Vote NO to SCA 5!

Dear California State Assembly Members,

Please click here to Vote No to SCA-5

http://www.change.org/petitions/california-state-assembly-vote-no-to-sca-5-3

1/30/2014 marked one of the darkest days in California’s recent history of politics. On this day, the California Senate, controlled by the Democratic supermajority, approved Senate Constitution Amendment No. 5 (SCA 5), which would repeal provisions of Prop 209 and allow the State of California to deny an individual or group’s rights to public education on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin.

To understand SCA 5, we have to remember what Prop. 209 is. In November 1996, Proposition 209 (also known as the California Civil Rights Initiative) amended the state constitution to prohibit state government institutions from discriminating against, or granting  preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment , public education, or public contracting.  In the 18 years that Prop 209 has been in effect, California has become the most diversified state in the US. Also, we fully support comprehensive measures having since been introduced to help students from disadvantaged families obtain higher education.

Now SCA 5 seeks to REMOVE any mentioning of “public education” in Prop. 209. The bill even wants to REMOVE University of California and public schools from the definition of State Government Institutions. This will unfairly roll back the clock to discriminate a student simply based on her/his race. If it succeeds, what will be next in its supporters’ minds to be removed between other two areas (public employment and public contracting) in Prop. 209?

The 14th Amendment of the US Constitution clearly states that no state shall deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of its laws. The SCA 5 is racist and in violation of the US Constitution.

We hereby urge you to vote NO to SCA-5!