The Reverend Jesse L. Jackson visited NEIU to address the notion of social justice, including the role that people must play in representing their own interets.
“Vote for your interests. Vote to lower tuition. Vote for better teacher packages. Vote for a job that pays when you graduate. Vote for a chance to go to grad school for free,” Jackson said on Oct. 11 in the Auditorium.
“Those who have the least pay the most to get the least amount of money,” Jackson stated to support a new ordinance which will realign Chicago into 12 districts.
In certain districts considered high risk, new homeowners will have to seek credit counseling before buying their home. Many of these homes are located in lower-income neighborhoods.
“Invisible walls,” as Jackson referred to them, are erected that keep people from certain opportunities due to their income. “Credit scores go down, you get printed on the list that you, quote unquote, can’t be trusted,” he continued.
The discussion then moved into the political strife and U.S. foreign policy. “Cause and effect,” is how Jackson described U.S. interaction with other countries.
Jackson also focused on the education, proposing the equal distribution of state funding among all schools throughout the state. He said this move would also lessen the property tax burden.
The Independent took the opportunity to address several issues in an interview with Jackson. When asked how an average college student could take part in making a difference in global issues, Jackson replied, “You need reasonable access to the foundation level. Most of the resources available to the school and faculty are going into Iraq.”
Jackson was also asked about a report that put Chicago State University at a 16-percent graduation rate and Northeastern Illinois University at a 17-percent rate.
Regarding the duty of a school to graduate students, Jackson said “[In] education cooperation, there must be an infrastructure that will recruit, retain and graduate. An administration must be measured by its ability to recruit, measure,and retain. [Graduation rates] should be at least 50 percent.”