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The best quality education is one of the most important issues that will determine ones future life, prosperity and destiny. But for Black American parents and students, this is the single most important issue that will affect not only our overall quality of life, but also will determine how we will achieve to the fullest extent actual freedom, justice, equality and empowerment. Excellence in education should not be just a matter for national political debate and dialogue; it should be the cause for urgent grassroots social action, protest and demand.

As we prepare to fully enter into the 2012 national political arena with the coming primary elections, in particular in states where there are determinative percentages of Black American voters, we all must work hard to make sure that the interests of our children, families and communities do not get triaged or sidestepped. The truth is we are not making enough noise and clamor about what is happening to the majority of Black youth in the public schools systems across America. Why are 45 million Black Americans so silent about the failures of the primary and secondary school systems when it comes to the education of our children?

The high school dropout rate for Black students continues to be double that of White students. This statistic has become so common that in many school districts it no longer serves as the subject or predicate for policy change at the school board level. Yet we know well the direct correlation between low academic achievement and persistent high school dropouts as well as the direct correlation between disproportionate high unemployment and incarceration. Income inequality is directly related to educational inequality! Poverty persists disproportionately in the Black American community because of the absence of economic empowerment that would be fulfilled if we would educate ourselves more fervently and urgently with excellence in every subject matter and discipline of study. The future is in our own hands to the extent to which we demand and achieve the best education in the world without apology or excuse.

A recent statistical study completed by Stanford University’s Sean Reardon established that income inequality also predetermines how well a student will do in school. In other words, students from “rich” families potentially do better in school than students from “poor” and working class families. For the first time the study revealed “The achievement gap between children from high and low income families is far higher that the achievement gap between black and white students.” According to the Stanford report, the reasons why the income achievement gap has grown include the following: “The income gap between the richest and poorest families has grown over the past 40 years; High income families invest more time and resources into promoting their children's ‘cognitive development’ than lower income families; High income families increasingly have greater socioeconomic and social resources that may benefit their children; Income inequality has led to more residential segregation by income level rather than race, which in turns means that high income children have access to higher quality schools and other resources.”

But it should not be shocking that the academic achievement gaps are determine both by race and economic class status. The question is what can we do about these systemic inequalities? This is why I have joined the ranks of the Black Alliance of Educational Options (BAEO). The mission of BAEO is to increase access to high-quality educational options for Black children by actively supporting parental choices policies and programs that empower low-income and working-class Black families. At a meeting hosted by Representative Laura Hall this month in Huntsville, Alabama, a well-attended town hall gathering was focused on getting an effective charter school bill before the Alabama State Legislature in 2012. Kenneth Campbell, President of BAEO, stated, “We really feel like it’s important that organizations take information to the people, so that people can understand it and get their arms around it and determine how they want to proceed.” There is a growing grassroots movement in Alabama for parental choice and the option for public charter schools to promote a better alternative for excellence in the education of Black children in Alabama. I was also just in Selma, Alabama with State Senator Hank Sanders and Attorney Rose Sanders for a similar BAEO town hall meeting. In Richmond, Virginia I witnessed with the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools a growing statewide interest among local Black clergy and parents around the issues of parental choice. I was really impressed with the leadership of State Senator Louise Lucas to improve the performance of the public schools in Virginia. From Mississippi to Kentucky to Virginia, New Jersey, Missouri, and New York as well as in Alabama and other states, there is a growing national movement of Black parents and advocates for school reform.

We salute the involvement and leadership of some the outstanding performing artists and young emerging leaders in the African American community who have taken a public stand on the crucial education issue. Especially we note the renowned leadership of John Legend. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Stand for Children Leadership Center and the Education Equality Project, two groups that work on education reform. Legend uses his artist genius in music, word and video to encourage students to finish high school and to do well in schools that have proven to be successful in innovation and reform. Legend emphasized, "Half of my fellow students dropped out before graduation, I was one of the lucky ones -- I finished high school and went on to college. With a different situation and different teachers, maybe I would've been one of those 53 percent of young black men who do not graduate from high school. One of the 53 percent doing the low wage jobs, unemployment and prison." The movement is growing. Join us. Let’s make a difference for all our children. Excellence in education is the best key for future progress and empowerment.

Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. is Senior Advisor for the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) and President of Education Online Services Corporation and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN).

An inglorious exit for Herman Cain

Friday, 09 December 2011 08:57

Most political observers, including this newspaper, never gave Black Republican businessman Herman Cain a chance of winning his party’s presidential nomination much less the presidency itself.

But few expected his campaign to crash and burn under the weight of allegation of sexual impropriety with a White Atlanta businesswoman.

In the end, it was Cain’s handling of the situation that was his undoing.

Bobbing and weaving and dancing around the stories didn’t help his cause any. If ever there was a time to hire spin doctors to come to rescue, this was the time. Instead, Cain decided he’d handle the situation himself; a blunder of the highest magnitude.

Ever since the presidential race of former Senator Gary Hart in the 1980s, American news outlets have been on high alert for possible sexual misconduct among those vying for the highest office in the land.

One need only to look at the world of trouble that former President Bill Clinton landed in when a bevy of women came forth during his first campaign to tell the world that Clinton was a serial womanizer.

It got so bad that Clinton’s campaign had to hire a full-time person to handle what were then called the “bimbo eruptions.”

Despite it all, Clinton prevailed because he took the bull by the horns and handled the situation.

Herman Cain could have taken a page from the Clinton play book.

Instead, he decided to be a solo act and go it alone.

And now Cain will be remembered for an alleged off and on 13 year affair with a blond from Atlanta.

We suspect that Cain will have an even more daunting task to face. And that will be a conversation with his wife of over 45 years.

Fire Department pay scandal is a mess

Friday, 09 December 2011 08:53

Cleveland City Councilman Jeff Johnson is correct in his assessment calling for “heads to roll” in the ongoing investigation into Cleveland Fire Department pay abuses.

So many firefighters call in sick on Thanksgiving that the city was forced to temporarily shut two fire houses and reduce staff at a third of them.

Moreover, “heads should roll” now that it has been pointed out that about several firefighters abused the system; with one having the nerve to live in California and only working five months out of the year.

While such shenanigans aren’t the norm, such indiscretions are made possible because of the firefighters’ union contract.

It goes without saying that such contract provisions need to be tightened up if not outright eliminated.

Cleveland Safety Director Martin Flask has vowed disciplinary action and assigned a police sergeant from the police department’s internal affairs unit to investigate possible criminal wrongdoing.

This is a good start but one that comes a little too late.

It is obvious that payroll abuses in the fire department have become a culture within itself.

This indicates to us shoddy leadership, if not downright malfeasance, at the top of the department’s chain of command.

Trading shifts has long been a practice within the division of fire. It was made to accommodate the personal and family needs of fire fighters.

The way that this policy has been abused is way beyond a flagrant violation, but a disregard to taxpayers.

It is unfortunate that retiring Fire Chief Paul Stubbs will end his career with this scandal on his back. At the end of the day, the buck stops at the top.

Let’s hope that the fire department can come out of this scandal having learned something. In the meantime, heads must roll.

County is doing right by investing in preschool

Thursday, 01 December 2011 10:47

While the Cleveland Municipal School District is eliminating its preschool programs, Cuyahoga County is making investments its preschool initiative.

The county will funnel an extra $1-million next year to its acclaimed pre-kindergarten program, expanding high-quality early education and offering more scholarships.

And while this expansion is to be applauded, it cannot make up for Cleveland’s loss.

Study after study has found that preschool programs make children more likely to graduate high school and go to college, own a home and stay out of prison.

In addition, preschool-prepared children score higher on standardized tests and earn higher average salaries.

Such data is compelling, to say the least.

Unfortunately, like many urban school districts across the country, Cleveland schools have had to make hard budget choices.

One such choice was the elimination of preschool programs.

In the end, it will be determined if the district was penny wise and pound foolish in making its decision to chop preschool programs.

It’s too bad that children will have to suffer.

Thankfully, the county is stepping up its game in providing this vital educational tool.

Parents should embrace the program and the concept.

We certainly do.

Northeast Ohio has lost another legend

Thursday, 01 December 2011 10:44

The recent death of George W. White, retired chief judge of the United States District Court in Cleveland, signals the passing of one of this area’s legal minds, civic activist and philanthropist.

White was 80 when he died the other week.

At his funeral, hundreds came to pay their respects to the soft spoken but tough as nails jurist who set the gold standard for judicial temperament and a love of the law.

Before being appointed to the federal judiciary in 1980, the U.S. District Court here had never had an African-American judge. White changed all that and then some.

He heard the trials of Teamster leader Jackie Presser, porn king Reuben Sturman and other headlined defendants. In all of his cases, he never let the spotlight get in the way of justice.

Before being a federal judge, White would end the Cleveland school’s25 year desegregation case.

He would serve as a councilman in the Lee-Harvard area and take on Cleveland Mayor Carl Stokes who wanted to build low income homes in the then affluent Black neighborhood. White won the battle.

A 1955 graduate of Cleveland Marshall College of Law, he would practice with legendary attorney Charles Fleming who would later become presiding judge of Cleveland Municipal Court.

But White’s passion extended beyond the law and public service. He helped to create the United Black Fund of Cleveland, First Club of Cleveland and the Cleveland Browns Foundation.

George White never let success or the spotlight go to his head.

He was a down to Earth man that had a heart as well.

He will be missed.

May he rest in peace.