AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION              

of Champaign County

Steering Committee 

June 7, 2008

Present: Bill Brown, Mary Cory, Elaine Gehrmann, Carol Inskeep, Stuart Laird, Carol Leff, Esther Patt, Richard Schnuer, Shirley Stillinger, Marsha Woodbury

The meeting was called to order at 7:05 p.m. by the chair, Esther Patt.  The  minutes of the May meeting were approved as distributed.

Old Business

a) Freedom Celebration: there were not enough volunteers to march in the parade.

b) Meeting location next year: Richard will book us into the Champaign Public Library for the September meeting; we will decide then if we want to continue there..

c) Legislation

The House and Senate have passed the following in separate bills affecting juveniles; these will go to a conference committee:           

The age to be treated as adults for a misdemeanor to be raised to 18.; those under 14 not to be incarcerated for misdemeanors.  A Juvenile

Justice Task Force to be created,

The Civil Unions Bill was not called.

d) Freedom Files: Bill was going to take them to UPTV but learned that the corporation that produced the DVDâs would not allow broadcast on TV, Marsha will get the DVDâs to high schools; Carol Inskeep will get the names of the school librarians.     

New Business

a) Constitution Day, September 17: schools are required to do something to recognize this day.  We can offer them the Freedom Files.  Carol Inskeep and Marsha will get together a packet of informaÐtion to go with the DVDâs.  The teachersâ guide is on the ACLU site.

b) Plans for forums in the fall: consensus to have meetings on voting rights and immigration using the appropriate program from the Freedom Files followed by discussion.

c) The fall gathering will be at Richard Schnuerâs on November 9 or 16.

The meeting was adjourned at 7:55.

Respectfully submitted,

Shirley Stillinger