|
Ex Offenders Ask Council to Ban The Box |
|
|
|
Thursday, 08 March 2007 |
SAN BERNARDINO
By Cheryl Brown
Ten speakers spoke at the San Bernardino City Council on the
impediments to the box on city applications that asks if you have ever had a
felony conviction. A statewide group "All of Us or None" is asking
municipalities to give them a chance. "We have paid our debt to society but
continue to be penalized," said one speaker. They were part of a large
contingent who went to the City Council meeting to request action on "Banning
the Box". To remove the question regarding post criminal history from the
initial application and allow the applicant the opportunity for an interview.
 Local Ban The Box advocates gather at San Bernardino City Hall.
The speakers were from diverse backgrounds but had one thing
in common, whether it was two years ago or 24 years ago they still don't
qualify for anything that as American citizens they have rights to. Their
plight was like Karen, who is a field coordinator and manages three popular
chain restaurants, off parole for 10 years. "I can't qualify for a loan, or get
a better paying job. I do the work, I am qualified but I have to check that box
and no one gets to see me because I am stopped at the application level. If I
wanted to buy the business that I manage, I couldn't qualify for a loan" she
said.
Michelle Freeman said that she put in 20 applications for
different jobs and on the 21st one she lied. She was called back for an
interview. "I asked if the box was checked would you have called me for an
interview. She said no. She checked my background, saw the felony had nothing
to do with the job and she hired me. The box affects my future," she said.
One woman said that she had been sober for many years, she
had two degrees and came from the welfare to work program. Checking the box
means she can't get a livable wage.
Baby in arms, a 19 year old mother stood and told of her
felony 1 years ago. Through her entire 9 months of pregnancy she could not
qualify for health care. She had no pre- natal health care. "Denying me a job
is denying him his future," she told the City Council.
Kim Carter, Director of Time for Change, a program that
helps women out of prison organized the informational item. "We have paid our
debt to society, we want to reclaim our lives," she said. Councilman Rikke Van
Johnson had requested that the item be sent to the Personnel Commission.
Without comment the motion passed with Chas Kelley and Wendy McCammack voting
no. Neil Derry left the council meeting early.
|
|
BVN Calendar Events
 |
January 2009 |
 |
|
|
