News & Commentary

I have this thing about myths. I like to know the difference between Reality and, well, Not-Reality. I spend a lot of time on Snopes.com, I avoid Fox News, my grandfather was even one of those guys who went on an expedition looking for Noah’s Ark (seriously). So I’m pleased to say that the myth of California’s death penalty is widely being exposed, as more and more people realize that a functional and efficient death penalty system belongs firmly in the Not-Reality Column.

ACLU lauds decision as major victory for equality

Today the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Education reached a significant settlement with the Tehachapi Unified School District, following an investigation into harassment of Seth Walsh based on his non-conformity with gender stereotypes.  Seth Walsh killed himself in September 2010 after enduring years of bullying and harassment at school. (Please see the DOJ press release here.) The DOJ & DOE investigation in the Tehachapi Unified School District confirmed that Seth Walsh was targeted for harassment at school for two years and that the school district did not fulfill its responsibilities to protect him from this harassment. As a result of the settlement, the school district will implement a series of specific policies, procedures and training that will better protect students from sexual harassment and harassment based on gender stereotypes. This settlement is one of the first of its kind in the country, and perhaps the most comprehensive, under the DOE definition of gender stereotyping that includes sexual orientation. "The findings from the DOJ and the DOE send a clear message that protection of students in public schools is of paramount importance. When it comes to stopping harassment based on sexual orientation and gender perception, schools need to get it right or face the consequences,” said James Gilliam, Director of the Seth Walsh Project at the ACLU of Southern California. “Better harassment policies save lives and make a safer environment for all students. No student should feel threatened for being who they are.”

  This week marks the 42nd anniversary of the iconic Stonewall Riots, which mark the symbolic beginning of the LGBT civil rights movement and gave birth to the Pride celebrations that continue today.

Watch the CBS News video: Homeless veteran refuge turned into golf course - Bill Whitaker investigates why land in southern California, set aside for homeless military veterans, has been turned into a private golf course.

AB 9, authored by Assemblymember Ammiano and sponsored LGBT equality organizations, seeks to create a safer school environment for California students

The following statement is attributed to Mark Rosenbaum and David Sapp of the ACLU of Southern California, Harvard Law Professor Laurence Tribe, Arnold & Porter LLP, Inner City Law Center, Gary Blasi, a UCLA Law Professor and Massey & Gail LLP

New data in a study to be released next week on California’s death penalty has revealed that the price tag for death is even higher than we thought: $4 billion since 1978.