FORUM ON MINORITY ISSUES First Session, 15 & 16 December, 2008 All For Reparations and Emancipation, AFRE Speaker: Glennie King Agenda Item IV. Equal Access to Quality Education for Minorities Greetings Madam Chair, Madam McDougall, Experts, Country Representatives, Scholars and Minorities: We, Afrodescendants, want to be allowed to educate our own children because: 1) we would be able to teach them the knowledge of self through our unique experiences, 2) we would be able to teach them how to act at home and abroad, and 3) public school systems are failing our children by not providing them with equal access to education. Educational achievement gaps exist throughout North America, South America, Central America and the Slavery Diaspora. Currently, our children are in a state of regression. Something must be done about this immediately, because we are losing our children to gangs, violence, drugs, alcohol and prison. Our children remain lost and underserved, and are on a path of self-destruction because they do not know who they are or where they came from due to our severance from our original heritage. Afrodescendants continue to be treated as underlings in the societies of former slave holding States. A growing number of Afrodescendant children are being labeled as learning disabled and having emotional behavioral disorders which is increasing the number receiving special education services. As Afrodescendants, we will teach our children to respect themselves and to value the diversity of other people and cultures. While offering a multi-cultural education, our children will learn to live and work in a global society while enjoying peace and friendships in all walks of life. In conclusion, we, Afrodescendants recommend that this most honorable council use its influence to suggest to the former slave holding States that we teach our own children to be productive citizens in our societies, and the government of the States provide free to us the necessary funds, school buildings/facilities, textbooks, resources, equipment, technology, school busses and protection needed for the next twenty to thirty years. Impress upon the States to provide us an opportunity to let our children catch up and close the academic achievement gap in education. It is their human right. Thank you.