When Marian Wright Edelman, founder of the Children’s Defense Fund, came to the B.N. Duke Auditorium as part of the school’s Lyceum Series, she presented views on children, race and poverty.

There was just one problem: her March 12 speech was delivered during spring break and only seven students attended the event that filled about half of the auditorium.

The Lyceum Series is paid through the $12.50 fee applied to all undergraduate and graduate student accounts, which amounts to about $100,000 per semester

According to a March 3 e-mail provided to the Campus Echo, the Lyceum Series Committee was unhappy that the event was scheduled during spring break and that it was paid through student fees.

“At this stage, a viable suggestion is that other monies from other, more appropriate budgets be tapped to provide the sponsorship for Marian Wright Edelman’s appearance,” said the e-mail from Janice Dargan, committee chair and an assistant professor in the Department of English and Mass Communication.

“I feel that it’s unfair because the students have a voice and that voices were not heard due to the fact that the event was held during a time when students were not here.” said business administration sophomore Lindsey Henderson.

At the Lyceum Series event, Edelman presented her organization’s 2007 report, “America’s Cradle to Prison Pipeline.”

“This crisis is a loud siren of alarm and wake-up call to action for every parent, faith, community and public policy, political and cultural leader, child and family serving agency and citizen,” she said.

Edelman said she is often asked about the problem with today’s children.

“Adults are what’s wrong with our children,” she said. “Parents letting children raise themselves or be raised by television or the internet. And I hope God will help us to repent, to open our eyes and ears and see and hear our children’s

cries for help and guidance, and act to save them all—now!”

Edelman presented these facts from the report:

• One in three African-American boys born in 2001 is at risk of going to prison.

• A child is abused or neglected every 36 seconds, over 880,000 times a year.

• A baby is born without health insurance every 47 seconds.

• 90 percent of the nine million uninsured children live in working families.

Edelman, a graduate of Spelman College and Harvard Law School, was the first African-American woman admitted to the Mississippi State Bar. She worked with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and other civil rights leaders during the 1960s. Edelman later served as counsel to King in organizing the Poor People’s March. In 1973, she founded the Children’s Defense Fund to serve as an advocate for poor and minority children. The Children’s Defense Fund works with community sponsors, parents, young adults and community leaders to educate children through its Freedom Schools program.