Take Back the Courts

Made by award-winning documentarian Stanley Nelson, this video exposes the negative consequences of a federal judiciary that is increasingly opposed to civil rights protections. Mr. Nelson puts a human face on what has come to be known as the rollback of civil rights. Watch the documentary here.

Real People, Real Stories

Miriam Flores had dreams of becoming a doctor. But English was not her first language, and as a result, school did not come easy to her. In 1992, while Miriam was in the third grade, the school district in Nogales, Arizona told Miriam's mom (also named Miriam Flores) that her daughter wouldn't pass third grade that year. Teachers said she wasn't paying attention, and that she often spoke to other students in class. This seemed unlike her child, so Miriam questioned her daughter. The young Miriam, whose family only spoke Spanish at home, explained to her mother that when she was talking, she was simply asking the other students what the teacher was saying, because she didn't understand the language.

When Miriam's mom explained this to the school district, she was told it wasn't their problem that her daughter wasn't learning the language properly. Yes, they were obligated under the ESL program (English as a Second Language, now changed to ELL, English Language Learners) to teach these students. But without proper funding from the state, there was a shortage of supplies and materials to teach non-English speaking kids. Miriam's mom realized the injustice of the situation, and ultimately sued on behalf of her daughter and other students in the same situation.

Click here to learn more about Miriam Flores.

Monthly Featured Partner: The National Health Law Program

The National Health Law Program (NHeLP) works with and on behalf of limited-income people, people with disabilities, and children to improve their access to quality health care, and to enforce their legal rights to health. NHeLP works in the courts, in front of government agencies, and in the halls of Congress to ensure quality health care for the most vulnerable members of our society.

NHeLP analyzes, educates, advocates, and litigates, employing a ground-up, top-down approach. They take a leadership role working with local and state health advocates and representing clients and community-based groups. This involvement helps NHeLP identify trends and systemic problems. At national and state levels NHeLP educates lawmakers and regulators, and develops policies and legal strategies aimed at dismantling barriers to care while improving health care law and practice.

KEY WORDS
A civil rights glossary

THE RIGHT TO VOTE
And the role of the courts