Citizens Against Daytime Curfew

Why we oppose the daytime curfew:

• Truant chidren can already be picked up by police and taken back to school.

• Truant children are already fined $500 for each truancy offense. Do struggling families need an additional $500 fine that goes to the City of Dallas general fund, not to programs for troubled youth?

• Business owners and employees may be fined up to $500 if they allow children to remain on their premises between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on days DISD is in session.

• Conviction of a child, parent or business creates a criminal record.

• Of all daytime burglary arrests, more than 82% are adults - fewer than 18% are children under 17. Why criminalize so many children, parents, and business people?

• The police have said if a daytime curfew is imposed they plan to continue picking up children and returning them to the same place they currently take them - to DISD. They also said they pick up all the children they can find currently. If they already pick up all they can find, how does this help take more truants off the street? The only difference this curfew will make is to add $500 to the city general fund. This is a tax on the poor and struggling families in Dallas and does nothing new to fight crime or truancy.

This is the link to donate funds to support CADDC in getting the Daytime Curfew denied!

Malaria No More

In light of looming finals, I have lost touch with my blog lately. But, "history" was made last night when Ashton Kutcher reached 1,000,000 followers on Twitter (@aplusk) before CNN could. If you would like to watch his video of the victory (30 min.), it is available here.

Ashton gets on a soapbox but makes a very good point. New interfaces allow us to bypass or supplement mainstream media and make our own news, access our own news, and decide when and how we get our information. It's incredible.

Also, Ashton donated $100,000 to Malaria No More, which helps to purchase, transport and distribute insecticide-treated mosquito nets to African countries, where they are needed most. They also have education and awareness programs about malaria that cover a range of topics, such as how to prevent infection. Monetary gifts also support Malaria No More's comprehensive malaria elimination strategies. www.malarianomore.org. *Note: they have an innovative donation scheme that allows you to donate either 1 net for $10, 3 for $30, 5 for $50, or designate your own amount, including an option to have a recurring donation such as monthly or yearly.