ULTRA Teen Choice Booted out again: We need your support

Richard Urban
March 24, 2008

Happy Easter to you and your family!

We celebrated Abstinence Awareness Week in Washington DC from March 8 to March 14 with a successful Youth Forum at the Wilson Building, as well as visits with several City Council members. Now it is your turn to promote Abstinence Awareness and specifically to tell elected officials and DC Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee that you want the ULTRA Teen Choice program to remain in DC Public Schools.

The ULTRA Teen Choice program has been banned from DC Public Schools since November. Although we believed that the Chancellor was sincere in reinstating the ULTRA Teen Choice program in our previous meeting in February, she now says we are banned for as yet unspecified violations of the protocols that were set up (see below).

Please click here: www.urbangrocery.com:81/ultrateen/index.a5w to send an email to DC officials expressing your support for the continuation of the ULTRA Teen Choice program, which has been serving Washington DC youth at no cost to the government for more than five years.

We will be meeting with Ms. Rhee this coming Friday, March 28, so please send your email before that. Whatever happens in that meeting, I have determined that on my watch I will not stop working to help youth in Washington, DC. Have confidence that those who promote what is in the best interest of our youth will prevail, and no scheme will stop our service for the youth.

I look forward to your taking action, so please click here now: www.urbangrocery.com:81/ultrateen/index.a5w and compose and send your email using our new, convenient tool to email all of the DC City Council members and other key leaders at one time. Whether you live in Washington, DC, or elsewhere, please send an email. What goes on in Washington, DC affects all parts of the nation, and we appreciate your concern about this crucial issue.

Sincerely,

Richard Urban
Urban Life Training and Reality Assessment (ULTRA) Teen Choice
www.ultrateenchoice.org/

Schedule of upcoming events:

Wednesday, March 26, 7 pm: STAR Guide Accountability Partner Training and Enrichment Dinner (for STAR Guide Accountability Partner Mentors): East Street Cafe: Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Mezzanine. Suggested Donation $10.

Sunday, March 30: 3 pm to 6 pm DC Metropolitan Healthy Marriage and Relationship Coalition's Black Marriage Day Hall of Fame. The event will take place at the Family Life Center, 605 Rhode Island Ave. NE Washington, DC 20002 from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. Guest speaker Diann Dawson: Director of the African American Healthy marriage Initiative.

Saturday, April 19, 12:30 p.m. STAR Guide Accountability Partner Luncheon for Mentors and Mentees: Hunan Dynasty Restaurant, 215 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20003. Suggested Donation: $10.

Wednesday, May 21, 7:30 am to 8:30 am. Fourth Annual ULTRA Teen Choice Reality Check Free Fundraising Breakfast. More details coming soon.

Emails to and from DC Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee:

From: ULTRA Teen Choice
Sent: Sun 3/9/2008 11:42 PM
To: Rhee, Michelle (OOC)
Cc: Dolphin, Tene (EOM); schwartzc@dccouncil.us; hthomas@dccouncil.us; mbarry@dccouncil.us; 'Mason, Simone (COUNCIL)' Subject: RE: Protocols

Dear Ms. Rhee,

I have not received communication from you explaining what protocol(s) were violated. Could you please send the written communication that you mentioned and include the information on what protocol(s) were violated? Please mail the letter to:

ULTRA Teen Choice
Richard Urban
Washington, DC 20002-6406

Thanks for your prompt response.

Sincerely,

Richard Urban

From: Rhee, Michelle (OOC)
Sent: Sunday, March 02, 2008 2:55 PM
To: Richard Urban

Subject: FW: Protocols

Am happy to set up a meeting to discuss if you'd like.

MR

From: ULTRA Teen Choice

Sent: Sat 3/1/2008 3:54 PM
To: Rhee, Michelle (OOC)

Subject: RE: Protocols

Dear Ms.Rhee,

Which protocol(s) did I not follow?

Richard Urban

From: Rhee, Michelle (OOC)
 Sent: Friday, February 29, 2008 6:39 PM
To: Richard Urban

Subject:

Mr. Urban-

It has come to my attention that you have not followed the protocols laid out in your last meeting with my staff about operating in our schools. As such, you will be receiving a formal letter from me denying you and your programs further access to DPCS campuses. If you have questions let me know.

MR

Michelle Rhee
Chancellor
District of Columbia Public Schools
825 N. Capitol Street, NE
9th Floor
Washington, DC 20002