17 minute read
OpEd
Once Upon a Time, Parents Ruled the Roost
On the first day of school, when youth should have been talking about their summer vacation, sharing photos on their cell phones of frolicking in swimming pools, kicking it with their best friends or enjoying a quiet moment with relatives who live in faraway places, two students at a Prince George’s County high school decided it was a good time for “show and tell.”
But instead of a souvenir from Busch Gardens or a keepsake from their new boyfriend or girlfriend, two Suitland High School students brought loaded guns to class on Monday, Aug. 29.
Deputies from the County Sheriff’s Office initially went to the school to execute an arrest warrant for a 16-year-old student who’d been involved in a carjacking in District Heights on June 29. But upon being taken into custody, officials discovered a gun in the young man’s waistband, according to a news release.
Hours later, a parent notified the school after suspecting that Christopher Harris, 18, may have brought a gun to school. The weapon was found in the youth’s backpack, police said.
Prince George’s County Public Schools CEO Monica Goldson advised parents to check their children’s backpacks.
“Families must assist us in protecting all students and staff from harm,” she said.
Sounds good, but is that it? Of course, both young men, because of the poor decisions they have each made, have exited the path toward higher education and will more than likely spend time in either a juvenile detention center or jail. They join thousands of others who have traveled along the school-to-prison pipeline, which only continues to get worse for Black boys and girls in America.
We realize that parents cannot discipline or watch over their children every single moment, particularly if there’s only one parent in the home. But many single parents, divorced parents and two-parent households in the Black community have been battling against the odds for centuries. They have lived in poverty, they have fought against racism and Jim Crow and they have survived with little or no formal education and with subpar employment. Perhaps they wondered, “how I got over,” but they did get over.
Frederick Douglass once said, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
It seems that the two young men who went astray at Suitland High serve as living examples of two broken “men,” despite barely having reached the age of manhood.
We need the village to step up to the plate and offer their assistance in every way possible. But even more, if we’re willing to become parents, we have got to both understand and then accept the great responsibility that comes with having a child.
It’s more than having a notch on one’s belt, having someone to take out the garbage or having a “mini-me” to ride shotgun along with us. We are required to be the first teacher in the shaping of children’s lives, providing positive “food” as they minds, hearts and souls continue to develop and hopefully, blossom. Parents represent the first examples for children as they learn the difference between right and wrong.
It’s time for all of us to reclaim our youth, especially those who appear to be broken. If not, we’ll simply continue to provide an endless supply of tenants for either the graveyard or the prison industrial complex. WI
When Victims Show ‘Enough is Enough’
“But for the grace of God,” there goes anyone who encounters a person with a gun. The consequences are usually deadly but for Iris Bond Gill, an educator and public policy consultant, and Brian Robinson, Jr., Washington Commanders rookie running back, their lives were spared and they lived to tell their stories.
Bond Gill and Robinson’s separate encounters occurred last week on the streets of D.C. Both were approached by suspects armed with a gun during a brazen daytime attempted carjacking and robbery, respectively. Bond Gill reported that she exited her car and began rummaging through her purse when a suspect approached her from behind. In an interview with FOX5, Bond Gills said the suspect told her “I’ll shoot you" and "give me your keys." She knew she was in danger but having worked with many young people, she said she “went into almost a chastising mode with him.” With her hands raised, the video shows Bond Gill reacting fearlessly, refusing to hand over her keys, until the suspect quickly walked away.
Robinson Jr. reportedly struggled with the two suspects he encountered on H Street, N.E. He wrestled a firearm away from one of the suspects but was shot twice in the leg by the other. Robinson, 23, believes his attackers were between 15 and 17.
True Brotherhood
I loved the story of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. I salute our ancestors for their hard work, including its founder A. Phillip Randolph, who doesn’t get talked about enough for my liking. J. Edgar Hoover once called him “the most dangerous Negro in America.” A compliment, in my opinion.
M.B. Brown Washington, D.C.
TO THE EDITOR
A Mayor for the People
I applaud Mayor Muriel Bowser for giving the District’s most vulnerable families a one-time payment of $1,000. This is much-needed, especially as school comes back in and prices for everything are skyhigh due to inflation.
Carol Stephenson Washington, D.C.
Robinson acknowledged that incidents like this don’t make people feel safe in their neighborhoods. Moreover, he believes the bad guys must be held accountable for their actions. In both cases, the bad guys are still on the loose.
On the other hand, Bond Gill lamented over the power in communities lost by massive displacement, particularly of older residents. She told reporters, "Gone are the days of having older neighbors that sat on the porch all day and watched and waved to you when you got home from work. I think, in some ways, trying to think about how to preserve this intergenerational neighborhood is so valuable.”
We agree. The models exist in the memories of those who often speak of how things were “back in the day.” Neighbors knew each other and knew each other’s children by name. They felt a sense of responsibility to look out for one another, which, in many ways, was a deterrent to the bad guys.
Neither Bond Gill nor Robinson nor law enforcement recommend anyone simulate their responses to their attackers. Yet, it appears that when they looked into the faces of children with guns, they believed a caring and daring adult could influence the bad decisions children make.
WI
Guest Columnist
Marian Wright Edelman
Finishing Summer the CDF Freedom Schools Way
Thousands of students who attended Children's Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools summer enrichment programs this year are now headed back to school armed with the confidence that for every new challenge this school year brings, as the CDF Freedom Schools motivational song says, "There's something inside so strong!" Every year the college-aged Servant Leader Interns who teach in CDF Freedom Schools programs and the adults who serve in all kinds of leadership roles marvel at the children's growth and achievements over the course of the summer. The nonprofit Freedom School Partners coordinates programs for children in grades K-8 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and they recently shared stories from a few of the adults who were part of their community's Freedom Summer.
Shaconda Melton is the parent of two CDF Freedom Schools alumni, and her five-year-old grandson Kaiden just finished his first year as a student, or "scholar," at one of the Charlotte sites. For the last twelve years she's also served as the Freedom School Partners' Transportation Coordinator, overseeing bus schedules for the regular day routes and field trips. It's small wonder that she says the CDF Freedom Schools program has been a "a huge part of my family for so long." Employees from the bus company closed their office one day this summer so their drivers and even the company's owner could attend one of the special CDF Freedom Schools programs and see the scholars in action, and afterwards those colleagues were asking how they could enroll their own children next summer too.
Melton's family has adapted CDF Freedom Schools traditions into their routines at home, including using a mini version of "Harambee," the morning meeting and greeting, as they wake Kaiden up each day. This summer she got to watch the CDF Freedom Schools program ignite Kaiden's interest in reading—"He has a new spark to learn. He's ready to go over sight words now because he wants to be able to read fun books"—just as she's seen it spark the same love of learning in other scholars over the years: "I have seen the transformation of scholars having a true foundation of learning through fun exploration and activities. … Sometimes learning is intentional, sometimes it's not. It's just doing and not even noticing that it is happening."
Just like Shaconda Melton, Freedom Schools Partners Senior Program Director Tiffany
Guest Columnist
Ben Jealous
Back to School, Back to Fighting Far-Right Attacks on Education
Just when you thought farright attacks on public education couldn't get any more absurd, we hear about something new.
For the first time in almost 15 years, Sarasota schools this fall are turning down hundreds of free dictionaries from the local Rotary Club. Why? Because the district is afraid of violating a radical new law that's part of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis's crackdown on inclusive curricula. The district can't buy or accept any new books until it hires someone to make sure they comply with the state's draconian censorship regulations. So, the dictionaries sit on the shelf.
The idea that dictionaries might be hazardous to kids would be laughable if it weren't so dangerous. This new school year is starting as more states are passing laws to make it easier to ban books. States are also passing laws to stop teachers from talking about topics like racism; according to Education Week, 42 states have now enacted limits on what teachers can say about racism or sexism in the classroom.
These same political forces want to make schools teach a whitewashed version of our history and our current reality in the name of "patriotic" education. They're trying to take over school boards to impose their political ideology on teachers and students. That's bad for our kids. And it's bad for our country. The freedom to learn is at risk.
This fall, it's more important than ever to stand for the rights of teachers to teach, and students to learn, about the full spectrum of the American experience. That means lessons that include and celebrate diverse communities. It means history that doesn't erase the experiences of Black people, brown people, LGBTQ people, women, immigrants, people with disabilities, and other communities that have been historically marginalized. The director of the nonprofit Ev-
Guest Columnist
Antoine M. Thompson The U.S. Needs More Electric School Buses
A child rides a bus to school every day — the traditionally big yellow one that runs on diesel gas. Day in and day out, children are exposed to the fumes emitted by the bus, breathing carbon dioxide like its fresh air on what should be an otherwise safe journey to school. After several years of this toxic exposure, the child develops asthma; they can no longer play sports, face a heightened risk to infections like Covid-19, and lose three years to their average life expectancy. The worst part of this tragedy is that it all could’ve been avoided. Had the school bus been electric instead of diesel, its passengers would have faced no toxic emissions and been spared of irreparable lung damage. Shared by countless others across the nation, especially those in underserved communities, this story highlights the urgent need for school districts to convert their fleets to electric school buses and protect the health of students and surrounding communities. Furthermore, thanks to President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which designates $5 billion in federal funding for clean school buses, it has never been easier for school districts to take a step towards the future and transition from diesel-powered school buses to fully electric ones.
By electrifying their bus fleets, school districts will be prioritizing the health of both their students and the community at large, contributing to environmental justice, and saving money down the road. According to the Healthy Schools Campaign, the exhaust from diesel buses contains "40+ toxic air contaminants, carcinogens, ozone smog-forming compounds, and fine particulate matter," all of EDELMAN Page 53
eryLibrary warns that the current wave of book bans amounts to "the silencing of stories and the suppressing of information" that will make "the next generation less able to function in society."
Children learn better when they can see themselves in others and see their communities as part of the great American story. At the same time, science tells us that learning how to understand and empathize with people across differences is es-
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which can have devastating impacts on the health of students as well as the surrounding environment. Diesel buses not only pollute the lungs of their passengers, but they also affect air quality through their emissions, especially considering that large portions of the day are spent driving and waiting idly. Ross Cities estimates that full electrification of the na-
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Guest Columnist
Dr. Alveda King
The Right to Register and Vote is Not a Partisan Issue
Reverend Martin Luther King Junior was an American patriot. In the years since his death, my family has shared the memory of my martyred uncle with the world. More than any figure from modern American history, my uncle and his call to "let freedom ring" unites people from all walks of life and every corner of the political spectrum.
As we celebrate the 59th anniversary of the March on Washington and the "I Have a Dream" speech, social media will be flooded with excerpts from the address. People will rightly highlight his ever-consistent call for America to honor its promise to all citizens.
His love for America manifests all these years later in the true example of patriotism. His expression of love was never ever giving up on this great experiment in democracy. Yes, all these years later, his model of nonviolent protest and servant leadership are examples of excellence that would benfit each of us to study and emulate.
My memory will always be of an uncle who loved America too much to not push her towards becoming her best self. He refused to give up on America living out the true meaning of its creed. The self-evident truth that all men are created equal remains a courageous standard today.
In a speech about Vietnam, he dispelled any confusion about his motives and his love for America. He described his disappointment in America but asserted that "there can be no great disappointment where there is no great love."
Over these past months, I have felt disappointment in America. But like my uncle, my disappointment pales in comparison to my faith in Americans to do what is right. My hope for America’s bright future is fortified because I join Dr. King as he believed America is a nation bent towards justice. For all the areas of sorrow that might bring us despair, there are far more reasons that bring hope.
I was 17 years old when my uncle died, and as a guardian of the King family legacy, I remember him well and still have faith in his American dream. As one blood, one united race, with eyes wide open and not colorblind, we, the people of America, must press on to realize the "possible dream" together, from the womb to the tomb into eternity.
WI
Guest Columnist
Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr.
The right to vote, Dr. Martin Luther King taught in his famous "Give Us the Ballot" address, is one of the "highest mandates of our democratic tradition." Democracy is founded on the right of citizens to decide via popular, free and fair elections who should represent them. Across the world, the U.S. champions democracy. Yet at home the right to vote is embattled.
The United States trails most other developed democracies in voter participation. Our neighbors — Mexico and Canada, our European allies, our Asian friends like South Korea, and Australia all have higher voter participation than the U.S. does.
The reason isn't a mystery. In most democracies, national governments take responsibility for registering their citizens to vote. In many countries, registration is automatic when citizens become old enough. In others, like the United Kingdom, governments take responsibility to seek out and register eligible voters, something like how our Census Bureau takes responsibility to get people counted in the census.
In the U.S., voting laws are decentralized. In most states, getting registered is left to the individual. Some states purposefully make it more difficult to register — requiring various forms of documentation, requiring in-person as opposed to online registration, limiting volunteer efforts to get people registered and more.
So, while turnout of those who are registered — 86.8% in 2020 — is relatively high, only 64% of the voting age population is registered. That compares to 92% in England, 93% in Canada, and 94% in Sweden.
Failures in registration lead to lower voter turnout — and disproportionately impacts those who are younger, less educated, and less wealthy. Blacks, Latinos and Native Americans are also less likely to be registered — and thus to vote.
The problem is reinforced by how our high-cost electoral campaigns are run. Campaigns target those who vote — not those less likely to vote. Candidates often make little or no effort to appeal to those who tend not to vote. That lack of appeal and attention then makes their turnout even worse.
Making it easy to register and vote should be embraced by all Americans no matter their party or their politics. The Freedom to Vote Act would set national standards for voting, including auto-
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Guest Columnist
Marc H. Morial
Biden's Student Debt Relief Plan a Welcome First Step
"By forgiving up to $20,000 in burdensome student loan debt, President Biden is giving working and middle class families the financial breathing room the desperately need. Buying a home, founding a business, starting a family, and so much more will now be a financial possibility for millions more Americans. But we cannot stop there. The Congressional Black Caucus remains committed to achieving additional reforms to ensure current, and future borrowers are not subjected to this cycle of burdensome debt." — Congressional Black Caucus Chair Rep. Joyce Beatty
In the 1970s, the maximum federal Pell Grant covered nearly 80% of the cost of a four-year public college degree. Today, it covers only a third.
In the 1970s, a student could earn an entire year's tuition at a public university by working just five hours a week at a minimum wage job. Today, a student would have to work 28 hours a week.
From 1978 to 2012, college tuition rose four times faster than inflation and has risen three times faster in the past decade.
Since 1970, the average student loan debt at graduation has increased 317% when adjusted for inflation.
In other words, this is not your grandfather's student debt.
This week President Biden offered much-needed relief to millions of federal student loan borrowers. With the stroke of a pen, he is forgiving $10,000 in federal student loan debt for those making under $125,000 a year. One in four Black borrowers would see their debt cleared entirely under the president's plan. Pell grant recipients, who are twice as likely to be Black, are eligible for an additional $10,000 in relief.
The extra relief for Pell Grant recipients is responsive to the National Urban League's call for an approach that recognizes these borrowers often owe more and for longer periods.
According to a Brookings Institution report, Black college graduates owe an average $7,400 more than their white peers upon graduation. Four years after graduation, they owe an average $52,726, compared with $28,006 for the average white college graduate, according to the report, which included nonborrowers in the average. About two-thirds of Black borrowers owe more than they originally borrowed 12 years after starting college.
President Biden's plan also ex-
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