZ7n5T9llhDjF3SoQgIFA.."><EM><STRONG>Youth
PROMISE Act</STRONG></EM></A><STRONG>.</STRONG>
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