Houston Defender: July 29, 2010

July 29 – August 4, 2010 | FREE

Volume 79 Number 40

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ONE ON ONE

The Sherrods What America must do now

By Hazel Trice Edney NNPA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – Former Department of Agriculture Rural Development Director Shirley Sherrod of Southwest Georgia, still reeling from the blow of an assault on her job, character and civil rights record, told the Black Press of America that she hopes the travesty of justice that happened to her will now help America move forward with racial healing.

She and her husband, the Rev. Charles Sherrod, a leading civil rights organizer, who actually marched and organized alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. from 1961 and was arrested five times during the civil rights movement, spoke in separate phone interviews with the NNPA News Service.

The Sherrods, who reside in Albany, Ga., reflected on the pains of the past as well as

the meaning of the recent attack and how they have been long prepared for it. That includes Mrs. Sherrod having suffered the shooting death of her father at the hands of a Klansman more than 40 years ago.

The highly respected civil rights and racial justice work of this couple underscored the irony as she was forced to resign

by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack because of a distorted and edited videotaped version of a March 2010 speech to the NAACP in which she was made to appear as if she had discriminated against a white farmer.

In a nutshell, Obama appointee Secretary Vilsack fired her without first hearing the context of the remarks. The videotaped remarks out of context were also condemned by the NAACP, whose president, ★SHERRODS, Page 4

Photo: Francine D. Caldwell/NNPA

The Rev. Charles and Shirley Sherrod relax in their Southwest Georgia home after coming through yet another racial storm. Shirley Sherrod was still considering the offer of another job from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.

IN 100TH ANNIVERSARY SPEECH

Morial promises NUL is here to stay

By Hazel Trice Edney

Hundreds of cell phones are confiscated in prisons each year.

Prison cell phone ban approved SPECIAL TO THE NNPA FROM THE AFRO-AMERICAN NEWSPAPERS

WASHINGTON (NNPA) Inmates in federal prisons will have a tougher time using cell phones and wireless devices after both chambers of Congress recently voted in favor of a bill restricting their use behind bars.

Congress voted July 20 to close a loophole in federal law by restricting the use or possession of ★CELL PHONE BAN, Page 8

NNPA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

WASHINGTON (NNPA) – The National Urban League, known for its hundreds of affiliates tucked in mostly inner city neighborhoods across the nation is confronting the human faces of unemployment, home loss and economic blight every day.

That is the reason that a hundred years since its founding, NUL President Marc Morial is challenging people – from the Congress to the grassroots to see and be sensitized to the economic pain that his affiliate staff members must deal with daily.

“Look around, and they will see what we see: 15 million Americans out of work. A national unemployment rate of nearly 10 percent, with AfricanAmerican unemployment much worse at nearly 16 percent,” he listed in prepared remarks for his anniversary speech Wednesday at the National Urban League kick off, held at the First Baptist Church Glenarden in Landover, Md. He continued, “Nearly half of African-American teens can’t find work. Look around, and they will see what we see: a million young people dropping out of school each year. Look around, and they will see what we see: African-Americans and Latinos are two to four times more likely to lack health insurance. Look around, and they will see what we

see: an epidemic of housing foreclosures; tax cuts being promoted by some for only the wealthiest; jobs being shipped overseas; a trillion dollars misspent on the war in Iraq.”

And even with the clarity of those social and economic ills, some still have the audacity to ask “whether the National Urban League is still relevant,” Morial said.

“Perhaps they suffer from a form of beltway Blindness, or they are living in a gated community, or in a fancy office that is detached from reality.”

The NUL, moving into its second century, once again finds itself shepherding the nation through a crisis, Morial said. It is those who are in positions to avert the disasters that disappoint him most.

“In the face of all of this, as opposed to a coalition of the willing, we have a cabal of obstructionists in the United States Senate, who’ve used the filibuster time and time again to block action on things like

summer jobs for our teens,” he said. “How can anyone stand in the way of providing real work opportunities to the young people who represent our future leaders? How can anyone stand in the way of providing an opportunity for young people to learn the value of real work and the work ethic that summer job opportunities can provide?”

Morial says the summer jobs failure is an indication that America has lost a significant part of its conscience.

“There is something inconsistent and wrong when a nation will commit a trillion dollars to bail out financial institutions and a trillion dollars to undertake wars and a trillion dollars in tax loopholes filtered through the federal budget that would equivocate when it comes to something so basic, simple and wholesome as summer jobs for our teens.”

He promised that the NUL will not flinch, but will stay around into the next century as a friend to the poor and disadvantaged: “As long as there are people out of work, as long as there are people in need of better schools, as long as there’s a need for safe, decent and wholesome afterschool programs, as long as there are people who long to become homeowners and are looking for somewhere to turn, this National Urban League and Urban League Movement is not only relevant, but we are here to stay.”

INTERVIEW

Ogletree weighs in

By Kam Williams CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Charles Ogletree, Jr. was born in Merced, California on December 31, 1952, the eldest of five children to bless the union of migrant farm workers Willie Mae and Charles Ogletree, Sr. A bright child who exhibited an intellectual curiosity from an early age, Charles credits his parents and grandparents for whetting that insatiable thirst for knowledge.

He would matriculate at Stanford University, where he earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Political Science before heading to Harvard Law School. Since graduating, he’s enjoyed a storybook career as a public intellectual, between teaching at Harvard and moderating a host of television shows, perhaps most notably, “The State of the Black Union” and “The Fred Friendly Seminars.”

Professor Ogletree has been a frequent guest on every-

thing from “Nightline” to “Frontline” to “Tavis Smiley” to “Larry King Live” to “The Today Show” to “Good Morning America.” As an attorney, he has represented a number of high-profile clients, most recently, fellow Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates of “Beergate” fame.

Currently, Professor Ogletree is the Jesse Climenko Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, where he serves as the founder and executive director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice. He is also the author of seven books on race and the law, including his latest, The Presumption of Guilt, a sobering deconstruction of the Gates case, specifically, and of racial profiling, in general He has received numerous awards and honors, including being named one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans by Ebony Magazine. In the wake of the Sergeant

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Race, Heat, Economic Light

★OGLETREE, Page 2

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JULY 29 – AUGUST 4, 2010 | DEFENDER

Ogletree

continued from page 1 Crowley-Professor Gates incident, Professor Ogletree continues to serve as special counsel to President Obama and as an advisor on police behavior to both Harvard University and the City of Cambridge.

Kam Williams: Professor Ogletree, I’m honored to have this opportunity.

Charles Ogletree: Thanks. How are you?

KW: Just fine. What interested you in writing The Presumption of Guilt, a book about Professor Gates’ arrest?

CO: The main thing was that it clearly raised the issues of race and class, and offered the perfect opportunity to talk about our lagging effort to solve the problem of racial profiling, and also to notice that the issue is not restricted to those who find themselves frequently in the criminal justice system. So, I thought that part of the intrigue would be to show how wide an array of Black men find themselves presumed guilty when they haven’t committed anything close to a crime.

KW: I loved the second half of the book the best, where you have 100 prominent brothers talk about being profiled. I have personally been subjected to profile stops at least 25 times in my life. How do you feel about the official report on the Gates case, which was recently released?

CO: I thought it was incredibly helpful in coming up with suggestions about going forward in terms of reaching out to and engaging the community, and in terms of community policing and examining whether charges like disorderly conduct can be administered in a neutral, professional and dispassionate way. On the other hand, when they said that both Sergeant Crowley and Professor Gates had missed equal opportunities to deescalate the situation, I thought that it was inappropriate and unfair to suggest that the citizen has the same power as the police in a situation like that. The police have the authority, the power and the responsibility to control the situation, because they have the powers of arrest.

KW: What about how Professor Gates handled himself?

CO: Professor Gates was angry and did ask why he was being treated like this. But that was because he had produced two forms of I.D., and had done everything the officer had asked

Charles Ogletree hopes his new book, The Presumption of Guilt will further the race discussion in America. him to do in identifying himself, and yet there were still questions about whether he was who he claimed he was. So, that’s why I think the review has a serious flaw when it equates the actions of Professor Gates with those of Sergeant Crowley.

KW: In his book “The Best Defense” your colleague Alan Dershowitz says that one thing they never teach you in law school is that any cop’s testimony is sacrosanct and treated like Gospel in the courtroom. So, I assume that in the Gates case you were up against the legal system’s inclination to rubber stamp a police officer’s word.

CO: Absolutely! The interesting thing though is that Alan Dershowitz praised my book in a very strong blurb, and wants to do even more about the issue.

KW: One of my editors, Howard Manly of the Bay State Banner, is among the 100 black men whose profiling incidents are quoted in your book. I told him I’d be interviewing you, and he said he’d like to know what you think about the evolution of Barack Obama and his handling of so many crises on a daily basis.

CO: Howard’s a good buddy. What’s interesting about Obama is that he’s had the opportunity to make more judgments not just with his brilliant mind but with his big heart. That’s a good thing, because he has this cerebral quality.

In addition, I have seen him grow enormously in both stating his case and learning more about politics, as well as in having this ability to multi-task. To think that with two wars and a financial crisis going on, he still was able to get a nearly $800 billion stimulus package, health-

care, regulatory reform and extensions of unemployment benefits passed, is a sign of what he has done and can do. Far too much of it is overshadowed by the vehement resistance to him, but the reality is that he’s doing a terrific job under trying circumstances.

KW: You taught both Barack and Michelle at Harvard. What were they like as students?

CO: They had very different personalities.

Michelle came from a very strong family. Her parents made it possible for her and her brother to go to Princeton. When she came to Harvard, she was a remarkable student who was committed to public service. While here, she worked with Legal Aid, which meant she represented poor clients in civil matters. I was convinced, back in 1985, that she was going to be the first Black female to become a U.S. Senator. It was clear that she had that capacity.

Barack came after she had already graduated.

He was the brightest person in the room, but he always reached out to make sure the voices of other students were heard. He had the balance of not only being great in the classroom, but a pretty impressive game on the basketball court, even though he was skinny with an unorthodox jump shot. And as smart as he was, he was humble, which enabled him to get elected the first Black President of the Harvard Law Review by his colleagues. Then, despite his academic success, he wanted to go back to Chicago to work as an organizer, which was extremely helpful to the community. So, he’s had one success after another that’s led him to the right place. It’s been remarkable!

KW: How hard was it having such a high-profile case?

CO: It’s actually, more of a strain on the client than the lawyer. I’ve represented everybody from Anita Hill to Tupac Shakur, with so many others in between, that I don’t mind the publicity, provided it doesn’t violate my client’s fundamental rights. What was interesting in this case was that people focused on class more than race, and saw Professor Gates as arrogant and aloof, even though in my view, everything that he had to say was protected. The other point is that I hope the case sheds light on how it is within our capacity to solve a problem without regard to race, religion, gender or any other factor.

KW: What do you think will be the legacy of Skip Gates?”

CO: As much as he’s accomplished as a

MacArthur Genius Fellow, having written over a half-dozen books, having received numerous honorary degrees and other awards, and having the highest title granted any Harvard University Professor, he still will be remembered, unfortunately, for better or worse, for the arrest and the Beer Summit. But if it creates a teachable moment, he has no hesitation to use it as a learning experience for himself and for others who might encounter a similar situation.

KW: Am I now legally required to speak respectfully to a police officer? In other words, can someone be arrested simply for having a bad attitude?

CO: The reality is much more complicated than that. Speech is one of the most cherished fundamental rights in our society. We have to be careful where we draw the line, even if the words are controversial, obnoxious, offensive or troubling. That’s the reason I wrote the book, so that people understand that they have a First Amendment right to say reasonable things and to be heard, and to act in a defiant way, so long as they don’t put themselves or the police office at harm.

KW: Do you think we are in a post-racial era in the United States?

CO: We’re not in a post-racial era, because whether you’re the President of the United States, walking along the street, entering a hotel or working in certain places, race still matters.

We may have one Black man in the White House, but we have one million Black men in prison. So, we still have that and many other fundamental problems, like unemployment, mortgage foreclosures and a lack of healthcare.

So, my sense is that we all have to fight as diligently as we can to create a post-racial environment. But it’s a little premature to say that we’re there yet, even though it’s a significant shift in the political climate to have the country elect an African-American President.

KW: What was your secret to breaking through barriers to reach the pinnacle of success?

CO: Three things: First, nurturing parents and grandparents who had nothing but an abiding faith that things would get better for their children and grandchildren, and who prayed for that day to happen. Second, a thirst for knowledge that came as a young kid, and being able to read books to think things through and to ★OGLETREE, Page 8

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Sherrods

continued from page 1 Ben Jealous, later said in a statement of apology that they were “snookered by Fox News and Tea Party Activist Andrew Breitbart,” the blogger who released the edited video out of context.

But, as the truth was revealed by the release of the full video, Sherrod not only received public apologies from Vilsack and an offer of employment back at the Agriculture Dept.- an offer that she was still considering at NNPA deadline - but she also received a phone call from President Obama himself, who she said expressed heartfelt regrets.

The heroes in the midst of the storm of criticism were the white farmers, 88-year-old Roger Spooner, and his wife Eloise, who appeared live on CNN. They rebuked all who had condemned Sherrod.

“I couldn’t believe it. She was unbelievably helpful in every way. She saved our farm,” he said. “This all here is a bunch of hogwash in my opinion. She was as nice to us as anyone could have been. As far as racism and all, that’s just ridiculous.”

In interviews, this week, both the Rev. and Mrs. Sherrod of Albany, Ga., give passionate reflections on last week’s painful controversy. They discuss their deeply personal wounds and where they hope America will go from here.

Interview with Mrs. Shirley Sherrod: NNPA: How have you gotten through this? It must have been so painful knowing your family’s history and background and your husband’s history and background in civil rights.

Shirley Sherrod: It’s been the prayers of people around this country and my prayers and my family’s prayers that helped me to deal with this.

But, you have to know that when you’re in the struggle, you deal with these bumps in the road. I’ve had to deal with so many difficult things through my life that it’s hard to even look at this as a crisis because I’ve had to deal with some for years.

NNPA: So, are you saying that in the context of all that you’ve had to deal with, that this is like a bump in the road?

Shirley Sherrod: Well, it’s been a big bump. But, I’ve had to deal with stuff for years…But, you have to do what you’ve got to do and don’t let it get you unfocused and just continue working.

NNPA: Is there anything new and different that the Obama Administration can do going forward pertaining to civil rights or Black people that you think was revealed during your situation?

Shirley Sherrod: Well, I think they’ve got to be willing to discuss the issues. I think they shouldn’t be afraid to discuss the issues because I’m a believer that if we can try to talk through things, we can probably get to a point where we can find some common ground to work from. But, if you continue to brush it under the rug and think the problem is over, it doesn’t go away and we saw that [last] week. And I think that’s what has happened.

NNPA: Is that something that you think the White House should initiate - a discussion or forum on race?

Shirley Sherrod: Well, right now I can’t say that’s where it needs to come from, but they certainly need to play a role.

NNPA: Were you disappointed at the NAACP? Shirley Sherrod: Yes, ma’am.

Yes, ma’am. You know, yes I was. To be the brunt of their criticism - of all agencies when you look at my work and it was the NAACP, oh my goodness. I’ve put in more

JULY 29 – AUGUST 4, 2010 | DEFENDER

years working, probably than, I don’t know how old Ben Jealous is…

NNPA: 37 Shirley Sherrod: Hey, I’ve worked more years than his age. I’ve been working 45 years.

NNPA: Of course they apologized, but even with all the apologies, it’s like where do we go from here as it pertains to race in America?

Shirley Sherrod: We have to discuss it. We have to make some attempt to deal with it.

We can’t not deal with it. What are we leaving for our children who come along behind us?

Are we setting up another hundred years of the same thing?

NNPA: Are you hurt that Andrew Breitbart has not apologized to you?

Shirley Sherrod: I probably don’t need to, you know. An apology from him, what will it mean? If he said it right now, I don’t think he would mean it. I think he would just be saying it because of pressure from people.

NNPA: You said on CNN that you thought that he would want to see all Black people back in slavery. In other words, you implied that you felt that he was a racist.

Shirley Sherrod: I know he is. It takes a racist to be able to do what he’s doing.

NNPA: When do you plan to decide where you go from here? Have you gotten any book offers? We saw you on The View. You are really out there.

Shirley Sherrod: I was telling my sister this morning that I guess everything I’ve done up to now prepared me for this.

But, I wasn’t scared. I have four sisters. I told her it was

Shirley Sherrod and her husband Charles have long been fighting civil rights injustices. just like sitting down talking to you all.

NNPA: So, how do you see the rest of your life? How has this impacted your life?

Shirley Sherrod: Well it has certainly changed because down here, people who know my work and my husband and my family, I go to the grocery store and I spend a little more time because I run into people I know and talk to. But, now that’s changed to everywhere I go. (Laughter). I’m here getting my car washed and the lady here, she is white. She just said, ‘I love you’.

NNPA: Is there anything that you would want to say that I didn’t ask about this moment to Black America moving forward?

Shirley Sherrod: I’ve never wanted the limelight. That’s just not me. But, if the things that have happened to me this week really help move us; those of us who live in this country to a better place where

we can try to deal with the racial issues, the issues of love and togetherness; then I feel that everything that I’ve been through is worth it.

Interview with Rev. Charles Sherrod Sr. NNPA: How have you handled what you and your wife have gone through the past week, given your history?

Charles Sherrod: Well, it’s not something new to have been misinterpreted or lied on by the press. We’ve gone through that for 50 years, so that was no surprise that a straight line truth is turned into a crooked lie. That’s a part of our training in the civil rights movement.

NNPA: But, did it surprise you at all in 2010?

Charles Sherrod: It surprised me because the nature of the beast is still the same as it was in 1961. It is still racists who control our economy and who control much of the cultural development in our country.

And we know that they are the enemy in our fight. We fight with love, but we’re not a bunch of simpletons. We have been taught by this monster, whipped in place, told to stay in our place, but we’ve refused to do so. So, when you refuse to do so, you stand in danger of the wrath of the beast.

NNPA: Why do you think they were so quick to want her to resign before they even looked into the facts?

Charles Sherrod: Because a race step in our society is unforgiveable. We know that people have died from it. And this administration knows that the eyes of the conservatives are glued on them and they are looking for any chance to pounce on the image of the President. And so they are being careful. He took a big risk in having the beer summit.

And that evidently didn’t come out as well as he would have liked it to come out, just a simple negotiating, sitting down and love, peaceful – There were no armies at war there – seemingly. But, there were.

Our nation is based unfortunately on racist foundations.

The people who accept the racist perspectives are not going to give up in a day; nor a week. I’m 73 years old and I’ve been doing this for 50 years. I started out as a child.

But, this has taught me that this monster, this racist society, can change its moods, can change its forms, can maneuver, can throw a rock and hide its hand, can throw a rock and show its hand. When it has the power to do so, it does so.

NNPA: What can be taken away from this?

Charles Sherrod: It’s a lot to take in and it’s taken us years

to prepare for this day. But, the good thing about all of this is that it’s before the nation. Just that it’s before the nation, it’s where we’ve always wanted it to be - the question of who holds the power in our society and is that power racist power?

Is that power used to put poor people in one place, colored people in another place and white people in still another place? That’s a question of racism.

NNPA: This has catapulted this whole question, this whole race debate before the nation, but what do we do with it, where do we go from here, what can actually move us forward on this issue of race?

Charles Sherrod: We’ve taken a first step. The first step is to confront each other; look at each other in the mirror, I as a Black person and others, whatever hues they are, whatever has made you what you are, sitting down at a table with somebody across the table on an equal basis. That’s the key.

Can we talk together in our society on an equal basis, accepting all the powers that you may have with all the powers that I may have, sitting down and making a conversation? That’s got to occur all over the country though. And occurring all over the country means it occurs in newspapers, it occurs in magazines, it occurs in TV forums, various media groups like CNN to push it. Just about every one of their programs had it on. All of the media has got to do this.

We all have got to do this.

NNPA: We’ve got to do it, but is there something more that the President should do at this ★SHERRODS, Page 8

OUR HEALTH

JULY 29 – AUGUST 4, 2010 | DEFENDER

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A Defender & Texas Children’s Hospital Alliance

Back to School

Get a healthy start to the school year

A

Texas Children’s recommends that every child receive a yearly physical.

s you stock up on school supplies and clothes for the upcoming school year, make sure your child’s health is at the top of your back-to-school to-do list.

The weeks preceding the first day of school are the perfect time to schedule an annual well-child appointment with your pediatrician.

“Every child needs a yearly physical,” explains Dr. Leah Matthews, a pediatrician with Texas Children’s Pediatric Associates – North Shore. “Many parents believe that once a child has received all of his vaccinations that an annual well-child visit isn’t necessary but this simply is not the case. This exam gives parents a chance to discuss any issues related to their child’s health and development as well as any learning or attention problems that occurred in the previous school year.”

The back-to-school visit also may uncover visual or hearing impairments that, if untreated, may lead your child not to do as well as he could in school.

“Depending upon what a pediatrician finds during the vision screening of an annual physical, she may refer your child to an optometrist or an opthamologist for further treatment,” explained Matthews.

If your family is starting off in a new school district this year, make sure you understand the new school’s health requirements and bring this information to your pediatrician for review. It’s never safe to assume that your former school and your new school will have the same health requirements. Also make sure to completely and carefully fill out any health-related paperwork for the school.

Parents also can prepare for a healthy school year by ensuring their child has healthy sleeping habits, eats a nutritious breakfast and lunch, and has a backpack that, when filled, weighs no more than five percent to 10 percent of the child’s body weight.

Parents take the stress out of heading back to school When kids head back to class, it can be exciting and stressful for children and their parents. To help families make a smooth transition to the new school year, Texas Children’s offers these tips for a stress-free return to school.

Get a grip on stress • Your relationship with your child and your behavior toward your children influences them, so you must remain calm even when stress is high. Build in extra time, put less-important projects on hold, stay rested and keep the lines of communication open with your children and spouse.

• Be reassuring. Listen to your children’s worries and don’t minimize, dismiss or try to talk them out of these fears.

• Take care of yourself. Consider your own needs and wants as well as those of your children.

Get organized • Create one location, folder or file to store your child’s documents, schedules, permission slips, directories and other important paperwork.

• Add the school schedule to your calendar, planner or refrigerator.

• Be prepared for your child’s days off from school. Arrange back-up childcare and network with other parents in case of emergencies. Make sure their contact information is handy. ★HEADING BACK Page 6

Starting school can be a stressful time for parents. Getting organized in advance can help your family relax.

Is your child mentally ready to head back to class?

Communicating with kids about their concerns and worries related to school helps set the tone for a positive start to the school year.

As the first day of school nears, most children are either excited about heading back to school or simply understand it’s a part of life and don’t think much about it. However, some kids – from kindergarteners to teens – may be experiencing excessive anxiety about school, which could make the first day and weeks of school a battle for families. If your child is one of them, read on for helpful tips on how to beat the back-to-school blues.

Preparing your child for a new school New experiences can lead to anxiety for anyone – kids included. When a child starts a new school or transitions to middle or high school, worry is not unusual; in fact, it’s normal.

“With respect to a new school, I think parents must really communicate with their child and try to anticipate problems or fears he or she may have,” says Dr. David Crawford, child psychologist with the Texas Children’s Learning Support Center. “Sometimes parents believe that it’s better to not bring up anxieties their child may be facing, but this just isn’t true. Before the start of school, when there’s no pressure, find a time to sit down with your child and talk about a plan to address his or her fears.”

About Texas Children’s Hospital Texas Children’s Hospital is committed to a community of healthy children by providing the finest pediatric patient care, education and research. Renowned worldwide for its expertise and breakthrough developments in clinical care and research, Texas Children’s is ranked in the top ten best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report.

For more information on Texas Children’s Hospital, visit www.texaschildrens.org.

Before beginning at a new school, Crawford suggests parents: • Have a brainstorming discussion with children to give them an outlet to identify and talk about their fears and concerns – whether real or imagined. Many times when children are able to talk with parents openly about what scares them, fear is greatly reduced.

• Take a tour of the school before the first day. Let your child become familiar with the new environment when you can be there for support.

• Prior to the first day, connect your child to at least one person at the school, preferably one staff (possibly at the time of the tour) and one student (possibly a neighbor’s child or friend from previous school or year).

“If you can get your child off to a good first day, first week and first six weeks, it’s unbelievably valuable for setting the pace and tone for the whole year,” says Crawford.

When your child doesn’t want to go to school Whining about school is certainly not uncommon, but when a child seems dead-set against going to school, parents may be confused on the best way to handle this ★BACK TO CLASS, Page 6

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Back to class

continued from page 5 challenge. In this situation, Crawford explains, parents need to balance being compassionate and understanding with matter-of-fact firmness about what is and what is not going to happen; that is, they must attend school and cannot stay home.

“Parents need to let children know that while they understand and feel compassion for their concerns and fears, the only way to conquer those fears is by going to school,” Crawford says. “With this one conversation, parents can demonstrate their soft and firm sides to their children.”

The worst thing parents can do is to let children miss that first day of school. “Typically, even with school-anxious children, after a few days when they realized they can handle school, most children will feel a sense of mastery over their anxieties – a critical developmental trait,” explains Crawford.

Calming the parent’s anxiety Unknowingly, parents may be passing on their anxieties and uncertainties about school to their children. Approaching the school year in a positive manner is key to starting the year off right for everyone in the family.

“Parents need to set the emotional tone for the upcoming year, focusing on the positive while letting kids know there may be some difficulties along the way,” says Crawford. “Setting an anxiety-low, confidence-high tone and reassuring children that you’ll deal with things together as they come up will really help kids get through the first days of school.”

If anxiety persists For the vast majority of students, strong communication and parental support should alleviate school-related anxiety. But for some children, the anxious feelings don’t dissipate.

“Some 10 percent to 20 percent of children and teens have school-related anxiety that persists for six to eight weeks or even longer,” says Crawford. “If your initial efforts to calm your child’s fears haven’t worked, other issues may be causing the anxiety, such as a learning disability, bullying or a mental-health problem. It’s important to seek a professional consultation sooner rather than later so your child won’t suffer for the entire school year.”

In addition to school counselors, most families already have a relationship with someone who can help with this problem. “Pediatricians are a fantastic source of information and are well versed in being the frontline professional advocates in helping manage school-related problems,” explains Crawford. “They also can give you referrals to other professionals who can help with these issues.”

OUR HEALTH

JULY 29 – AUGUST 4, 2010 | DEFENDER

20 fast and healthy snack ideas Sending your child off to school with good snacks and treats in their lunchbag can make you a “rock star” for the day. Packing healthy and tasty snacks can be difficult, but a little planning and preparation can make the world of difference for your child’s health and energy while at school.

Check out these 20 healthy snack suggestions from Texas Children’s Food and Nutrition Services. Enjoy!

1. Light yogurt mixed with any of the following: 1 ⁄2 cup Grape Nuts, 2 tablespoons almonds, 1⁄2 cup dried oats, 1⁄2 cup low fat yogurt, 1⁄2 cup berries or fruit of choice 2. Sargento light string cheese, with seven reduced-fat Triscuits 3. 1 whole-wheat or reduced-fat tortilla with 3 tablespoons Guiltless Gourmet bean dip, and 1 slice of reduced fat/fat free cheese. Dip in salsa.

4. Apple or banana with 2 tablespoons peanut butter 5. Trail mix: – 1⁄2 cup pretzels, cereal of choice or Teddy Grahams – 3 tablespoons raisins, cranraisins or dried fruit – 1 to 2 tablespoons raw and unsalted peanuts, almonds, pecans or nut of choice Throw in a few M&Ms or chocolate chips for a colorful and tasty treat 6. Tuna kit with light mayo

7. Dannon Light Yogurt Smoothie with a small piece of fruit 8. Half of a whole-wheat English muffin or bagel, topped with marinara sauce and reduced fat cheese.

Bake until cheese is melted.

9. 1 cup of easy-to-bag veggies (baby carrots, sliced cucumbers, sliced bell peppers, sugar snap peas) with light ranch and crackers or a piece of fruit 10. 1 whole-wheat Eggo waffle with 1 tablespoon peanut butter and 1⁄2 small banana 11. 4 oz. reduced fat cottage cheese with 1⁄2 cup fruit of choice mixed together 12. Nature Valley Granola pack (contains 2 bars) with a piece of fruit

Preparing your child for kindergarten Enrolling in kindergarten is a big step – for parents as well as children.

The following tips from Dr. Teri Turner, pediatrician at Texas Children’s Hospital and assistant professor of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine, may help ease the transition from home to school: • Visit the school with your child and meet the principal and teacher.

• Find out what your child will learn and what supplies are needed.

• Discuss the teacher’s role, as well as how your child will be expected to behave.

• Talk to your child about a typical school day.

• Review traffic, bus and general safety rules with your child.

• Tell school personnel who is allowed to pick up your child after school.

• Be sure your child knows what to do if that person does not arrive.

• Share your enthusiasm for learning and offer frequent encouragement and praise.

13. Low-fat/low-sugar pudding snack pack with a serving of Teddy Grahams (around 24) 14. 3 cups Smart Pop popcorn with a piece of fruit 15. 1 cup low-fat hot chocolate made with 2 tablespoons cocoa, 8 oz. skim or 1 percent milk, and 1-2 Splenda packets. Serve with 2 graham crackers.

16. 1 slice of whole-wheat toast, topped with sliced tomatoes and reduced fat mozzarella, sprinkle basil or seasoning of choice. Bake until cheese melts.

17. 1 whole-wheat Eggo, topped with light yogurt and sliced fruit 18. Apple salad: dice apple into small pieces, stir in 1 ⁄2 cup Light Cool Whip and 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts. Mix and enjoy.

19. 1 tortilla, 1 oz. sliced turkey, 1 slice fat-free/ low-fat cheese 20. Spinach quesadillas: 2 corn tortillas, spinach, 1⁄2 cup Sargento light cheese. Spray pan with Pam and cook until cheese melts. Dip in salsa.

Heading back

continued from page 5 Get stocked • Shopping for supplies and clothes can be fun, but don’t overdo it. Decide what’s necessary and buy one or two non-essential items each pay period.

• Buy in bulk and distribute supplies as needed.

Get set up • Start fresh this school year. Your kids are a year older and things have changed, so be sure to reassign chores, renegotiate allowances and schedule the after-school activities.

• While change is good, be aware that too much too soon can make even the most cooperative child balk.

• Think about and choose special places and times – quiet corners or certain tables – where

your children know they can concentrate on reading and homework.

• Talk with children about how to structure study times and expectations for performance.

Create a plan to help them reach these goals.

Get acquainted • Establish ways to communicate with teachers and other parents, while maintaining a professional attitude in your dealings with school and extracurricular contacts.

• Parents of similar-age children can be a terrific resource and sounding board.

• When parents and teachers have regular discussions about school and home events, children – especially younger ones – feel a more trusting connection with the school as a whole, and tend to try harder both socially and academically.

SPORTS

JULY 29 – AUGUST 4, 2010 | DEFENDER

7

Prairie View Much needed upgrade to sports complex announced

By Max Edison DEFENDER

After an almost 50-year drought, the athletic department at Prairie View recently unveiled plans to build its new sports complex. The conceptual design was introduced at the University’s National Alumni Convention in New Orleans recently. The complex will feature a new football stadium and athletic sports facility.

The first phase will feature a new 15,000-seat football stadium and accompanying Athletic Department Center. The new stadium is slated to be located directly South of Blackshear Stadium (current tailgating area) and include a FieldTurf playing surface, reserved seating, state-of-the-art press box, on-site ticket booths, club seating, luxury suites and an enhanced tailgating and parking area.

Proposed to sit on the stadium’s north end, the Athletic Department Center would replace the current home of the athletic department (in temporary buildings) and features over 74,000-square feet of studentathlete space that would contain a new weight room, locker and dressing rooms, an Academic Enhancement and tutoring area, team/position meeting rooms and additional space for team equipment. In addition, the center would also house the Department of Athletics administrators and a memorabilia area featuring the Prairie View Sports Hall of Fame.

Coming off the school’s first SWAC football championship in 45 years and record freshman enrollment, PV president Dr. George Wright believes the time is right for athletic expansion.

“We are planning for our future in the area of athletics,” President Wright explained. “With the support of the Prairie View A and M Foundation, we are embarking on a campaign to raise funds specifically for new athletic facilities. As you can imagine, this important campaign comes at an ideal time as the University is poised to have significant growth, additional program offerings and athletic prowess.”

Artist rendering of phase one of the new PV Athletic complex.

With a projected cost of $60 million for the first phase, fundraising efforts are now underway for this historic project. The Prairie View A & M Foundation has committed to take on the role to lead the fundraising efforts and will partner closely with the University’s Development and Athletic Offices to reach the goal with the construction timelines and final project selections occurring at the discretion of the University.

Established in 2009, the Foundation is dedicated to the support of Prairie View A&M University through scholarships, fellowships, endowments, unrestricted gifts and capital projects that advance the institutions fulfillment of its mission.

Foundation chairman Roy Perry is pleased to see the proposed complex and what it symbolizes.

“It’s a major step. With the release of the renderings it says the University has made the initial step to respond to alumni concerns and desires over the years,” Perry said.

“Now that we have the first step in

place we’re looking to the alumni organizations to respond in kind with donations to support this sports complex. We have to get started aggressively raising money to get to a point where we can start construction.”

Panther Athletic Director Fred Washington explains the significance of the release of the renderings.

“We’re trying to establish ourselves to the public at large that we are a fully-certified NCAA Division I program,” Washington explained. “We want to show our student athletes are entitled to the same services and privileges that a student athlete at any other Division I program is entitled too and our fans are entitled to the same type of game day environment.”

Washington further sums up the sentiments of countless PV alums across the nation.

“It’s been a long time coming,” he acknowledged. “Our current facilities were built in the 60’s and we’ve long outlived them, but it was harder to justify the need to

move forward in the past due to the tough times our programs were going through. Our recent success makes it’s easier to paint that picture.”

Timing is everything when funding a project of this magnitude and coincidently, winning helps, too.

“If you know a little bit about the funding and finance system of Prairie View and the Texas A & M system, you know a portion of the funds have to be raised from public support,” Washington shared.

“When you’re not producing winning records in sports programs it’s hard to get your fans to put their money in. We’ve been fortunate to have a large amount of loyal fans through the years that have stayed with us and we hope that we can now reward them for that loyalty with a quality facility.”

Friends of Panther athletics will have multiple avenues to contribute toward the Sports Complex Fund.

“The Foundation is one vehicle of raising funds. They have agreed to take the lead on this particular project to help us make this a reali-

ty,” AD Washington continued.

“They will have fundraising activities, the University will have activities and the athletic department will have fundraising activities.”

Now that plans have been revealed, the next question: How long before we might expect construction to begin?

“It’s a little early to speculate exactly when, but our goal is that concluding the 2011 sports season we’ll be turning dirt,” Washington surmised. Some think that’s ambitious, but I think it’s attainable. The basic rule is that we have to have 50 percent of the funds on hand before we can physically initiate a project to turn dirt; right now we’re talking about $30 million dollars. It took us just over five years to exceed that in our recent capital campaign, but one of the things that wasn’t present in that campaign was our ability to leverage public funds, which the Foundation gives us because they’re a 501-3c. It all goes toward the same exact project, it’s just what are the interest of those who are trying to support us and what vehicle makes the most sense for them.”

With the Labor Day Classic roughly 30 days away, and the Panthers preparing to defend the SWAC crown, Washington concludes once again, winning makes life easier.

“People want to support a winner and I think that makes it much easier for us to talk to potential supporters and previous supporters.

Right now, we’re selling championships as opposed to selling a dream. It started about six or seven years ago and it’s been growing momentum for awhile. Charles McClelland (former AD) was talking about the real need to upgrade and improve our facilities to take us further than we thought we could ever go. Now we have grown to a point where we can make those initial ideas into a reality.”

Fans who would like to contribute to the PV Foundation can visit www.helppvbuild.com Your contribution is tax deductible.

Max Edison

on Sports Panthers Get the Nod The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) held their football media day recently and to virtually no one’s surprise Prairie View was picked to win the SWAC West Division.

Predictably, the defending conference champions posted a league-high 10 student-athletes on the 2010 Preseason All-SWAC team.

Leading the list of Panthers is senior quarterback K.J. Black, who was selected as the league’s preseason offensive player of the year after earning the honor last fall. A member of the Walter Payton Award Watch List and a Preseason All-SWAC First Team Selection, Black finished as the top passer among the Football Championship Subdivision ranks in 2009 with a 172.8 pass efficiency rating and a 70.4 completion percentage. The Louisville, Ky. native also threw for 2,033 yards and 22 touchdowns while only recording four interceptions in his first season at Prairie View.

Also earning All-SWAC Preseason First Team offensive honors were linemen Tim Tusey, James Dekle and running back Donald Babers.

Last season Tusey and Dekle blocked for a unit that ranked second among SWAC teams in total offense with 363.9 yards per game. As a result, both earned All-SWAC First Team honors with Dekle also named to the Sheridan Black College All-American Team. Babers, the team’s leading rusher and scorer with 919 yards and 60 total points last season, is a twotime All-SWAC First Teamer.

On the defensive side of the ball, first team honors go out to defensive end Quinton Spears,

linebacker Max Sencherey and safety Chris Adingupu. A 2009 Black College AllAmerican, Spears logged 51 tackles, eight tackles for loss and three sacks last season en route to a first-team appearance. Adingupu led the team in tackles and interceptions as his unit helped Prairie View finish atop the SWAC in pass efficiency defense while Sencherey finished the 2009 campaign as the team’s secondleading tackler with 63 stops.

Senior punter Pedro Ventura was also named to the All-SWAC First Team. A 2009 AllSWAC First Teamer, Ventura averaged a careerhigh 43.8 yards per punt last season to rank fourth nationally among punters on the FCS level.

Panther wide receiver Shaun Stephens and placekicker Brady Faggard round out the second team.

The Texas Southern University Tigers were picked to finish third in the Western Division.

Last season, with a 5-2 record, they finished tied with Grambling for the #2 spot in the division. What were the Tigers’ only two conference losses? You guessed it, PV and Grambling.

Seven Texas Southern Tiger football players were honored as Preseason All-SWAC players.

Offensive lineman Charles Smith and wide receiver William Osborne received first team honors. Osborne returns for his senior year after an injury kept him from playing in 2009.

He received several All-American accolades before he was injured last season.

Running back Martin Gilbert and quarterback Arvell Nelson were second team offensive choices. Nelson was last year’s SWAC new-

comer of the year. “I am honored to be recognized and I’m excited about it,” said Nelson.

“But I still have to go out and play, and show everyone what my teammates and I can do on the field.”

Defensive back De’Markus Washington and linebacker Dejuan Fulghum were the second team defensive picks for TSU. “I appreciate being chosen, but it shows that I need to do more to help my team get more respect in the conference,” said Fulghum. “It’s going to serve as a motivation for me to reach my goals this season.”

Texans Welcome Fans to Training Camp The Texans open training camp this Friday, July 30th at the Methodist Training Center. Six practice sessions will be open to the public, including the first four days of camp.

Free tickets can be printed from the Texans official website, www.HoustonTexans.com.

Tickets are limited to six per person per practice and a maximum of two sessions.

Five of the open practices start at 8:30 a.m. with one evening session on Thursday, August 5, which begins at 7:15 p.m. Gates open to fans at 7:30 a.m. for morning sessions and 6:15 p.m. for evening sessions.

Fans will be able to watch practice sessions as well as participate in the Fan Zone behind the bleachers and kids will have the opportunity to take part in TORO’s Kids Club presented by Kroger Kids Zone featuring various Texans interactive games. Texans Cheerleaders, Texans Ambassadors and TORO will be available during practice sessions for autographs.

TD Club Honors Houston The Touchdown Club of Houston announced

they will recognize NFL Hall of Famer and Prairie View legend Kenny Houston as the Touchdowner of the Year. Houston will be honored at a dinner Wed., Aug. 11 at the JW Marriott, 5150 Westheimer beginning at 7pm.

Also honored will be the Preseason All-Greater Houston High School Football team as selected

by Vype high school magazine.

The award is given for extraordinary contributions and outstanding achievements reflecting honor and sportsmanship to football over a lengthy period of time. Past winners include Darrell Royal, R.C. Slocum, Tom Landry, John David Crow, Sammy Baugh, Jerry LeVias, Thurman Thomas, Mack Brown and Tom Landry.

Ken Houston excelled as the premier free safety of his era in a 14-year span that began with the 1967 Houston Oilers who drafted him in the ninth round of the AFL-NFL draft. He earned a starter’s role by the third game of his rookie season. Two weeks later, in a game against the New York Jets, he scored two touchdowns, one on a 71-yard blocked field goal attempt, and the other on a 43-yard interception return.

He was selected for either the AFL All-Star game or the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl 12 straight seasons from 1968 through 1979. With a long, fluid stride, he had excellent speed and quickness. His 6-3, 197-pound frame made him an ideal pass defender. Yet his lean, muscular body helped him to become a punishing tackler.

He was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1986.

For more information on this Touchdown Club event contact Neal Farmer, 713-849-9860.

8

JULY 29 – AUGUST 4, 2010 | DEFENDER

Ogletree

continued from page 2 grow intellectually. And third, remarkable mentors, some known and unknown. And these three keys to my success are only important if I can pass them on not only to my children to everyone I encounter in life.

KW: Is there any question no one ever asks you, that you wish someone would?

CO: Yes, why is this all important for the future? I have three young granddaughters who haven’t encountered the issue of race yet. I really hope that we, as those with the powers to set the tone, don’t poison them by producing racial and even gender stereotypes that make them judge people by the color of their skin rather than as Dr. King said by the content of their color. That has to be our mission, and I’m hoping that we’ll achieve it.

KW: When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

CO: Hopefulness that if we all work together with a sense of “we” rather than “I” or “me,” we can all move forward.

KW: If you could have one wish instantly granted, what would that be for?

Cell phone ban

continued from page 1 cell phones and classifying them as contraband. Officials said that with these devices, prisoners conduct a large amount of unlawful activity including credit card fraud, ordering gang hits and running drug operations. Currently, when inmates are discovered with the devices, the hardware is confiscated but the inmates are rarely punished.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (DCalif.), the sponsor of the Senate measure, said a recent report found that correctional officers are the major culprits in smuggling cell phones into prisons. She said that in her state, inmates pay up to $1,000 for a phone. In one case, a correctional officer made $150,000 in one year just from selling the devices to prisoners, she said. according to the Associated Press.

With the new legislation, those convicted of selling cell phones to inmates would face up to a year in prison.

“It’s a simple process,” Ojore Lutalo, an inmate of New Jersey State Prison told NPR. “It’s not a big deal getting a cell phone. You have to understand that that is possible due to the level of corruption among the prison staff. If it wasn’t for their corruption, it wouldn’t be possible.”

CO: We have to support our troops, but I’d wish for the end of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

KW: How introspective are you?

CO: Very, because you always have to examine who you are and what you are, before you can have the ability and credibility to advise someone else about who they are, who they should be and how to get there. So, there is much more introspection than expression of views.

KW: What do you want your legacy to be?

CO: He was able to enter the door because of the help of others. And he not only left the door open but let a rope down to bring others in to follow his pursuits.

KW: Where are you in relation to that legacy at this point in your life?

CO: I’m there, but I’m never satisfied that my work is complete. I don’t think it will be complete until I’ve taken my last breath.

KW: Thanks for a great interview, brother.

CO: Thank you. Take care.

Sherrods

continued from page 4 point?

Charles Sherrod: Putting this weight on the President is like putting the weight of passing the health bill on the President. That particular weight was on both the President and the Congress. The President can’t make two steps with legislation without the Congress approving it. And there are many other things that the president can’t do without the Senate advising and consenting. So, the President has got to be open to discussions and to take the same steps as a human being that others in giant corporations need to take as well and the policies that these giant corporations with thousands of employees, open discussions in those groups as well. But, to say that the President has got to take a different step that I personally have to take is putting too much weight on the President. We’ve all got to take our steps.

NNPA: There are some who have said that he’s too timid and that was the reason that this happened to your wife in the first place was because of the timidity because of the knee-jerk reaction to anything per-

CLASSIFIED

HOUSTON INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NOTICE TO PROPOSERS The Houston Independent School District located in the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center at 4400 West 18th Street Houston,Texas 77092 will accept proposals, until the stated date and time deadlines, in the Board Services Office, Level C1 ‘ • Project 10-07-13 – RFP Minor General Contracting Services 2:00 P.M. August 17, 2010. The preproposal conference for this project will be in the Hattie Mae White Educational Support Center, 4400 West 18th Street, Texas 77092, Room 2C12 August 03, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. Proposals are available on the HISD web-site at www.houstonisd.org.

The District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, or, to accept the proposal that is most advantageous to the District.

The District sells obsolete assets on-line at www.PublicSuprlus.com.

Scwyana Smith

COMPETITIVE SEALED PROPOSAL NOTICE FOR

Renovation Work at Furr High School Houston Independent School District (HISD)

The Houston Independent School District will receive Competitive Sealed Proposals from contractors for work at Furr High School. The work includes but is not limited to abatement, general construction, hardware, elevator replacement, upgrades or replacement to mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, code compliance, sitework and related work.

Proposals are due no later than Thursday, August 26, 2010, at 12:00 PM at the Board Services Offices, 4400 West 18th Street, Office of Board Services, Houston, Texas 77092. Furr High School is located at 520 Mercury Drive, Houston, TX 77013.

The Request for Competitive Sealed Proposal (RFCSP), which includes plans and specifications, will be available beginning Tuesday, July 27, 2010, and may be obtained from A&E The Graphics Complex, 4235 Richmond Ave., Houston, TX 77027 / Phone 713-621-0022 / Fax 713-621-2537 / www.aecomplex.com upon refundable deposit of $250.00 for each set of plans and specifications. Documents in pdf format are also available from A&E on disk for a deposit of $50.00. Deposit checks should be made payable to HISD. Any questions regarding bid documents are to be addressed to PROZIGN ARCHITECTS INC., 701 Shepherd Dr., Suite 200, Houston, 77007, Robert Charles or Albert Wong, v. 713-977-6060, f. 713-977-6086.

The Competitive Sealed Proposal process will be utilized as authorized in Senate Bill 669, Section 44.039 of the Texas Education Code. The Competitive Sealed Proposal process enables HISD to select contractors on the basis of price and qualifications/methodology.

Price proposals will be opened and the amounts read aloud at 2:00 PM on the due date.

Following opening of proposals, HISD will conduct its evaluation and scoring of contractor proposals in relation to the selection criteria published in the RFCSP. HISD will select the Proposal that offers the best value to HISD based on the published selection criteria and on the ranking evaluation.

M/WBE Forms, schedules and statements, as required by Section AB of the RFCSP and in accordance with the Office of Business Assistance, will be received at 2:00 PM, Thursday, August 26, 2010, at the Board Services Office, 4400 West 18th Street, Office of Board Services, Houston, Texas 77092. PROPOSALS SUBMITTED WITHOUT M/WBE FORMS, PROPERLY COMPLETED, WILL BE CONSIDERED NOT RESPONSIVE. A pre-proposal conference will be held at 10:00 AM, Tuesday, August 10, 2010 at Furr High School, 520 Mercury, Houston,TX 77013. A walk-thru of the school will be held following the preproposal conference.

For additional information regarding this project, please contact Mr. Elvis Eaglin, at 713556-6526, or eeaglin@houstonisd.org.

Drawings and Specifications for the RFCSP may be reviewed at the Reed Construction Data Electronic Plan Room and the following Houston locations: Associated General Contractors, 3825 Dacoma Street, (713) 843-3700 McGraw Hill Construction Dodge Plan Room, 10106 Hempstead Rd., Ste.110, (713) 316 9411 Associated Builders & Contractors, 3910 Kirby, #131, (713) 523-6222 Revive Houston Plan Room, Roland W. Smith Bldg., Rm. 122, 5555 Community College Dr, Houston 77013, (281) 704-9269

COMPETITIVE SEALED PROPOSAL NOTICE FOR VOLUME 79 • NUMBER 40 JULY 29 – AUGUST 4, 2010

Renovation of Benbrook Elementary School and Clifton Middle School Houston Independent School District (HISD)

Publisher Sonceria Messiah-Jiles Editor Von Jiles Associate Editor ReShonda Billingsley Art Director Cale Carter Columnist Yvette Chargois Sports Editors Max Edison Darrell K. Ardison Contributing Writers Aswad Walker Webmaster Corneleon Block The Houston Defender Newspaper published

by The Houston Defender Inc. Company (713) 663-6996. The Defender audited by Certified Audited Circulation. (CAC). For subscriptions, send $60.00 — 1 year, to: Defender, P.O. Box 8005, Houston, TX 77288.

Payment must accompany subscription request. All materials covered by 2009 copyright... (No material herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher).

The Houston Independent School District will receive Competitive Sealed Proposals from contractors for work Renovation of Benbrook Elementary School and Clifton Middle School The work includes but is not limited to Site work will include fencing replacement, sidewalks, sanitary and storm drainage, paving, site lighting and bus canopy. Building renovations will include masonry, structural steel, elevator, roofing, drywall, interior finishes, cabinetry, doors, hardware, storefront glazing, ceilings, air handling units, fan coil units and chilled water piping, plumbing, electrical, public address system replacement, fire alarm replacement, and asbestos remediation. Proposals are due no later than Tuesday, August 24, 2010, at 12:00 PM at the Board Services Offices, 4400 West 18th Street, Office of Board Services, Houston, Texas 77092. Benbrook Elementary School is located at 4026 Bolin Road, HoustonTX, 77092. Clifton Middle School is located at 6001 Golden Forest Drive, Houston, TX, 77092.

The Request for Competitive Sealed Proposal (RFCSP), which includes plans and specifications, will be available beginning Friday, July 23, 2010, and may be obtained from A&E The Graphics Complex, 4235 Richmond Ave. Houston,Texas 77027 / Phone: 713-621-0022; Fax: 713-6212537 upon refundable deposit of $150.00 for each set of plans and specifications. Documents in pdf format are also available from A&E on disk for a deposit of $50.00. Deposit checks should be made payable to HISD. Any questions regarding bid documents are to be addressed to CRE8 ARCHITECTS, 3815 Montrose Blvd., Houston, 77006, Jerry Bevel or Roger Brownlow, v. (713) 526-2738, f. (713) 526-3198.

The Competitive Sealed Proposal process will be utilized as authorized in Senate Bill 669, Section 44.039 of the Texas Education Code. The Competitive Sealed Proposal process enables HISD to select contractors on the basis of price and qualifications/methodology.

Price proposals will be opened and the amounts read aloud at 2:00 PM on the due date.

Following opening of proposals, HISD will conduct its evaluation and scoring of contractor proposals in relation to the selection criteria published in the RFCSP. HISD will select the Proposal that offers the best value to HISD based on the published selection criteria and on the ranking evaluation.

M/WBE Forms, schedules and statements, as required by Section AB of the RFCSP and in accordance with the Office of Business Assistance, will be received at 12:00 PM, Tuesday, August 24, 2010, at the Board Services Office, 4400 West 18th Street, Office of Board Services, Houston, Texas 77092. PROPOSALS SUBMITTED WITHOUT M/WBE FORMS, PROPERLY COMPLETED, WILL BE CONSIDERED NOT RESPONSIVE. A pre-proposal conference will be held on 09:00 AM, Wednesday, August 04, 2010 at Clifton Middle School, 6001 Golden Forest Drive, Houston,Texas 77092 with a walk-thorugh immediately following. A walk-through of Benbrook Elementary School will be held immediately after the completion of the walk through at Clifton Middle School.

For additional information regarding this project, please contact Mr. Elvis Eaglin, at 713556-6526, or eeaglin@houstonisd.org.

Drawings and Specifications for the RFCSP may be reviewed at the Reed Construction Data Electronic Plan Room and the following Houston locations: Associated General Contractors, 3825 Dacoma Street, (713) 843-3700 McGraw Hill Construction Dodge Plan Room, 10106 Hempstead Rd., Ste.110, (713) 316 9411 Associated Builders & Contractors, 3910 Kirby, #131, (713) 523-6222 Revive Houston Plan Room, Roland W. Smith Bldg., Rm. 122, 5555 Community College Dr, Houston 77013, (281) 704-9269

taining to race instead of going deeper.

Charles Sherrod: Do you think that the decision to do that was on the back of the President when the President has got thousands of issues coming before him every day? Every day he’s got issues across the streams of our society that stop at his door. He doesn’t have to take care of all of those issues ...That’s why he’s got a staff of hundreds of people.

NNPA: Andrew Brietbart, that blogger, still hasn’t apologized. What would you say to him at this point?

Charles Sherrod: I’d say to him the same thing that I would say to millions of white people across the country – that we’ve got to move forward together. We’ve got to accept that we are human beings, that we are not perfect and that we make mistakes.

NNPA: Has what happened last week added to that hurt?

Charles Sherrod: It’s added to that hurt. But, it’s also taken away and soothed that hurt. There is an instance in which the truth was twisted, but the truth got out as well. And it got out with the help of a white man and a white woman. Now that’s having a good week.