Blogging Black Miami

Save Our Schools: The fight for Central and Edison results in one year reprieve

 

by Vanessa Woodard Byers

 

Florida’s Board of Education granted Miami Central High and Miami Edison High a reprieve for the upcoming school year and will allow them to remain open. Local school district officials and people in the communities encompassing those schools breathed a collective sigh of relief. Equally, if not more significant, is the Board’s promise to review its current school grading system.

Central and Edison have been down this road before. After the immediate sense of joy dissipates comes the realization that one more year is not a long time to turn things around based on current guidelines. What tactics will be deployed for students to realize more academic gains and better test results? Is it just a matter of more time needed to realize a real turnaround?

There are plans for an upcoming series of community forums. That strategy could be beneficial, but as quickly as possible, plans need to be developed and put into action that engage parents and the community in helping these students succeed. Students must also take personal responsibility and reduce or eliminate distractions that prevent them from reaching their academic potential. Less talk. More action.

It’s fish or cut bait for both Central and Edison. After the political powers that be succumbed to the wishes of the school district and community, another year of not meeting requirements, will effectively negate the argument against the Board of Education making the unpopular decision of either closing the school for a year; converting it to a charter school or allowing a management company to take them over.

I must commend the Central and Edison alumni association along with the Northwestern and Jackson alumni who were united in this fight. I really don't think the Board of Education wanted to deal with the number of people from Miami-Dade County who were prepared to travel to Tampa to speak on behalf of Central and Edison. Thank you to everyone who sent a letter, an e-mail or made a call to save our schools. 

In my heart of hearts, I believe our students can meet the requirements. A lot of work is required of everyone involved to make that happen. I also believe there should be more focus on making sure our children master the basic skills in the primary grades. Let’s make sure parents are aware what their children are expected to know when they “start” school. If a child starts behind, he will likely remain behind. We know better, let’s just DO better, for our children.

 

Heart of Liberty City Forum: Progress or More of the Same?

_{Heart of Liberty City Forum - Thursday, 02/03/2011 - Church of the Open Door} 

I attended the Heart of Liberty City forum Thursday night at the Church of the Open Door. It was scheduled to start at 6 pm. When I arrived the parking lot was already almost filled to capacity and cars were still pulling into the lot. That was a good sign because too many important community meetings are not well attended.

After signing in and finding somewhere to sit, I scanned the room and saw a few familiar faces. Many of the attendees were taking advantage of the refreshments and others were in engaged in conversation. The atmosphere was warm and inviting and the sound of the African drumming added to the communal ambience.

TACOLCY CEO Alison Austin welcomed everyone and Rev. Dr. Joaquin Willis, pastor of the Church of the Open Door, delivered an inspirational prayer. There was a brief PowerPoint presentation on Liberty City, its current plight and visions for the future by the Miami Workers Center’s Lead Organizer Hashim Yeomans-Benford. After the presentation, Stephanie Sylvestre facilitated the small group discussion segment.

Each table of individuals was asked if they supported a community alliance to establish a strong, unified voice in determining the future of Liberty City. Everyone in attendance seemed to rally around the alliance recommendation but the rest of the meeting seemed to rapidly deteriorate in an attempt to garner consensus around other issues.

As a representative for each table group spoke, a disconnect between the organizers and many in attendance became apparent. After talking with my tablemates and others in attendance, there was a desire for more information on the MLK Transit Village Project and the designation of The Carlisle Development Group as the developer. Some came to hear from the developer, others had negative history with The Carlisle Group and there is overwhelming distrust of county government to do the right thing for the residents in Liberty City. Passionate comments by Tyrone Greene of Greene Dreams Shoe Repair pretty much sealed the deal on expressing community discontent.

When the evening was coming to a close, there was an odd and awkward exchange between Austin and Rep. Darryl Reaves who asked a question about The Carlisle Group. Austin’s retort and insistence multiple times that the meeting was not about Carlisle led to grumbling by folks in my immediate area about secrecy and the transit project being another empty promise to the black community. Moreover, urging local residents to call County Manager George Burgess and Matt Greer of The Carlisle Group and ask them to reach a resolution before February 8 just didn't seem right without knowing what that resolution will be.

Perhaps the forum agenda was not well thought out and too ambitious for the period of time allotted. Perhaps sharing substantive project background information could have quickly brought everyone up to speed and on the same page. I don’t think the audience push back was expected; if it was there was no strategy used to effectively mitigate it.

I got a better sense of the MLK Transit Village Project after the forum via internet research and talking with individuals with knowledge of it since its inception. There is also confusion about the next steps since the County website shows the Regional Transportation Committee meeting scheduled for Monday, February 7, 9:30 - Noon not Tuesday February 8. The MLK Transit Village Project is not specifically identified as a topic to be discussed but I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation for the meeting confusion. Besides, it’s important to just be ready at all times.

When all is said and done, prayerfully, the community alliance will be formed and there will be more outreach in crafting the vision for and fighting for fair treatment of blacks in the redevelopment of the 7th Avenue Corridor in Liberty City. Residents and small business owners are angry. They do not trust county government and are tired of broken promises. Nevertheless, the people must make demands and follow through on making sure those demands are met. If there will be progress we must move from emotion to action.

I overstand that organizers of the forum understand the adage that if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu and are trying to get in front of and trying to drive needed community engagement in the Transit Village Project because its construction is needed and seems inevitable. The devil will be in the details of the actual construction of the MLK Transit Village Project and further development of the 7th Avenue Corridor.

One thing the community must not do is become paralyzed because of the misdeeds of others in the past. The happy medium is to do right by the small businesses in the community and the residents. It’s time to recoup, regroup and move forward.

 

Related Links:

A Policy Paper on Community Development in Liberty-Model City

Millions for deals, not for merchants

Executive Summary and Transmittal of the OIG1s Final Audit Report on the Agreement Between Miami-Dade Transit and the Miami-Dade Empowerment Trust to Jointly Develop the 7th Avenue Transit Village Project, Ref. IG07-09 

Transit Village takes root in Liberty City 

Our Fight for a Fair Transit Village

 

© 2011, Blogging Black Miami, www.bloggingblackmiami.com 

New Report Finds Conservative Policies Worsen Racial Economic Gap, Hit Black and Latino Communities the Hardest

State of the Dream 2011: Austerity for Whom?

 

Special from the Human Services Coalition:

Miami, FL – Conservative attacks on government, public sector workers, social safety nets and the progressive tax system widen the racial economic divide because they disproportionately harm Blacks and Latinos, according to a new report. These findings were released today by United for a Fair Economy in State of the Dream 2011: Austerity for Whom?, released in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. 

“Through their policy proposals, Republican leaders – at all levels of government – are suggesting that we postpone not only the recovery, but also the prospect of a better future,” said Brian Miller, Executive Director of United for a Fair Economy and co-author of the report. “GOP austerity measures will ratchet down the standard of living for all Americans, while simultaneously widening our nation’s racial and economic divide.”

HSCàCatalyst Miami finds this particularly corrosive to the work carried out by the Prosperity Campaign, which links residents in need of economic stability with the financial services and healthcare programs that can help. Our network of Prosperity Centers offers services including free tax preparation, economic benefits counseling, homeownership counseling, financial coaching and more. We also help operate a farmers market in Overtown that accepts food stamps and doubles the value of purchases made with food stamps.

State of the Dream 2011 documents how the conservative agenda increases economic inequality and deepens the racial divide. Forty-two years after Martin Luther King’s death, Blacks earn only 57 cents, and Latinos 59 cents, to each dollar Whites earn. The tax cuts advocated by conservatives will worsen this divide by flowing disproportionately to wealthy White households, while the proposed cuts to social safety nets and the public sector work force will disproportionately harm African-Americans and Latinos.

Living Empowered: You’re Only as Good as Your Last Win

By Dr. Larthenia Howard

You’re only as good as your last win….ask Randy Shannon, ex-head coach of the University of Miami (FL) Hurricanes. On Saturday, November 27, 2010, after a loss against the USF Bulls and a four season record of 28 – 22, Athletic Director, Kirby Hocutt, announced that UM was ready to take their football program in another direction. Although the team’s bad boys’ image had shifted and the team earned its place among the nation’s top athletes in academics, good was not good enough.

What ultimately lead to Randy Shannon’s dismissal? Many would agree that inconsistency was key. Overall, there was a consistent imbalance. The team was not able to sustain steadiness by doing all the right things off the field while consistently making all the right moves on the field – translating into winning. 

So what does the firing of Randy Shannon have to do with you? Everything! You see, the lesson here, as we move into the second decade of the millennium, is that in order to consistently win, you must do the right things consistently. Success does not happen in a moment, but through momentum. It is not enough to create an atmosphere of winning; you must maintain excellence for the long haul. That takes consistency.  Jay-Z said it like this “Excellence is being able to perform at a high level for a long period of time.”

Unlike the University of Miami’s football program, the University of Connecticut’s Women Basketball team has done quite the opposite. The team just finished an impressive 89 game winning streak. As noted by the Associated Press, the Lady Huskies defeated their rivals by “playing with the relentlessness that has become its trademark.” So I ask - what has become your trademark? How easily do you give up when faced with opposition? How consistently are you forging towards your dreams?

In lieu of another year of failed resolutions, resolve to commit to the consistency of creating a trademark that is unlike one you have ever lived before.

Here’s to an Empowered New Year!

 ©2011

Larthenia Howard holds an Educational Doctorate in Organizational Leadership. She is certified through the Certified Coaching Federation as a Personal and Executive Empowerment Coach. Other areas of certification include:   Diversity Awareness and Sensitivity, Emotional Intelligence, Team Building, and the Continuous Improvement Model.  For speaking engagements and inquiries visit www.drempowerment.com

 

Speak On It: Democrats Make Me Sick!

 
 

by Dave Vaval

Democrats make me sick! Before I get attacked for the opening of this commentary, let me elaborate a bit further. President Obama, who is diligently trying to avoid a lame duck term, is making every attempt to make progress on issues this country faces. He is, a democratic president, but the issues of this country/economy affects Democrats, Republicans and all in between alike. When the Democrats had full control of the house, they refused to budge to the Republicans, and certain times within themselves had conflict/disagreement. But the president didn’t have too much of an issue because that was his party. It was their way or the highway. This midterm election, Republicans gave the Democrats a reality check and it is only fair that they apply the same rules the Democrats applied towards them. But no; all of a sudden Republicans are holding people “hostage” as it was put by our president. Is that not an unfair and biased description of the situation at hand presently?

In an attempt to meet the needs of both parties in an issue that is uniquely affecting all Americans, the president drafted and agreed to a piece of legislation that appeased both sides. Or so he thought. He agreed to extend Bush tax cuts, the Republicans side, while Republicans conceded to extend unemployment benefits, the most pivotal to the Democrats from that legislation, among other things included. In my opinion, the Democrats got a better deal from the legislation than the Republicans. But Democrats aren’t happy. Its speculated that the reason is because they weren’t involved in the drafting of the legislation while many representatives are making it clear that they simply do not want the bush tax cuts extended. Isn’t this the same party who humbly begged on national television for the Republicans to work WITH them on moving forward after the midterm? Interesting…

The Republicans aren’t unanimously in favor of this legislation but the handful who object to it pan in comparison to an ENTIRE party threatening to filibuster. WHERE is the bipartisanship they were begging for? I commend President Obama for realizing that you win some and you lose some and for the cause of greater good sometimes you have to do what you don’t want to; but I only wish his party can realize the same. Republicans can simply say no we will not work with you and make his term a lame duck term, as Democrats did to George W. Bush when they took control while he was in office during his second term. It will be none but their own fault. Egos have to be set aside and feelings need to be taken out of situations to make sure there is no blindness to the issues at hand.

These representatives are SO loyal to their parties they lose sight of the plight of the people they represent and what they’re actually supposed to do. As we the citizens are asked to do when voting, these “representatives” are supposed vote on issues, NOT party. If the Republicans come up with a bill that benefits the nation, I expect Democrats to vote for it, because it’s the right thing to do and vice versa. I DO NOT expect Democrats to be against it because it’s a republican idea as it seems to be the case presently. They’re losing sight of the fact that progress needs to be made or else when its time to vote again, they’ll be the ones begging; this time to the Americans who are sick and tired of the excuses, bickering and lack of progress being made. Can’t we all just get along? For the record, I am against this legislation that is currently being debated. Anything that does not aid the deficit is not something that should be considered. If you add 175 billion to the deficit, and “hope” the people spend that, it only brings us back to where we were. There are real issues people are facing everyday, and the pettiness going on right now in Washington is not only disturbing, its is not needed. People need to grow up!

 

Speak On It: A Call for Social Action (3rd in a series)

 

by Roderick Vereen

Keynote address delivered at the Church of the Incarnation in Miami, FL on the occasion of the observation of Social Justice Sunday, November 14 2010.

(From Part 2 of 4) When Arthur Teele was a sitting commissioner, he appointed me to sit on the Elian Gonzalez ad hoc committee. You may recall that Elian Gonzalez was the child that was illegally brought over to America by his mother who died on the high seas. Elian Gonzalez’s father wanted him back in Cuba with him but the local Cubans fought to keep him here. That type of social action is termed “Affectional action” (also known as emotional actions) which are actions taken due to one’s emotions, to express personal feelings. The Cubans did not want to see Elian returned to a communist country.  Janet Reno, who was the Attorney General at that time, ordered his detention and return to Cuba.

Now when you reflect back on what the Cubans did during the Elian Gonzalez ordeal, what you saw was unorganized social action, but social action nonetheless. They put Florida on front-street and kept the media captivated for weeks, putting a name and a face to their cause. Cubans did it once again very recently in 2009 dealing with high schools students that were facing deportation after graduation because their parents brought them here illegally, causing a member of Congress to step in and reintroduce what is now called the “Dream Act” which stands for:

The Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act (The "DREAM Act") is a piece of proposed federal legislation in the United States that was first introduced in the United States Senate on August 1, 2001^[1] and most recently re-introduced there and the United States House of Representatives on March 26, 2009. This bill would provide certain inadmissible or deportable alien students who graduate from US high schools, who are of good moral character, arrived in the U.S. as minors, and have been in the country continuously for at least five years prior to the bill's enactment, the opportunity to earn conditional permanent residency if they complete two years in the military or two years at a four year institution of higher learning. The alien students would obtain temporary residency for a six year period. Within the six year period, a qualified student must have "acquired a degree from an institution of higher education in the United States or [have] completed at least 2 years, in good standing, in a program for a bachelor's degree or higher degree in the United States," or have "served in the uniformed services for at least 2 years and, if discharged, [have] received an honorable discharge."^[2] Military Enlistment contracts require an eight year commitment.^[3] "Any alien whose permanent resident status is terminated [according to the terms of the Act] shall return to the immigration status the alien had immediately prior to receiving conditional permanent resident status under this Act." ^[4]

So, it begs the question, if Cubans who arrived here much later than  African Americans, could get so much done in so little time, what must we be doing wrong?

The answer is simple. We have stopped manufacturing.  And when I say manufacturing, I mean we have stopped the development of new leadership in our communities. We do not accept change and we do not embrace new ideas or concepts even if it means an improvement of our social status. The only time you see our community react is when some child is killed in a drive-by shooting. That reaction is temporary at best.  For some strange reason, we have become a “reactionary” people.

It should come as no surprise because we see the same thing occurring with the United States economy. Because we outsourced a majority of the labor and manufacturing jobs our economy now suffers. Our national debt has doubled and our gross domestic product is at an all time low. Eventually, things are going to have to change. (Part 4 of 4 continues tomorrow….)

 

 

More than a football game

Last Friday night's semi-final football matchup between Miami Central and Miami Northwestern was unofficially dubbed, "The Liberty City Super Bowl." Although the event was a competition between the two rival high schools, I found myself in reverence of the bigger picture and wondered if anyone else noticed also. You see, this was more than a game between two high schools; this was a reason for the community to gather and celebrate. We don't do that nearly enough.

The official capacity of Traz Powell Stadium is listed as 7,500. If that is accurate, and there is no reason believe otherwise, there were so many vehicles at the stadium that it seemed as if each fan must have driven there alone. People that couldn't get in the stadium, were perched on top of campers or sitting in their cars with a scant view of the field and the scoreboard. It was heartwarming to see parents holding the hands of their children as they ushered them through the stadium gates and to their seats. Generations of families celebrated together. No matter which team won; the game was a good thing for the community.

The game could have easily been played at FIU Stadium but thank God it wasn't because so many young ones would likely have been unable to attend. Let that game be the tipping point for more events held in our community. It's time for us to reclaim our community, its values... its moral compass...its spirit. If rebuilding our community starts with a football game, so be it. Let's just DO SOMETHING to reclaim and pass on our rich community history.

Speak On It: A Call for Social Action (Part 2 in a series)

 

by Roderick Vereen

Keynote address delivered at the Church of the Incarnation in Miami, FL on the occasion of the observation of Social Justice Sunday, November 14 2010.

(From Part 1 of 4) In Sociology “social action” refers to an act which takes into account the actions and reactions of individuals. The concept was primarily developed in the non-positivist theory of Max Weber to observe how human behaviors relate to cause and effect in the social realm. For Weber, sociology was the study of society and behavior and must therefore look at the heart of interaction. The theory of social action, more than structural functionalist positions, accepts and assumes that humans vary their actions according to social contexts and how it will affect other people; when a potential reaction is not desirable, the action is modified accordingly. Action can mean either a basic action (one that has a meaning) or an advanced social action, which not only has a meaning but is directed at others and causes action (or inaction).

 

As a child growing up in a military family, I learned first-hand what one’s commitment to service meant. My father was in the United States Army and was stationed in Germany when I was born. We resided in Germany for 7 years, but as I reflected back on my early years I didn’t recall my father’s presence in the home that often.   My mother would often advise me that he was away in Vietnam.

In 1969, our family moved to Miami, Florida and I attended public school in Lake Lucerne, Opa-Locka and then in Carol City. One of my elementary teachers at North Carol City Elementary, Mr. Thomas, gave me this book “Why we can’t wait” written by Dr. Martin Luther King, when I became the Student Council President and he would make me stay after class every day and read from it. This was my first book I had ever owned outside of class and I’ve had it ever since.

Here it is, 41 years later and the writings of Dr. King are still relevant today.   At that age, I really did not have a grasp as to who Dr. King was, but I knew he was important because Mr. Thomas would not have kept me after school all that time reading about someone insignificant. And the more I read about Dr. King the more I understood Dr. King did not necessarily want to lead the civil rights movement, he was chosen by the people to be their leader.  Dr. King himself said “It was the people who moved their leaders, not the leaders who moved the people.” “When such a people began to move, they create their own theories, shape their own destinies, and choose the leaders who share their own philosophy.”

Many of us today, benefit from the civil rights movement, but how many of us actually participated in the movement? How many of you actually marched? How many of you subjected yourselves to being hit with police batons, hit with stones, bit by dogs, sprayed with water hoses, spat on by racists, or arrested? The truth is, not many, yet we feel entitled to the benefits of another’s labor. Their  “Social action.”

How many of you heard the saying “everybody wants to go to Heaven, but nobody wants to die”? The same holds true regarding the civil rights movement. Everybody wants equal and civil rights but nobody wants to fight for them. They want everyone else to fight for them and then reap the benefits. That’s called Social inaction! And where there is social inaction, there is no movement.

Another thing I learned over the years was that Dr. King was not alone in his struggles for equality for Negroes. In fact, there were those that came before him that set the ball in motion.  Specifically, there was Dorothy Height, who recently died at the age of 98. For those of you that aren’t familiar with the name, Dorothy Height is considered to be the “Godmother” of civil rights. She was a leading civil rights pioneer of the 1960’s. President Obama called her a hero and the “godmother” of the movement, noting she “served as the only woman at the highest level of the civil rights movement—witnessing every march and milestone along the way. She was an American administrator, educator, and social activist. She was the president of the National Council of Negro Women for forty years and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2004. She believed in social action. She would meet with white women and black women to discuss the issues they both faced in order to bring about unity among the races. That was Social action! (Part 3 of 4 continues tomorrow...)

 

Speak On It: A Call for Social Action (Part 1 in a series)

 
 

by Roderick Vereen

Keynote address delivered at the Church of the Incarnation in Miami, FL on the occasion of the observation of Social Justice Sunday, November 14 2010.

It is indeed a pleasure to once again to be in your presence. As some of you may recall, during my Congressional run I visited with you and introduced myself as a Candidate for the United States House of Representatives for District 17.  Well, as you know, that race is over now and I did not win but I am happy to report I am still standing.  My feelings were a little hurt but I’m ok.  For those of you that voted for me, I thank you for your support. For those that didn’t, I simply say…God Bless you too.

In preparing to come before you today, I was advised this is Social Justice Sunday and  my speech should center on social issues, and although I set my compass towards discussing social issues, I found it more advantageous to discuss “social action,” which I think will bridge the divide. In doing so, I pondered over my Congressional run from start to finish and thought it not robbery to enlighten you as to why I did what I did. So here we go…

Although I am a democrat, I changed party affiliation to that of a non-party affiliation, referred to as an independent, when it was time to qualify.  In the beginning, there were 13 of us vying for the Congressional seat.  At that time, I was not satisfied with either political party, Democrat or Republican.

I am not one of those voters that vote party line simply for the sake of the party. Reverend Al Sharpton once said that we (referring to African Americans) are about the party that is about us.

Historically, Blacks used to be mainly Republicans until the Republican Party stopped being about  Blacks.  We must also be mindful the Ku Klux Klan started in the Democratic Party. Born as a pro-slavery political party under Thomas Jefferson, the Democratic Party maintained a pro-slavery-anti black American stance through the 19th century.  After the Civil War, the Democratic Party gave birth and nurtured the first Ku Klux Klan and supported Jim Crow laws and customs. And while history is history, over the years, the Democratic Party, including Thomas Jefferson, changed its and his position on slavery and the treatment of the “Negro.” Ergo, the shift by Blacks to the Democratic Party.

When you take a good look at the political structure today, it is easy to see that African Americans are still neglected by both parties. We still face the same issues no matter which party is in power.  Be mindful that Congressional District 17 has always been run by the Democratic Party, starting with William Lehman, then Carrie Meek and then Kendrick Meek.

What was important to me at the time was to get the message out that we are not a monolithic people and our votes cannot be taken for granted simply because of our party affiliation.

Although I filed as an Independent, my qualifications were not limited to party affiliation but to the position as that of a law maker for all people of District 17. Over 16,000 voters agreed with me and voted for me. Not enough to win the race but enough to make my voice heard.

Case in point, during the last campaign, Alex Sink, who ran for Governor, failed to attend the NAACP forum for the candidates after agreeing to attend.  As a result, Bishop Victory Curry ridiculed her over the airways on his radio station advising her that she cannot take the Black vote for granted. They later made up and he gave her his support once again. When she attended the NAACP banquet last month, of which I am a Silver Life member, Congressman Alcee Hastings, the keynote speaker reminded her yet again the Black vote cannot be taken for granted and simply because she was a democrat she could not assume that she would get the Black vote. She eventually lost her race for Governor. How the lack of the Black vote played into her losing the race has yet to be determined.

While I did not win my race either, I walked away with a wealth of experience as to the political process, knowledge as to the membership of the “who’s who” of Miami and with great hope for the future of this district. I had the opportunity to meet people I’ve never met before.  I heard about problems I did not know existed before, but more importantly, I experienced first-hand what Martin Luther King, Jr., wrote about in his book “Why We Can’t Wait.”

In Chapter 8 of his book, Dr. King stated that “Negroes have traditionally positioned themselves too far from the inner arena of political decision. Few other minority groups have maintained a political aloofness and a non-partisan posture as rigidly and as long as Negroes. The Germans, Irish, Italians, and Jews, after a period of acclimatization, moved inside political formations and exercised influence. Negroes, partly by choice but substantially by exclusion, operated outside of the political structures, functioning instead essentially as a pressure group with limited effect. That was exemplified in the past election, when one out of ten black residents in District 17 voted and only 48% of the registered voters in Miami-Dade County voted as a whole.

Dr. King stated “The Negroes’ real problem has been  they seldom had adequate choices. Political life, as a rule, did not attract the best elements of the Negro community, and White candidates who represented their views were few and far between. However, in avoiding the trap of domination by unworthy leaders, Negroes fell into the bog of political inactivity. They avoided victimization by any political group by withholding a significant commitment to any organization or individual. That concept has been termed “Social action” or in that case “Social inaction.” (Part 2 of 4 continues tomorrow...)

 

Speak On It: Is a Good Public Education a Right or a Responsibility?

 

 

by Kenneth Williams

Keynote address delivered at the “An Apple for the Teacher Luncheon,” hosted by the Gamma Alpha Chapter of Iota Phi Lambda Professional Sorority, November 6, 2010 at the Rusty Pelican Restaurant on Key Biscayne

Good morning and greetings to all in attendance, the presenters, honorees and those who thought enough of me to be your speaker for this occasion.  Today as we honor those who are in the trenches, day in and day out, I think it is just right for us all to take a trip to see how America has gotten to this point. This country founded by explorers, missionaries, prisoners, slaves, the rich and the poor, the educated and uneducated has a story to tell.  That Story leads us to the theme of the occasion: Is a Good Public Education a Right or a Responsibility? I say it is both. It is a right because American history has always viewed situations and asked the question how can it be better? Let’s look at the facts of this history and maybe we can see how to best answer the question.

Through the dates in this timeline, one thing permeates and is rather self-evident. That is, public schools, in America were born out of a struggle. Much like the American spirit, which strove to be the best in our global society, public education which started far behind our European, African and Asian counterpart started behind the eight ball. But like the American spirit which was born out of a revolution, it soared to great heights and for a moment in time led the world as a beacon of what education can be and should be. 

Now if we break down the words of the theme:

What is great? Of major significance or importance; remarkable or out of the ordinary in degree or magnitude or effect

Public schools by definition are schools that are for the public use, paid for by public taxes; that all students have the ability to attend.

State schools, also known as government schools or, in the United States and Canada, public schools, are schools mandated for or offered to all children by the government, whether national, regional, or local, provided by an institution of civil government, and paid for, in whole or in part, by State taxes.

What is Basic? Common, reduced to the simplest and most significant form possible without loss of generality

What is a Right? Powers or privileges granted by an agreement or law

What is a Responsibility? A duty, obligation or liability for which someone is held accountable.

The constitution of this country allows for the federal and states governments to have a role in the education of our children. They make the rules, mandates and statutes. They fund the process and say do it. They may give us the framework to play by but the opportunity adjust the framework is freely open to school districts. Through our history education has gone from being a rich, White Anglo-Saxon, Protestant male entitlement, to an institution that all persons may benefit from. This transformation didn’t and hasn’t come easy. Some Americans had to fight for it, some had to die for it, some had to watch their loved ones go off to war for it, and some had to be imprisoned for it. But damn it, we have and we ain’t/aren’t giving it back. I know that’s not proper English, but living in Miami has made me bilingual. I can speak English and profanity very well. I may have taught and worked in Kendall, Miami Beach, and Minneapolis for a while, but I was born and raised on 22nd avenue in Bunche Parke. Being truly educated allows me to speak fluently in both languages.

So the aspect of having a good public as a right is easy for me to understand. Our past, our goals, our dreams and our ability to vote gives us the right to have a good American public education.

The bigger issue is; whose responsibility is it to make sure you have a good public education? The past doesn’t have anything to do with this responsibility. This responsibility belongs to the present and the future. So who is responsible? Is it the government, school board, district and school administrators, teachers, society, parents or maybe even the one who the education is actually for the child?

In this educator’s opinion, the answer is the easiest one of all; it’s all of the above.  If we tackle this individually, arguments can be made about who is more important in making sure that a child gets a good public education. If the leaders in government have no vision (repeat) nor even the expertise in education then how will they know what methods of teaching should be enforced or forced down the throats of educators and children. Which president who was “C” average and born into a wealthy influential family by his own admission would dare say that “NO CHILD SHOULD BE LEFT BEHIND”?

What legislature, filled with former educators would make laws effecting the promotion of children regardless of the fact that; they don’t speak English, they live in shelters, they are abused, they are hungry, they are handicap? What state government would claim to support public education in an election race but not even place their own children in a public school, and then find was to withhold funding from them?

If school boards and district administrator were able to pay teachers a salary that could keep great teachers like my cousin from having to work 2 or 3 night jobs just to be able to make it in this economy. Maybe she and others could work tirelessly after school to make sure that lessons are on time and will drive student achievement. Or better yet, if we could pay teachers better, some of the excellent educators in this state and district, would stay in the classroom and not become administrators or leave education totally in order to pay our bills. (Notice I said our, cause I’m included in that number)

Teachers –I will save you for last, since we are honoring you today.

Parents, since they are the first teacher of any child, what kind of grade should parents get if their child fails. What kind of grade does a parent get, when they cannot be reached, or they don’t come to a conference, or they don’t look at progress reports that come out 4 times a year, failure notices that come out 4 times a year or report cards that come 4 times a year. When I worked at Miami Central years ago, sometimes you could never reach a parent to talk about a concern with learning or behavior (there were not that many behavior problems, don’t let the media fool you), but tell a child they couldn’t go to prom or a dance, mamma, auntie, pookie and them would be on the scene ready to fight. We grade schools and fire educators and say that they are not highly qualified. Who grades the homes and the neighbors and society about what’s important?

 I taught one summer at Miami Northwestern, when the superintendent of schools at that time, Dr. Rudy Crew threatened to end football at the school for a host of reasons. I asked my students at the time what they thought about it and they said if there was no football, there should be no school, that crime would go up and everybody would start going jail. The community raised unholy heaven and needless to say there was football that year. What if that same concern was raised all the time about education and for the laws that affect it?

When it comes to the child, the old quote about the horse and the well and drinking does come to mind. We can fund education, we can pay staff, we can have the right laws and do all the right things in the end the student must come to school, go to class, be receptive, have a dream and a goal for their future, try their best and despite any odds against them finish the course that has been set in front of them. If Richard Allen can do it so can Raheem, if Jane Adams & Mary McLeod Bethune can do it so can Shaniqua, Marie and Rosa, if immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Africa, Asia, former slaves, German & Irish immigrants and a host of others can do it, then so can our children today.

Now we come to those who we honor teachers. Teachers can make the difference. A child, who is the variable that is influenced throughout this equation, may not have all the money, or care at home. A child may get negatively impacted by the rules of the government and school districts. A child may not have the support of family and neighbors, or even be in a safe environment. But where all those areas fail a quality teacher, with love of children and a belief that children deserve a chance, that teacher can make a difference. That teacher gives until the end (love, care, time, money, clothes, and advice); they forgive when children have bad days. That teacher fills in the gap of an adult that may be missing in that student’s life. I have no birthed children of my own, but I have more kids than my granddaddy and he had 15.

The role of a teacher, though not praised in this society, is still the most noble and honorable in the world. Even though I am an administrator, I still take some time each day to be a teacher, because that’s what makes the difference.  Your responsibility is to continue to lift up the blood stained banner, your responsibility is to walk and not faint, and your responsibility is that if you have ever cared for children that you don’t leave them where you met them. You and your lessons will run on with that child until they meet the end of time. Your lessons will live on with their children and their friends for generations to come.

This country founded through adversity, racism, discrimination, sexism has a story that is unique;

This country founded through revolution, wars, conquest and treaties is still rare;

This country founded on the ideals that men and women are equal no matter their race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or handicap has a purpose.

That purpose being to allow all of its citizens to live the American dream. What is the dream, that dream is to be able to become whatever your heart so desires and give you the tools through education to achieve it. The Right of a Good Public Education is the Responsibility of everyone. Thank you and God bless you all.

 

*** Mr. Williams is an administrator with Miami-Dade County Public Schools in Miami, Florida. He is currently an assistant principal at Hialeah Senior High School.