This Saturday in #nerdland: Protests in Chicago, school segregation, and Melissa Harris-Perry!
But first, we’ll begin with the story that unfolded less than 24 hours ago in Colorado, where a shooter opened fire at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs.
After 400 days, a first-degree murder charge has been brought against Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke for the shooting death of 17 year old Laquan McDonald. After the video, which shows Laquan was walking away from officers as the shooting started and Van Dyke shooting him 16 times in about 15 seconds, was finally released, protesters took to the streets. They were mostly peaceful but angry—angry because even with an exceedingly rare charge of first-degree murder for an officer who killed while on duty — questions remain about the timing and if police are subject to a different justice system than the rest of us. We’ll discuss these questions and more.
And, the tale of two Upper West Side schools: New York City’s P.S. 199 and P.S. 191. Two schools just 9 blocks apart — emblematic of enormous social and emotional issues facing families across the country involving education and segregation. We’ll discuss how this tale of two schools elicits larger social questions. What do we mean when we say a school is “good” or “bad?” And what does it mean to accept such different outcomes for children, who are all neighbors?
Read the linked articles below for more context on this important discussion:
- Mayor de Blasio Comments on Desegregation and School Rezoning
- A Parent Speaks Out About Upper West Side School Rezoning, and Balancing Values
- School PTAs soak rich parents for $10,000 ‘donations’
- Poor Students Would Get Admission Quota in Brooklyn School Rezoning
- Manhattan Rezoning Fight Involves a School Called ‘Persistently Dangerous’
Be sure to read what we’ve linked above, and watch Melissa Harris-Perry Saturday at 10am ET on MSNBC. Join the conversation—share your thoughts about these issues on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #nerdland.
Victoria Asbury