Right Church, Wrong Pew - UW-Milwaukee and Helen Bader College of Social Welfare

Sgt. Delmar Williams with youth.
L-R: dean Stan Stojkovic, Associate Professor Kimberly Hassell and Assistant Professor Tina Freiburger

“Relationships between police and inner-city juveniles are in a state of national crisis. Many police officers do not understand juveniles’ perspectives and most juveniles do not understand why the police do the things that they do,” Professor Kimberly Hassell, UW-Milwaukee says.

MILWAUKEE - The right church but wrong pew is a metaphor that is applied to today's focus on the recent Impact article of the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Helen Bader School of Social Welfare.

Milwaukee Professionals Association through the office of Mary Glass, Chair/CEO, is monitoring the Helen Bader School of Social Work for Inclusion of Milwaukeeans, especially African American, other People of Color and the Work-Challenged.
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Today's University Communications and Media Relations article is:
Shifting inner-city juveniles’ perceptions of the police
By Carolyn Bucior on February 21, 2012

It is a a spotlight and explanation of a collaborative pilot project between Helen Bader School of Social Welfare, Milwaukee Police Department and the Boys and Girls Club.

Where are the parents?

It is the right idea to explore, talk out and mitigate this negative NORM in the African American, other People of Color and Work Challenged neighborhoods in Milwaukee.

It is the right idea to shine a bright light on the issues and tell-the-truth.
It is OK to document, however, the problem is "who is conducting the study/analysis/replication" have the same problem as the police - lack of understanding - lack of connectivity in the neighborhood. Lack of indepth knowledge and sensitivity.

Plus, the UW-Milwaukee participants, Associate Professor Kimberly Hassell and Assistant Professor Tina Freiburger, both in the Criminal Justice Department at UWM’s Helen Bader School of Social Welfare (HBSSW) do not create a back-to-neighborhood "pipeline" of participants that is necessary for any discipline/school/college at the public university of UW-Milwaukee - our Urban university.

They do not look like the youth from the neighborhood.
Where are the African American professors, assistants, students in the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare? Where are the medically trained for trauma? Long-term trauma?

Have this type of address, Caucasian only - Caucasian leaders, is the proverbial and subliminal thought, "Caucasians are the one's to address this issue in a research-problem solving" mode. Caucasians are the only one to provide the leadership and 'proof' of issue. NOT.

This reoccurring Caucasian-only theme at the Helen Bader School of Welfare is insulting AND puzzling since the Helen Bader background includes the Jewish people.

The University Communications and Media Relations of UW-Milwaukee was cited last month by our organization in a February article for this type of Caucasian-only and "privilege" focus.

It was the depiction of the Helen Bader School of Welfare with the kick-off of FEMA - Federal Emergency Management Agency) CLICK.

There were NO involvement of African American students, staff or Milwaukee neighborhoods shown in the FEMA privileged project and event.

Since they were working with this pilot project, why weren't the teens, young adults and parents of this project involved in the FEMA project?

Tell me. How far would two African Americans get in acquiring 600 Boys and Girls participants that are Caucasian?

What's the deal with the Boys and Girls club exclusivity?
The Boys and Girls club with all due respect, like many Caucasian ran organizations in the African American neighborhoods in the Milwaukee area, have been financially empowered by mega funding and authority on the backs of African American and other People of Color children/families.

This is not to say that there aren't worthy endeavors contributed, but so would any other exclusivity organization being continuously empowered with resources at the level of resources and connectivity as the Boys and Girls club have.

Where are the African American organizations in this case?
Why aren't they in "collaboration" with Helen Bader School of Social Welfare?

This is crucial.
Not only must the youth in the 5th District and the 600 participants see leadership from African American (in the family, school, neighborhood and Helen Bader School), they need to see their parents at the table from Day 1.

In fact, if their parents have not been polled, introduced to the idea of interest pre-beginning with their child, and helped to develop the "replication", the pilot is out-of-order and bogus. It is looked upon as "exploitation".

Helen Bader School of Social Welfare says that its Mission is:

** Improving lives and strengthening communities through research, education and community partnerships.

These are young people from African American families and primarily African American neighborhoods, they are under guardianship by law. It is injurious for the youth to be subjected to explorations that failed to take into consideration why they say:

** Police harass us.
** They stop us for no reason.

As well as, they also share other discriminatory points that did not make the cut of this article. But, if it is to provide healing, and not just another "notch in the belt of a degree and/or a published writing" for Professor Kimberly Hassell and Assistant Professor Tina Freiburger, or the Helen Bader School of Social Welfare; it must take into consideration the daily trends of encounters that bring their parents, guardians and/or care-givers forth.

Soda and candy
In the photo are sodas and candy. Is this what was given to the youth and/or teens?
What signal does this send?

In the photos, there were male officers, were there female officers involved?
Where's the video? So, we can get a better appreciation of their pain - and, their solutions.

Yes. The right church (City of Milwaukee neighborhood) but wrong pew. The absence of leadership and engagement from the core constituents.

CLICK for article.