National

School Board’s Superintendent Interviews Insensitive to Emanuel Massacre

Published

11 years ago

July 7, 2015

Oakland Post

Rev. Nelson B. Rivers, III (Courtesy Photo)

By Barney Blakeney
Special to the NNPA from The Charleston Chronicle

The search for a new Charleston County schools superintendent has been an ongoing controversy. Last week that controversy persisted with the backdrop of the massacre at Emanuel AME Church.

Rev. Nelson Rivers of Charity Missionary Baptist Church in North Charleston criticized school board chair Cindy Coats and county school board members for going forward last week with the interviews of the three finalists for the job as Charleston mourned the murders of nine worshippers at Emanuel. The murders are among the worst atrocities in American history.

“Your decision to conduct the interviews of the candidates last week in the aftermath of the racist act of terrorism was unconscionable. Your level of insensitivity and disregard is amazing. How could you expect the necessary participation from the Black community, the clergy and others so soon after the brutal murders of our families and friends?”

“Among all the calls for healing and understanding, your actions stand alone as the glaring contradiction,” Rivers said. “Many elected leaders of our community spoke in unison about what must be done to not go back to business as usual … but apparently to you, it was business as usual.”

The school board interviewed the finalists June 22, 23 and 24 after the June 17 murders at Emanuel. Rivers asked if the board’s decision to move forward with the interviews was born of arrogance. He asked that the process of naming a superintendent, slated to happen this week, be delayed to allow community input. The board is expected to name its choice for superintendent by the end of the week.

Board member Rev. Chris Collins participated in the interviews, but feels critics have a valid point. His colleague Michael Miller also participated in one of the interviews. Miller said despite the atrocity at Emanuel, the school board still had business to conduct.

Charleston NAACP Vice President Rev. Joseph Darby supported Rivers’ contention over conducting the interviews even as mourners encircled Emanuel just one block away from school district headquarters on Calhoun Street.

“I keep looking for signs that the majority of the school board has an interest in all schools, children and families. I’m still waiting, but based on what I’ve seen thus far, I’m not holding my breath and will be very glad when the next election comes,” Darby said.”

Former school board chair Ruth Jordan said she thinks it was in poor taste to conduct the interviews as mourners grieved almost in front of the district’s offices. Moreover, conducting the interviews during that time didn’t allow many who wanted to participate in the process that opportunity, she said.

Jordan noted that high profile national figures such as presidential candidate Jeb Bush cancelled visits to the city during last week out of respect in the wake of the tragedy.

Conducting the interviews shows insensitivity and a lack of compassion and did not accomplish its goal of giving the public a chance to meet the finalists, Jordan said.

“They (board members) can’t say they held a public forum. The public was in mourning and was unavailable,” she said.

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Activism

Six Months in, Probate Reform Coalition Marks Progress in Protecting Elders From Financial Abuse

Despite the cited obstacles, NPRC has made some promising inroads towards their mission. NPRC has identified that nationwide the Attorneys General must be engaged and encouraged to implement oversight, protection and enforcement of the law; members find support from each other as they advocate for redress via “letters of compassion” sent to judges, nursing facilities and law enforcement agencies and members are instructed on their rights, how to take constructive action to protect those rights through access to resources that allow them to intelligently represent themselves in court.

Published

3 days ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

NPRC member Stewart E. Handte, a former Mineral County, Nevada, Sheriff and 27-year veteran of police work, currently wears an ankle monitor after he was arrested on kidnapping charges for helping his friend, Roger Hilligus, remove Hilligus’ mother, Susan Hilligus, from a nursing facility after finding her bruised and neglected. NPRC has submitted a “Letter of Compassion” for both Handte and Hilligus requesting that charges be dropped. Courtesy photo.

By Tanya Dennis

The National Probate Reform Coalition, a loose-knit national coalition of advocates, victims, and families dedicated to protecting elder rights, especially within the probate court system, was formed by the Post Newspaper Group (PNG) after more than a decade of reporting on the mistreatment of elders and the plunder of their estates.

In response, PNG Publisher Paul Cobb set in motion a series of monthly town halls to address the problem and propose workable solutions, designating it a “year of action.”

At six months, the coalition has attracted families, advocates, and experts across the nation whose strategies have proven effective in their respective states, and who are moving forward collectively with the mission of engaging judicial, legislative, and enforcement agencies to ensure elders are not exploited or abused.

“The issue of elder abuse is multi-layered”, says NPRC planning committee member Venus Gist. “Elders are our most vulnerable population, next to children, and they are easily exploited by strangers, their own family members, and the judicial system designed to protect them.”

Since January, NPRC has, via monthly virtual meetings held on the first Thursday of each month, clearly defined the issues and formulated workable solutions that can be implemented nationwide.

“There are amazing laws on the books that protect elders and their assets,” said NPRC member Zakiya Jendayi. “The problem is they are ignored, and that lack of oversight has led to systemic abuse in the Probate Court system, not just in Alameda County, but nationwide.

“The scary part is the collusion and wall of silence NPRC has encountered when reaching out to the Judicial Council, legislators, and the State Bar for assistance. It’s so obvious that one hand is washing the other, that they’re protecting each other, that it’s difficult to initiate any type of meaningful reform much less dialogue.”

Stacy Drake, a Texas member, says, “I’ve been looking for help for over 10 years with my situation, and I finally found it within the NPRC coalition. God answered my prayers.”

Broadening its reach within Alameda County, NPRC has invited Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee to assist with outreach, education, and resolution.

“We hope to host an elder abuse/elder protection symposium annually, if not twice a year, to let our elders know that Alameda County and the City of Oakland are a safe place, a place where in their golden years they have no worries regarding exploitation and abuse,” said Cobb. “Society is defined by how the care for its children and elders.”

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Bay Area

UC Berkeley Named Top Public University in the U.S. and No. 7 in the World by ‘U.S. News’

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014. “A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

Published

3 days ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo by Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley.

The 2026 Best Global Universities rankings evaluated 2,250 research institutions from more than 100 countries

By Lila Thulin

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Berkeley No. 7 in its 2026 list of the best global universities, which assesses more than 2,250 research institutions worldwide.

Berkeley also claimed the honor of top public university in the U.S.

Released on Monday, the list evaluates universities from more than 100 countries on 13 metrics such as global and research reputation (as reported by academics and peers) and number of highly cited scholarly papers.

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014.

“A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

The rankings also assess a university’s strength in various subject areas; these assessments are separate from U.S. News’ 2026 Best Graduate Programs rankings released in April.

This year, Berkeley was named in the top three nationally in seven subject areas – environment/ecology, ecology, water resources, physics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering – and in the top five for a total of 17 subjects. Subject rankings are based heavily on scholarly publications and citations as well as reputation.

In September, U.S. News also released its 2026 Best Colleges list, in which Berkeley was also named the No. 1 public institution among American universities.

That honor joins other accolades judging campus to be the best public university in the country, such as those from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education.

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Lock In Car Price: Avoid Dealer Payment Traps!

Watch the long-form video https://youtu.be/YANxGwD2CjI Don’t get swayed by monthly payments! Always settle the out-of-the-door price first, including all fees. Only then discuss monthly payments, terms, and potential add-ons. #AutoNetwork #CarBuyingTips #CarSales #DealershipSecrets #Negotiation
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Published

3 days ago

June 23, 2026

Oakland Post

Watch the long-form video

Don’t get swayed by monthly payments! Always settle the out-of-the-door price first, including all fees. Only then discuss monthly payments, terms, and potential add-ons. #AutoNetwork #CarBuyingTips #CarSales #DealershipSecrets #Negotiation

The post Lock In Car Price: Avoid Dealer Payment Traps! appeared first on BlackPressUSA.