Hey, is CHANCE counselor Martha Palmer in jail? I’m not sure, but there is a group of students who call themselves the “Students for the Freedom of Martha Palmer.” What is she behind bars or in chains or something. I don’t get it…the “freedom” of Palmer?

Oh I see, it’s freedom from this awful institutional racism. Hey, I’ve got news for you—the people responsible for Palmer’s “dismissal” are black.

Students have been protesting since the summer because Palmer’s contract was not renewed.

Because administrators will not discuss the cause until an appeals process is complete, students are attempting to prove racism is at the bottom of the issue.

Uh, oh, now what do we say when we find out her own minority boss, CHANCE Director Leroy Mitchell, fired her. On July 20 Mitchell was quoted as saying, “I do the hiring. I do the firing.”

The problem is there are too many people who are looking at the issues with blinders on.

On Friday, Chicago 9th Ward Alderman Robert Shaw and his brother State Rep. William Shaw (34th legislative district), held a press conference in the Chicago City Hall to “discuss with NIU students legislative actions which could be taken against the university if Palmer is not rehired.

Now here’s something. The Shaws were so misinformed that they referred to Palmer as “Mrs.” (I wonder if she was surprised to find herself married.)

They referred to a bookstore incident in which black students were allegedly harassed and ultimately arrested for stealing, as the library incident. An honest mistake, since they said they thought the bookstore and library were the same thing.

And guess what else, according to the Shaws’ press release, the CHANCE program was initiated in 1983. Don’t tell the CHANCE program, because records state it began in 1968.

When the Shaws were at NIU on Nov. 10, they spoke to about 65 students, but in their press release somehow that number amazingly was doubled.

The Shaws said all their information came from NIU students. Way to go students. It’s no wonder reporters saw no black students at the Shaws’ press conference. It’s no wonder because the Shaws and Students for Freedom of Palmer have ruined their credibility. Did they contact Mitchell or Services and Programs Director Tendaji Ganges? How about the administrators they are attacking?

NO! These students and the Shaws are not really interested in what administrators have to say. Obviously, the Shaws have not yet talked to President John LaTourette or Provost Kendall Baker.

Here is a little sample of the overwhelming knowledge and thoughts of the Shaws: “…It seems to us that this is an attempt by the university to forever prohibit blacks and other minorities from entering and successfully completing their education…This is an overt racist attempt on the part of the universities administrators to eliminate blacks at this university.(sic)”

Maybe if the Shaws would have talked to Baker or Jon Dalton, VP for student affairs, they would have found out about NIU’s continued minority retention studies and affirmative action plans.

The Shaws might have learned that Baker has developed an affirmative action plan to “facilitate hiring minority faculty.” Yes, $100,000 has been tucked away to award departments when they hire minorities.

Or maybe the Shaws would have discovered NIU’s attempts to revive a minority recruitment program to train civil service staff.

How about the university’s request of the Illinois Board of Higher Education for funding to recruit 100 more minority transfer students.

Does this matter to the Shaws? Does it matter to the Students for Freedom of Palmer?

Never mind, I think I know the answer.