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Taking note . . .

Observations about public affairs in the nation’s capital
by the editor of The Common Denominator

PREPARING TO PARTY: D.C. Democrats say they will stage a "Boston Tea Party" on the opening day of the Democratic National Convention in Boston July 26 "to educate the nation on the lack of voting rights for District residents."

Among those invited to participate in the rally and planned re-enactment of colonists' "taxation without representation" protest are presumptive Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Joe Lieberman, Congressman Harold Ford and Sen. Mary Landrieu.

D.C. Democrats plan to rally at Columbus Plaza in front of Union Station July 24 before their special Amtrak Acela train departs for Bean Town that afternoon.

D.C. GETS A PLANK: D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, selected as a vice chairman of the Democratic National Convention's Platform Committee, reports that the Democrats' 2004 Platform will include language she drafted in support of equal rights for D.C. citizens.

"As we press for democracy around the world, we must extend democracy here at home. We support equal rights to democratic self-government and congressional representation for the citizens of our nation's capital," the plank reads.

Norton, who is seeking re-election this fall, said she appreciates "the continuing commitment that Senator Kerry and the DNC (Democratic National Committee) have shown in continuing to understand the importance of including a statement strongly endorsing unimpeded self-government and full congressional voting rights for the citizens of our city."

ORANGE GOES TO HARVARD: Ward 5 Councilman Vincent Orange will spend part of the city council's summer recess attending a three-week residential program, July 11-30, for senior executives in state and local government at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Orange was required to present a case study as part of the application process and chose "How to ensure District of Columbia Public Schools produce students who can successfully make the transition from third to fourth grade" as his topic.

On June 29, Orange introduced the "District of Columbia Early Childhood Reading and Mathematics Program Act of 2004" as an outgrowth of his participation in the Harvard summer program. Orange's bill requires establishment of a uniform reading and mathematics curriculum for kindergarten through third grade, designed to have students reading independently and understanding the fundamentals of mathematics before they are promoted to fourth grade.

Copyright 2004, The Common Denominator