National Call for Educational Activities
on Mumia Abu-Jamal
& the Criminal Justice System
Last Revised: 9/8/99
WHAT'S THE LATEST?
This page will be a running account of developments, prefaced by the title NEWS: and Website upgrade notes, prefaced by the title SITE:
New notes will be added at the top, so you can scroll down to see the earlier entries.
SITE: As of 9/8/99 - Revised home page to focus on National Call for Educational Activites posted. The Call is a link from the home page. A llist of supporters can also be accessed. The page headers on other site links will be updated soon. Currently, they still carry the title "Mumia Abu-Jamal Teach-In, New York City, Tuesday, May 11, 1999."
BIG NEWS! : 9/5/99 - Spurred by the teach-ins that took place in Oakland, CA in January, 1999, and New York City in May, a national group of educators has issued a Call for Educational Activities on Mumia Abu-Jamal and the Criminal Justice System. To read the call, click here.
SITE: As of 5/14/99 - Revised lesson posted. Lesson structured around viewing the video "Mumia Abu-Jamal: A Case for Reasonable Doubt?", formerly called,"What Constitutes A Strong Argument?" has been revised and strengthened. It's new title is "At Trial: What Constitutes A Strong Case?" See Lessons page under Curriculum & Resources.
NEWS: 5/11/99 - The Teach-In took place. At many schools lessons were taught, and the after school event at the Beacon School gathered students and teachers to hear many moving statements about the day's learning and the issue itself. More to follow.
SITE: As of 5/7/99 - New lesson posted, "Personal Experience Essy..." and two new full text items, "A Christmas Cage" and "Death Overturned". Incomplete lesson, "Reflections on Society's Funding Priorities" was removed until it can be completed.
SITE: As of 5/6/99 - Two new readings are available on prison economics from the Full Text Readings page. The N.Y. State budget sheet for the "Reflections On Society's Funding Priorities" will be available sometime on Friday, 5/7.
NEWS: 5/3/99 - The editorial in the NY Post turned out to be
an attack on the UFT and public alternative schools, with no mention of the
Teach-In. Mumia Abu-Jamal was described as a "famously guilty-as-sin Philadelphia
cop killer." No information that was shared with the reporter on Friday was
included in the editorial.
The moral of this tale for teachers participating
in the Teach-In is twofold. First, be fully aware of the blood lust that some
media outlets have for Mumia Abu-Jamal, and second, emphasize in your communications
your intention to present students with a balanced and non-partisan learning
experience that encourages them to seek truth in even highly charged issues
through thorough research and the application of strong critical thinking
skills.
FYI: Bob McManus was the author of the editorial.
SITE: As of 5/2/99 - We are hurring to post curriculum and resources as fast as we can. We look forward to your comments and suggestions via email: mumiateachin@yahoo.com
NEWS: As of 4/30/99 - We have been contacted by two media outlets, The New York Post and WBAI. Look in the Post on Monday, 5/3 for a possible editorial or other coverage.
