Each week we will provide you with a rundown of top news stories and must-read articles.

Headlines

Maine ACLU sues to end highly restrictive abortion regulation

The ACLU of Maine, The American Civil Liberties Union, and Planned Parenthood, filed suit together to end a highly restrictive Maine abortion law.  A current Maine law restricts women’s rights by requiring abortions to be performed by only physicians and not by other qualified officials. Under this physicians-only law there are only three abortion clinics in the entire state.

THE ACLU’S TAKE

Protests in St. Louis

Protesters took to the street everyday in St. Louis this week after the acquittal a police officer who fatally shot a black man in 2011. Protesters have faced aggressive police who are armed with military-grade weapons. In a particularly disturbing moment, St. Louis police officers chanted at the protesters ‘Whose Streets? Our Streets?’.

THE ACLU’S TAKE

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Healthcare battle revived

Republicans in the Senate are making one last ditch effort to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. The Cassidy-Graham Bill is one of the most damaging proposals yet. The bill’s devastating measures include deep cuts to federal Medicaid funding and the end to many important consumer protections.

Senator Collins is pushing for a bipartisan piece of legislation meant to help fix some of the issues with the Affordable Care Act. Collin’s proposal would help decrease insurance costs by using federal funds to help support high-risk insurance pools.

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How Trump’s Muslim-ban hurt so many refugees

The Trump Administration travel-ban was incredilbly hurtful to refugees.  The executive order banned all refugees for 120 days and cut the number of refugees allowed into the US this year in half. As documented in a U.S Embassy memo, the treatment of the refugees caught in the crosshairs of the ban has been truly awful.

A recent NPR story amplifies what multiple studies—and people of color—have been saying for decades: when students have teachers that look like them, it helps those students go farther and achieve more in school.

The study that is the subject of the NPR story makes it clear: having just one black teacher in third, fourth or fifth grade reduced low-income black boys’ probability of dropping out of high school by 39 percent.

Researchers attribute this to what they call the “role model effect”: if students do not have teachers with whom they can identify, and see themselves in, then they are less likely to push forward in their education. And, conversely, if teachers cannot see themselves in their students, they are less likely to encourage or push those students to achieve and are less likely to recognize structural barriers that might get in the way of a student reaching her fullest potential.

Here in Maine, ten percent of Maine students identify as non-white, yet less than three percent of Maine’s teachers identified that way. In Lewiston, where around one third of school kids identify as non-white, it appears that the school district may not employ any teachers of color.

The ACLU of Maine has spoken up about the problem of inadequate teacher diversity in Lewiston to the Lewiston Schools’ Superintendent and about the problem state-wide to the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Education.

We will continue to press the issue until Maine schools more adequately reflect and serve all its students. As the data shows, kids’ futures depend on it. 

Each week we will provide you with a rundown of top news stories and must-read articles.

Headlines

Remembering Edie Winsor

Edie Winsor gained national attention as the plaintiff in the landmark Supreme Court case that struck down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Throughout her life Edie was a powerful activist who did so much for the gay rights movement. Her spirit and courage will always be remembered.

Trump ends Obama’s equal pay initiative

The White House announced it would end an Obama era rule that was aimed at trying to promote equal pay. The Trump administration now plans to end a regulation that required employers to report wage data broken down by race and gender.

THE ACLU’s TAKE

Mainers stand up for Dreamers

Last week, around 400 protesters came out to Portland City hall to protest the end of DACA. The crowd turned out in reaction to the Trump Administration’s announcement that they would end DACA if Congress does not pass a solution.

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Trump’s dangerous election commission meets again

The Trump administration’s sham election integrity commission poses a major threat to voter rights and privacy. The commission met for a second time this past week in New Hampshire. Maine’s Secretary of State Dunlap had some harsh words about the committee he sits on.

Facial recognition is a threat to privacy

Apple unveiled the new iPhone X this week. The phone comes with facial recognition software. As facial recognition becomes more prominent it is important to be cognizant of the serious implications it has on privacy.

THE ACLU’S TAKE