CIS Program Seeks to Resolve the Digital Divide Between African-American Women with New Grant

The Florida A&M University (FAMU) Computer Information Sciences (CIS) Program, housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, is the recipient of a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant valued at $552,000 dedicated to recruiting minority women to computer science and information technology disciplines.

“The numbers are staggering,” said Jason T. Black, Ph. D., assistant professor in CIS. “The latest data shows that out of all U.S. entering freshmen declaring a major in computer science, African-American women made up only 3.3 percent. The fact is that women are not choosing technology, and this is a dangerous predicament. When you couple that with the fact that it is estimated that 75 percent of all jobs by the year 2020 will require a technology background, it becomes a crisis call.”

The program, entitled African-American Women in Computer Science, (AAWCS), is a four-year program that provides scholarships and other assistance to women who express a financial need and an interest in computer science or information technology.

[Click here for more details about the Program]

Tech Tags: Digital+Divide Black+Women Higher+Education FAMU Technology IT

Congress Passes HEA Reauthorization!

Guest Post from: Heather Valentine
Council for Opportunity in Education

On July 31, 2008, both chambers of Congress passed the Higher Education Opportunity Act by overwhelming majorities. Specifically, the bill passed by a vote of 380-49 in the House and a vote of 83-8 in the Senate. As the legislation heads to President Bush's desk for signature, the recently released statement of Education Secretary Margaret Spellings gives COE strong hope that he will, in fact, sign the bill into law.

This legislation reauthorized the Higher Education Act of 1965 for the first time in 10 years and included numerous provisions that enhance TRIO programs. Specifically, this legislation:

• extends all TRIO grants from four to five years;
• increases the minimum TRIO grant to $200,000;
• allows branch campuses to apply for TRIO grants;
• creates an appeals process for unsuccessful TRIO grant applicants;
• kills the Upward Bound Absolute Priority, including the double-recruitment evaluation
• and ensures that any future evaluation of TRIO programs protects the integrity of students and institutions by disallowing over-recruitment and denial of services for the purposes of an evaluation and requiring the consideration of institutional review boards and the burdens placed on TRIO program participants and grantees;

It also allows TRIO grantees to target student populations with particular needs, including:

• students with limited English proficiency
• disabled students
• homeless and foster youth
• "disconnected youth" (i.e., teen parents and students who have been involved in the criminal justice system)

It also expands eligibility for Veterans Upward Bound to include:

• older veterans who served before January 31, 1955
• federal reservists who served for more than 30 days
• federal reservists called to action on or after September 11, 2001

In addition to changes that benefit TRIO, the legislation also:

• creates a simplified, 2-page Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application form;
• allows students to receive Pell Grants year-round;
• expands eligibility for the Academic Competitiveness and National SMART grant programs; and
• creates greater educational access for servicemen and women and their families through deferred and interest-free loans.

These are only some of the enhancements created by this bill that will benefit American students in pursuit of higher education. Please be sure to thank your Member of Congress for their support for this important piece of legislation. For your convenience, we have drafted a sample thank you letter here.

Thank you all for your tremendous efforts in achieving this great victory for all TRIO students!

Tech Tags: Higher+Education Higher+Education+Opportunity+Act TRIO Upward+Bound

USD259 provides funding for the Director of Equity and Accountability position

Earlier this year, USD259 voted to end busing for desegregation. We (the Wichita Branch NAACP) participated in the district meetings to discuss the end and alternatives to busing and we agreed with the proposal with some caveats. In February of this year, we made a presentation to the Board of Education wherein we outlined our recommendations for maintaining diversity and equity in the district post-busing.

The first of these recommendation was that the district would create a Director level position who would oversee diversity and equity issues within the district. This position was also referenced in the 4-point plan to eliminate the achievement gap that we presented to the district sometime earlier.

The District has since voted to create a new Director of Equity and Accountability position. And we are very pleased to report that they have now proposed to fully fund the position with a $300,000.00 line item in the budget that would cover the Director's salary, the hiring of an assistant, and the services of a consultant who will help them draft the job description and will advise on how to properly manage the transition from busing to a new system.

We sincerely applaud the district's effort, and we thank them for listening and being responsive to the concerns of the community. We believe that this position will prove to be a great benefit to the district in a number of areas. Beyond the racial diversity issues, this position can help the district deal with *compliance issues on Board Policies, and objectives. It can refocus the board on *resource management and the equitable allocation of funds and projects throughout the district. It can even initiate a real discussion on the *allocation of Human Resources; namely the distribution of experienced versus inexperienced teachers.

We look forward to strengthening our relationship with the district as we continue to work on the critical issues of diversity and equity. And as always, we'll keep you posted...

Tech Tags: Education Diversity Busing NAACP Equity

Representative Russell Pearce Proposes Ban on Student Groups Based on Race at Arizona Campuses

Russell Pearce, a Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives, has introduced legislation that would bar students at state-operated universities from forming groups or associations based in whole or in part on racial classifications.

Under the proposal, groups such as the Black Law Students Association, the Black and African Coalition, the Black Business Student Association, the National Society of Black Engineers, the NAACP, or other groups based on race, would not be permitted on the campuses of the University of Arizona or Arizona State University.

The bill authorizes the state to withhold public funding from colleges and universities that do not comply with the provision.

What is Most bizarre is that the provision was not introduced as a stand-alone bill but rather was amended onto a routine Homeland Security bill. That his amendment was not germane to the original bill was apparently not enough to stop the Arizona House Appropriations Committee from passing it on Wednesday. It still awaits a vote by the state’s full House and Senate.

The Complete text of Representative Pearce's proposed amendment to SB 1108 can be found by clicking [HERE].
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I guess I shouldn't be surprised though. This is the same Legislator that introduced HCR 2041 - the companion bill to Ward Connerly's attempt to eliminate Affirmative Action. Only Representative Pearce takes Ward Connerly's stance a step further by introducing this 'gem'. Representative Pearce's bill contains a provision that:

Requires that an injured party’s race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin are not to be considered when seeking remedy for violations of anti-discrimination law.

Now tell me, if you can't consider the race of an injured party in a discrimination case, then how can you ever prove racial discrimination? The Answer? You CANT... Pearce's bill would "end" racial discrimination in Arizona by making it illegal to investigate the claims... This would be funny if it weren't so sad...
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Rep. Russell Pearce (R) Distr 18
House of Representatives
1700 W. Washington
Room 114
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Phone Number: (602) 926-5760
Fax Number: (602) 417-3118
Email Address: mailto:rpearce@azleg.gov


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... somebody ought to give Representative Pearce a call...
Arizona NAACP'ers, let me know if there's anything we can do to help...

Tech Tags: Arizona+Legislature, Russell+Pearce, Affirmative+Action,

Branch Vice-President Lavonta Williams' address to the Wichita State University Multicultural Center Graduation Ceremony

Good afternoon and thank you for inviting me to share in this great event in your lives. First, let me say Congratulations for successfully completing your studies here at Wichita State University.

This is your special day, and you have earned the recognition with the hard work and perseverance it took to earn your diploma.But in case your professors, advisors and family members forgot to mention it, here’s one last lesson: THINGS DON’T GET ANY EASIER.

You will walk off this campus and enter a world that has more challenges than you ever imagined. As members of the multicultural community here at Wichita State, you are well aware of the additional personal and professional challenges that await graduates with different skin colors, ethnic background, national origin and other factors that make up our diverse population. The challenges are huge, but there is good news, as well. The opportunities are every bit as huge, and they have your name written on them.

Your entry into the real world of full time career comes at a most interesting time in our history. You would have to be living under a rock to miss the great multicultural debate that rages in our society.

We can start with the presidential race. For the first time in history, our next president will either be an African-American, a woman or a senior citizen over the age of 72. The cookie cutter of presidential politics got lost this year. American citizens will be asked to look beyond the traditional barriers that have blocked a lot of talented people from rising to the top of the political world.

What does that mean to you? In a word, it means OPPORTUNITY. No guarantees, no entitlements, no sure things. Just the simple opportunity for talented college graduates like you to become productive and influential members of our community.

It means that today, more than ever before, it just might be possible to set aside cultural, racial and ethnic differences as we search for common goals and values. That’s not to say we lose our color, our heritage, our core beliefs. But it DOES say that we hope to find a way to communicate effectively.

The issues of the day demand a special kind of person. Tolerant and respectful, yet courageous and visionary. People who understand the value of consensus and compromise. Those are the people who will lead us into a complex future. Those people are YOU.

As this election year marches on, we will be overwhelmed with campaign rhetoric from candidates at the local, state, federal and presidential level. Except for those who return to their native countries, one of your first great responsibilities will be to participate in the election process. Listen to the messages, analyze the proposals and then cast an informed vote on election day.

The issues of multiculturalism will play a major role in choosing our next president, as well as leaders in the courthouse and statehouses across the country. On the top of the list is illegal immigration, an issue that generates every emotion from brutal racial hatred to the compassionate sympathy. How do you embrace our tradition of a national melting pot that urged the world to “give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to break free?” And while you are doing that, how do you stand guard against the internal and international threats to our life and liberty?

These fundamental decisions are shaped by our personal experiences. As members of the multicultural community here at Wichita State University, you can look around you and immediately understand the challenge.

Race, gender, ethnicity, culture … they all provide the starting point for your journey through life. The big question is this: How will you accommodate the differences in others, and still preserve your own core values?

Just like you, my views have been shaped by my personal experience. I am a retired career educator, I am an African-American woman, I am a wife and mother, and now I am a member of the Wichita City Council. Each of those experiences has taught me something. Most importantly, they taught me the value of human potential.

A classroom of minority children can be seen in two ways: Either a disadvantaged, underserved and underperforming social group, or a high-octane, high potential pool of pure talent. I always saw the latter. I saw a child who could grow into a responsible adult, someone who loved to learn and who felt a responsibility to his or her fellow citizens.

Others aren’t so charitable. Presidential candidate Barrack Obama recently roiled the political waters by talking about a “bitterness” among rank and file Americans that drives them into false havens of security. That comment caused considerable controversy on the campaign trail, but nobody can argue that complex issues like immigration, Affirmative Action, racial profiling, security against terrorist threats all push us to the edge of moderation.

Each of those issues can stir the heart at opposite ends of the emotional spectrum. And every time that happens, the broad description of multiculturalism is changed once more. I don’t have all the answers for these complex problems. In fact, I’d be hard pressed to say I have the answer for any one problem. But my experience has taught me one valuable lesson that I hope will guide you as well. The time worn values of respect and tolerance will always bring greater benefit to more people than their opposites of disrespect and intolerance.

It’s not just something you do to make yourself feel better. It’s something you do because you know you hold a responsibility to every other human being on the planet.

I hope to see all of you on the front lines of this great multicultural revolution, armed with the virtues that will make our world more secure and our individual lives more satisfying.

Thank you for time, and once again, my heartiest congratulations.


Lavonta Williams serves as the Vice President of the Wichita Branch NAACP, City Council Representative for District 1, YMCA Board member, and a member of WIN (Wichita Independant Neighborhoods)

The Wichita NAACP Youth Chess Team prepares to host their first Chess Tournament

On April 26th, the Wichita Branch NAACP Youth Chess Team will host its first neighborhood Chess Tournament. The tournament will be held at the Showcase Lounge, 3926 E. 13th st at 9am. Kyron Cox and Isaiah Myles are pictured here along with their coach, Mr. Anthony Winn of IWCCI (the Independent World Chess Championships Inc.)

The Tournament is the result of a longtime partnership between the Wichita Branch NAACP and IWCCI to promote the game of Chess in the schools and the community.

The Youth Chess team has been meeting and practicing every Sunday between 3 and 4pm at the Wichita Branch NAACP office building, located at 829 N Market St, for nearly a year. However, in preparation for the Tournament, we will be opening up the practices to the community. Anyone who enjoys the game, or is interested in learning about the game, or who would just like to come out for some entertainment, light snacks, and good conversation is invited to join us. Adults and children are invited.



At their practice on Sunday, the Youth were joined by Mr. Arthur Neal, a 20-year competitive Chess player. Mr. Neal played several games with the Youth and even played a game against Anthony Winn, the coach and head of IWCCI. Mr. Neal said of the Game, "Chess is important for the youth because it is a Mind thing... No two games are ever the same"
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We built our Youth Group around our Chess Team because of the games ability to shape and develop critical thinking skills. Through the study of the game the children learn forward thinking skills, effective planning, discipline, controlled aggression and defense.

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It is our hope that through increasing the games visibility and sharing and promoting its benefits, we can grow the community's interest in the game. If it sounds interesting to you... come on by and check us out!!

Youth Chess team members pictured with Mr. Artur Neal: Courtland, Andre, Andrew "Tatty", Isaiah, Ronnell, and Kyron... (not Pictured are Amani Myles, Kaci Furrow, and Youth Advisor Kenya Cox)

Tech Tags: Chess, Youth, Youth+Development, NAACP

New National Graduation Rate study is released - How did we rate??

The Editorial Projects in Education Research foundation has released a 16 page comprehensive report on the Graduation Rates within the Nation's 50 largest cities. The report is significant because School Districts typically develop their own formulas for calculating their graduation rates. Because the formulas are determined locally and based on self-determined variables, they are generally of little comparative value. But this study used a simple and uniform formula to determine and compare the likelihood that a student who enters 9th grade in a given year, will graduate with their class on time - without dropping out or failing...

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[click HERE for the full report]

The report lists the Wichita Graduation rate as 59.6% and shows a 21.2% gap between the Graduation rates of Urban and Suburban Wichita Schools. This is in stark contrast to the district's numbers. USD259 reported a graduation rate of 68.7% for the same period covered by the report and they say that the rate has since climbed to 76.4%.
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We recognize that there are enumerable formulas that could be applied to determine graduation rates and that different formulas would almost certainly result in different numbers. But that being said, this report is invaluable because it provides a single consistent measure by which we can view our progress on this issue relative to other comparably sized districts. This report highlights the fact that we as parents, advocates, and concerned community members must maintain a healthy skepticism whenever any agency writes own report card. We must continue to constructively challenge the district to innovate and reach beyond previous paradigms as we seek to improve these numbers. When as many as 4 of every 10 of our youth are projected to drop out or fail before they reach the 12th grade, it's clear that we've all (schools, parents, and community) got a lot of work to do...

Tech Tags: Graduation+Rates, Graduation+report, Education, Schools, NAACP, USD259, Wichita+schools

Make your reservations now for the NAACP Leadership 500 Summit

The Leadership 500 gathering prepares to set a new agenda & create a continuing network of the nation's emerging leaders

"Leadership By Design: Ensuring Our Legacy" is the theme of the 4th Annual NAACP Leadership 500 Summit, being held at the Phoenician Resort and Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona May 22-25. Participants will attend two and a half days of workshops, interactive panel discussions and facilitated general sessions led by prominent private sector, non-profit, corporate and community leaders.

Leadership 500 workshop topics will explore issues of economic parity and wealth creation; civil rights; health and wellness as a business imperative; early childhood education; and the status of African American women in today's society. The complex issues of race, class, gender and religion in America will be examined in a Town Hall Meeting. Confirmed speakers include Dr. Robert M. Franklin, President of Morehouse College; Dr. Randal Pinkett, Chairman and CEO of BCT Partners and winner of NBC's "The Apprentice" with Donald Trump; the Hon. Judge Greg Mathis of the Judge Mathis Show; and John Hope Bryant, Chairman and CEO of OperationHOPE.

Since its inception in 2005, Leadership 500 has served as a fertile training ground around social justice advocacy for more than 1,200 mid-level professionals between the ages of 30 and 50. The summit is one of several rallying events for the organization as it prepares to celebrate its Centennial Anniversary Feb. 12, 2009.

"Effective leadership is a destination achieved through careful thought, consideration and strategic action. We invite leaders from across the country to join us for this exciting conference." - NAACP National Board of Directors Vice Chairwoman Roslyn M. Brock, conceiver of the summit.

Click HERE to register!

For more information contact Paula Brown Edme' at: pedme@naacpnet.org.

Founded in 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is the nation�s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its more than half-million adult and youth members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities and monitors of equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.

2008 NAACP Law Fellow Program

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. The principal object of the NAACP is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of all minority group citizens. As part of its mission, the NAACP seeks to enforce federal, state, and local laws securing civil rights and to educate persons about their constitutional rights.

Throughout its history, the NAACP has provided attorneys the opportunity to make significant, historic contributions to the field of civil rights law. Past NAACP attorneys include, Charles Hamilton Houston, Thurgood Marshall, Constance Baker-Motely, Robert Carter and Nathaniel Jones. The NAACP hopes to inspire attorneys to enter the field of civil rights law and to provide broad exposure to various strategies utilized by grass roots civil rights organizations.

The NAACP Law Fellow Program is designed to give students who have completed at least one year of law school the opportunity to work for the summer at the NAACP Headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland. Those selected for the program will:

• Work with civil rights attorneys on relevant issues concerning criminal justice, education, housing, voting rights and environmental justice;
• Read and prepare a research paper regarding strategies to advance the civil rights struggle;
• Attend the NAACP National Convention and Continuing Legal Education Seminar;
• Examine and evaluate citizen complaints of civil rights violations;
• Increase opportunities for minority lawyers to obtain judicial clerkships;
• Interact with civil rights leaders and attorney advocates;
• Review and obtain approval for direct action.

Law Fellows will be selected based on a number of factors including: recommendations; interest in civil rights law; and academic performance. Selected participants will be awarded a stipend of $­­­­­­5,000 to offset living and travel expenses while participating in the program. Fellows will be responsible for securing their own housing and transportation for the duration of the program. Fellows may also seek funding from outside sources to supplement the stipend. Based on funding, an additional fellowship opportunity may become available for a law school graduate to work with the NAACP Legal Department.

Questions concerning the program should be directed to Saundra M. Grice at (410) 580-5798. The application is available at http://www.naacp.org/legal/fellows/index.htm or by emailing sgrice@naacpnet.org. A complete application packet shall include:

• Completed application
• Law School Transcript
• Letter(s) of Recommendation (from one or two professors)
• 50-100 word essay describing your interest

By no later than March 20, 2008, please forward completed application to:

Angela Ciccolo
NAACP; Interim General Counsel
4805 Mount Hope Drive
Baltimore, Maryland 21215
(410) 580-5792
(410) 358-9350 (fax)

Stefanie L. Brown,
National Director
NAACP Youth & College Division

Tech Tags: Law, NAACP, Current+Events, Current+Affairs, Law+Fellows, Civil+Rights

Join us at the NAACP Leadership 500 Summit!!

Leadership By Design: Ensuring Our Legacy

May 22nd - 25th : Scottsdale, Arizona

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As our nation embraces the inevitability and necessity of change, we know that we too must change. The NAACP, nearly 100 years old, is turning its face to the future. The changes in our society are undeniable and the time has come that we must begin to re-examine our standing, our strategies, and our positions, and we must also redefine our role. One thing is certain, if we are to continue serving as an effective voice for social justice and fundamental fairness, we must make room at the table for new faces, new voices, new perspectives, and new ideas. The Leadership 500 Summit is an effort to do exactly that...

The Leadership 500 Summit is the brainchild of recently re-elected NAACP Vice-Chair Roslyn Brock. (pictured above, 2nd from the right)

The four-day gathering is designed to attract "the next generation of leaders," -– people who will help shape the future direction of social justice advocacy efforts in America. This summit provides a unique opportunity to identify and connect with new professional, political, civic, and community leaders who are working or interested in the areas of health, education, civic engagement, and/or economic development.

The NAACP is taking responsibility for developing this new generation of leaders. The NAACP Leadership 500 Summit provides an opportunity to expose and connect this new generation to leaders from diverse backgrounds and capacities. Participants can learn from the leaders' successes and failures, their inspiration and their perseverance to craft strategies for their own leadership destiny.

For Registration, Hotel, or Contact information please click here to visit the NAACP Leadership 500 page

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Leaders are not born, they're developed. Either because of opportunity or necessity, someone takes charge and leads the way. Effective leadership is a destination achieved through careful thought, consideration and action.

Tech Tags: Leadership+500, NAACP, Leadership, Current+events, Current+affairs

President Myles' address to USD259 on Equity, Diversity, and the School Bond issue

Last night, I addressed the School Board about the need for structural and policy changes to support diversity and equity post-busing. Below, I've posted a copy of my remarks...

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President Dietz, Members of the Board, and Superintendent Brooks…

We are here to discuss two of the most pertinent issues facing this board. Diversity & Equity…

Your vote last week to end Busing for Desegregation may well turn out to be the most consequential act of each of your tenures. And while the consequences may ultimately be positive or negative, one thing is for certain; and that is that there will be consequences.

But before I go any further, I would like to take a moment and address a couple issues and statements I’ve heard of late. It has become fashionable of late to talk about busing as though it didn’t work; or at least as though it was a ‘relic of a time long since past.’

Some members of the Board and the Administration have publicly described busing as something that had “outlived its usefulness”; and certainly something far less important than our new favorite buzzword: “Choice”.

Now certainly as Educators and Administrators, I would not presume to give you a history on Desegregation, but for the benefit of those who came late to the discussion, I’d like to note that Busing was never envisioned as the final solution. Busing wasn’t even the recommendation of the Wichita NAACP. Busing was merely a strategy employed to combat much larger issues. Those being Equity & Diversity.

Some members of the board have noted that Busing didn’t close the Achievement Gap. Well, it’s equally worth noting that Busing was never designed to close the Gap. If anything, we should be appreciative of the fact that it was this effort, this campaign for equity and diversity that revealed the Achievement Gap and placed the issue on our collective radars, because as long as our schools were separate, we didn’t track or measure the comparative progress of all of our children.

The progress we’ve made did not come in spite of Desegregation efforts, it came because of Desegregation. It was only through our efforts to address Diversity that we became aware of not only Structural, but systematic and instructional inequities as well.

But Now Busing has ended… You’ve taken the bold step of eliminating the Strategy… But we come here tonight to ask, what we will do now to address the substantive underlying issues.

You have proposed that an Oversight Committee be formed to monitor the district's performance on the issues of diversity and equity. We believe the oversight committee is a great idea, however we know that a oversight advisory committee alone will be vastly insufficient to shape the district's responses to the challenges that lie ahead.

A group of volunteers with no real power to affect policy or make change can not be held accountable for the condition of our schools.

In taking the vote to end our diversity program, you each, personally assumed a degree of responsibility for the outcomes. Some even took what I thought was a remarkable step of congratulating themselves on the accomplishment as though all the problems were solved and a long fought ‘battle had somehow been won’. So while we are supportive of the formation of an advisory committee, we are here to say that we recognize that committees alone are not enough. .
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We’ve been down this road before… and we have had some experience with District Advisory Committees. We came to the Board with specific recommendations to close the Achievement Gap, which were the result of three years of collaborative work between community organizations. Our recommendations, which you adopted, were never fully implemented. They were never written into policy; what we got… was a committee.

When Hope Street Youth Development came to the board with the issues of disproportionate Suspensions and Expulsions, no new policies were written, the issue was instead deferred to a committee.

When the African American Parent Support Group came with it’s recommendations, they were taken under advisement to be discussed between various committees.

The issues of diversity and equity are too important to our children for us to defer the issue to just another advisory committee. Ending Busing will only be the first of a series of very difficult decisions this Board must now face.

• The District I Board of Education (BOE) member, Betty Arnold is recommending that in addition to having an oversight committee, a paid staff position should be created to oversee diversity, quality education, etc. We wholeheartedly support this recommendation and will ask the other Board members for their support as well. We made a similar recommendation in the 4-point plan to eliminate the Achievement Gap which was adopted, but never fully implemented.

• We will also restate our position that if we are to ensure diversity and equity, then we need to go back to the map and redraw our neighborhood school boundaries. I brought up the issue of redrawing boundaries for Diversity during the Busing Task Force meeting, and while the idea was discussed favorably during those meetings, we’ve now heard how difficult it would be and that limited boundary changes for Stuckey and Heights may be warranted. But we are asking for more than that. We would like you as a board to work towards redrawing boundaries (which would address overcrowding issues) but also with a specific eye towards addressing diversity. Doing so would be a win-win.

• We also ask that you draft specific policy that speaks directly to the issue of equity in teachers, resources, and facilities. The number of highly qualified teachers and the average levels of experience within each school should be monitored and there should be some safeguards against any school falling behind the others in these categories.
  

And lastly, with regard to the proposed $350,000,000.00 bond issue… I don’t want to blindside you, so I’m here to let you all know our position.

We know and believe, that your budget reflects your priorities. You fund and spend money on those things you consider to be important. Just days ago, You each took what will likely be the most consequential vote of each of your tenures… and now you’ve come forth with a $350,000,000.00 plan for school improvements to athletic fields and swimming pools, but when it comes to the issues of Diversity and Equity, the only specific policy initiative you’re offering is just another committee.

Sure the plan calls for the construction of some new schools, but diversity and equity are more than just having a seat for every child; its about having a seat for every child in front of a highly qualified and experienced teacher, with high expectations, a challenging curriculum, and a positive learning environment.

Sure the plan calls for the upgrading of some existing schools in the Northeast, But Diversity and Equity are about more than just Bricks and Mortar; in addition to having the exterior being structurally sound, we want the interior to be INstructionally sound.

So we would like to state for the record, that while we support the goals of the proposed Bond issue, Our support or opposition to the Bond will be directly linked to the degree to which Diversity and Equity are built into the plan, the willingness of the board to develop and implement prescient policies to safeguard our vision and commitment, and our willingness to think outside of the box to create positive change, now and not later. We don’t want to wait until the bond is passed and the work is underway, to come to you with recommendations only to be told that there is no more money and no more will. Now is the time to move from “Promises” to “Policies”

We have come before you many times before. When we recommend Positions – there’s never enough money… When we recommend Policy – there’s never enough political will...

But we know budgets reflect priorities, and we want Diversity and Equity to become Priorities for this district. So we can not support a major $350,000,000.00 bond issue and facilities plan unless it reflects these values and these priorities.

Now I know I’ve said a mouthful, but I want to close by saying that, we are not coming to you tonight as Adversaries… We are here only as Advocates… We are here because we care deeply about the future of our children as you do… and we can not and will not stand to see them fall back into the traps we once escaped.

Thank you for your time...

Tech Tags: Diversity, Equity, School, Education, Busing, desegregation, resegregation, NAACP, Wichita, Kevin+Myles

H.R. 4137 "The College Opportunity and Affordability Act" moving through the House of Representatives

Yesterday, the House of Representatives began debate on H.R. 4137, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act. This legislation aims to reauthorize the Higher Education Act of 1965 and is a companion piece to the reauthorization bill the Senate that passed last summer.

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This bill proposes the following provisions to benefit TRIO:

• the creation of an appeals process that includes review by a second peer review panel;
• expands TRIO grants from four to five years;
• language directing the Secretary to consider the needs of students when reviewing TRIO grant applications;
• language moving prior experience from being defined as regulatory language (by the Department of Education) to being defined by Congress (legislatively);
• defines the primary purpose of any TRIO evaluation as "the identification of particular practices that further the achievement of the prior experience criteria" included in the bill and requires approval of the institution's IRB if a project is selected to participate in a TRIO evaluation;
• allows branch campuses that were previously excluded to apply for grants;
• includes language to expand the scope of the Veterans Upward Bound program to include federal reservists called to action on or after September 11, 2001, and expands the ability of older veterans to participate in the program;
• expands TRIO services and makes secondary schools eligible to apply for TRIO programs;
• expands eligibility to include "disconnected youth," including young people who are homeless, in foster care, and teen parents; and
• eliminates the "Absolute Priority" requirements, including the evaluation of Upward Bound.

Let's keep this one on our collective Radar!

Tech Tags: TRIO, Upward+Bound, Talent+Search, Current+Affairs, Current+Events

Your Presence is needed to show support for diversity and ensure equity in our schools

Please Plan to Attend:

To show your support, please attend the:

Board of Education Meeting: Monday, February 11, 2008
Time: 6:00 p.m. - Arrive by 5:40 p.m. for parking & seating.
Place: North High School - 1437 Rochester (by 13th & N. Waco)

Last week, USD259 voted to end it's busing for desegregation program. The plan had been in effect since 1971 and was implemented as a result of a lawsuit filed by the Wichita Branch NAACP under the leadership of then President Chester Lewis. Local Wichitan's and longtime readers of this blog know that the administration of USD259 had sought for a number of years to end the program, and that each year, the Branch would mount a strategic 'counter-campaign' to save it.

Many of you outside of Wichita may be surprised to learn that our program had survived this long, but that was a testament to the hard work and efforts of the volunteer members of our local branch. Over the last few years, our Branch (particularly the members of the Education committee) held forums, attended community meetings, passed out flyers, bought and supplied books and resource materials, gave radio and television interviews to support and maintain our districts desegregation efforts. We worked very hard for the cause of maintaining diversity within our schools, and each year, though our district's administration made clear their intent to end the program, we were able to rally public support and keep it in place.

This year was different. Bolstered by the recent decision of the Supreme Court, the district approached the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) once more, seeking to be released from our busing for desegregation program. We contacted OCR as we had in years past to state our position as representatives of the original plaintiffs in the suit that led to the creation of the plan. But while our fierce support of diversity in education never waivered, this campaign coupled with the recent Supreme Court decisions gave us a good opportunity to re-examine our strategy.

In reassessing our strategy it became clear that somehow along the way, we had allowed ourselves to slip into the role of defending the status quo. That was a tragic and inappropriate role for a watchdog/advocacy group because we were often placed in a position of defending a status quo that was in many respects inadequate. Our children have many educational issues and needs, but our ability to effectively advocate on their behalf was muted; it was difficult at times to fight for what we needed when we were fighting so hard to maintain what little we had. Like midshipmen aboard a leaky boat, so much of our time was devoted to fixing leaks, bailing water, and reassuring dissatisfied passengers, that little time was left for us to recognize or address the fact that our Sail was actually too small, our maps were outdated, and our Captain was asleep at the wheel. If for no other reason that this, we as a Branch needed to reposition ourselves so that we could become more effective in our role as advocates.

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We had made it clear all along that we were never 'married' to busing; we viewed busing as a strategy, not a goal. But we were and remain completely committed to Diversity in Education, Educational Equity, High Expectations for all students, Challenging Curriculums, and having experienced highly qualified teachers for our children. We addressed the Board of Education during the 06 and 07 school years and acknowledged that we would be open to alternative plans as long as they provided for these things.

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When the District voted to end busing, a plan was put forth that would (at least initially) address these issues. Additionally, a number of promises and commitments were made by members of the Board and the Administration regarding diversity and equity. However, while we believe the members of the Board to be sincere in their intent, we want to see these promises and commitments codified into district policy.

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The district has proposed that an Oversight Committee be formed to monitor the district's performance on the issues of diversity and equity. We believe the oversight committee is a great idea, however we know that a oversight advisory committee alone will be vastly insufficient to shape the district's responses to the challenges that lie ahead. A group of volunteers with no real power to affect policy or make change can not be held accountable for the condition of our schools. The District and administration may, at their discretion, delegate some degree of oversight and authority to an advisory committee, but they can NOT delegate their responsibility or their accountability.

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In taking that vote to end the existing program they each, personally assumed responsibility for the outcomes. However, the issues of diversity and equity are so important to our children, that we can not simply allow them to defer the issue to just another advisory committee. Ending Busing will only be the first of a series of very difficult decisions this Board must now face.

• The District I Board of Education (BOE) member, Betty Arnold is recommending that in addition to having an oversight committee, a paid staff position should be created to oversee diversity, quality education, etc. We wholeheartedly support this recommendation and will ask the other Board members for their support as well. We made a similar recommendation in the 4-point plan to eliminate the Achievement Gap which the Board adopted, but never fully implemented.

• We will also restate our position that if we are to ensure diversity and equity, then we need to go back to the map and redraw our neighborhood school boundaries. The AAA neighborhood for student assignment purposes was defined by residential segregated housing patterns. To truly move beyond race in education, we should abandon the old 'Negro district' and develop new school boundaries using the same growth and capacity formula that we would use anywhere else in the city. We believe that if we all work together to reexamine school boundaries and determine how best to assign students, we can maintain diversity without forced busing.

• We will ask that the District draft policy that speaks directly to the issue of equity in teachers, resources, and facilities. The number of highly qualified teachers and the average levels of experience within each school should be monitored and there should be some safeguards against any school falling behind the others in these categories.

• And we will also speak to the District's proposed $350,000,000.00 bond issue.

On Tuesday morning, following the Board meeting, I will post my comments to the board and their questions and reactions here on the blog. But in the interim, we asking that all who are able plan to attend and show your support for these efforts...

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See you Monday!

Tech Tags: Busing, Desegregation, USD259, NAACP, Wichita+NAACP, Education, School, Youth

The Chattanooga-Hamilton County NAACP Speaks Out and Calls for Action on Education

This post was contributed by my sister President Valoria Armstrong; President of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Branch NAACP

Press Release - January 23, 2008 -

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is committed to ensuring teacher quality within our school systems. The recent racial and insulting incidents within the Hamilton County School System have raised questions to the quality of teachers that interact with our children on a daily basis.

All students, regardless of their race or ethnic background, should be able to study and learn in an environment that is free of racial or sexual attack as well as intimidation. The recent incident involving former Hixson High School teacher, Bill Eller, highlights major concerns in regard to the quality of teachers within the Hamilton County School System.

The Chattanooga-Hamilton County NAACP calls for an immediate investigation into Principal Eddie Gravitt and his lack of accountability in addressing the past concerns and complaints toward Mr. Eller from students and parents. The NAACP further calls for disciplinary actions, if necessary, according to Hamilton County School Board Policies due to Principal Gravitt's failure in not properly addressing issues of this magnitude.

The Hamilton County School System has not made diversity training a priority. Due to the failure to appropriately educate and foster awareness with all school officials, our children are not being taught in an environment conducive of acceptance, proper socialization skills, or in which inappropriate behavior is addressed accordingly.

The Chattanooga-Hamilton County NAACP is calling for all Hamilton County School officials to complete diversity and sensitivity training prior to interacting with students. Training of this nature will increase awareness of differences and create an environment where teachers and administration understands the needs of their students.

The Chattanooga-Hamilton CountyNAACP is calling for a zero tolerance policy towards school officials that exhibit or participate in racially charged or intimidating behavior or speech on the school campus and school sponsored events.

Please contact, Mrs. Valoria Armstrong, President at (423) 432-9776 or email chattanooganaacp@comcast.net with any questions and/or concerns.

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I spoke with President Armstrong this afternoon about this issue and she explained to me that there had been more than 20 complaints made by parents concerning cruel, racially, and or sexually changed comments and unprofessional behavior from former Coach Bill Eller at Hixson High School. And while these complaints continued to come in over a 2 year period, no significant disciplinary action was ever taken by the School Principal. And now, though Mr. Eller has finally been transferred and his coaching duties have been removed, it has come to light that Principal Gravitt had not even maintained records of the complaints he'd received.

We applaud your efforts Sister President. The Wichita Branch is proud to stand with you, and we wish all the best and continued success to you and the Chattanooga-Hamiton County Branch...