Oakland

‘No Excuses’ Only Works When It Applies to the Adults in the School, Too

Published

6 years ago

March 1, 2018

Oakland Post

By Dirk Tillotson

Many schools with strict discipline practice what they call a “no excuses” philosophy.

The problem with many “no excuses” schools is that the motto is often imposed on children but not adults. The adults make all kinds of excuses about the kids who don’t want to learn, whose parents won’t support the school, or whatever justification they have for pushing out kids who don’t fit the mold.

OK, I’m over-generalizing about the schools, but stick with me.

As a Black parent, I know many Black families appreciate the strict discipline and structure, and many students do, too. You can see some of these positive reactions in this video of Black parents, teachers and students really addressing the issue.

Sometimes “no excuses” is a powerful two-way promise, rather than a means to shovel blame on children and families. But sometimes it is not.

IT’S A SCARY WORLD OUT THERE

As Black parents, we know that our children grow up in a very dangerous world, where small missteps can have immense consequences. Our kids often have to be better just to have an equal shot.

Black parents also more often enforce strict discipline at home. A survey a few years ago showed that Black parents were far more likely to spank their kids than Latino and White families.

And if you work in schools, you have probably seen this, parents that struck their children in school after some disciplinary issue (“sorry I gots to hotline you.”), or that threatened to beat their child once they got home (“thanks but we don’t really need your help that way.”), or even those that we might not tell about certain infractions or issues at school because we knew they would beat the child (“let’s handle this issue in house”).

Black folks are used to a harshness in society and we can be harsh within families as a protective measure. I think parents know how high the stakes are and really need their children to succeed and not transgress in the outside world. A spanking or even a switch is nothing compared to that societal lash. Strict discipline is seen as helping.

We also rely on schools more than most, so when it comes to the school model, we are risk-averse. We often don’t want some experimental approach, we want the “real schools” that many of us grew up in. And in a lot of cases those schools were very strict.

BAREFOOT BECKY

Years ago I worked with a school in a predominantly Black neighborhood that was implementing a non-traditional, very loose program, roughly based on the ideas of Reggio Emilia (note, I am not saying this a good example of it).

Very loose school structures, kids kind of milling around doing their own thing and Becky the teacher sitting barefoot on the floor, looking like she was ready for a Grateful Dead show.

Yeah, the families were not feeling that, maybe this weird way of learning will work, but we can’t take the chance. (And, yeah that school closed.)

In my experience, Black families tend to accept and want more structured and stricter environments for our kids. At times I’ve seen parents give schools the permission to corporally punish their child (uh, no thanks). So it’s not surprising to me to hear many parents praise the strict structure and support they got from “no excuses” schools.

A BAD JOKE AND SAD RESULT

Here’s a sad joke: What do you call a kid with a social anxiety disorder in a school where cold calling (not waiting for students to raise their hands to answer but just calling on kids) is an expected part of teaching?

A dropout.

Not funny.

To me the rigidity of the rules in some of these schools too often does not account for the differences between students.

I still remember a student who was one of my early exercises in stupidity as an educator. He just would not stay seated, always bobbing around the classroom, kind of bouncing on his toes. Hawkeyed, I had him constantly under surveillance, just waiting for him to get up so I could get him to sit down. He wasn’t disagreeable, but it was a constant tug of war. He didn’t even bother the other kids, they seemed used to it. It just bothered me.

Then I met his mom, I made some kind of judgmental comment about how “active” he was, and she said, “Yeah, he has been like that since the head injury.”

And I realized what a jerk I had been, for no good reason, just because the rules were to stay seated, “no excuses.” Stupid. A head injury is a damn good “excuse.” Turns out, there are a lot of good excuses out there.

TOWARDS A BETTER ‘NO EXCUSES’

I admit, my “no excuses” rant is a bit of a straw man. In the best of circumstances, the “no excuses” motto is a reciprocal promise: As a school there is no excuse for us not to figure out how to serve you, and as a student—once we remove these barriers and genuinely understand and support you—there is no excuse for you not to give your best.

And I know there are schools that do it this way. Highly structured, yet not in a rigid and unresponsive way.

I also know that many students with chaotic lives outside of school crave and thrive and feel safe in a predictable school structure, and may really need that. So these things are not incompatible and can actually succeed in combination, but it takes work.

More than that, it takes love.

When we are coming from a place of love with our students, of genuine empathy and caring, we don’t allow excuses—from ourselves or from them.

And that’s a kind of “no excuses” that I and a lot of other Black families would like to see more of.

Dirk Tillotson runs a nonprofit called Great Schools Choices, which supports community-based charter school development and increasing access for underserved families. He has worked for over 20 years supporting community charters in Oakland, New Orleans and New York City, and he blogs at Great School Voices.

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BART to Retire Legacy Trains in Public Ceremony April 20

Published

3 days ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

The Richmond Standard

Bay Area Rapid Transit’s final dispatch of legacy trains will take place on Saturday, April 20, and will be accompanied by a retirement ceremony and a final legacy ride.

At 1 p.m., the public is invited to celebrate the last run of BART’s legacy trains during a ceremony that will take place in the free area of the plaza at MacArthur Station in Oakland.

Following the ceremony, the public is invited to board a legacy train and ride from MacArthur to Fremont Station, mirroring the initial service BART provided when it opened Sept. 11, 1972.

“It’s a 45-minute trip that travels along approximately 24 miles of the original section of tracks,” BART officials said.

Multiple legacy trains will run for the event, and all will make station stops and may turn around at Bay Fair depending on the number of attendees waiting to ride. Regular fares will apply.

“These train cars are part of the history of the Bay Area,” said Bob Powers, BART general manager. “While we are excited to modernize the system, we recognize the profound cultural importance of these cars, and we want to celebrate their rich history and give them a proper send off.”

BART is now running train cars from its Fleet of the Future project.

Those nostalgic for the older trains will be able to view three of them soon at Western Railway Museum in Suisun City.

A handful of other legacy cars will be transferred to be repurposed for short-term rentals, entertainment venues, and training facilities, according to BART. Most of the legacy cars have been recycled.

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Mind, Body, and Spiritual Well-Being for Women Addressed in NAACP Forum in Oakland

The Women In The NAACP Oakland Branch is proud to announce the upcoming “Total You – Mind, Body, and Spirit Women’s Health Forum” scheduled for April 27 at Acts Full Gospel Church. Running from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 1034 66th Ave., this forum aims to provide an empowering platform for women to engage in discussions, gain knowledge, and access resources pertaining to their health and well-being.

Published

3 days ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

The panel will address various aspects of women’s health, including physical, mental and emotional well-being and relationships. iStock photo by Jorge Elizaquibel.

Special to The Post

The Women In The NAACP Oakland Branch is proud to announce the upcoming “Total You – Mind, Body, and Spirit Women’s Health Forum” scheduled for April 27 at Acts Full Gospel Church.

Running from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 1034 66^th Ave., this forum aims to provide an empowering platform for women to engage in discussions, gain knowledge, and access resources pertaining to their health and well-being.

The forum will feature renowned experts, healthcare professionals, and advocates from Genentech, John Muir Health, Sutter Health of The East Bay, Kaiser Permanente, and the Alameda County Public Health Department.

Our expert panel will address various aspects of women’s health, including physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and healthy relationships. The forum will encompass a wide range of topics such as breast cancer, menopause, reproductive health, nutrition, mental health awareness, preventive care, and much more.

Participants will have the opportunity to attend informative sessions, interactive workshops, and panel discussions led by experts in their respective fields. Additionally, there will be wellness activities, screenings, and informational booths offering valuable resources and support.

This forum is open to women of all ages and backgrounds, encouraging inclusivity and diversity in the conversation surrounding women’s health. Whether you’re seeking information for yourself, a loved one, or simply looking to connect with other women, this event promises to be enlightening and empowering.

For more information and to register for the Total You Women’s Health Forum, please visit https://www.naacpoakland.org/ or contact Dr. Delores Thompson. WIN chairwoman at (510) 328-3638.

The Women In The NAACP Oakland Branch is dedicated to empowering women, and young teen girls. We look forward to your participation in this important event.

To register, go to https://www.naacpoakland.org/events/the-total-you-womens-health-forum

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Oakland WNBA Player to be Inducted Into Hall of Fame

The Multi-Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame (MESHOF) announced that it will induct Dr. Alexis Gray-Lawson, a former WNBA player and Oakland Technical High School graduate at its inaugural Curt Flood Platinum Award Ceremony in February. Gray-Lawson’s Platinum Award is part of the Hall of Fame’s 24th Annual Bay Area induction and award ceremony, where four other retired professional athletes will be honored.

Published

3 days ago

April 20, 2024

Oakland Post

Photo Courtesy of Alexis Gray Lawson.

By Post staff

The Multi-Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame (MESHOF) announced that it will induct Dr. Alexis Gray-Lawson, a former WNBA player and Oakland Technical High School graduate at its inaugural Curt Flood Platinum Award Ceremony in February.

Gray-Lawson’s Platinum Award is part of the Hall of Fame’s 24th Annual Bay Area induction and award ceremony, where four other retired professional athletes will be honored.

The banquet and ceremony will be held from 5:45 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, at the George P. Scotlan Convention Center at Oakland’s Marriott Civic Center Hotel.

“I am truly honored to receive this incredible nomination,” said Dr. Alexis Gray-Lawson, who, along with college teammate Devanei Hampton, lead Oakland Tech to its second consecutive state title in 2005. “It took a village to raise me and get me here, and I truly am excited to continue the legacy.”

Gray-Lawson, a “second team” Parade All-American and an All-State honoree, as a senior in ’05, was chosen for the California Interscholastic Federation sportsmanship award. She only lost one game throughout her four-year career in high school. Her jersey was retired at Oakland Tech and placed in the National High School Hall of Fame as a four-time All-City recipient, averaging 17.2 points per game during her career.

Gray-Lawson received scholarships in volleyball, softball, and basketball before deciding to travel up College Avenue to the University of California, Berkeley. There, she played in more basketball games (143) than any other player in Golden Bears’ history. She finished her career as the Bears all-time 3-point leader (211), and she is ranked third in scoring with 1,982 points.

An All-Pac 10 and honorable mention All-American in 2010, Gray-Lawson also was the top player at 5’8” or under for the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award. Later that year, she was a third-round pick of the Washington Mystics in 2010 and played with the Phoenix Mercury of the Women’s National Basketball Association in 2011 and 2012. She also played professionally overseas in Turkey and Israel.

Other inductees are Clifford Ray (Basketball); Lee Lacy (Baseball); Spencer Haywood (Basketball); and Mohinder Singh Gil (Track & Field).

Organizers say the event promises to be a “historic and celebratory evening,” and iconic personalities from across the professional sports industry and its various disciplines will attend.

The no-host cocktail hour begins at 5:45 p.m.; dinner at 6:45 p.m.; and the ceremony at 7:45 p.m. All times are prompt. General tickets are $250.00; Seniors (65 and older) $150.00, and students $50. This includes dinner and the ceremony. Tables of 10 are available as well, and early purchase is recommended.

MESHOF is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring athletes from all corners of the globe who have made significant contributions to the world of sports and broadening the public’s understanding of the contributions people of color have made to professional sports; and to provide educational life skills and mentorship opportunities for deserving youth. Proceeds will help maintain the City of Oakland’s Curt Flood Field, Oakland Parks & Recreation, and MESHOF’s after school and mental health initiatives.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.multiethnicsportshof.com. For additional information, please contact: Arif Khatlib @ afrosportshall@aol.com or India Alston @ india@beamcreativehouse.com