EDITORIAL: RI's Supreme Court Has No Minority Justices, Time to Desegregate the Court
EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL: RI's Supreme Court Has No Minority Justices, Time to Desegregate the Court
"There are currently two judges of color out of nearly 90 judges and magistrates, in a state that's nearly 30 percent people of color, and that's just not acceptable," Vincent said at the time. "Clearly this isn't representative of the people of Rhode Island."
In 2019, the numbers were slightly improved - today there are six minorities, Still, less than 10% of the judges and magistrates are racial minorities in a state that is just under 30% people of color.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTPresently, the Supreme Court is comprised of four white men and a white woman — and Justice Gilbert Indeglia announced his retirement in January. The vacancy is pending.
On Friday, State Senator Harold Metts called for a minority to be named to the court. In his letter to Governor Gina Raimondo Metts wrote, “More than making history, Rhode Island needs to do the right thing. Now is the time to correct this injustice and I urge you to appoint a person of color to this vacant Supreme Court judgeship.”
Too often, there is a substantial disconnect between white Rhode Island and the minority community. The recent failed effort to communicate and publicly educate the minority community on the coronavirus is clear.
For Rhode Islanders who are working in factories, nursing homes, or food processing plants - catching the Governor’s daily press briefing at 1 PM may not be an option at work.
For work-at-home, middle-class professionals, they can pop in and watch the Raimondo daily presentation and hear her "knock it off" catchphrase.
Now, two months later, the disconnect between the two Rhode Islands is ever more clear.
Desegregating the Supreme Court is an important step - and it is long overdue.