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Separate, Unequal, and Dismal: Urban League Rekindles Leaders’ Commitments to Improve Public Schools

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “This report is a great rallying call for us. It’s important that we continue as an education community to come together and have honest conversations and dialogue,” said Dana Peterson, deputy superintendent of external affairs for the Recovery School District.

Published

4 years ago

December 30, 2019

Oakland Post

“This report is a great rallying call for us. It’s important that we continue as an education community to come together and have honest conversations and dialogue,” said Dana Peterson, deputy superintendent of external affairs for the Recovery School District. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA)

By Candace J. Semien, Jozef Syndicate, The Drum Newspaper

The Urban League of Louisiana released an equity report examining the quality of Baton Rouge public schools and identifying gaps in outcomes, access, and excellence.

Calling the findings “dismal” and “concerning,” several education stakeholders were present at the McKinley Alumni Center for a press conference and panel discussion to present data from the Advancing Educational Equity for Public Schools in Baton Rouge report.

The findings are not new neither are the gaps. However, organizers said the report analyzes the data in a way that would rekindle conversations and actions around creating equity for students attending public schools within Baton Rouge.

The report documents inequalities and an academic “opportunity gap” for historically disadvantaged students in the areas of student outcomes, school climate, school access, teacher quality, and discipline. It found great disparities in performance on state assessments by race and ethnicity. Also, less than 50% of Hispanic students earn any form of diploma or credential while 36.7% of white students earned a diploma with an Advanced credential, compared to 6.1% for Black students. (These findings were compiled from publicly available information at www.LouisianaBelieves.com)

According to Adam Smith, East Baton Rouge Schools’ associate superintendent of schools, the district has made “significant gains.” These gains include a 5% increase in student performance and an increase in the number of Black students taking Advanced Placement tests.

The report did not identify institutional or systemic barriers that have kept these results pervasive in the city and throughout Louisiana. However, the Louisiana Budget Project released a report in May identifying the impact of “highly segregated” schools.

“Louisiana and local school districts are putting themselves at a disadvantage by failing to properly address segregation in public schools,” wrote LBP.

Like LBP, the Urban League found that public schools with a majority white student population have much higher teacher retention rates, higher percentages of certified teachers, and are far more likely to be rated “A” or “B” than schools with high minority populations. Data shows that in Baton Rouge, more than half (52%) of Black students enrolled in public schools attend “D” or “F” rated schools.

“We will also be the first to admit that we are not where we want to be, but we are committed to the ongoing communication and collaboration with key partners that will be essential in moving our schools forward,” Smith said.

“The inequities that economically disadvantaged students and students of color are facing is concerning but we now have information analyzed in a way that allows us to begin addressing it,” said Judy Reese Morse, president and CEO of the Urban League of Louisiana. She encouraged Baton Rouge leaders to “use the findings to work toward building an education system that serves all students equitably.”

In a school district that is under a federal desegregation order, commitment and action towards academic equity are critical, especially as Baton Rouge faces more segregation. This report comes a week after secessionists voted to incorporate the city of St. George in an effort motivated mainly by the desire to form a separate, majority white school district.

“Louisiana and local school districts are putting themselves at a disadvantage by failing to properly address segregation in public schools,” wrote LBP. “It is time we have a genuine discussion about what it takes to ensure every child has access to quality education.”

Education reform leader Lisa Delpit, Ph.D., said inequality has also been the result of unequal funding, the lack of Black teachers, and ever-changing national policies that benefit white students and affluent students while harming others. As part of a panel that followed the news conference, Delpit challenged leaders to look closely at the findings at what has worked for Black students and replicate it.

“We must create new school models, programs, and an environment to foster innovation. I’m proud to know that we have plans in place to address these issues,” said Peterson.

These plans include having parents, educators, and school administrators assist in establishing strategies and solutions to ensure equality, said Dana Henry, vice president of education and youth development at the Urban League of Louisiana.

Although the report did not offer specific strategies or solutions, panelists did.

Delpit admonished the community at large to get involved. “Pay attention to education policies. Stand strong about redistributing funding…and those of us who can, need to support (the schools) as often as we can.”

Baton Rouge councilman LaMont Cole said panelists and organizations involved in the process—Urban League, EBR Schools, Baton Rouge Area Chamber, and New Schools—should pick a school and “get to work” giving it everything it need to be sustained.

Excellence is never an accident,” he said. “We have to choose excellence and be intentional.”

Cole, who has been a principal at several schools in the city, said equality is when administrators and teachers have what they need to reach individual students where they are, give the students exactly what they need to succeed, and then, sustain it. “Choose excellence and make it happen,” he repeated.

Chris Meyer, CEO, New Schools for Baton Rouge agreed. “We should expand schools that are working and intervene in schools that need it.”

“We must be strategically intentional. We must be deliberate in the breaking down of silos. As the city of Baton Rouge becomes more intentionally grounded in educational equity, we will reach our goals and will tear down silos while helping the students of Baton Rouge excel,” said Pamela Ravare-Jones, Ph.D., chief administrative officer who spoke on behalf of EBR Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome.

Urban League of Louisiana officials said the organization will host followup community meetings. “This report is just a road map and we’re going to build from here,” Henry said. “We are not going anywhere; we’re going to be here.”

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.