French schools could replace ‘mother’ and ‘father’ with ‘parent 1’ and ‘parent 2’ under new anti-discrimination law
French schools could replace ‘mother’ and ‘father’ with ‘parent 1’ and ‘parent 2’ under new anti-discrimination law
France’s National Assembly has passed a law that will see the removal of the labels “mother” and “father” from forms used in the country’s schools.
The amendment made to the nation’s School of Trust Bill would see the terms be replaced with “parent 1” and “parent 2” in a move designed to avoid discriminating against same-sex parents.
The decision was widely supported by the majority La République en Marche Party which was founded by French President Emmanuel Macron.
This amendment aims to root in law children’s family diversity in administrative forms submitted in school” said Valérie Petit, an MP who tabled the amendment, claiming that the previous law did not take into account the existence of same-sex parents.
We have families who find themselves faced with tick boxes stuck in rather old-fashioned social and family models. For us this article is a measurement of social equality” she added.
Johnny Depp files $50 million defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard
Johnny Depp is demanding damages from ex-wife Amber Heard after she wrote an op-ed characterizing herself as a domestic abuse victim. Depp’s lawsuit calls Heard’s allegations of domestic violeHeard purported to write from the perspective of a public figure representing domestic abuse and claimed that she ‘felt the full force of our culture’s wrath for women who speak out’ when she ‘spoke up against sexual violence Depp’s lawyers state in the lawsuit obtained by PEOPLE. The op-ed depended on the central premise that Ms. Heard was a domestic abuse victim and that Mr. Depp perpetrated domestic violence against her “Mr. Depp never abused Ms. Heard. Her allegations against him were false when they were made in 2016. They were part of an elaborate hoax to generate positive publicity for Ms. Heard and advance her career Depp’s lawyers say in the lawsuit Depp’s lawyers filed a $50 million defamation suit against Heard on Friday over her Dec. 18, 2018 op-ed in The Washington Post titled I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change.In response, Heard’s rep said in a statement: This frivolous action is just the latest of Johnny Depp’s repeated efforts to silence Amber Heard. She will not be silenced. Mr. Depp’s actions prove he is unable to accept the truth of his ongoing abusive behavior.
Battling Racial Discrimination in the Workplace
Battling Racial Discrimination in the Workplace
On the surface, D.C.’s economy is thriving. But this is not the case for all residents. D.C. is among the most racially segregated cities in the country, which could be one reason why so much of the prosperity in the Northwest never seems to make it to the Southeast. Housing, education, and job opportunities are concentrated in different corners of the city, and across the metropolitan region.
Employment is a major factor in economic opportunity and economic stability, but there are major disparities in employment and wages by race and ethnicity in D.C. and across the country. Racial inequities in employment outcomes are driven in part by legacy effects of structural racism, but also systems and actions in the present day, including deliberate discrimination, unconscious bias, systemic practices, and structural barriers.
Our Nation Is Not Yet Cleansed of Racism. Here’s What We Should Do.
Not Yet Cleansed of Racism. Here’s What We Should Do.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day offers Americans time to reflect and measure our progress toward building a civil society. An honest examination of history makes it clear that the law has not been able to cleanse our nation of racism.
The 15th Amendment has been in place for more than a century. The landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act has been on the books for over a half century.
Yet just this month, the U.S. House of Representatives felt compelled to pass a formal resolution that “once again rejects White nationalism and White supremacy as hateful expressions of intolerance that are contradictory to the values that define the people of the United States.”
Washington Capitals Honor Youth Hockey Team for Standing Up Against Racism
Washington Capitals Honor Youth Hockey Team for Standing Up Against Racism
“It was kind of inspiring how they all stuck together and that’s great for kids especially,” the Capitals’ John Carlson said
The Washington Capitals honored a youth hockey team for standing up against alleged racism on the ice.
Divyne Apollon II, 13, was welcomed along with his team at Monday at Capital One Arena. Apollon and his Metro Maple Leafs teammates, based out of Anne Arundel County, were special guests at the game against the St. Louis Blues.
“I thought it was pretty cool, because I realize more people appreciate me than I thought,” Apollon said.
Help dismantle racism in our community’s schools
Help dismantle racism in our community’s schools
Our public school system is important to each and every one of us in Southern Maryland. It is, without a doubt, the largest single investment that we make in the future of our children and our community.
The Big Conversation Partnership for Dismantling Racism and Privilege in Southern Maryland invites you to attend a community wide civil conversation on “Progress and Challenges in Our Schools.”
This free event is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 13, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Patuxent High School, 12485 Southern Connector Blvd. in Lusby.
Information and discussion will include perceived and actual needs and challenges in the public schools in regards to: achievement, diversity, equity, teacher recruitment and retention, discipline, curriculum content, student outcomes, and workforce and community engagement.
Quebec rights commission upholds black family’s complaint against police
Quebec rights commission upholds black family’s complaint against police
Quebec’s human rights commission is recommending a suburb south of Montreal pay four members of a black family $86,000 and implement anti-discrimination training for its police officers following an alleged incident of racial profiling.
The family members had filed complaints against the city of Longueuil and two of its police officers, alleging they were mistreated during a police intervention in Nov. 2013.
The commission’s written decision alleges hat one of the two officers used “excessive and unjustified force” in stopping the then-17 and 19-year-old complainants as they walked away from a bus station in Brossard, on Montreal’s South Shore.
Old Dominion University investigates sorority accused of discrimination, racism
Old Dominion University investigates sorority accused of discrimination, racism
A sorority at Old Dominion University is being investigated after allegations surfaced involving discrimination and racism off social media.
The school released a statement saying, “Old Dominion University has zero tolerance for discrimination of any type. The University prides itself in fostering a community of inclusion that is welcoming for all. As such, this matter is under our review and has also been referred to the Alpha Phi International sorority headquarters, which has ordered the chapter to cease its activities until further notice.”
“It’s crazy that this is still going on, at such a diverse campus,” a freshman student Blesseb Cabengela explained.
How we built a tool that detects the strength of Islamophobic hate speech on Twitter
Islamophobic hate speech on Twitter
In a landmark move, a group of MPs recently published a working definition of the term Islamophobia. They defined it as “rooted in racism”, and as “a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness”.
In our latest working paper, we wanted to better understand the prevalence and severity of such Islamophobic hate speech on social media. Such speech harms targeted victims, creates a sense of fear among Muslim communities, and contravenes fundamental principles of fairness. But we faced a key challenge: while extremely harmful, Islamophobic hate speech is actually quite rare.
In a landmark move, a group of MPs recently published a working definition of the term Islamophobia. They defined it as “rooted in racism”, and as “a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness”. In our latest working paper, we wanted to better understand the prevalence and severity of such Islamophobic hate speech on social media. Such speech harms targeted victims, creates a sense of fear among Muslim communities, and contravenes fundamental principles of fairness. But we faced a key challenge: while extremely harmful, Islamophobic hate speech is actually quite rare.
As a 6-year-old, Leona Tate helped desegregate schools. Now she wants others to learn that history
As a 6-year-old, Leona Tate helped desegregate schools. Now she wants others to learn that history
Leona Tate helped desegregate schools. Now she wants others to learn that history
Clutching a small purse, six-year-old Leona Tate walked into McDonogh 19 Elementary School here and helped to desegregate the South.
Images of that November morning in 1960 are seared into the national memory: Tate and three other little first-grade girls in white dresses and hair ribbons walking into New Orleans schools, flanked by federal marshals and heckled by hateful crowds.
From that day forward, Tate, now 64, knew that her lifelong mission was to make the world a more equitable place. Within a few years, Tate will have a new base for that mission, when the nonprofit Leona Tate Foundation for Change finishes its renovation of her former school in New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward.