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| May 11, 2008 |
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Interfaith gathering draws more than 90025 congregations confront leaders on social justice issues at TEAM event.
Leon County School Superintendent Jackie Pons agrees to support the launch of two TEAM proposed pilot programs. One is geared to curb juvenile crime and the other will encourage parental involvement in their children’s education. Pons further committed to have them place by January 2008, pending school board approval. TALLAHASSEE | Just as Jesus the good shepherd welcomed all, Good Shepherd Catholic Church opened its arms Oct. 22 to people from more than 25 congregations — all united to pray, share Scripture and request political support on behalf of social justice issues. They pushed the Leon County schools superintendent for a program to keep suspended students from getting in trouble with the law, asked county commissioners for continued support of health care for low-income families and people with mental illness, and plotted strategies for addressing a shortage of affordable rental housing. The event was one of three citywide meetings held annually by the Tallahassee Equality Action Ministry, known as TEAM. Called “Nehemiah Assembly,” the meeting brought together more than 900 of the faithful, from evangelical to Universalist, and Reform Jewish to Buddhist. TEAM As the parking lot overflowed and buses from a retirement village and John Paul II Catholic High School unloaded passengers, Good Shepherd’s men’s choir helped preserve a worshipful environment in the church. Following an opening song and prayer led by Servant Alloydice Gaines of Innovation Baptist Church, representatives from TEAM explained the format of the evening. Since the purpose of the gathering was “action,” three social justice problems identified as social justice priorities were presented along with proposed solutions, followed by a request for specific action by the government leaders in attendance. The leaders were then given two minutes to respond. Leon County Schools Superintendent Jackie Pons was asked to implement a pilot program to reduce the number of juveniles arrested during school hours. He was asked to commit to launching an out-of-school suspension alternative program in January 2008, evaluating it during the summer and implementing it districtwide by fall. He also was asked to support a pilot program to boost parental involvement in education with the same timeline. The requests acknowledged that he would need school board approval for the programs. The superintendent’s enthusiastic support of the requests was rewarded with loud applause. HEALTH CARE ISSUES Health care was next on the agenda. Presenters outlined issues in the ongoing debate about the federally funded State Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as SCHIP, encouraging all in attendance to urge federal officials to support the program. Turning to local matters, Bill Phelan, United Church of Tallahassee, congratulated Leon County Commissioners for voting in favor of TEAM’s previous request to preserve funding for a local health clinic and CareNet, which provide access to treatment for low-income families. Commissioners also were commended for voting to hire two mental health workers at the Health Department, using their personal automobile allowances to fund the positions. Six of the county’s seven commissioners attended the event, Bill Proctor being the exception, and were invited to stand before the group on the steps leading to the altar. Each was asked to give a “yes” or “no” answer to further support CareNet funding and expand outpatient mental health care. Five of the six gave full support. Leon County Commissioner John Dailey said he supported the proposals, but couldn’t give a “yes” because of budget cuts local governments may face because of property tax reform being debated by the state Legislature. Good Shepherd parishioner and fellow County Commissioner Bryan Desloge commended Dailey and agreed that in these unstable economic times, nothing is certain. AFFORDABLE RENTAL HOUSING The last item on the agenda addressed affordable rental housing for low-income families. A recent trend toward converting apartments to condominiums as a way to provide affordable homeownership has reduced the number of affordable rental units. Further exacerbating the problem, a rental rehabilitation program, once tapped by landlords to improve units, was discontinued in the 1990s. As he outlined the problem and solutions, Good Shepherd Deacon Marcus Hepburn congratulated the City Commission on approving a TEAM-recommended proposal last year: providing a $500,000 match that created $1 million in low-interest loans to landlords to rehabilitate their rental units. Deacon Hepburn said TEAM would continue to work with city officials to expand code-violation definitions to improve the quality of rental housing and expand its availability. Good Shepherd parishioner Gloria Smith, a TEAM board member, said her phone did not stop ringing the day after the assembly. “Everyone commented how welcoming we were at Good Shepherd and how organized we were,” she said. She said TEAM, “a faith-based social action ministry,” is part of a national network of social justice ministries, and Catholic churches all over the country have hosted TEAM-type actions. “There are a lot of people involved in TEAM — we have people from all ethnic, religious, economic and political backgrounds,” she said. “Everyone is trying to come together to solve injustice in Tallahassee.” While there was a time when it was difficult to get politicians and city leaders to come to the TEAM assemblies, she said, “Now it’s on fire — people come to us asking for help. That’s because we get the job done.” For more information on TEAM, log on to www.teamtally.org |
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