tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57464966446099167302024-03-05T01:15:12.581-08:00Dawn Seattle - The Retired OneMuch of my Posts support equity and excellence for African American and poor children in Seattle and along the WA I-5 Corridor.Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.comBlogger83125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-27019771405635547102015-07-11T14:01:00.001-07:002018-09-14T10:39:49.563-07:00Can We Get A Patrol Car Out Here Please?<i>The original Part 1 posting has been taken down in response to SPD sending three police vehicles to my neighborhood to talk with the residents who sell drugs out of their home, which until recently was frequented by a man who is now charged with attempted murder. </i><br />
<br />
<i>Part 2 remains until drugs are no longer being sold out of this house and my neighborhood is returned to the safe place it has been for 28 years. I will use this page to keep readers updated. </i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #990000;">July 12, 2015 </span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Can We Get A Patrol Car OUt Here Please Part 1 is posted</li>
<li>Communication sent to the Mayor's Office about the lack of police response to drug activity on our block.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"> July 13, 2015 </span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Police visit the trouble house. No arrests made. Most likely a knock and talk as in we are watching you, a respectful action. </li>
<li>Children and families outside enjoying the summer evening following the departure of the police.</li>
<li>Blog Entry Can We Get A Patrol Car Out Here Please Part 1 is taken down. </li>
</ul>
<div>
<span style="color: #990000;">August 25, 2015</span></div>
<div>
The Bonnie and Clyde team that kept our neighborhood under siege for almost two years without police response appear to be out of business. I would like to say it was good police work but it was not. "Clyde" shot and seriously injured someone and will end up in prison. "Bonnie" not yet out of her 30's has had a serious heart attack. The mother who harbored them with her job of look out no longer needed is now being seen doing what she did for years of a more legal existence, walking to the bus stop. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Even though an attempted murder, and extreme violence, and a poor health appears to have put a stop to the traffic on our quiet street, I still took down the Part 2 posting as promised. Our police have so much work to do as keepers of peace and law in this urban city.<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #990000;">The Year of 2017</span></span><br />
The entire year was spent interacting with Seattle Police seeking help with a house that was without doubt a major connector for drug activity in Seattle. The traffic escalated after our seeking help from the police as if it was a signal to keep on doing what you are doing. On some days the car traffic was lined like a fast food drive through. One car occupant would get out go to the door return with their goods, drive off and the next would drive into the driveway and repeat. Walk ups opened and consumed their drugs while walking past our homes. We have video of this and shared with Seattle Police without any response. The South Precinct Commander was changed with unusual frequency, but these changes did not increase the SPD ability to stop this level of dealing drugs in a neighborhood that was willing to work with them. We became the enemy, word was out that Dawn Mason was being treated special, using up police resources. It was not me who caused the SWAT Team to spend 8 hours following a major shooting at the Valero gas station on Rainier and Othello. The person imprisoned for this crime resided at 4601 the house that the police once wrote even after this murder, that they could not find any evidence of criminal behavior. The neighbors knew the patterns of the perpetrators, we live on a cul de sac, we can see every house. Then in the Fall of 2017 another murder occurs, at the Smoke Shop at Rainier and Mead. The police described it as being at the Union Bar, but it was associated not with the bar, but the smoke shop, the residents of 4601 supplied illicit drugs to both the smoke shop on Graham and on Mead. If we knew this why did the police not know. So another murderer residing at 4601 is imprisoned. The neighbors collectively seek a meeting with the South Precinct command. They put in what I am told was hours of work on writing a report about their investigation of the house and came to the conclusion that they still could find no criminal activity. I cancelled the meeting.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;">The year 2018</span><br />
The neighbors stopped believing SPD had any interest in cleaning up drug trafficking in this primarily African American and SE Asian and Pacific Island neighborhood. It was not yet White enough. This is the belief of non whites who are seeing a huge influx of White home owners in neighborhoods that were once owned by non whites. With leadership from our non white diverse neighbors, we finally took things into their own hands, paid an attorney to represent our interest. A claim was filed against owners, Glen and Victoria Cabio, for creating and maintaining a nuisance and disallowing us the pleasure of our properties. We demanded the house be vacated of all renters, be sold and neighbors signing onto the nuisance claim be paid damages for loss of use and devaluation of our property.<br />
<br />
As of this week, the terms have been agreed to by all parties, and the house is restored to one that aligns with the nicely painted homes with well kept lawns, and a safe environment for our children. The Summer began with a block party to welcome new and returning neighbors.<br />
<br />
<b>The Neighborhood that is Gentrified Proof</b><br />
Valley Ridge is a neighborhood in SE Seattle, on a well maintained cul de sac, my family has lived here as one of the original owners for 33 years. We are joined by others whose children are now grown with families of their own and have returned to claim their legacy. We are not gentrified, because the children who grew up in this neighborhood over the course of the 30 years its existence are returning to to claim their legacy, standing on a foundation of being good neighbors. Some properties have sold to both non melinated and melinated owners. The G word is not spoken here.<br />
<br />
So we close three years of the reign of terror in our neighborhood, show what can be done when neighbors are pro active over passive aggressive. We did not use violence or stand our ground, we had proof and even though we never got an officer who could do much for us, we took the matter to the courts and won.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0Hillman City, Seattle, WA 98118, USA47.5494692 -122.2804120000000147.5387522 -122.300582 47.5601862 -122.26024200000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-78759971986335163182015-07-11T06:46:00.001-07:002015-07-11T06:46:13.155-07:00Proclamations and Work Still Left to DoOn Wednesday, July 8, 2015 I was honored and humbled by a dual recognition of my contribution of my life and resources to bring justice to education, economic and human equity to Seattle, King County, WA. King County Executive Dow Constantine and Mayor Ed Murray brought to the Annual Dawn Mason Fish Fry Proclamations for Dawn Mason Day.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60porQwLNBV3Z9ud1qOWWZ7GNOrIuLHf8cyygHHaauqlrkSqjUa_mdpj8-AWl0_Abh7Dad5IDVJLx1IlCTBND4U89BVfHw6kvyiDFu4RaycHneuEU3CTeIjqJs8jPo_SccQKJhCeHN1I/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-11+at+6.40.45+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60porQwLNBV3Z9ud1qOWWZ7GNOrIuLHf8cyygHHaauqlrkSqjUa_mdpj8-AWl0_Abh7Dad5IDVJLx1IlCTBND4U89BVfHw6kvyiDFu4RaycHneuEU3CTeIjqJs8jPo_SccQKJhCeHN1I/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-07-11+at+6.40.45+AM.png" width="498" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3m2f1wwGfjJNc_TIHc4ECOo_NnehaZlmIC7fDaKjva4ItDJsMWspcd6jzw-w6RwxV45UtRv4YF5PJnEm2cGC1XrxynEdSYjZt3ofmjqUKJgkb81jYBGirfp8jZ1ZjLd3KFcn5koiTd7g/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-07-11+at+6.41.07+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3m2f1wwGfjJNc_TIHc4ECOo_NnehaZlmIC7fDaKjva4ItDJsMWspcd6jzw-w6RwxV45UtRv4YF5PJnEm2cGC1XrxynEdSYjZt3ofmjqUKJgkb81jYBGirfp8jZ1ZjLd3KFcn5koiTd7g/s640/Screen+Shot+2015-07-11+at+6.41.07+AM.png" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
There is everything right with getting public recognition from places of high respect. But recognition for what has been done, must be the launching place for the future. At age 70, I could with out guilt just sit down and say I have done enough. Or I could honor the health and well being that has been granted and go forward with wisdom and clarity. I have chosen the latter.<br />
<br />
Thank you to my legislative colleagues Dow and Ed for this honor of a day to call my own.Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-2114943100578684002015-06-10T09:17:00.001-07:002015-07-11T12:18:43.440-07:00Rainier Valley Matters. Southend Neighbors deserve shared resources and smart solutions. <div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Things come my way because I tend to do something with what is placed in my lap. So the irony of shooting being in a gas station across from my daughter's residence and the police looking for him near my residence inspires this writing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The area near Valero Gas station on Rainier and Othello has its share of trouble. And will remain that way until the good people who now live in this area give up and it becomes Seattle's next gentrified community. When thr new residents arrive in the Brighton/Othello neighborhoods in full force the police will miraculously find "resources" to make this stretch safe from drug deals and subsequent violence associated with illegal activity. The media says it is gang related, the shooting had nothing to do with gangs it was over a woman. It is just easier for the media to link everything that involves a Black male with being gang related. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The house that the suspect frequents is a trouble house, they sell drugs and brings frequent visitors who stay no more than 5 minutes. The cars are sometimes lined up as if waiting for their order at a drive through. When we have called the police because of arguments, public urination, people driving fast on a street where children play, and old people live nothing or not much happens. The average adult age is about 60 years old. Most of us are retired. Except for this one house the neighborhood is extremely safe and sane. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The police are almost totally in effective in helping us as a neighborhood that wants criminal activity stopped. We call, we have spoken to top brass to no positive end. We like any other neighborhood that has invested millions of dollars into properties want a return non our tax investment. How we different from other neighborhoods of prominent residents? Well the most obvious is that we are brown and black. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">We are not moving or selling anytime soon or fast enough so what we are experiencing is under policing. The other day one neighbor raising children sounded a bit too frustrated, using words like I need to feel my children are safe. That is the feeling before the for sale signs arrive. Frustrating owners out of Rainier Valley to make room for young whites who want and need a home less expensive than Fremont, or Queen Anne. There is not much left in Columbia City we are Hillman City the next neighborhood to the south. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Chief O'Toole has been called by me and told that our neighbors have tried for more than two years and without results to get the illegal activity in this house shut down. By the time person's violence gets to the level of shooting someone in front of witnesses without concern, someone saw it coming. We saw it coming. We know where criminal behavior goes unstopped, there are guns and that guns get used and sometimes innocent people get hurt. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">So what happens when good neighbors in an otherwise family neighborhood in Rainier Valley calls the police for help? The standard answer from 911 the police are busy on other calls. Or if there is finally a response it could be days later, and we get told of the lack of resources to work on nuisance calls. Could someone tell SPD that <i><b>Selling drugs outside of a licensed pharmacy is a not a nuisance it is a crime.</b></i> People threatening to kill during loud arguments is not a nuisance call. Drug customers urinating on private lawns is a nuisance but when they passed out on that lawn from drug use, I think a report needs to be responded to. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">A news reporter following a five hour SWAT team stand off at the house asked me if the neighborhood was changing. "No, the police response to neighbors is changing." With police help we could have had this handled before the violent shots to the face of someone. We used to get responses to calls and those calls were not very frequent and they were the kinds of calls neighbors who want to ward off bad actors make. A car sitting too long in a neighborhood, abandoned vehicles, suspicious people. We live on a cul de sac so any who is on our block and not a visitor to anyone is suspicious. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">My family has lived on this block for 30 years and no problems to speak of for 29 of those years. Bad houses can pop up anywhere, but if the police do not work with neighbors, they get to take root. Luckily for my block, the homes except for two are owner occupied. Both have absentee landlords. One houses good neighbors. The Cabios bought their home when we bought ours and has benefitted from the rent that Seattle Housing Authority sends them. So my taxes helps to pay for the nuisance that plagues us. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Actually, this is a </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">nice home gone bad. The woman now older and not well raised foster children along with her own. She went to work everyday and was a nice neighbor. Then relatives came to "take care of her" and as she told police she "lost control of her home." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The fall back response when you call 911 or if you get to speak with an officer is that there are not enough resources. It seems t</span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">he police were not short on resources June 9, 2015. They sent enough police vehicles and personnel to arrest the suspect they believed was in the trouble house to render the neighborhood a war zone. </span><b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">Selling drugs outside of a pharmacy is not a nuisance it is a crime. </b><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">And crime escalates until someone gets hurt or killed. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Once an officer finally came out and did what is called a knock and talk. The older woman who has lived in the house for many years said she lost control of the house when relatives moved in about two years ago. She is not well, they came to "take care of her." Why did the police not contact Adult Protection Services, our property taxes pay for all the prevention resources that seem to not flow to Rainier Valley. Is there some kind of invisible resources dam at I-90?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The cost of a more than five hour surveillance with a SWAT team had to be an expensive resource use. I think what we were asking for is much less costly. </span><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">When they finally entered the house the suspect was not there he left in another vehicle. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">That was last month and now we are back to no response to calls. A young man was knocking on doors last week claiming he had tracked his phone to this neighborhood. And hung out for almost 45 minutes and three calls later a patrol car came just after he left. A white male had murdered nine good black people just the week before the President responded, I am old and black the scary 21 year old was young and white. I was told in a follow up call with Sgt Ann Martin that an car did come after the third call but they never checked on me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">As neighbors we fell doomed but we are not moving. We will continue to make the calls, and even complain. I already know I will be labeled a nuisance. Hell, the Mayor, the King County Executive, City Attorney and two City Council members and a Community Police Commander were guests in my backyard, I consider them colleagues and allies. My neighbor is a Municipal Judge, and another a retired SPD Commander. If we can not get a patrol car to respond to legitimate calls who in Seattle can? It would be nice to have an analysis of calls by neighborhoods. I hear sirens all the time, so does a full scale crime have to occur before the resources of which we are told they are short are applied? We have even been told of our calls coming during a shift change. It was 11:25 A.M. on a Saturday morning. What shift is that? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-39805451123563360042015-06-02T00:32:00.000-07:002015-06-03T18:17:13.665-07:00Gov. Inslee Must Assure First Place Scholars Keeps its Charter and Funding<br />
<br />
<div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<i style="color: #660000; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">First Place Scholars School is the only charter that proposed to solely focus on the education of poor children. It has for 25 years been located in a Seattle community that voted overwhelmingly democratic and placed Governor Jay Inslee in this highest state office. He must assure education equity for all schools whether district or charter. </span></i></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<b>Retaining First Place Scholars as a Charter School</b><br />
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
First Place Scholars School Leader, has lead the FPS Board of Directors, teachers, parents, volunteers, and a diverse community in putting WA's historic first charter school into compliance. Education Specialists have advised and<u> <b>much work has been done</b></u>; The special education plan and teacher are in place, safety plans and drills approved, teachers coached, and student social and emotional growth evident. A fund development plan is drafted and is being applied. We are supplementing public funds to bring best practices in educating poor children. The students have taken and are waiting the results of the required Smarter Balance measurement. This will give a baseline for next school year. Supporting Partners have brought experiential education in science, the arts, and technology. Trained Volunteers are mentoring and tutoring and the emotional and social growth of the students is being documented.<br />
<br />
Today, WA Charter Commission told the public that they had to get clarity from OSPI to know what they should expect from First Place Scholars. And that means any charter school. Moving the goal post has kept even some of the Commissioners a bit confused. We want Governor Jay Inslee to do his job and assure that charters are implemented with equity. Revoking a charter because funds are not in place is not equity. He and the legislature have not closed district schools because school funding is not adequate. They are in a second special session working together to figure our school finances. Why would financing be a reason to revoke our charter?<br />
<br />
You can cut and paste this into the <a href="https://fortress.wa.gov/es/governor/" target="_blank">Governor's online comment form. </a><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<div style="color: #222222;">
<b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">What do we need Governor Jay Inslee to Know?</b></div>
<span style="color: #990000;"><b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Gov Inslee, please use your highest in state office to bring equity to the implementation of charter schools. Stop the WA Charter Commission from taking the charter and thus the public funds from the education of students who represent WA's poorest children. You can and must stop this travesty of equal justice. </b></span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<ul>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">First Place Scholars has delivered and the WA Charter Commission has accepted all of the compliance issues presented. </span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">The Superintendent of Public Instruction has instructed the Commission on how the Special Education Plan should be presented. Before now, there was no clarity. The teacher is certified.The proof they ask for is merely showing them the certification. This is a new request. </span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">The compensatory part of the plan will be implemented in summer with a contribution to help with this from Catholic Community Services.</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">The U.S. Department of Education had three evaluators on site for two days and found that First Place Scholars met compliance as a start up charter school and released a $200,000.</span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">We are asking Governor Inslee to have the Commission to take First Place off of probation and allow them to restore their good name, focus on direct instruction and give the public a chance to see best practices for poor children established within a distinct community. </span></li>
</ul>
<div>
<b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">We want Governor Inslee to use the power of his office to:</b></div>
</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<ul>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Stop any inequity of time in establishing a public charter school. </span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Convey to the Commission it takes time to establish best practices with any students especially children with challenges, traumas, and special needs. </span></li>
<li style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Let the Commission know that any charter school needs at least two to three years to demonstrate the school can be governed and operated with positive outcomes. </span></li>
</ul>
</div>
Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-25201972120906693332015-04-29T09:13:00.003-07:002015-04-29T09:13:41.666-07:00Parents and Community Pleased with First Place Charter School<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8F9Hf1CWZuZwFQtF4fu6Sp0dqrHFVNlcFmlAVEYBV-_WJZ55ldmLcYFHRXczL3ObqMp3jdUVuBoMzb-3NXKOG7OSuS8qeHhXKnMwC0WfVrx7pfgN7gccT9yY2qvSu8AhUe2QbF9XQyg/s1600/IMG_0037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8F9Hf1CWZuZwFQtF4fu6Sp0dqrHFVNlcFmlAVEYBV-_WJZ55ldmLcYFHRXczL3ObqMp3jdUVuBoMzb-3NXKOG7OSuS8qeHhXKnMwC0WfVrx7pfgN7gccT9yY2qvSu8AhUe2QbF9XQyg/s1600/IMG_0037.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Place Scholars Charter School, Seattle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: #660000;"><b>Parents Find Stability as a Plus at First Place</b></span><br />
Parents are the key to an excellent education for young children. This was proven at <a href="http://www.fpscholars.org/" target="_blank">First Place Scholars</a> a charter school in Seattle, Africatown/Central District. For 25 years its mission of a high expectation education with wrap around family services for Seattle's poorest elementary age children is not lost in its transition to a charter school. "Parents were at first concerned but are now very pleased with the new School Leader Dr. Linda Whitehead, and the therapeutic environment for learning she has established," says Linda Battle's whose grand children attend First Place Scholars. "<br />
<br />
Poor families are highly mobile and for many reasons. Moving can disrupt a child's education. Because First Place Scholars, a free public charter school bears the cost of city wide transportation, when a family moves their child can remain at First Place Scholars. The benefit is in the midst of family turmoil, education for the young student remains stable.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: #660000;">First Place a Neighborhood School</span></b><br />
Creating partnerships and utilizing community amenities give highly mobile students and parents a sense of place. Community partnerships span those within in blocks of the school and across the Seattle landscape. Furthest is Islandwood Environmental Camp which First Place students have been attending since its inception more than a decade ago. Sue Byers who is with Islandwood is also a community advisor to First Place. Antioch University brings psychology interns to the building. Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute is a two block walk, and students have this state of the art theater for performance arts that adds to their social and emotional growth. While some of the children are at the theater, others are in Skills and Drills at the Rotary Boys and Girls Club a block away from the school, while others are at one of the two parks within sight of the school building. These partnerships are what gives First Place Students the experiences of being part of a neighborhood and makes the neighborhood the First Place Scholars campus and it is the neighborhood of Quincy Jones and Jimi Hendrix, their Garfield High School is visible from FPS.<br />
<br />
Another Community Partner is Village Spirit Center, Directed by Evelyn Allen, who did not hesitate to step in as Board Vice President when asked. She has been a key to what makes First Place work as a multi faceted organization for many years. Village Spirit Center is a spin off of the Catholic Community Services and Housing Black Family Center. Parent, Dara knows the value of a First Place Education that has supplied her family with stability throughout what was trauma filled decade of getting to stability. "My older girls are now honor students at traditional public schools and my youngest is enjoying the same excellent education I have come to expect of First Place." What brought complaint in October from parents is now their favorite feature of the school, the Academic Extended Day has children applying what is learned in the normal part of the school day in activities such as robotics, science, scouting, conversational Spanish and Japanese, art expression are among the favorite. They all bring the social emotional training that supports a rigorous high expectation education. Scouting is both science and social in learning about the environment and anti-bullying. The whole child must be considered and that is what makes the school a great place for my son, Demi told board members. The safety of First Place makes it the first and only place she feels safe leaving her child. "It is my only family right now and is helpful for managing my mental illness and keeping it in control." Next year her pre-schooler will be enrolled in Kindergarten.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #660000;"><b>Correction Outcomes a Model for Parents</b></span><br />
In completing the infamous 38 compliance issues we stepped up to fix, it was much like adopting a child with many needs. First Place Scholars Leadership has modeled for our families and even charter schools not yet opened, the positive outcomes of accepting that there is something not working, collaborating to solve the problem, and staying focused on intended outcomes. The kind of staying focused on getting to better we expect of parents through case management. The need to bring correction has helped us align with parents who must endure corrections to bring their families to functional and students to scholars. Josephine Howell is a former parent and now school board member and knows getting to functional is not easy for everyone, "It has been surprising to see those individuals and organizations, including funders who ducked and took cover, and those who are stepping up as full partners in this work to assure that First Place will always be open and ready to educate poor children.<br />
<br />
"We have had analyzing and working with us many who want First Place to work for the students we are educating, says School Leader Dr. Whitehead." Some of who she refers to are; US Dept. of Education, WA State Auditors, WA Charter Commission, Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, School Works, WA Charter Association, League of Education Voters, STAND for Children, WA Legislators, Puget Sound Education Service District, WA's Middle School Teacher of the Year, Keisha Scarlett spends evenings and weekends in collegial strategic sessions with Whitehead, and Chair of FPS Education Committee. Catholic Community Services President and CEO Michael Reichart, has extended the full support of what is one of the largest non profit service and housing agencies in WA State.<br />
<br />
Now that we have submitted all of the correctives, we are focused assuring everyone has a chance to do something to support the education of our students and services for our families. Giving on May 5, will double your donation and include you in the growing number of individuals who see the value of the work we do.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.seattlefoundation.org/npos/Pages/FirstPlace.aspx?bv=nposearch" target="_blank">GIVE BIG TO FIRST PLACE ON MAY 5</a><br />
<br />
<br />Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-28552780947373259142015-04-18T19:10:00.000-07:002015-04-18T19:10:31.930-07:00An Informing Afternoon with Women in the Nation of Islam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
In a life so long ago, the Nation of Islam infused in me the courage to love myself as a Black women in America and to not be a coward when it came to protecting the right for Black children to have an excellent education. On Saturday I joined a room of women the Women of Seattle's Nation of Islam Group invited from all walks of life and got glimpse into a very different experience than that I had 40 years ago. The liberation of women was very evident and the move of the Nation away from a separatist organization was refreshing. More people need to be comfortable with men and women who are building for Blacks self determined solutions to problems that keep expanding. Today the issues that need solving are sex trafficking of young girls, brutal rapes that have men acting like a pack of wild animals without being stopped, women being equal to men in jobs and pay, and joining women across the country and around the globe; Chines, Korean, African, European who are standing up and throwing off repression. It was noted that of all the women in the world Black women in American have been the most oppressed and for a sustained 500 years. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Eating nutritious foods and not giving children fast food was seen as ways to diminish the poor health of Blacks and their children. The right to have tax money we pay given to Blacks to educate their own children in a nation that has created school failure was not a change from what the Nation of Islam has always promoted. And visitors seemed to agree that this is something that women could work together on. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
With his wife the First Lady of the Nation Sister Khadijah Farakhan and her daughter applauding these transformative doctrines, Farakkan said someone has to do something about human trafficking and police shootings. And if the Government is not going to do something the people will have to. He announced a 20 year anniversary of Million Man March in October. And This will be a very serious one and our women of courage will be with us. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
The Nation of Islam helped develop me as a courageous person, but the inequality for women made it impossible for me have a sustained presence. So it is refreshing to see women as Ministers, in leadership roles and being treated with equity in their homes and in the affairs of the nation. Also seeing Seattle Women reaching out to join in the work that must be done and must be done by women of all faiths and beliefs was the message today an a refreshing one, if our children male and female are to gain education, social and economic equity. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigsNIlIekwl0wD7Ke_R2XsDPZCzRrJbzzi3YAH50a_f4Yi5WuvGmSfa3z6DDHjQhCpU4JM_qUHxR3-i_OK09oAsad8V30wn-mP7jKiMv78MdE3vGN2Uj4MyhlGutxx4FVp2kjEoIXuroU/s1600/IMG_2684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigsNIlIekwl0wD7Ke_R2XsDPZCzRrJbzzi3YAH50a_f4Yi5WuvGmSfa3z6DDHjQhCpU4JM_qUHxR3-i_OK09oAsad8V30wn-mP7jKiMv78MdE3vGN2Uj4MyhlGutxx4FVp2kjEoIXuroU/s1600/IMG_2684.JPG" height="476" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Seattle's Save our Girls Event on Saturday April 18, 2015</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-57967481782868310602015-04-05T22:55:00.000-07:002015-04-05T22:55:03.797-07:00Parents Believed that the WA Charter Commission Had Done their Due DilligenceParents had no reason to question the decision of the WA Charter Commission they thought they knew what they were doing when they approved First Place Scholars Charter School for student enrollment. By December of the first year the school had 38 out of compliance issues. An unheard of number for any school district and surely for any one school. Actually, upon taking over the school as a new board and school leader, there was little we could find right with the school. Today five months later our doors are opened to daily visitors and they are pleased with what we have done. Even the light bulbs have been replaced, and the after school program finds children in a fun and energetic experiential program of technology, math, arts and science. Building robots, doing karate, and learning conversational Japanese and Spanish.<br />
<br />
<br />
The Washington Charter Commission signed the charter contract with former board President, Daniel Seydell, II Mr. Seydell presided over the transition board, a board that was not in compliance as to structure based on the Commissions own rules. On October 28, 2014 after the majority of the transition board resigned and he was voted off the board after refusing a request that he resign, a new board was established. in November. An assessment was done by School Works after a two day site visit. The new board which is now made up of 9 new board members including me as the new Board President used the outcomes as our roadmap to get FPSCS onto a better course. This was the demand of community, teachers and parents and even students spoke at a standing room only FPS Charter School Board meeting in mid October. Their school was in major conflict, out of compliance, it was not safe.<br />
<br />
The first thing that the new board did was accept an amicable resignation from the existing School Leader she agreed we needed an education administration specialist to do what we needed to do to get the school turned onto a better course while assuring that our students and teachers daily experience was without disruption.<br />
<br />
We hired Dr. Linda Whitehead who had been an education administrator in Camden NJ, one of America's most challenged districts, and in Redmond, WA located in one of the top school districts the educators of the children of Microsoft employees. She had been a School Superintendent in Marysville, WA and a Director at Casey Family Programs. It took one look for her to know that the school had major problems to its structures and systems. The consultants had totally dismantled what has made the former school work well. New teachers were hired, and the Special Education teacher that had been employed for 13 years was let go without a replacement. By the time the dust settled 38 out of compliance issues were discovered partly by the Commission who did not write the first letter of correction until after the new Board was seated and the assessment ordered. In other words, they did not get concerned until after we expressed our concern as to how they could have signed a charter contract with a school that needed time to put its structures and systems into place. But that is why the board hired someone who could run a school while simultaneously building one. This was more then fixing systems, most were not in place at all. <br />
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span>
A normal parent believes when they enroll their child in a school that has been approved to enroll students and receive state funds that the school has met all assurances that it is ready to receive students. Also the predecessor school had been an award winning model for educating children with challenges associated with sustained poverty. But they were<span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span>not told that the<span style="color: #0b5394;"> </span>approved proposal had dismantled the James Comer Model and replaced it with one that was quite different. How would a parent know that the Commission that was appointed to usher in charter schools and sign contracts with individual schools would approve a school that had no safety plan, no special education policy, incomplete background checks, no approved application for reimbursement for free and reduced lunch program with OSPI, and 38 other public school structural and systems either not existing or flawed? <br />
<br />
So for five months Dr. Linda Whitehead, her staff and I and our board have kept our noses to the grindstone building the school our students and parents deserve. A herculean task but one that had to be done. The WA Commission did a rush job on FPSCS in delivering it prematurely. Then they did a rush job of placing not the team that botched the delivery but the specialists who turned the school around immediately onto safe waters for our students and parents. The first thing we did was put the board into compliance as to members, got trained as a Charter School Board and WA Charter Association staff, including learning how to govern under the Open Public Meeting Act. We worked with a community advisory team headed by Keisha Scarlett, Washington's Middle School Principal of the year to put into place a 30, 60, 90 day plan. We hired Dr. Whitehead and made assuring that our students were physically, emotionally and educationally safe and that their teachers had the support systems they needed. It baffles us that the WA Charter Commission has shown so much bravado, even suggesting that their concern for our brown, black and poor children trumps ours. They are not a different body or Executive Director from those who thought it okay to approve a school that had no curriculum or systems for academic measurements and no industry approved finance and audit practices. Now they say they are concerned about our finances. Well so were we and now that we have put into place finance and audit structures to safeguard state and donor funds, they have much to say about the damage to this ill fated delivery of a school they approved.<br />
<br />
So when you read anything that they have to say to the public about First Place Scholars Charter School know that they either learned it from us as a report of a material finding, or that we have already begun the work of fixing it.<br />
<br />
What we have asked for and may or may not get depending upon what measure of responsibility they take for the mistakes they not our our current board and school leader made. They signed the contract and we are living up to it and fixing what they allowed to be the first charter school in Washington State. As of Friday we are told they are working more diligently on trying to be better team players with FPSCS leadership. That will of course mean they have to give us time to raise funds, test the new systems, stress test the structures, train our teachers to the measurement systems. They put the most negative things about the school and our ability in the press and then say "We are concerned about your ability to raise funds." Well they approved a fund raising plan that makes sense to no one. One that we have to rewrite. The entire budget they approved has to be re-written.<br />
<br />
This is the same team that approved the proposal and signed the contract. We are a different leadership team. We are the result of what can happen with charter schools, the community was not happy a change occurred immediately. The WA Charter Commission does not have to answer to the public, they are appointed. So we will see if the Governor will step in and help. We did elect him.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-41565910710496185712015-04-05T22:35:00.002-07:002015-04-05T22:35:12.844-07:00Calling In The Specialists To Save Washington's First Charter School<br />
The words used recently by the Washington Charter Commission in the most recent article is revoke. This of course infers closure of the school. It is very important for the public, parents, and community to know that only the First Place Board of Directors can make that decision and as Board President, I speak for a board that will not step away from doing what has been done for 25 years. Our Mission is to educate poor children. We will fight to the finish to assure that we keep the charter our children deserve to have as much as any in this state. They are the children the charter was voted to educate; brown, black, poor, those that traditional publics wring their hands over.<br />
<br />
The WA Charter Commission erred terribly when they signed a contract with the former FPSCS Board and delivered prematurely to Washington the first charter school. It was a school that was not given the same time that others are enjoying to build their dream school. This created a take over of the school by the community it serves and a new board and School leader was hired to establish the structures and systems usual to a school, charter, traditional public or private. Since November as a volunteer and December 9, 2014 as our newly hired School Leader and Executive Director she has lead the arduous task of saving First Place Scholars Charter School. She has been a School Superintendent, a principal and a Director of a national organization focused on very poor children. She came out of retirement from a 30 year career. She has been good not only for FPSCS but for the Commission's Executive Director. As was told in one article, The Charter Commission is learning on First Place Scholars. A statement I resent. The people of Washington did not vote in charters for adults to learn on the backs and dimes of poor children. It is an arrogant statement and that is what power and privilege produces, arrogance.<br />
<br />
There has been a well strategized communication plan from the Commission and its advisors that covers over what they did in granting prematurely the charter for a school not yet ready to be delivers. Now they speak of pulling the plug. Well that is not going to happen without some clear truth telling and giving the public a chance to hear our side of the story. To have told it too early would have caused an even more punitive correction plan and the one in place is brutal. But we hired the right person to do this work and the assembled a courageous and knowledgeable board of directors able to govern the school to where it should have been in September.<br />
<br />
The community called in the specialists and we are doing a grand job of putting things right first for our students and then to save the charter movement from a black eye. pun intended.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><i>Read next blog entry to see what we are doing to straighten out the mess the Commission made in granting a charter before a school was ready. </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-35809270082963978152015-04-05T22:15:00.003-07:002015-04-05T22:15:34.372-07:00First Place Scholars Charter School Will Never Close It's Doors to Poor Children<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgep7MfwIBQBYrpsdlvNxK8p5sfYOyTSskf3MgtPpnYJjP1auLRBfFEaiRwLIZnt2jhbLNK9S4fWBgGiDc8gi9uBVwh7Nt8ZMgcZfsPXcHVAMVMZp42gQ1LkD-yd47s83FS56POtaNaEcDu/s1600/Marcelas+and+Obama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgep7MfwIBQBYrpsdlvNxK8p5sfYOyTSskf3MgtPpnYJjP1auLRBfFEaiRwLIZnt2jhbLNK9S4fWBgGiDc8gi9uBVwh7Nt8ZMgcZfsPXcHVAMVMZp42gQ1LkD-yd47s83FS56POtaNaEcDu/s1600/Marcelas+and+Obama.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #660000; font-size: small;">Marselas Owens, First Place Alum with Pres.Barack Obama</span><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When President Barack Obama signed the Health Care Bill, standing with him was First Place Alum, Marselas Owens. He cut his teeth on lobbying decision makers when a 3rd grader. He is representative of the high expectations we have for our students. He looks wealthy, most of our children look and perform from expectations of excellence.<br />
<br />
So what happened that changed this when First Place became a charter school?<br />
<br />
First it is important to know that the WA Charter Commission erred and made a drastic delivery to WA State a charter school that was not given time equal to develop as received by the other 7 authorized schools. We are a school that was first dismantled by a team of Consultants, Linda and Ronald McDonald dba Model Schools Project. They changed from the James Comer Model to a Blended model that relies heavily on computer based instruction. Education research tells us young children do not learn best from computers and it is not healthy for the development.<br />
<br />
But that is only one egregious thing that the WA Charter Commission overlooked when approving FPSCS proposal. The finance reporting was not in keeping with accounting principles and they overlooked that the school was in financial free fall before the first student was enrolled.<br />
<br />
A parent, even a poor parent and all of our parents live beneath the poverty line with their children. In Seattle 54% of African American children are poor, so FPSCS has always been a natural choice for this population of students who do not as a population fair well in traditional schools. Marselas who is shown here is not atypical of what we do to bring poor children to excellence.<br />
<br />
Any parent would expect that background checks had been done for every adult on staff. The charter was approved without every adult having one. They would think that the computer systems that were said to be important to the curriculum would be up and going and the teachers trained on how to teach and measure using these newly installed surface tablets. The system did not get rolled out until after the new board and leadership team in November took over the school and turned it around. Now the Commission says they are concerned about measurement. They should have been concerned in September when they signed the contract. We tell them things that we are fixing and then they write us letters of concern, this has been a consistent practice for the five months Dr. Whitehead, our School Leader and an extraordinary education administrator has been putting things right at WA first charter school.<br />
<br />
Any who has followed the media articles about First Place Scholars might believe that we are on a fast track for closing rather than a fast track for correcting what was so horribly wrong. What could the Commission and their Executive Director, Josh Halsey be thinking. In a Februrary, 2015 letter to Mr. Halsey, from a former WA Charter Commissioner and also architect of the original First Place School she reminded him that she had told him the school was not ready and the contract should not be signed. That the school should be given the same time line to get set up as the other schools.<br />
<br />
The Seattle Times article and headlines infers that the school could be closed. Well the Commission does have the right to revoke the charter but they own only the charter, not the school. And the state has not released 50% of the funds needed to run the school. Because of the rush to enroll students at a new charter school, no food reimbursement application was in place, transportation reimbursement systems were not structured and no approved special education plan was in place to reimburse for these expensive but necessary costs for any school. What were they thinking? I can not answer because after being retired from the original First Place Board and not being part of the start up of the charter, I only returned late October, 2014. And returned for the sole purpose of saving a treasure of a school. An education jewel supported by thousands of generous and compassionate individuals, foundations, and corporate sponsors in this region. For 25 years we brought children to excellence.<br />
<br />
Charters are in place to improve, not diminish education for poor children. The Commission owes our students and their parents and explanation. How have they made the victim the criminal. The students show up everyday, the teachers teach everyday, the parents and volunteers are supportive, the new board keeps its nose to the strategic planning and policy grindstone and Dr. Linda is operating the school during the day and writing fixes to compliances at night and weekends. For this we get only threats and answers to corrective plans that says, this is not good enough. Okay, but really now had they had this kind of brutal oversight and scrutiny before the contract was signed would I be writing this? <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"><i>Read the next blog for more about what really happened on the way to a threat to revoke the first charter given in WA State. </i></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-11766533540458177022015-03-18T07:27:00.001-07:002015-03-18T07:27:27.723-07:00A Way Forward for Washington's children<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;">When I retired, I thought like most that my life would take a turn for shores filled with sun and wonder, and time to read, write, travel. That has been true, I have done all of that. But life has given me the gift of good health and longevity so the Retired One gets to stay busy, doing with I love. That is advocating for the excellent education of Black Children and any child that is said to be too hard to teach.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;">Recently I have become grandmother to a wonderful, bright boy who is now 14 months and demonstrates daily a dynamic personality, and ability to learn along with a sense of humor. He will be educated well, family privilege guarantees that. So now I must work harder for children less privileged to maintain good karma for him. That is how and what I believe.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: #0b5394;">League of Education Voters</span></b><span style="color: #741b47;"> is an education focused non profit, organization in WA State. They are biggest influencers for PreK-Post 12 education policy. In the past few years they are working more diligently at including communities of color and especially African Americans in forming their priorities. This is from as much a push from communities of colors as it from legislators who see the importance of inclusion in the conversations and policy formation of those who have the most to benefit from new ways of providing public education to a diverse student population, in a state with a large white population. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">To have others determine what is good for any people without those people having a self determined input is not optimum. But I believe that humans are self centered and have to be reminded to be inclusive of others. So I try to be that constant reminder and this can create the kind of tension that full inclusion where it has not been can create.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">I try to stay informed through Parents for Student Success, and hold accountable those who speak for Black families, through the Black Community Impact Alliance and by the general population. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #741b47;">I use this blog, email, and social media to report back across a wide spectrum of the African American population. I likewise spend time conversing with others who share our need or advocate for our right to be self determined. The thinking that created the education mess we find ourselves in in the US can not be the same thinking to solve the crisis. We need changed narratives on all fronts, not just gimmicky phrases, such as Leave No Child Behind. Well the gap grew wider and African American children are further behind in Seattle and WA state than ever before and no one lost their job. I will speak later about what happens if African Americans in leadership positions miss the mark by minuscule dimensions.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><a href="http://educationvoters.org/way-forward/high-quality-public-education/" target="_blank">The League of Eduction Voters </a> has a wealth of information important to all who care about education in the State of WA. I encourage readers to become deeply knowledgeable about how our education system can evolve to bring into being policies that bridge the gap between white privileged children at the top of public school outcomes, and African American children. Except for African American children all student groups show a rise in academic outcomes that are aligned with income. In our traditional public schools, lower income white children fare better in academics and and incidences of teacher and school disciplines than middle class Black students. This is especially so for African Americans who are descendants of former slaves. This history has followed a societal and economic determination in the US that African American students are less able and adults less capable of being equal in American society. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;">This will change only with new narratives that dispel this myth, and self determined solutions on the part of those who suffer the most from race based injustices that are experienced as early as pre-K and can plague a child throughout their education which for too many children results in school drop out. </span><br />
<br />Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-79382786370699941182015-01-30T03:58:00.002-08:002015-01-30T03:58:27.452-08:00I Took My White Female Friends With MeIn an August blog entry, I wrote of the arrest, jailing and charges against William Wingate, a 20 year Air Force veteran and retired Seattle Metro Bus Driver. So I will not rewrite the story.<br />
<br />
We made a significant difference for this man, by bringing into play a different strategy than is usually applied in Seattle. No demonstrations, no attorneys, no major media attention. My reason for suggesting no media, is difficult to explain in an online blog. But what I can say is that the strategy included getting white women to help me address this incident steeped in racial bias. Because it was a white female officer creating the incident, white women needed to help correct it and they did. White women struggled to get women on the police force, and this being Seattle, the majority of women who benefitted are white. So White women need to hold their sisters accountable. Women can and must make the equality difference. It means sharing and applying their privilege to change society. Once white women decide that their children will not receive an unequal share of what America has to offer justice will appear almost instantly.<br />
<br />
I followed my gut and knew that if just African Americans set out to have the charges against Mr. Wingate dismissed, we would not get far. I shared my determination with several white women. My thinking traveled to the fact that African American women "helped" white women for centuries. The issues that mount up for African American women and their families are stressful and often overwhelming. So why not ask White women to help African American women in the ways that we helped them? That means help in the ways that we say we need the help, not based on the help they think Black women need.<br />
<br />
There are both male and female European Americans who want to help African Americans. But they do not know where and when to enter, and when they do enter, too often they lack the tolerance neede to come to a sustained positive outcome. Among the women willing to help on this and helped to strategize, we determined that two of them would accompany me to the various negotiations with:<br />
<br />
East Precinct meeting with Capt. Pierre Davis and Asst. Chief Nick Metz<br />
Seattle City Council Member Bruce Harrell<br />
City Attorney Pete Holmes<br />
Chief Kathy O'Toole and Asst. Chief Carmen Best<br />
<br />
We found that every part of the Criminal Justice System failed to be just to Mr. Wingate. Every system failed to stop this injustice. Each woman in her own way, did something to make a difference.<br />
<br />
<br />Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-39053755523716942502015-01-30T03:37:00.001-08:002015-01-30T03:37:17.641-08:00Why I Think The Apology and dismissal of Charges Was a Win<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2NAurL6aLW3f27VjVQcTcK9xLaS8jvHhb86umwdQ-0te734EJblOWgXD4K-Kqr9N_x-V4dtlHlqLOVjduL9TgNXZu9_85oWwXjhdizfZZKZrwfBgXLwoVzpYoJbFqhuWof-1-xxEB0A/s1600/Wingate+and+Best.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv2NAurL6aLW3f27VjVQcTcK9xLaS8jvHhb86umwdQ-0te734EJblOWgXD4K-Kqr9N_x-V4dtlHlqLOVjduL9TgNXZu9_85oWwXjhdizfZZKZrwfBgXLwoVzpYoJbFqhuWof-1-xxEB0A/s1600/Wingate+and+Best.jpg" height="298" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The Golf Putter Returns to Mr. Ackerman and Mr. Wingate with an Apology</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The Blog describing in detail my view of the William Wingate arrest was posted in August. You can read it. The statement that we experienced a win has been questioned by some commenting in the media reports. I will try to explain why I think we had a win.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
African Americans have come to this juncture as human beings, following 400 years of slavery and race based injustice and the same number of years of resistance to this oppression. If we do not count and speak to each win no matter how minute, we would by now have perished from the millions of traumas we collective suffer each day living as Black Americans.<br />
<br />
I do not believe we will one day have some huge ultimate win and it will be over. If that was true having Barack Obama win and re-win his Presidency, the most powerful position in the world, would have been that ultimate, it is pretty huge. No, we are traveling a path to human, civil and equal paved with small and sustaining wins. I say sustaining because though we seem to take a few steps forward in America and then some steps back. But we will never return to the ultimate horror of human bondage and slavery. Our schools are not allowed to teach the reality of slavery and the ongoing resistance movement that is the history of African Americans. Most of this part and many parts of American History is learned in front of televisions and in movie theaters.<br />
<br />
I am the same age as Mr. Wingate and like most African Americans and others who struggle for justice, sustain hope and yes, sanity by counting small wins as wins. A Police Chief making an apology to a Black man, born and raised in the Jim Crow south is a win and none can take that from him or from me or the several white women and one Black man who stepped up to this challenge.<br />
<br />
So was the apology, the dismissal of charges the ultimate win African Americans have sought in Police relations? Of course not. However, this photo of Mr. Wingate receiving his golf putter (it was not a club) is filled with many wins, that an unseeing eye and those who do not know Mr. Wingate personally would miss.<br />
<br />
The other man in the photo is his best friend who gave him the putter. They are both retired Metro Drivers. This friend is my neighbor and when he told me of the incident, he had a very deep concern about his friend William who I had never met. So the putter was returned to the place of origin and by a young African American woman who had traveled up the ranks to Assistant Chief. The conversation among us was a good one. The apology sincere and as much an affectionate delivery as it was an official one. Chief Carmen Best saw in Mr. Wingate her grandfather. Unlike Officer Cynthia Whitlatch she did not see an aggressive, harassing black man. Mr. Wingate, could not believe that this young Black woman had that many stars on her uniform. He is a military veteran and stars have a value thus her personally bringing that beloved putter to him had a value greater than the act.<br />
<br />
Yes, this counts as a win. Again, let me re-iterate it is not the ultimate win. The additional wins that others want will come when another will stand up and give of their privilege to Mr. Wingate. That is all that it took, this Black former State Representative who has public respect, and a posse of White Women Willing to do the Work (not just being nice and trying to understand the issues associated with being Black in America.) This got to where it got to by Black and White women taking a stand and lending to Mr Wingate our privilege. He never even participated in any of the negotiations that led to the putter being returned.<br />
<br />
There are other wins to attain for Mr. Wingate and society in all of this. Writing the article was a win. There are other wins to be had in this that others will stand up and assure. Those who had a chance to be a bit more courageous and not go along with Officer Whitlach's delusions of fear of this man might learn from this. If everyone watching this video knew instantly that this officer was a bully and had race bias written across her uniform, the entire precinct needs training. What kind of bully is applied in the precincts around the nation, that disallows a person to use their own good conscious? What kind of systems are in place that disallows any to say no, I am not going along with this charade. Cynthia, you were not in harms way with this man, not me, not today. We have had enough of you. She did not begin to look through a race biased lens on that street corner on July, 9, 2014.<br />
<br />
None will know why the Mayor had the courage to make a stand on this one I know why, because he likewise believes that African Americans in Seattle will gain equity based on several wins, some small, some huge. Mayor Murray has not made secret that he will use the privilege of his being Mayor to turn around the stagnation of economics, education and equality for African Americans. Since there are still those who did not hear him or believe him he has turned up the volume.<br />
<br />
What constitutes a win?<br />
<br />
We applauded every game that the Seahawks won on the way to the Super Bowl, the ultimate win. I did not hear any say, they did not win the Superbowl yet, so this one game is not a win. We even stand and cheer each field goal and remark on it even if the game was lost.<br />
<br />
So it is arrogant for any to say that I, as an African American can not count wins where I see them without being questioned by those who did not walk to this juncture with me or with Mr. Wingate, or the women and one man who helped? Do I have to explain to others why I count the apology, that I have never before heard of in my experience and Mr. Wingate had never heard of in his experience coming from a Police Chief to a Black man wronged by the police? Not really, but I thought that I would. Maybe those who do not walk in the path of African Americans might learn to listen, and not always wanting to make determinations based on their experience.<br />
<br />
Those who did not grow up Black in America and especially in the Jim Crow south, may not understand any of how I experience life. I walked to this point with Mr. Wingate and Mr. Wingate allowed it because we believed that it would help not just him but others. And yes, it will.<br />
<br />
So, if I say we had a win, it will have to be accepted as my truth, because there is none who lives my life, or sees through my realities. Also, only those very close to me and how we got to this point in the aftermath of the arrest, knows what we were intent on winning. Actually, it was not the apology we did not ask for that, it was freely given. There are more wins to come. Stay posted.Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-30974987887536582882014-08-23T10:30:00.001-07:002014-08-23T10:30:28.875-07:00Passion for change: Erin Jones at TEDxForestRidgeSchool<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/HQ7xY60a6z4" width="480"></iframe><br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
I know Erin Jones well and she inspires me. This speech is authentic Erin, her journey is shared with all she meets because she thinks that everyone can be great. "It does not matter where you start, it matters where you finish." <br /><br />
<br /><br />
I believe that and excellent education should not be measured by a test outcome, but how it created a student who can be their best self, bring into being a better world, and have the ability to be self assured and a self thinker, not a follower, a collaborator not an obstructionist. Being able to walk with others, bring them along and when needed accept wise guidance. <br /><br />
<br /><br />
She would make a brilliant Superintendent of Public Instruction for WA State. I live in this state that has not yet had a leader who believes that we can produce the most brilliant students in the nation. Why should Microsoft, Boeing, Starbucks, and other employers have to import their workers because locally, our residents have not been given the rigorous high expectation they deserve. Teachers have been bogged down with systems that do not make sense to anyone and the outcomes divide us along race and economic lines. Left to their best thinking, teachers can teach a poor child how to read and to think and to learn. They did not enter their profession to support the newly created "failure industry." People who should be benefiting from our technology industry that is in WA State, are filling up the client base of social service agencies, and non profits, students failed by adults thus become the economic security for other adults. This is not fair, nor ethical. <br /><br />
<br /><br />
I have in my home a child whose mother for many reasons not been able to provide a permanent home.<br /><br />
They are highly mobile, but she is determined that this gifted child of hers will have a better life and it shows. Education, her natural gift for art and music, the discipline of practice in track, keeps her knowing nothing but achievement. We have a school system that keeps her labeled as homeless. So, I have brought mother and child into my home which was an easy thing for me to do. I like Erin am determined, fixed on the vision of poor children not having to focus on where they started or linger on what detracts but stay focused on where they are going. <br /><br />
<br /><br />
As adults we must work harder and smarter, leverage our talents and passions. Because I am a natural educator, I write and I read, I share information and I receive information. So I wanted to share this TED Talk with the readers of my blog and hope that they hear something that Erin says that will inspire them in the ways that she inspires parents, students, teachers and education leadership.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-31498732543831188212014-08-20T18:40:00.001-07:002014-08-22T01:33:11.250-07:00A Black Seattle Man Jailed - He Looked at A White Woman - Really. On July 9, 2014, Mr. William Wingate, a 69 year old African American man, was arrested, made to walk through Seattle streets handcuffed and bent, and jailed overnight because a white female Seattle Police Officer, says he looked at her, that he was carrying a golf club and swung it in the direction of her patrol car, she was driving, this action caused her to have "reasonable fear he would assault her and others."<br />
<br />
This shameful act against Mr. Wingate occurred 59 years after the Emmet Till murder in Jim Crow Mississippi, the culture and practice of lynching Black men for something as innocuous as "looking" at a white woman remains in the actual or cellular, memory of the majority of African Americans. It is part of the trauma that lingers from slavery and Jim Crow.<br />
<br />
When whites are told of Mr. Wingate being arrested, handcuffed and made to walk bent over, publicly disgraced, charged and jailed in the aftermath of what is reported in the crime report <b>"she observed him look at her and aggressively swing his golf club in the direction of her patrol car."</b> She being a white female police officer on duty, with a gun and in her patrol car, not sitting still but driving past him. He had never seen her before or even then. The sign post he was suppose to have hit is metal, we all know the sound that an aggressive swing of a metal club would have made. All within a far range would have noticed, but no one did. She found no one to corroborate her story that this man was a threat to her safety and that of others.<br />
<br />
Yet she says that this <b>"reasonably </b>caused her to fear he would assault her." She says his act was aggressive and his club hit the stop sign (post). There is no damage to vehicle or post. And no other person at that crosswalk reported as that "he struck fear in them." Yes that is the language used in this official police report. There is nothing reasonable about any of this.<br />
<br />
Her fear, her actions, those of the assisting officers, making him walk handcuffed to the Precinct, the overnight jailing, none of it is reasonable. Mr. Wingate is 69 years old, he has been walking with either a cane or his beloved golf club a gift from one of his best friends, he has a 30 year military career, followed by a career as a Metro Bus Driver without incident, has good relationship with police officers professionally and personally. Why not he thought he had beat the odds that so many Black men do not, never arrested, never jailed. He walks to beat the odds of heart failure and strokes that so many Black men do not beat. But he has lost that challenge. And we thank God, she did not shoot him in response to her "reasonable fear" he would assault her and others with his golf club, that she says he was using as a weapon. There were no 911 calls from the others she said should have reasonable fear of this older man, clean cut, waiting to legally cross the street, minding his business, enjoying his daily walk of at least 10 miles from Northgate to the Central District.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, and what whites who do not know African Americans and especially our men, being arrested for creating fear in a white woman because he looked at her, never goes away. And for me writing this, and advocating for him, it brought rushing back the trauma of August 28, 1955 when a black boy was murdered following a false accusation that he looked at and whistled or said something to a white women in Mississippi. I lived in New Jersey, but that did not matter, the conversation of the adults in my family and the news made me know that this was a tragedy.<br />
<br />
So this is August, 2014 and in Ferguson, MO a young black man about to embark on a good future, college, but is shot and killed by a police officer. The world watches in horror at the clashes between police and residents. The President and his Attorney General responds. Michael Brown did not beat the odds associated with being a black male in the USA. In St. Louis, another black man is dead because two police officers thought they were in danger, of being stabbed to death, through a bullet proof vest. <br />
<br />
When hearing about Mr. Wingate there is a repeated refrain " He is lucky she did not shoot him, he could have been dead." Though not shot or killed by this white women, though a trained officer, has a race bias so deep, this bias overshadowed, her "Unreasonable" fear of black men. She is the weapon that brings fear to Black men and the women who share their lives. She should not be carrying a gun if a look by a black man carrying and swinging a golf club brings the kind of fear she describes. It is almost impossible to hold a golf club and not swing it. She says it struck the stop sign. The sign is on the sidewalk, she was in her car in the street. He was not charged with damaging public property, because in the club making contact it never left a mark. So he did "aggressively swing the club."<br />
<br />
She should have never followed him, and if in so much fear he was going to assault her, protocol is to call for assistance. If she had time to drive around the corner, and follow him, she had time to make the call. Be clear, she did not stop her car where he supposedly looked at her, he walked an entire block without incident, and she found no other besides her who thought he would assault them with the club. Being stopped by a police officer never works in the favor of a Black man, we all know this. Data and research informs us the odds of something good happening for a Black men stopped by a police officer are not the same as the odds for any other human being.<br />
<br />
The responding officers should have not conspired with this officer who was not using her best training and judgement about this man. That did not work in his favor. Lt. Lam who approved the arrest and transport should have had superior judgement, he did not. That did not work in favor of a 69 year old black man without prior arrests. And the City Attorney could have not seen this as something worthy of his time and the Public Defender should have not advised him to sign away his peace of mind for the next two years. He did nothing to warrant this arrest. And the judge could have not heard any of it. Nothing worked for him.<br />
<br />
To their credit, City Attorney Pete Holmes, and his Assistant Craig Sims, they did return my call, they are doing an investigation, a thorough one. No outcome of that investigation yet. I will give them time to do their work. To the discredit of Seattle Police Commander, a request to meet with him about this has gone unanswered.<br />
<br />
So if any will be truthful, we know that had Mr. Wingate been a 69 year old white male, standing on the corner, Ms. Whitlach would not have be in fear because he looked at her. He would not have been place behind bars, he would not have had to know the trauma of not beating the odds for Walking While Black in Seattle WA in 2014.<br />
<br />
We should not wait until, another Black Man is shot this time in Seattle by a fearful Police Officer with a gun. If a look will bring the outcome that it brought for Mr. Wingate, we know that any act can bring about a shooting by this Police Officer who is trained to kill when there is a "reasonable" cause. What Officer Whitlach sees as reasonable should not be condoned by Seattle Police Chief Kathy O'Toole, herself a white woman, or by Mayor Ed Murray, or by any reasonable resident of Seattle.<br />
<br />
I will not rest until he receives the justice that is promised him for being a law abiding and contributing citizen for 69 years. This may seem as it is nothing in light of the police shootings in MO. But should we only respond to the tragedy and not the underlying causes? I am not a reactionary by training, as a former Legislator I am trained to see underlying causes, to make policies, to be pro active over re-active. And it matter not who does not stand with Mr. Wingate, I have and will continue acknowledging his trauma. Those who have responded are not those I thought would, and then again, maybe I knew they would not.<br />
<br />
This information comes from Seattle Police Offense Report 2014-222942 of July 9, 2014. And will verify the facts stated. <br />
<br />Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-37882504807286969192014-01-24T15:53:00.003-08:002014-01-31T17:40:53.972-08:00Parents for Student Success January 2014 Report to Community<br />
January 25, 2014<br />
<br />
We have been busy, organizing and accomplishing, and we are only three weeks into the Month.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b>Mayor Ed Murray Transition Advisory Committee</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I, am honored to have been selected by Mayor Ed Murray to be one of 43 people to be his advisor during his first year in office.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We have a Mayor who has likewise organized and worked hard for equal rights and won the battle but the real victory of complete social and economic justice is still beyond us. He is not through and neither are we. African Americans and the LGBT populations must form a strong union if we are to bring Seattle into a model for greatness.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We can chart new courses for Seattle. We can make it a beacon of social and economic equality. And we can create the kind of alliances that will make it happen. But, it will not be easy. It requires, strategic planning, political will, and focused hard work toward the intended goal. That is my commitment to Mayor Murray during this year as an advisory and throughout the four years of his first term. Along the way we will evaluate, what is working, what is not, we will measure the growth of capacity and engagement. We will have high expectation for changes where needed for all. We will inform and be informed, find the brightest among us to guide the change. A kickoff to the new ways of our being engaged and respected is our coming together in collective action.</span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<div>
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>The African American African Gathering</b></span> </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This was the first of what will be an annual event. TAAAG 2014, This first TAAAG was convened by Dawn Mason and Mohamad Sheik Mohamad to allow the newly elected Seattle Mayor, Ed Murray and other decision makers; Seattle Council Member Mike O'Brien, Rep. Eric Pettigrew, Seattle School Supt. Jose Banda, School Board President, Sharon Peaslee, SPD Chief Harry Bailey, and LGBT Commissioner NaaSira Adeeba, an opportunity to listen to the African American and African Diasporan population. The expected diversity of black Seattle residents attended and filled the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute theater. We were presented with innovative, and action oriented models for solutions to education, economic development, community development, accountability of human services, and technology access. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
This was an opportunity for us to hear a wonderful mix of age, issues and voices. A different coming together of our many brilliant African Americans was refreshing. Dr. Renee McCoy was the perfect moderator. The Presenters; Elmer Dixon, Marcelas and Monique Owens, Erin Jones, Evelyn Allen, Wyking Garrett, Royal Alley-Barnes, Felix Nogoussou, Zithri Ahmed Saleem, Karen Toering, and Lola Peters.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There were several good outcomes, including; When what is being discussed is inclusive and respectful of us, we will be engaged, we must leverage our relationships, time and resources in strategic ways. Any who speak in the name of African Americans or receive funds in our name will be asked to inform us, build capacity with us, solve problems, not just manage them. The Mayor wants equity for African Americans, improved experiences and we agree to do our share of the work in a collective, self determined and strategic way to bring into being replicable models that are are transforming. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
We were quite pleased that Mayor Murray embraced Africatown Central District as the historical and cultural hub for African Americans in Seattle. The Mayor did not reject our plan to secure the surplussed Fire Station at 23rd and Jackson as an anchor for innovation, economic development Colaboratorium Center. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There is follow up work to do that can engage all of us. All were invited to do that work, moving forward in ways different than those that have us educationally and economically stagnant in a technology fueled, economic growth region. We have our work to do and so do others who have to see inclusion to that makes Seattle diverse in reality, and as Mayor Murray said, "not look like Western Europe."</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table border="0" style="font-family: Verdana, arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; width: 95%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="2" style="font-size: 12px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Documented and Aired for Public View</b></span>Documenting the African American community for historical purposes is important to sustainable progress. We often repeat what does not work because we did not know that it doesn't work and then overlook great models, because again we did not know. With modern communication, self publishing, online research, and being in the the most technically literate region of the world, there is scant reason to not be informing and to be informed and knowledgeable. Zithri's presentation speaks to this and innovative models of shrinking the technical divide will be in our future. Our children will write, publish, and so will their parents. Texting is fine, but we will not be tricked into having 164 characters define our experiences or document our contributions. So, yes, please keep reading.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Seattle Channel 21, taped the entire 2 hour event, and it will air several times:<br />There will be a test. And I am told that Deputy Mayor Hyeok Kim has made it mandatory viewing for the Mayor's Administrative Staff. So if they have to know what we want, we must know. </span><br />
This is the link for the <a href="http://www.seattlechannel.org/videos/video.asp?ID=5011404&file=1" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">online version o</a>f the video by Seattle Channel 21. Or you can watch it on TV during these scheduled times.</td></tr>
<tr><td style="font-size: 12px; margin: 0px;" valign="top"><table border="0"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="2" style="margin: 0px;" valign="top"><strong>Upcoming Broadcast Times:</strong></td></tr>
<tr><td style="margin: 0px;"> Wednesday, January 29, 2014</td><td align="right" style="margin: 0px;"> 2:00 p.m.</td></tr>
<tr><td style="margin: 0px;"> Thursday, January 30, 2014</td><td align="right" style="margin: 0px;"> 3:00 a.m.</td></tr>
<tr><td style="margin: 0px;"> Thursday, January 30, 2014</td><td align="right" style="margin: 0px;"> 9:30 a.m.</td></tr>
<tr><td style="margin: 0px;"> Friday, January 31, 2014</td><td align="right" style="margin: 0px;"> 9:00 a.m.</td></tr>
<tr><td style="margin: 0px;"> Friday, January 31, 2014</td><td align="right" style="margin: 0px;"> 3:00 p.m.</td></tr>
<tr><td style="margin: 0px;"> Saturday, February 01, 2014</td><td align="right" style="margin: 0px;"> 2:00 a.m.</td></tr>
<tr><td style="margin: 0px;"> Saturday, February 01, 2014</td><td align="right" style="margin: 0px;"> 2:00 p.m.</td></tr>
<tr><td style="margin: 0px;"> Sunday, February 02, 2014</td><td align="right" style="margin: 0px;"> 2:00 a.m.</td></tr>
<tr><td style="margin: 0px;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Seattle Police Chief, Dept of Justice and Police Search</b></span></div>
<div>
Mayor Ed Murray introduced newly appointed Police Chief Harry Bailey. He says that he wonders why given the excellent local and national respect Harry, that it took him the First Gay Mayor to hire the First Black Police Chief. Chief Bailey came out of retirement to help Mayor Murray work with the Dept of Justice. An agreement has now been made President Barack Obama's DOJ to address biased policing based on race and other issues. This is an early win for African Americans and so many others with the Mayor Murray administration. Mayor Murray and Chief </div>
<div>
Bailey will put in place a Seattle Police Department that will attract the best candidates for the next Chief. Here is the schedule for community input to the process:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'ITC Avant Garde', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<strong>Here is the Community Workshop schedule:</strong></div>
<div align="center" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', 'ITC Avant Garde', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<table align="center" border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border: 0px none; font-family: Times; font-size: 10pt; height: auto; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: 396px;"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><b>Date</b></span></div>
</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><b>Time</b></span></div>
</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin: 0px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><b>Location</b></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 30px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 47px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">1/28</span></div>
</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 30px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 91px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">6-8 p.m. </span></div>
</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 30px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 206px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Sw0B75UCMsfEaVaYW82sPqCGcjR7TFw4ZXrbcBXtNMcE-gxjRqh3fhD2XnWcteSnLD6A7JRt1q_DeYBaHtR7BKJ9yQ6GdtfiXKdJKcopkIc-H1Pc3xkgkzHb1XfgQQgSs3DL2WzcDxeqjNNVSZl50ZWsBVue5atoLSIGv-M7nKk=&c=yphi-SojF-OoB535gj9zMAOKN_hMJsbuyhMc_k2XR4C_aVstNM71uA==&ch=qATw1c8JeQ6mzmrBtoUKcRktBmGSSubB3imfGigSS6O3W0HK-ko9QA==" shape="rect" style="color: #3366ff;" target="_blank">University Heights Center</a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><em>University</em></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 34px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 47px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">1/29</span></div>
</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 34px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 91px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">6-8 p.m. </span></div>
</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 34px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 206px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Sw0B75UCMsfEaVaYW82sPqCGcjR7TFw4ZXrbcBXtNMcE-gxjRqh3fhD2XnWcteSn6IV4eGYGif6jxFVTr35ChlTFYSfMIJTqvyRRCygEJSJEEgf0fcBZGCRQbRF7jvsQ4W4tQjcxf16HJbStGUkoTcLCBpp7ulOImQ-OmCL1xqXvLUBJZTtZjYORHC28dW6hn8sduFkkR7SiHeIkE8sDZQ==&c=yphi-SojF-OoB535gj9zMAOKN_hMJsbuyhMc_k2XR4C_aVstNM71uA==&ch=qATw1c8JeQ6mzmrBtoUKcRktBmGSSubB3imfGigSS6O3W0HK-ko9QA==" shape="rect" style="color: #3366ff;" target="_blank">Garfield Community Center</a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><em>Central</em></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 36px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 47px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">1/30</span></div>
</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 36px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 91px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">6:30-8:30 p.m. </span></div>
</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 36px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 206px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Sw0B75UCMsfEaVaYW82sPqCGcjR7TFw4ZXrbcBXtNMcE-gxjRqh3fhD2XnWcteSn3RdNAkfdhb5AaUvNMzrYC95rS8pUxvodaW-QbYvs4sGS60kyY_jVgpExGX-13oWyEfa35LpUp-VBvHpB67X4vlz515wI0DTx20T5kUpVkhT52sYix8j9Rw==&c=yphi-SojF-OoB535gj9zMAOKN_hMJsbuyhMc_k2XR4C_aVstNM71uA==&ch=qATw1c8JeQ6mzmrBtoUKcRktBmGSSubB3imfGigSS6O3W0HK-ko9QA==" shape="rect" style="color: #3366ff;" target="_blank">Youngstown Cultural Arts Center</a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><em>West Seattle</em></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 37px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 47px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">2/1</span></div>
</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 37px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 91px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">12-2 p.m. </span></div>
</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 37px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 206px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Sw0B75UCMsfEaVaYW82sPqCGcjR7TFw4ZXrbcBXtNMcE-gxjRqh3fhD2XnWcteSnrJra2SlvakWpFlC7G9l39aUUER8_nx2TJuWPjn-vcnwdHj3B9aJ9fPDzrqICyvIa4fggLI6n0E2dyvuS7deD-dq5QslcscgYZ6Yr6MFH_O8I2Wvt0T30gPEwwrqTWB5IHYj8RHo_1Qvt0N-WlZ56BQ==&c=yphi-SojF-OoB535gj9zMAOKN_hMJsbuyhMc_k2XR4C_aVstNM71uA==&ch=qATw1c8JeQ6mzmrBtoUKcRktBmGSSubB3imfGigSS6O3W0HK-ko9QA==" shape="rect" style="color: #3366ff;" target="_blank">Van Asselt Community Center</a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><em>South Seattle</em></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 30px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 47px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">2/4</span></div>
</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 30px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 91px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">6-8 p.m. </span></div>
</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 30px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 206px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Sw0B75UCMsfEaVaYW82sPqCGcjR7TFw4ZXrbcBXtNMcE-gxjRqh3fhD2XnWcteSnvRJbNF3hqNpZqy5pEPkJpXQ2eLjNd_Rtzux1RnU4zZsfqyqvW6MJ1OwDD5dd9nPJAnNDscxOdpChz-ezgeXhrVxWjszUs0zcZceUIX_LoLNpVCLcpMBItoUmNlbkdav4&c=yphi-SojF-OoB535gj9zMAOKN_hMJsbuyhMc_k2XR4C_aVstNM71uA==&ch=qATw1c8JeQ6mzmrBtoUKcRktBmGSSubB3imfGigSS6O3W0HK-ko9QA==" shape="rect" style="color: #3366ff;" target="_blank">Pinehurst K-8</a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><em>North Seattle</em></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 30px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 47px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">2/5</span></div>
</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 30px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 91px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">6-8 p.m. </span></div>
</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 30px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 206px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Sw0B75UCMsfEaVaYW82sPqCGcjR7TFw4ZXrbcBXtNMcE-gxjRqh3fhD2XnWcteSnKD3LwcneD2rl3_z6EVId3959otKbToAopvb_C427afemjhiy1ZwquALRbVT6vzZ6T-vCXYk5QxpCf8UDQljU_hlnX1ZnrM3hYYrvp6EG3RwWM-2EnJCf1w==&c=yphi-SojF-OoB535gj9zMAOKN_hMJsbuyhMc_k2XR4C_aVstNM71uA==&ch=qATw1c8JeQ6mzmrBtoUKcRktBmGSSubB3imfGigSS6O3W0HK-ko9QA==" shape="rect" style="color: #3366ff;" target="_blank">Nordic Heritage Museum</a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><em>Ballard</em></span></div>
</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 35px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 47px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">2/6</span></div>
</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 35px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 91px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';">6-8 p.m. </span></div>
</td><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; height: 35px; margin: 0px; padding: 0in 5.4pt; vertical-align: top; width: 206px;" valign="top"><div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Sw0B75UCMsfEaVaYW82sPqCGcjR7TFw4ZXrbcBXtNMcE-gxjRqh3fhD2XnWcteSnSA-TtVPTyYhXeIEateZZ-zjbenUVRF2vWS4zSqQsBX8zdwzg0jllkbyp2EhjDSuS0ViECHIoWMzrwniVdg3irqbliUs_FspXZ04RI43rfnYOkj1HiS9qh4LWFa-OEpXNJrAoyiYwOlZksakVEOcshg==&c=yphi-SojF-OoB535gj9zMAOKN_hMJsbuyhMc_k2XR4C_aVstNM71uA==&ch=qATw1c8JeQ6mzmrBtoUKcRktBmGSSubB3imfGigSS6O3W0HK-ko9QA==" shape="rect" style="color: #3366ff;" target="_blank">City Hall - Bertha Knight Landes</a></span></div>
<div style="font-family: Times-New-Roman;">
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><em>Downtown</em></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic';"><em><br /></em></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Follow Through</b></span></div>
<div>
The TAAAG 2014 planning team; Royal Alley-Barnes, Wyking Garrett, Lola Peters, Rahwa Habte, Anisa Hassan, and co-convenors. Dawn Mason and Mohamad Hassan will expand to include additional people for the Collective Action Strategy Team. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Those who want to bring their energy and willingness to move in collective actin should let us know by sending contact to: <a href="mailto:africanamericangathering@yahoo.com" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">africanamericangathering@<wbr></wbr>yahoo.com</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="color: red;">******************************<wbr></wbr>******************************<wbr></wbr>******************************<wbr></wbr>*********************</span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: #741b47;">OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING</span></b></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: #741b47;">Education Priorities in the Legislature</span></b></div>
<div>
Changing education for Seattle students and teachers, has its basis in the legislature. Education and economic self sufficiency and asset sharing are two toughest issues we have to turn around. Ed and I have worked on issues together in Olympia and our legislative experience and respect will allow us to work closely to bring better solutions for African Americans and other populations who experience an unshared economy. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Following TAAAG, Parents for Student Success, the organizing I operate out of, arranged for 25 parents to go to Olympia and join up with Excellent Schools Now Coalition, to share knowledge and support <a href="http://www.excellentschoolsnow.org/1/post/2013/12/esn-releases-its-2014-policy-priorites.html" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">education legislative priorities</a> that if enacted will elevate the education experiences and outcomes for African American students. Our students need higher expectations. They need to be on an education path that makes college and vocational education natural next steps after high school. Creating a 24 credit education creates a secondary education that is rigorous and rewarding. They will be able to learn skills that require hard work, and complex problem solving add science, and technology in ways that allows them to partake in the economic growth of this region that is based in science, math, technology and the arts. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Parents for Student Success in partnership with ESN will host seminars that will help parents understand Common Core Standards (what a child should know at every grade level) and ways to support and manage their child's education.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: #741b47;">Charter Schools - A Long and Hard Process but worth the effort</span></b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There are several charter schools proposals awaiting authorization by the <a href="http://www.governor.wa.gov/issues/education/commission/applicant.aspx" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">WA Charter School Commission</a> that have been proposed by other than privileged community groups and with large African American and African leadership and inclusion. First Place, Coral Academy of Science, Excel, King County Academy, and SOAR, are the ones with which I am most familiar. The application process was tedious, exacting, and required team building and team work. There are two African Americans on the WA Charter School Commission, Trish Millines Dziko, and Dr. Doreen Cato. <a href="http://www.governor.wa.gov/issues/education/commission/applicant.aspx" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">All 19 public charter applications are posted online for public review.</a> Some are as many as 500 pages when including required attachments. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
January 30, The Commission authorized 7 public charters, including three with a strong African<br />
American leadership and focus; First Place will be a K-5 school, located in the Africatown Central District neighborhood, Rainier Pro, in Highline, and SOAR will be in Tacoma, Hilltop. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #993399;">Dawn Mason, M.Ed</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #993399; font-family: comic sans ms, sans-serif;">Consulting Director, Parents for Student Success</span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #993399; font-family: 'comic sans ms', sans-serif;">(c) <a href="tel:206.280.6992" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" value="+12062806992">206.280.6992</a> (best)</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-74157972552543870392013-12-19T18:29:00.001-08:002013-12-19T18:49:24.796-08:00Bringing Regularity to African American ChildrenPresident Obama says African American people having a stake in this country is normal, "regular." Something we do not even talk about any more. Having a stake and taking advantage of the stake are not one in the same.<br />
<br />
Dr. Emma Jones, Director of Maxine Mimms Academy - Seattle, says that being regular is all there really is. When we are irregular we are suffering from disease. I am privileged to regularly be in the presence of African Americans who are finding answers to the problems presented by African American children who are not regular, out of rhythm with their natural selves and out of sync with a forward moving society. Just as any child who has a critical ailment, African American children in the collective are best revived to their most healthy existence when the parent is involved in the cure and sustained care of the child. Parents for Student Success, a parent directed non profit in Seattle, has established an Academy for developing Parent Practitioners. These parents see the world of raising and getting the best education for their children through the world view of a parent. They are fully engaged partners with any and all who make decisions about their children. Without this level of engagement of parents of African American children, the children go lacking, some have actually died, from violence, suffer from extreme traumas, that are never healed, or they wander through life never getting to their best purpose or becoming contributors to the societal good.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, the majority of African American parents, have a sort of genetic memory that despite exposure to what makes children not function to their fullest, can keep them well. Genetic memory is passed on through culture. There is no culture that is not steeped in survival and well being. Violence is not an African American culture, resisting oppression and seeking self sufficiency is very much a part of African American culture. Education is and has always been a major part of the African American culture. There is a legacy of 104 Historically established and sustained Colleges and Universities in the United States to support this. There are many family stories of learning in segregated schools being taught in church basements, even clandestine reading lessons during a time when southern states made it a crime to teach a slave to read. Fredrick Douglass, in his writings tells of hearing his master tell his wife that the reason for such a law was that it was not possible to enslave a person who is educated. He had been taught enough about reading to go on to continue to teach himself, and read every book in his master's library. He, freed himself, went north and was the first African American to receive a PhD from Harvard. The possible for greatness is inextricably linked to an education that frees the mind, thus the person. African American lead and guided universities throughout the southern and border states are clear examples of our ability to bring about equity and excellence for our African American children. Helping them become more regular. Students who were mediocre students in our school across the nation are accepted into these colleges and receive the rigor, and high expectations that has always been part of the African American view of education as a liberating tool. These children who were said to be failing or not teachable in schools created primarily for the well being of white children, do well when the education sees a value in them as contributors, not just consumers.<br />
<br />
Failed children have for the past quarter century have been fodder for the economics of failed humanity. More money is placed in schools when the students are poor, not excelling and their families create new jobs for social service providers. These agencies for the parents, like the schools of the children are not administered to bring those served to full equity. In fact the problem proposed to be solved is exacerbated by inept problem solving, administration, and implementation. The victim becomes the perpetrator. African American children are not learning, families are not feeding them, housing them, being engaged we need to put more money into the solution, and this is just too hard we need higher salaries. The industry built around irregularity of black, brown and poor white children is a corporate levels. The former Community based organizations, are being swallowed up by mega organizations with corporate representation on the Boards of Director, and what were Directors from within communities are now replaced with Executive Directors, and the new practice is to give the title as that of corporate leaders; Chief Executive Director, and Chief Financial Officers. These are titles of huge industries. <br />
<br />
Like the medical industry, there is little interest in getting patients well back to "regular" the drug industry finds its wealth in giving out pills that do not heal. They solve a problem, but does not solve "the" problem associated with many diseases, and irregularities of our bodies.<br />
<br />
Back to the issue of African American children in Seattle, where I do the bulk of my work with parents, policy makers and educators, African American parents are becoming Practitioners and have called in specialists to bring about a healing for what plagues our children and their educational well being. Some of the procedures will appear to be radical to a more healthy observer, but as with what is life threatening, to not administer an extreme cure for an extreme life threatening illness might mean the death of the patient. An example is Saturday Math Academy and Early Morning Algebra. Parents asked Norman Alston a professional mathematician to teach their children. His methods are extreme, he teaches complex math to children as young as 6 years old, 8 year olds can identify a Unit Circle, which is calculus, and solve algebraic equations. They learn from this the elements of balance, and that algebra teaches equity. <br />
<br />
African Americans do not discriminate or separate that these have been applied to us and our children. We were once separated based on our color and we know it is not natural. So when African Americans brought into being expanded math for our children it attracted others; The classes have Asian, white, hispanic, bilingual students and parents fully engaged with each other. We know that African American children are trend setters, what they think is cool, other children will follow. So it is in the best interest of all to create with African Americans trends of excellence, that comes from hard work and focused capacity building.<br />
<br />
Africatown Education and Innovation Center is the recently established think tank and solution center for the education of African American children and the economic self sufficiency of their parents. Yes, African Americans like other families fall upon hard times. But when we are in charge of helping them out of these hard times and are funded to solve the problems, families do not have generational cycles of hardship. From the days following the emancipation of slaves, until the mid 1970's a century later, each generation of African Americans did better then the prior in the same or greater numbers than the general population. Then, something happened and we have been sent on a path of failed policies, solutions, administration and implementations. Africatown, Parents for Student Success, Technology Access Foundation, Village Spirit, First Place, Fear No Number Math, Life Enrichment Institute, Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute, are all clear examples of what can occur when African Americans take their own lead. Each of these organized efforts work in sync with each other, and are growing to bring a healthier environment into being for our children. But the nature of the irregularity that our children and families are in requires capacity building to reverse the damage. So we work with whites and all people who can help us, there is no drawback in being help mates across all of the distinct populations.<br />
<br />
I think that the regular President Obama speaks of is demonstrated in his campaigns and presidency. He is changing the image of America as a separatist nation to one where there is no majority or minority. We need that lesson to come more quickly to Washington State in the education and well being of African American children, their families and all children who are not experiencing excellence. But to heal one and and leave very ill others living in the same environments, only leads to the infection of all, thus creating an epidemic. This is being now reported by global media. The United States is now only mediocre in the education of our children. Well what did we expect. You can not have the amount of failed education heaped that is heaped upon African Americans so firmly established that it has created spin off economies and think that all the children would not be likewise touched in a negative way.<br />
<br />
Whites who have the primary control of policy making, the processes that lead to the passage of policies, and the management of funds meant to bring equity and excellence. Changing this will require radical moves and changes. Unfortunately, much of what occurs to create what is in place, is system based, not individually. So, we have people with the best intentions, themselves falling prey to the system in place to separate by race, class and national origin. So while some immigrant groups are absorbed within one generation into the USA society, other are forever referred to as refugees and immigrants, even after receiving citizenship. I grew up during the days of the "civil defense drills," the Russians were coming and they were are enemy. Yet, as immigrants and refugees, there was not one negative statement made against them. They are known to be much more violent and onerous in their gang activities in WA State but the system allows them the same respect that all whites get, their crimes are associated with the individual. African American crime is associated with the entire population and cast as our having a culture of violence.<br />
<br />
New voices, added to new narratives can change the dynamics of what bring irregularity to African American children. I ask all who got to the end of this to work with us who are Taking a Leap With African American Children. Jumping over obstacles, and being strategic in how we leverage our human and fiscal resources to get past what plagues our children, our families and our village. Much of the work will occur internally among ourselves, but the major work is external to what we have controlled for the past quarter century. We must get back to schools and agencies being primarily centers of learning and capacity building. We watched them turn to what they are now, primarily economic centers. This does not detract for decent salaries, but accountability measures must be in place. Those who are not elevating African Americans should not be able to be funded year after year at the detriment of those the propose to be funded to educate and bring into self sufficiency. <br />
<br />
Africatown Education and Innovation Center brought together a collaboration of African Americans and with little and no compensation in some areas, kept African Americans in daily high expectation environments. At the end of summer they out performed the children in every other summer program in Seattle. The Fashion Design class, kept students at design boards and sewing machines and resulting in a public fashion show, no less than any we see on television. The little preschoolers learned the languages of their peer, and were bilingual within two months. The parents were fully engaged and the teachers taught from love and determination. Those who devise, set policy and administer funds for the $237,000,000 Family and Eduction Levy showed little if any interest in these solutions and outcomes coming from within community and united the community. Where African Americans are funded they are rewarded for being in a silo.<br />
<br />
So, we can and will bring about a more regulated life for African American children in Seattle and the nation. Our newly elected Mayor, Ed Murray has met with President Obama and other newly elected Mayors. He tells us that the issue of African Americans is a major part of the conversations he has had with these mayors. He has proclaimed an intent to make Seattle a model of ways a city can turn around downturns for African Americans. For this proclamation I applaud him, and commit to helping making this happen with support from the best of who we are aligned with our own action that will help him get us where we need to be.<br />
<br />Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-90773685005291853112013-01-16T00:00:00.004-08:002013-01-16T00:00:50.718-08:00Teaching Complex Math to Young Children<br />
Take a look at this clip of the possible as demonstrated by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwK2_KpMhAM&feature=endscreen" target="_blank">Fear No Number Math</a> and then read this blog entry.<br />
<br />
Much of my time as a retired person is spent finding what works in getting African American childrne educated and excellent. I love applying influence, changing negative language and practices into ones that inspire and elevate. I am much too young to be frail and too old to be foolish. I leverage this gift of time, and good health and well being to snatch away from those who do not have a kernel of interest in seeing African American children and their brown and poor peer groups educated for equity and excellence.<br />
<br />
So I research, and I write and today this is what I researched and what inspires my writing.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.aft.org/pdfs/americaneducator/fall2009/wu.pdf">What is sophisticated about Elementary Math?</a><br />
<br />
<br />
This is a not so easy article to read unless you are a mathematician, curriculum specialist, educator, or someone who has not convinced themselves that learning the difficult is undesirable. I am going to digress as I sometimes do. When my husband was diagnosed with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma, I was counseled by the wife of the late John Stanford. He was Seattle School Superintendent who had recently died of cancer. She told me I had to be the advocate, I had to learn difficult terminology, that I was to keep a journal and write down everything; the names of tests, the ingredients of the chemotherapy, the names of the many prescriptions. She assured me that if the doctors could learn all of this so could I. It would keep me feeling in control. It did and it did. And for us the outcome of my husbands illness was that the cancer went away and never came back.<br />
<br />
But what I learned is that I could learn difficult things under difficult and stressful circumstances. African American children are intellectually ill, some are choking, others are comatose and on academic life support. When that happens you have to bring in a specialist, and parents have to learn difficult things. Failed education outcomes for African American children is an epidemic as dangerous and critical the public health as any flu or communicative disease. There are many specialists that are about the business of inoculating our children with complex solutions and parents are learning how to coach them through their therapies and how to discuss the situation with teachers, and most importantly how to keep them on good academic footing once they turn that corner and are able to stand up and be healthy. <br />
<br />
Fear No Number Math is not like the snake oil that is being sold in the same abundance as any product on a late night infomercial. And unfortunately, these gimmicks are being bought up with money that is go be used to elevate learning for African American children and other children who are now and for a very long time been underserved by public education. I am in awe at the nonsensical solutions that abound for educating our children. We need to do the difficult research and reading Professor Hung Hsi Wu is worth reading. Take your time, by the time you are through, you might be willing to help us get the children healed and up and working on a beneficial, and rigorous education pathway.<br />
<br />
Another work that inspires greatness:<br />
<br />
The book <b>Radical Equations</b> chronicles the work of Robert Moses the founder of the Algebra Project for African American brown and poor students. <a href="http://www.ams.org/notices/200203/rev-koblitz.pdf">This a review by Dr. Neal Kobitz, a UW Professor. </a> Early in his review he highlights this message by Moses:<br />
<br />
<i>"<span style="font-family: LucidaBright;">In today’s world, economic access and full citizenship depend crucially on math and science literacy. I believe that the absence of math literacy in urban and rural communities throughout this country is an issue as urgent as the lack of registered black voters in Mississippi was in 1961...[M]ath literacy—and algebra in particular—is the key to the future of disenfranchised communities. (p. 5)"</span></i><br />
<br />
<br />
There are many elements of Mose's Algebra Project that is part of Fear No Number Math which was created by Norman Alston a professional mathematician and gifted teacher. Parents for Student Success has a close alignment in that we have helped to shape his thinking about the role that parents must play if his teaching is to be sustained.<br />
<br />
Moses likewise saw parent and community involvement as important to his Algebra Project, and Kobitz highlights this;<br />
<br />
<i>"<span style="font-family: LucidaBright;">Moses comments that “the only ones who can really demand the kind of education they need and the kind of changes needed to get it are the students, their parents, and their community, which largely remains silent on issues like this” (p. 151). Thus, it is the job of a math literacy campaigner to organize these groups. And it is precisely in the South, where Moses and David Dennis had had the most experience tapping into the rich community structures, that the Algebra Project has had the most sustained impact.</span></i><i style="font-family: LucidaBright;">"</i><br />
<br />
We know this from 30 years of experience advocating for parents of children that those who overtook public education have catapulted to the bottom of the public education heap. A heap of expensive application of what does not work in the diverse society that the United States has become.<br />
<br />
We figured out many things along the way to today. Yet, with all of what we know with all of our brilliance we act as if we do not know the answer to educating African American children. Well move over quacks, we are seeking and finding specialists who will do the radical surgeries and remove the disease of low self esteem, lack of purpose, and low expectations.<br />
<br />Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-821922336946629962013-01-12T13:15:00.001-08:002013-01-12T13:15:14.385-08:00Family and Education Levy Funding Inequality. <br />
<br />
This is a long one, but then the trail to this level of arrogance demonstrated in these examples is long and consistent. Every week those who believe that we in South East Seattle and South King County are the colony of Downtown, North Seattle and East King County give me so much to write about and our young people to organize against.<br />
<br />
<br />
This week I am both disgusted and inspired the inspiration comes from each day spending time with incredible people who are brilliant and unapologetic in their activism. They are those committed to keeping alive the flame of resistance to oppression. I applaud Jessie Hagopian a Garfield H.S. teacher who said NO!!!. There of course will be a price paid, but they will not kill him. I just watch the documentary on the Abolitionists, I went to see La Miserables those young people were killed, and I lived through the Civil Rights and Antiapartheid Movements our young people were murdered.<br />
But, they never still the voices and commitment of all. And we have new leadership in the White House and he tells us to organize where we are in our own communities. And that is where oppression will be stopped or at least diverted. My age and experience and continued activism makes me believe greed and inequality will always find a way to live among us. But likewise this same experience makes me know there will always arise a resistance to oppression.<br />
<br />
I am using this blog to write of the ways that Mayor Mike McGinn and his Seattle Education Team is managing the Family and Education Levy Funds ($231, 500,00) that Seattle property owners voted for. I know the goodness of the majority of the people in Seattle and I know they voted for to double the levy because they truly want African American children off the bottom of the Education meltdown. And they want the gap that is sinking the entire school district closed. What I write about today, is not unique, it an insidious problem that has rendered South East Seattle and South King County "Colonies" of Downtown and North Seattle and East King County.<br />
<br />
This is what they said:<br />
<ul style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<li style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5em;"><span style="background-color: white;">2011 Levy took lessons from 2004 Levy by proposing integrated funding from early learning through elementary, middle and high school </span><span style="background-color: yellow;">allowing for investments that are adjusted for the needs and characteristics of individual schools and their students.</span> </li>
</ul>
<br />
This is what they are doing<br />
<br />
<br />
I own three properties in Seattle and thus have as much right as any to be incensed by what I seeing and hearing from too many people. Seattle is in its dealings with brown, black and poor people. Especially, African Americans is not living up to what they promised the voters.<br />
<br />
These funds are suppose to close the achievement gap. African American K-12 students are at the bottom of the achievement outcomes as reported by OSPI. Here is the report for math outcomes for 4th Grade Black Students in Washington 60 % did not meet standard and 40% were well below standard. Don't take my word for it was easy to just go to the online data that OSPI supplies. This is just one grade but an important one. When African American children do not meet grade standard by 4th grade researchers tell us those who fund for Department of Corrections starts preparing for their arrival in 10 years and before. We can beat them at their game but it takes paying attention and not getting too much sleep.<br />
<br />
SEATTLE REPORT CARD FOR BLACK STUDENTS - 4th grade<br />
<table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="TableData" style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr class="tableDataSmall" style="font-size: 8pt; text-align: left;"><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt; padding-left: 40px;"><br /></td><td align="right" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%"><br /></td><td align="right" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="DataGrid" id="ctl00_Content_ctrlWaslCurrent_ctl02_tblSubject" style="border: 1px outset black; color: black; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; width: 96%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="rcTableHeaderDark" style="background-color: #3f6526; border-color: black; color: white; font-size: 8pt; font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><span id="ctl00_Content_ctrlWaslCurrent_ctl02_lblSubject">Math - Grade 4</span></td></tr>
<tr><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;"><table cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="TableData" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr style="font-weight: bold !important; text-align: right; text-decoration: underline;"><td colspan="2" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt; font-weight: normal;"></td><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt; font-weight: normal;">Number</td><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt; font-weight: normal;">Percent</td></tr>
<tr class="tableDataSmall" style="font-size: 8pt; text-align: left;"><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10px"></td><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;"><b>Meeting Standard</b></td><td align="right" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">234</td><td align="right" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">36.3%</td></tr>
<tr class="tableDataSmallAlternate" style="background-color: #f3efe9; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1pt; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left;"><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10px"></td><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt; padding-left: 40px;">Level 4 (exceeds standard)</td><td align="right" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">71</td><td align="right" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">11.0%</td></tr>
<tr class="tableDataSmall" style="font-size: 8pt; text-align: left;"><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10px"></td><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt; padding-left: 40px;">Level 3 (met standard)</td><td align="right" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">159</td><td align="right" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">24.7%</td></tr>
<tr class="tableDataSmallAlternate" style="background-color: #f3efe9; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1pt; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left;"><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10px"></td><td style="border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: black; font-size: 8pt; padding-left: 40px;">Basic (met standard)</td><td align="right" style="border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">4</td><td align="right" style="border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">0.6%</td></tr>
<tr class="tableDataSmall" style="font-size: 8pt; text-align: left;"><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10px"></td><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;"><b>Not Meeting Standard</b></td><td align="right" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">411</td><td align="right" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">63.7%</td></tr>
<tr class="tableDataSmallAlternate" style="background-color: #f3efe9; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1pt; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left;"><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10px"></td><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt; padding-left: 40px;">Level 2 (below standard)</td><td align="right" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">117</td><td align="right" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">18.1%</td></tr>
<tr class="tableDataSmall" style="font-size: 8pt; text-align: left;"><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10px"></td><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt; padding-left: 40px;">Level 1 (well below standard)</td><td align="right" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">290</td><td align="right" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">45.0%</td></tr>
<tr class="tableDataSmallAlternate" style="background-color: #f3efe9; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1pt; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left;"><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10px"></td><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt; padding-left: 40px;">No Score</td><td align="right" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">4</td><td align="right" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">0.6%</td></tr>
<tr class="tableDataSmall" style="font-size: 8pt; text-align: left;"><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10px"></td><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt; padding-left: 80px;">Unexcused Absence, Refusal</td><td align="right" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">1</td><td align="right" style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">0.2%</td></tr>
<tr class="tableDataSmallAlternate" style="background-color: #f3efe9; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1pt; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left;"><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10px"></td><td style="border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: black; font-size: 8pt; padding-left: 80px;">Other*</td><td align="right" style="border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">3</td><td align="right" style="border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">0.5%</td></tr>
<tr class="tableDataSmall" style="font-size: 8pt; text-align: left;"><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10px"></td><td style="border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;"><b>Total</b></td><td align="right" style="border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">645</td><td align="right" style="border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10%">100%</td></tr>
<tr class="tableDataSmallAlternate" style="background-color: #f3efe9; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1pt; border-right-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1pt; font-size: 8pt; text-align: left;"><td style="border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;" width="10px"></td><td style="border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 2px; border-color: black; font-size: 8pt;"><b>Meeting Standard excluding No Score</b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /><span style="background-color: yellow;">Outcomes for all Seattle 4th Graders is 33% below Standard</span><br />
<br />
<br />
Please Take a look at these two short videos. A picture is worth a thousand words and we have thousands of feet of footage showing excellence in African American teacher and Teaching Assistants, African American children learning, and parents and community engaged.<br />
<br />
It is important for you to see the excellence of the African American response to the above rate of failure after billions of dollars in the name of black, brown and poor children has been poured into bank accounts of those living outside of our reality. African Americans have been kept on the perimeter of the education industry, school reform movement and management of education funding. Not pointing fingers, but we try really hard and have some excellent solutions. We have known but now we have proof that processes in place are used against us and there is no intent to give us our children's money that is appropriated for the elevation of their learning.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfRbVy0p5PE" target="_blank">Fear No Number Math Trailer</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyEZ1M-wlW0" target="_blank">Fear No Number Saturday Math Academy</a><br />
<br />
Fear No Number Math conceived by an African American male base on the research of Dr. Robert Moses (Radical Equations) a proven method for elevating the math outcomes for African Americans and all thus all young children.<br />
<br />
Mr. Alston received not one but three rejection letters; the original submission received a rejection letter that stated no experience, and insufficient data. Okay, so we appealed. Another reject letter. And in case he thought that they did understand that No is No, they sent a reject letter for summer academic learning. He is not the only one. In a recent meeting with SE Seattle Principals of schools with the highest numbers of low income students three likewise received reject letters. Hearing this and seeing what the collective impact of these rejections indicated, I decided we needed to do some research. At the end you will see where the outcome of my research and viewing a PBS documentary takes my thinking. <br />
<br />
In nature there is always a Ying and Yang, and the rejection from Mayor McGinn got the attention of not one but two professional mathematicians, offers of support for fund raising, and we are going to have Elders in Residence call forth the children from the rejected and the accepted teachers to perform for the community what they have learned. We want our children performing math in the same way they are coached to perform sports and sing and dance know the channel of television shows, and other things they need to know to be well balanced.<br />
<br />
I do not think that Pi Plus and Explorations in Math will be able to bring a team as well prepared to understand and solved complex algebraic problems. I bet they will not know how to explain or even know what the Unit Circle is. Our parents are being taught to be math coaches for their own children how else would you sustain and apply learning for populations that are very transient. They rent, therefore they move from school to school. We have children whose uncles and grandfathers, and both parents who are divorced and not speaking to each other supporting their children in Fear No Number Math. This comes from intentionality that comes forth when others say you are not good enough. That is what I heard. We can not find a better mathematician able to teach young children to love math than Norman Alston. We brought him back from the Eastside where he was teaching the children of Microsoft, technology industry and professional sports families. He took a cut in pay to do this for children he thinks deserves excellence and a chance to compete. And this is what the Mayor's process found lacking. Well the student always wins when the parents are in place and determined. And parents who never showed up at an organized parent meeting, sit with their children for two hours on Saturday Mornings and gets up an hour early to get their children for before school math. A model told to us by Pres. Obama he says that when he was in elementary school his "single" mom would get him up early before she went to work to study and when he complained, she told him "this is no picnic for me either buddy." Also when asked about poor families, he told the interviewer, a poor parent can turn off a television. It is this level of respect for poor parents we interject into Fear No Number Math. <br />
<br />
I always respect people's time so If this is too long please bookmark it and come back and finish reading to the end. The research and summary is important and revealing. We know that there is inequity, but these are two perfect programs one rejected and the other accepted to prove it.<br />
<br />
I am trying hard to lead us right to what is being done to our children money voted for black, brown and poor children and why they are failing.<br />
<br />
The City of Seattle published the list of who did get funded in December 2012 for Family and Education Levy Funds. This organization located outside of African American community in <a href="http://www.seattle.gov/neighborhoods/education/documents/03_PiPlusTutors_SEBFS.pdf" target="_blank">Mulkiteo; Pi Tutors was approved. </a> Remember what you saw in the Fear No Number Math video with brown, black and poor parents and community engaged, involved and sitting right next to their children. Now see what this organization says about their experience with parents.<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li style="font-family: 'Calibri'; font-size: 11.000000pt;">
<i><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: 'Calibri,Italic'; font-size: 11pt;"><b>"What are the challenges and barriers these students face and how do you address them?</b> </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="background-color: yellow;">A few
challenges and barriers for low-income and at-risk students are: Lack of family support and
engagement, inconsistencies and frequent transitions, unstable home life, limited access to
basic resources, difficulty focusing in school due to outside stressors, unreliable transportation,
low self-esteem, as well as lower test scores or grades in class. Pi Plus Tutors has experience
assisting students academically, serving as a family advocate to provide support and resources,
and providing parent/guardian involvement opportunities and training." </span><span style="background-color: white;">(excerpt from PI Plus Tutors)</span></span></i><br />
<br />
Now let's look at what the say about who they serve and connect with and yet they hire only white women. The organizations used to get a accepted to receive Seattle Funds (though they are in Mukilteo) is stating a history of partnering with organizations serving primarily non white, non privileged children with high numbers of African and African Americans. We know these organizations well.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: 11pt;">Pi Plus Tutors has a strong history of community involvement and partnerships. The company
has partnered with several local community organizations with the intention of working
together to improve the education and lives of the students involved. Some past partners have
included: The Boys & Girls Club, YMCA, Rainier Community Center, Yesler Community Center,
Associated Recreation Council, Children of the Valley, and several low-income housing
communities across the state. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: yellow; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">Now look what they say about their staff. Remember they say they have a history of working in minority communities. This is the same answer that Mitt Romney gave in his "binders of woman" answer during the debates. Except they have white women so I guess this answer means they will compile binders filled with minorities. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt;">"</span><span style="font-family: 'Calibri,Bold'; font-size: 11pt;">Section Four: Women and Minority Inclusion</span><br />
<div class="column">
<span style="font-size: 11pt;">1. </span><span style="background-color: yellow; font-family: 'Calibri,Italic'; font-size: 11pt;">It is likely that Pi Plus will have to hire additional employees to support this program? </span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Pi Plus
Tutors is committed to diversity and hiring candidates who come from a variety of backgrounds,
whether cultural, race, creed or gender. Pi Plus always encourages diverse candidates to apply
for a position with the organization. The city of Seattle is very diverse already, so finding diverse
candidates is not a huge challenge. Some ways that the company can build and sustain a diverse
candidate pool is to say on the application “diverse candidates encouraged to apply” or post a
job opening on diversity-specific websites. <span style="background-color: yellow;">Most of the company’s employees (both tutors and
management) are women, due to a higher number of female educators." (excerpt from Pi Plus Tutors application) </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"><br /></span></span>
This is an insult to the children and families who Seattle Voters agreed to have their properties taxed to shrink the gap. They say they already have a history in the communities with large numbers of black, brown and poor children and families. Well from what we have seen in outcomes whatever they are doing has not made a significant difference. They have not inspired families in ways that makes their methods sustainable, and they have used their public funding in the past to hire only white women. All public funds assume diverse hiring. If they did not hire during their "history of being in our community" and it is "not a huge challenge." Then why did they not meet this not huge challenge? Why would we trust them with our money or our children?<br />
<br />
(To be continued) </div>
</li>
</ol>
<div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
</div>
</div>
Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-17456392116535633302012-11-25T16:38:00.001-08:002012-12-21T22:24:21.420-08:00WA's Emerged and Emerging African Americans<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZSDrqJ2Ob2WhQtOENMFYpzvYMqNGpO6Hrm21lQI14Q0T9XMGCRfcmlPYpDw385OlZar6cIUqMK3OUiK-E1yF47rLerwMaVk4zyk9qCWsiDHoS5uHZGV41BKK8SsmUSeps0oH9Lwuu0U/s1600/Marcelas+and+Obama.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMZSDrqJ2Ob2WhQtOENMFYpzvYMqNGpO6Hrm21lQI14Q0T9XMGCRfcmlPYpDw385OlZar6cIUqMK3OUiK-E1yF47rLerwMaVk4zyk9qCWsiDHoS5uHZGV41BKK8SsmUSeps0oH9Lwuu0U/s400/Marcelas+and+Obama.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marselas Owens (of Seattle) and President Obama<br />
Signing the Health Care Bill<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Keeping informed and informing others is a key part of who I am and what serves me well. I like connecting people who are on the say path and enjoy seeing new things emerge from these new relationships.<br />
<br />
As an Elder in our "Village" I get to meet, know and partner with incredible African Americans. Most are much younger than I am. They keep me wanting to get up get dressed and go see what they are accomplishing today. They keep me updated on their ideas, inspire me to come up with new and relevant ideas. I have learned from them the value of new technologies. Dr. Maxine Mimms taught me that this is the key to staying emotionally, and physically healthy and adding more and more years to my life. This is what African Americans have been doing for many centuries, getting up, accomplishing and sharing. She models this well as the Professor for Critical Community Conversations at the Life Enrichment Bookstore and Learning Center in Columbia City, Seattle the third Friday of each month. It is so refreshing to see the number of inspired African Americans of all ages gather around our Elder of Distinction and share with her and each other the many positive aspects of their lives and of being African American.<br />
<br />
When here as a surrogate for President Barack Obama, Newark Mayor, Corey Booker gave this instruction:<span style="background-color: yellow;"> <b>Move from sedentary agitation to unapologetic activism.</b> </span> There are many emerged and emerging leaders among us in WA State, who are doing just that. They are not waiting for someone to pay them or give them a huge grant, or give them permission. They cover a myriad of skills, and areas needing unapologetic leadership to move our children and families from mediocrity to greatness. It is a formula that keeps African Americans alive and well in America.<br />
<div>
<br style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;" />
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: magenta;">Marcelas Owens</span> My hero. He is one of the most familiar young faces associated with Pres. Obama. He stood next to Mr. President when he signed the Health Care bill. His mother,Tiffany, a dynamic advocate for health care, died at the age of 27, and lacked the kind of medical care this bill now guarantees to all. Marcelas,is a First Place alum and now at Madrona K-8 in Seattle was 11 years old, and chose to pick up where she left off.<br />
<span style="color: magenta;">Khadijah Toms, Danielle Jackson and Mia Franklin</span> are fireball advocates for children and adults living with disabilities, their expertise comes from raising children with very challenging disabilities and I depend on them for their knowledge and activism. Getting more paid and support services for African American families is needed at every level, early services, school, and state Developmental Disabilities. They know the systems.</div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: magenta;">Cheryl Milton </span>stepped up and into a vacuum that has elevated her life and knowledge and that of homeless children needing a teacher who loves and knows how to teach science and math. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #cc33cc;">Norman Alston</span> I can not say enough about him, his Fear No Number Math is making a difference and changing the culture of so many brown, black and poor children. He has grown into his brilliance.</div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: magenta;">Yalonda Masundire</span><span style="color: #cc33cc;"> </span>had a vision and no funds, but like all successful did not let that stop her. Go with your inspired self and the resources will find you. She brought to children in Rainier Beach an academic camp with certified teachers that reflected their cultures. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: magenta;">Delbert Richardson</span><span style="color: #cc33cc;"> </span>His American Museum because of its content and message may never get the funding it needs. He educates about the sustained part of American history we know as slavery and Jim Crow. How can such a long period of our history get only one chapter in our history lesson. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: magenta;">Life Enrichment Books and Learning Center Team</span><span style="color: #cc33cc;"> - </span>When the owner threatened to reclaim his property, this team of young folks stepped up to the challenge and held a fund raiser, and put together a strategic plan. While other independent and even corporate bookstores are closing its doors, our young folks decided to expand the bookstore into an African American learning center the only African American bookstore in Pacific Northwest. Please get on the mailing list and stay informed. and this leads to another young person</div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: magenta;">Mayor Marilyn Strickland</span> She is the Mayor of Tacoma and makes us all proud whether we live in Tacoma or not. She is guiding this city to a renewal that is making it a gem in Washington's crown. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #cc33cc;">Rev. Paul Smoot</span> up in Everett is ever present when it comes to being a voice for African American students. He runs a school where he is producing children who know they are scholars as young as three years old. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: magenta;">Kamilah Abdul-Alim and Nicole Burns</span> this 2nd and 3rd grade teaching duo are two educators to behold. Watching them teach is like watching a painter paint a lovely picture. They are just naturals and they take pride in each of their children. Their doors are always open to visitors and they helped me to formulate the Elders in Residence Project. Both have retired community members helping them assure that every child can read. <span style="color: magenta;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: magenta;">Bernard Bennett and his brothers </span>The number of black owned media is down to a number we can count using our fingers. With such a small African American population along the I-5 corridor it is a miracle that this family owned media a radio station and newspaper is still on everyday and we can count on news important to African Americans to be printed every week. We know Chris Bennett the Elder, but many do not know his sons have stepped up to keep this business going against all odds. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: magenta;">Salah Mason</span><span style="color: #cc33cc;"> </span>When he was so much younger than he is today, I put him with a professor at the UW Business school could he make a businessman out of an artist. The answer after a small amount of time counseling him was "I do not think so." It is not easy to teach business to African Americans in the ways that it is taught to white students. So I applaud him for his international business Kinfolk Design Studio, Bar, Restaurant, clothing and Bicycle Co.in Brooklyn and Tokyo Japan.<br />
<span style="color: magenta;">Roz Jenkins </span>I have just this year gotten work more closely with Roz. She chairs the African American Education Roundtable and will not stop until education is equitable and excellent and the achievement gap is closed. She fights for our right to have a voice when decisions are made about our children. She will guide us through the education agenda for the upcoming legislative session.<br />
<span style="color: magenta;">Rita Green and Lina Brown</span> It is refreshing to not have to worry about a problem because someone says "I got this." and means it. Well these two young women have Rainier Beach High School. And they are doing a great job of assuring that it does become a Baccalaureate High School and that African Americans are enrolled. Lina was recently honored at the White House for her volunteerism. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: magenta;">Erica Newman</span> She has been part of my support system that makes me able function as an Elder in our Village. She has been that for others also as she learns the ways of being a leader. She is willing to volunteer and do the work that is necessary for learning to lead and be heard. She is parenting a young child who will likewise grow to make us proud.<br />
<span style="color: magenta;">Nafisa Mussa </span>She is the go to person in the Somalian Community. She came to America and grew into her purpose in this foreign place. She is everywhere, and is a great voice for both African born and African Americans. She is clear about the need for inclusion at every level of involvement of black people. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: magenta;">Darryl Smith</span>, he is our Deputy Mayor. He is a bit quiet but he has a big job and is doing it well. He listens. That is the best you can ask of any who is in politics, listen. And when a person in a leadership role listens to the many voices, it shows up in their accomplishments. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #cc33cc;">Akua Kariamu </span>a gifted and exceptional musician and teacher. She plays a violin like no other, and combined with her spoken word that comes from a soul so deep you can get lost in her. I told her that if I spoke a more natural language with the words and phrases that speak to brilliance I could describe her so much better. She smiled.<br />
<span style="color: magenta;">Sabrena Burr </span>She is a parent and our African American voice for children and parents on the State PTSA Board. She is a legislative policy representative. Understanding education policy, the legislature and how their decisions impact our children's education is important. I partner with her at South Shore K-8 and she a key player in getting the Math Academy established. </div>
<div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: magenta;">Dawn Bennett</span> - We call her "Little Dawn" she is a dynamo as an organizer, a voice and advocate for the education of African American children. When she enters a room all know that Dawn has arrived. She showcases not only a we will prevail spirit but a head of some of the most beautiful locs in the region.</div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: magenta;">Dr.Quinton Morris</span> Is the Founder of the Young Eight String Octet, a professor and Director of Chamber Music and Fine Arts at Seattle U. This year he performed a violin solo at Carnegie Hall, the ultimate for any musician. His is committed to introducing classical music to our children. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: magenta;">Keisha Scarlett</span> This dynamo of a principal (South Shore K-8 in Seattle) is clearly on a trajectory to one day be Superintendent of one of Washington's School Districts. She is making not a difference but the difference that principals can make for children others say can not be brought to academic excellence. 4th and 5th graders doing Algebra early mornings before school even begins, yes! Math Academy on Saturdays Yes! Parents and community engaged, yes!</div>
<span style="color: magenta; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;">Council Member</span><span style="color: magenta; font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Victoria Woodards</span><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small;"> Besides being on Tacoma City Council she is dedicated to reviving the Tacoma Urban League as its CEO. She came up through the ranks both in the military and and under the tutelage of Harold Moss another of our Washington Elders of Distinction. We spent time together on a panel for the AKA National Convention. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: magenta;">Gary and Deborah Boune </span></span>- they are transplants from Detroit and a welcome addition as small business owners. They own B2Fine Art Gallery in Tacoma. African Americans they teach that we must learn to purchase fine art as an investment and for the pleasure of owning nice art pieces for their homes.<br />
<span style="color: magenta;">Erin Jones</span> Now if you have not met this woman, you have missed a treat. She recently left the Supt. of Public Instruction Office where she was Deputy Superintendent, and is now the Director of Diversity and Achievement at Federal Way Schools. I always smile when I think of Erin, her energy and passion for education is contagious. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: magenta;">Dian Ferguson </span> I love Dian, smart, organized, focused and one of the best people to know when you want to get something done. She is a strategic advisor to the FAME Community Center. She is also guiding the CAYA team back into full blown business. Last year she ran for City Council and kept in the debate issues important to African Americans and others like us who are too often overlooked or taken for granted. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: magenta;">CAYA Team (Joe Stanton, JJ Wilkerson and Michael Ellis)</span> they are the team breathing new life into CAYA. We do not have an organization in Seattle that has in its mission statement that they exist for African American youth. Our children are always sharing mission statement with others or linked in as at risk. Michael Preston, directed CAYA for years as a place known for producing African American scholars and winners.<br />
<span style="color: magenta;">Dr. Tamara Lewis</span> I just met her but she is surely worthy of being on this list. She is a Naturpathic Physician, a Bastyr U. graduate. She practiced in NYC before returning to Seattle to set up practice. She has recently published a children's book HERBS ABC's it will be available on Amazon.com and Bastyr Book Store. Another must for our children and support for our sister. </div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><b>This is not an exhaustive list and I could have doubled it. There is so much great leadership among African Americans along the I-5 Corridor who are brilliant and creative and give so much compensated and uncompensated, to make life in the Seattle/Tacoma metropolitan area one of the best regions in the nation who are not on this list. Let me know and I will surely make sure you are on the next one. </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #990000;"><b>I will be writing soon about the upcoming legislative session and encouraging every African American young and old to make it point to email, or testify or call Olympia to let them know that Yes, we are coming to collect on our votes. </b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><b>As always I want to hear about what you are doing. Leave a comment or email me. </b></span></div>
<div style="font-family: arial; font-size: small;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-76699028422125587662012-11-08T09:47:00.001-08:002012-11-21T16:17:10.148-08:00November is National Epilepsy Month<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39_LWOTnitasQbVF_8U3-NO92GilBOGhI16c8LFhUlGET2cShzv-BeIrCd-IG1EYWq-O_FYCCd6oueIthV6G9zrnu1zvWFItfn36j2PhPr_ljW5JRm3cmqsvVxAQt2mlMgAnRC5ODN9k/s1600/CIMG0541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh39_LWOTnitasQbVF_8U3-NO92GilBOGhI16c8LFhUlGET2cShzv-BeIrCd-IG1EYWq-O_FYCCd6oueIthV6G9zrnu1zvWFItfn36j2PhPr_ljW5JRm3cmqsvVxAQt2mlMgAnRC5ODN9k/s320/CIMG0541.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">Aaje at 13 years old</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For Aaje and Qimmah</span><br />
<br /></div>
November is Epilepsy Awareness Month and I dedicate this blog entry to my goddaughter Qimmah and her daughter Aaje. Aaje is 15 years old and lives with epilepsy in Seattle WA.<br />
<br />
President Barack Obama's chief campaign strategist, David Axelrod is a parent who knows what epilepsy does to the life and family of a child with epilepsy. His wife, Susan, Chairs Citizens United for Research into the Causes and Cure for Epilepsy <a href="http://www.facebook.com/CUREforEpilepsy">CURE</a>. They asked for personal stories. I read many of those written by parents each with both similar and unique experiences. I thought, parents of children living with with epilepsy are extremely modest in the ways epilepsy impacts a family. So I am writing from my observations as Auntie Dawn, a member of Aaje and her mother Qimmah's support team.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><b>Becoming Auntie Dawn</b></span><br />
Being Aaje's "Auntie Dawn" is complicated but brings with it gifts. It is a relationship like no other it goes beyond usual relationships. I am godmother to Qimmah, which makes me grandgodmom to her children. My best friend Beverly, died of breast cancer in 2004 and a long time pact was that in such an eventuality, we would step in as surrogate mothers. She left me with instructions for each of her children and for Qimmah it was that I must assure she always has the support she needs to take care of Aaje who besides epilepsy, she has Autism and underdeveloped cognition. Aaje will need the daily care of her mother for her entire life.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><b>Becoming Aaje</b></span><br />
Aaje was a normal birth her first three years of checkups placed her above average on the growth charts including language and cognitions. Two weeks after she blew out her three birthday candles, she suffered her first cluster of seizures, they were often and violent. That was 12 years and too many seizure episodes, medications, scans, MRIs, neurological evaluations, assessments, education planning conferences, therapies, hospital stays and tantrums to count. Entering the teenage years have added piled on her the many issues associated with puberty. She struggles with these changes that she does not understand. After having moved with her family to another state, her mother overwhelmed by her needs returned home to Seattle. She is learning to be with her extended family, she can be as rude and non compliant but within the realm of her damaged neurological functioning is a bright and loving child.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><b>Being Mom</b></span><br />
Aaje's mom is an incredible and knowlegeable caregiver, in ways that go beyond just being a caring mom. She is an expert on caring for a child with special needs. A child with epilepsy that is complicated by Autism and compromised cognitive skills. As her sole parent, she is the expert. The professional experts do not know what causes epilepsy nor what can cure it and they are just coming into higher knowledge of Autism. How epilepsy affects her development is not known. Each person living with epilepsy has their unique story and parents know the frustrations associated with epilepsy. There is the never knowing when the next seizure will occur, or how long it will last. What they do know is the cost of the hundreds of medical consultations, the prescriptions that did not work or did work for awhile and now there are increasing break throughs. Qimmah knows well the fear of those who do not understand epilepsy, she knows that she can count on half a hand the people who she can leave Aaje with. She knows the questions and suspicion when arriving in the emergency room a child bloodied and bruised from a fall during a seizure when you were busy taking care of her siblings.<br />
<br />
I watch with admiration this young mother who presents like a student of neurology, pharmacology, education and psychology? She is an expert in what works and what does not work in our medical care and education systems. She knows what happens when professionals do not hear her, or discount her observations. How does this young and now single mom take care of her own natural need for friendships, a social life and career? Well like most parents, not very well. When there is a child with a disabling disease in a family, breaks in relationships are extremely high. So I admire Qimmah as she manages the education of her 8 year old son who is very bright and cares for her 1 year old son who is now walking and into everything. Though she has applied for every service that should be available to her family, they are not readily forthcoming. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj356ZfC8IC0ZoBZCQvy8IEZ-wLKMTS8-9UNyG0-xO5FTX8MOjyyil-mgVYvF_zcxgtea1CPeSfLUGag5NVuHg6I94PXgm0GIbQ_dOy6s9oS_GacZKKvbpjnPm95eiWqw8E7Lwl_rAQvas/s1600/CIMG0533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj356ZfC8IC0ZoBZCQvy8IEZ-wLKMTS8-9UNyG0-xO5FTX8MOjyyil-mgVYvF_zcxgtea1CPeSfLUGag5NVuHg6I94PXgm0GIbQ_dOy6s9oS_GacZKKvbpjnPm95eiWqw8E7Lwl_rAQvas/s320/CIMG0533.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: small;"><b>Aaje and Qimmah</b></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="color: magenta;"><b>Becoming Poor</b></span><br />
For Aaje's mom there is no compensated and trained respite care available due to government budget cuts and shortfalls. So she had to give up an enjoyed and lucrative career. When other young people are going to social events, she is sitting in hospital rooms and doctor offices or merely caring for daughter who is totally dependent on her. She and her family<b><span style="color: #cc0000;"> had to learn to be poor.</span></b> Which means she had to learn the systems associated with being poor. In friendships there is an expected give and take, when so much of who you are is going to a child who needs your constant attention there really is not much to contribute to close relationships. Time away from the job for unscheduled seizure activity does not coincide well with a workplace project timeline.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: magenta;"><b>Everything is Pre-Existing</b></span><br />
Qimmah manages Aaje's multiple appointments associated with the first diagnosis of Epilepsy when she was 3 years old. She was traumatized as she watched her bright and active child began to show signs of cognitive delays. The diagnosis for Autism the Special Education designation and Individual Education Plans(IEP) and the expectation that it be managed by her, the parent. Though all of this is extremely complex and difficult, mom is a proficient and wonderful Chief Advocate and Manager for Aaje's epilepsy and the complexity of her multiple diagnosis. I consider what it was like being a mother with a husband to teenagers. Add epilepsy and not knowing when not only a behavioral tantrum is on the horizon but a cluster of seizures just might occur when least expected and they are always least expected. The already difficult teen years for Aaje is exacerbated by increased seizures and behavioral episodes associated with her Autism and marginally her menstrual cycle. She and all who have epilepsy diagnosis are perfect for knowing the need for Obamacare, everything about Aaje's current medical history is <span style="color: #cc0000; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">"pre-existing." </span>And mom, despite her college education and having a marketable skill, is poor and might be poor for a very long time.<br />
<br />
Families of children with epilepsy or any or multiple special needs need human support systems. They need government systems that do not add to already overwhelmed lives. Siblings need attention and to be cared for. When someone needs to be with Aaje when she is hospitalized. Going with mom to the IEP conferences means she does not have to be alone with a team made up of several education, health and legal professionals. It is someone to hand her a tissue. And as her surrogate mom, me there is is the occasional saying to her what she already knows. <i>"You can do this. You have to do this. Who else will do this better for your daughter?" </i>An then being a shoulder to cry on.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipEpE4m_Ms7VixbbmWrWDWfZAPttqWWorDmynuxCgxnQSPlvLGMYnjF3XTL5mSMohwQ2xMAvxDUr6XCwWU7iWXdEj1jHf5b2fmDKuWsooiJlwHRoywCGlqPI29gyR9ttCZwi3MOBbz6y0/s1600/CIMG0526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipEpE4m_Ms7VixbbmWrWDWfZAPttqWWorDmynuxCgxnQSPlvLGMYnjF3XTL5mSMohwQ2xMAvxDUr6XCwWU7iWXdEj1jHf5b2fmDKuWsooiJlwHRoywCGlqPI29gyR9ttCZwi3MOBbz6y0/s200/CIMG0526.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: magenta; font-size: small;">Aaje and Auntie Dawn</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I wish I could bring this story to some conclusive end but without a cure for epilepsy there is no end. There will always be conscious and unconscious listening for the "thud." The counting the seconds, because if the seconds goes into minutes then the next steps of the response goes into play. There is the not knowing if this is one seizure event or the beginning of a cluster of seizures. Epilepsy robs Aaje and her mom and siblings of knowing what a day or week will bring. She will grow beyond her teen years, but epilepsy, her need for care and a dependable support team will be with her for life.<br />
<br />
Those who can please make a donation to <a href="http://www.cureepilepsy.org/" target="_blank">CURE</a>. And then decide to be on a support team for an adult or child living with epilepsy or any special need. For me, of all of my titles, being "Auntie Dawn" is very satisfying.Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-498402367339840972012-11-07T01:53:00.003-08:002012-11-25T05:45:57.371-08:00There is Plenty to Say for Expectation<br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I tutor a 2nd grade boy in the home of his Somalian family of 5 children. They are Muslims and though I know many Somalian parents and Muslims, I had never been in their home. I understand the value of visiting people where they live and allowing them to visit you at your home. It is the best way to form cross cultural understanding, respect and relationships. Culture is important, it supersedes race in human experience. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Being in their home has helped me be a better tutor to their son. To learn their expectations for him. During one of the tutoring sessions, their daughters and two other young girls were studying and reciting </span>Quran<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> in Arabic. Arabic is a difficult language, and not the primary language of Somalians, nor the language of their schooling. It was a privilege to observe 5 girls between the ages 7 - 13 under the instruction of a young woman no older than 20 years. Any who understands how children learn, could observe in the parent and the young teacher that these girls would learn their Arabic and </span>Quran<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"> lessons. There was no talk of can't or “special education” or learning disabilities. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I immediately transferred this expectation to the young son, who has an IEP and learning challenges. I have spent time in Kenyan schools and clearly understand the ability for poor children and all children to learn well beyond what our children learn in the USA. I know his parents, culturally, do not and can not accept that their son will not learn to be an excellent reader of English. It will just take more time on task and patience. </span></span><br />
<div style="min-height: 15px;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Knowing this me and my young student are focused on this expectation. he reads, he write, he questions, I challenge him. When pencil and paper and book learning is done, he gets to practice on the IPad, a great motivator. The family is not asking me to teach him Arabic, I do not know how to read or speak Arabic but I do know English and if that young woman in the next room can teach 5 girls how to speak and read Arabic, I surely can teach their brother how to read and write English with a high proficiency and I will. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will comment on our progress as it occurs. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-16659810366783562772012-10-22T23:25:00.000-07:002015-06-02T21:15:43.226-07:00The Status Quo hurts Poor, Black and Brown Students<br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In Support of I-1240 - Public Charter Schools</span></span><br />
<div style="min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Eliminating One Status Quo</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I put my name and the trust many have in me behind public charter schools. I have supported alternatives to traditional education for many years. After all my B.A. Degree is from Evergreen State College, my Masters in Education was obtained at Antioch University and my Ph.D was honorarily conferred in Nairobi Kenya by the Institute for Cultural Reconnection. All are non traditional but excellent higher education choices.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have learned many things along the way to being an Elder. (Elders are not just old, they are also learned and wise in the ways that the people need them to be. They care about the entire village, and when entering a place they traditionally ask "How are the children." Our poor, black and brown children are not as well educationally as they should and could be. </span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After 25 years of paying close attention to public education, doing research on parent and community involvement, and raising three children in Seattle, I know that the status quo has not allow African American, Hispanic, Native American, immigrant, and poor children to attain an eduction that brings equity.</span></span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">Policy makers do not listen to solutions that come from within the communities of these children, they do not listen to teachers, parents education specialists. This is a reality that makes public charters attractive as a choice. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Other Status Quo</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">If I-1240 is passes public funds will follow students whose parents enroll them into a public charter school. And we know there will be many who will be immediately interested in our children. It is called follow the money. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In about 1991, just before launching my first campaign to become a WA State Representative, a blue ribbon panel was selected to establish school reform. This Blue Ribbon Panel was comprised of those who represented corporate interests. Kerry Killinger, the CEO of the now failed Washington Mutual Bank was the Chair.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Governor, sent a message to parents gathered from all over the region that parents would not be placed on the commission and would be polled later. </span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Since that time more than 20 years ago, much has occurred. Most significantly, there has been a substantial growth in private school enrollment and in the achievement gap between privileged and low income school age children. And this gap has created an new economy we call the "failure industry." The many well paying jobs allows many to earn the tuition that keeps their children out of public schools or pay for academic enhancements.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is a status quo that voting in public charters will correct, in fact if not monitored it will only grow and charters will be just another out for those who are most capable of competing for limited but good choices for their children. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-83720178697340457192012-08-14T03:39:00.004-07:002012-10-25T06:49:17.285-07:00Gov. Gregoire Again Misses Opportunity to be DiverseGovernor Chris Gregoire throughout her life has had a problem including African Americans in her rise to lead the State of WA. Even as she prepares to leave the Governor's office she has not done much to improve this problem with African Americans and other non white Washingtonians. Most recently she had the task of appointing three members to the Education Funding Task Force called for by the Legislators. Gov. Gregoire was to pick three members. The make of the legislature leaves few people of color to choose from due to the small number of non whites currently elected to this body of policy makers. There are several policy advisories that call upon legislators to participate and the few minorities can not serve on all of them. But this is where the Governor has opportunity to make appointments that represent more fully the population and talent within the State of WA. Again, this time she failed. Just a year ago, <a href="http://o.seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2016044439_gregoirediversity29m.html">In the August, 28 2011Seattle Times</a> they reported on her lack of diversity among those hired to advise her. And, exactly 7 years prior on August 28, 2004 the same media source reported during her first campaign about her anger when it was revealed she was in 1966, President of a UW that banned non white and non christian women to join. This did not change during her Presidency. That is beyond us and her, but her selection of those close to her or selected to advise her as Governor is not.<br />
<br />
This is a message I sent to her today after seeing that again she overlooked an opportunity in making her appointments to the Education Funding Task Force. I voted for her in 2008 assuming that time and experience allows growth and wisdom.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><i>August 13, 2012 </i></span><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">Dear Gov. Gregoire,</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">I was thinking of letting this pass but it is such a clear example of your missing opportunities to be inclusive of our entire state population who elected you. Being African American, I know that we have been slighted often during your time as our state leader.</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">Your Education Funding Task Force is without representation from our community. The solutions made by others to pull our children from the bottom of the education heap have failed miserably. Choosing solutions from those who are closest to you without expectation of credible outcomes for our students is a pitiful effort at the least.</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">The Task Force required State Legislators, as for African Americans and other groups you had no control in that Rep. Eric Pettigrew being the only African American State Representative can not spread himself across every state problem. So this is where you could have filled the gap but you used your appointing authority to chose three whites. Jeff Vincent, Mary Lindquist and Susan Enfield. There are within our state African Americans with recent school leadership experience in James Dupree living in Kent WA. And as to financial background there is Mary Pugh of Mary Pugh Capital which like Jeff Vincent manages multiple billions of dollars in assets, and there are many African American and non white teachers in leadership roles. This was your call to make. And as reported by the Seattle Times August 28, 2011 edition you continue to turn a blind eye to opportunity for diversity. This is an example even after having it pointed out to the public in this article.</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">I am sharing this with the the two contenders vying to replace you with the hopes that they can promise a more diverse leadership for Washington State. In Seattle non white students are the majority of our school students. I am sure the significance of non white students reigns in other school districts in this state.</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">As the top Democrat in our state, you have not done a good job of leading our state toward a more diverse and thus creative place to live. Also under you leadership we have have dropped off of the list of good states to live in despite our leadership in many industries. Inclusion in the end results is always the best practice. </span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">Signed,</span></i><br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;">Dawn Mason</span></i><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><i>Former WA State Representative</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span>
The <a href="http://www.pughcapital.com/overview.html">Mary Pugh </a> mentioned in this letter to her is African American with a financial business as successful as that of Jeff Vincent. James Dupree is retired and lives in WA State, despite a less than supportive Monroe School Board this is what community and professionals <a href="http://myarklamiss.com/fulltext?nxd_id=11121">who worked with him and lived in community</a> said about him, "...solid financial management, improved test scores and more certified teachers in the classroom mean Dupree has earned a chance to continue to continue the work he began four years ago when he became superintendent."<br />
<br />
I am not saying these are the ones that she should have chosen I am just using them to make the point that when looking for the kind of experience that guides fiscal and social policy there is a large pool of competence within the diverse make up of Washington State. <br />
<br />
It would be disappointing to me and others if Gov. Gregoire sees my concerns and comments as anything but those of a concerned resident of WA. I have served as a State Representative from the most diverse district in WA, so giving voice to a diverse constituency is always foremost in my thinking and being. And a leopard does not change its spots. It appears that Gov. Gregoire has not changed hers and surely I have not changed mine. I love living and working with people that look, think and live differently, yet want the same thing as I and that is opportunity and equity.Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-59756645051073950782012-06-22T18:23:00.002-07:002012-10-25T06:34:31.171-07:00Parents of Color Need Information about Charter Schools<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<object class="BLOGGER-picasa-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfTc2kzAkNFUCVn1EQoGY2hSY3yYW2-u7KYhWO6nj4c8U0szCOIiaYkY6h4SHyYXFNGJVtCaGD1DjMqX94spi31bsjVaNzfBhXS5ZJlfIVPH1HiDoVB7PndlzRcig7l2guB6NxTLnv__0/s1600/IMG_0768.MOV" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fredirector.googlevideo.com%2Fvideoplayback%3Fid%3D1d0734c6f1a6f6bb%26itag%3D18%26source%3Dpicasa%26cmo%3Dsensitive_content%253Dyes%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1343001429%26sparams%3Did%2Citag%2Csource%2Cip%2Cipbits%2Cexpire%26signature%3D5BFB72597B01F9A1433FA6B191E6AC11B515EC30.505DEF36178F38B54396938FBD713FD611FF6CE5%26key%3Dlh1" />
<param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" />
<param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" />
<embed width="320" height="266" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fredirector.googlevideo.com%2Fvideoplayback%3Fid%3D1d0734c6f1a6f6bb%26itag%3D18%26source%3Dpicasa%26cmo%3Dsensitive_content%253Dyes%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1343001429%26sparams%3Did%2Citag%2Csource%2Cip%2Cipbits%2Cexpire%26signature%3D5BFB72597B01F9A1433FA6B191E6AC11B515EC30.505DEF36178F38B54396938FBD713FD611FF6CE5%26key%3Dlh1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cc0000;">Parents of students at the Martin Luther King Saturday School in Moses Lake, WA. It is an education and culture enrichment program, founded by Maryamu and Leon Givens (former First Place teacher and counselor) demonstrate the ability of African American parents and community to be involved in their children's academic and cultural enrichment</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #660000;">. </span></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Getting information to parents and communities of color for Initiative 1240 which when passed will enable the creation of 40 public charter schools in Washington state. Public charter schools are created as public schools open to all children and focuses on teaching practices that equalizes academic success for children who have lingered at the bottom rungs of academic outcomes. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What will it take to bring the supporters of charter schools together with African, Asian and Latino Americans? How will they learn all of the elements of a public charter education for their children? It will require intent and purpose on the part of those who believe we should want them. I have been speaking to this for many years and know that voters would vote for public charter schools as a choice, if those who craft the initiatives and legislation include them in the discussions. This can not be done through talking to a few people in any community, black, brown, white or poor. There are many questions about public charters that need and deserve to be answered. Our communities need to know the elements of what makes a public school a charter school. They need to know why it is a choice that needs to exist for parents, teachers and students. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If parents and communities are engaged with getting this initiative from the people I1240 on the ballot and passed, they will be ready to engage in getting a public charter school in their community. I know of several teachers who are ready to teach, parents ready to enroll their children, children ready have a different education experience, and communities ready to support public charters. Every neighborhood, will not have a public charter school only 40 over the course of 5 years will be created. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Getting parents and communities engaged during the campaign to pass this initiative will strengthen the movement and bring along with us, the parents of the children who public charter schools were really created to serve. There is something right about changing the status quo of public education, and it is time for this right thing to move forward. It is not the answer to the our entire public education system but it is a choice. When other choices are created that bring equity and excellence to all children and elevate African American children I will likewise work to make it a reality.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Robin Lake and Betheny Gross at the Center for Recreating Public Education at the University of Washington, edit a report on Charter Schools, <a href="http://www.crpe.org/cs/crpe/download/csr_files/pub_ch7_hfr11_jan11.pdf">Hopes, Fears, and Reality</a> they support my concerns and those who live, learn and teach in communities with high enrollment of poor, brown, and black students. in Chapter 7, Paul Teske authors <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><i>Creating Savvy choosers: Informing Families on School Choice. </i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even with all of the best intentions the lack of informed parents and community detracts;</span></div>
<div class="column">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-size: 15px;">however, none of these advantages can play out if parents do not exercise
choice or if they make their decisions based on limited or poor information.
Unfortunately, low-income and language-minority families tend to fall behind
affluent families in their knowledge of and access to school choices. Low-income
families especially face more of a burden when choice systems do not provide
free transportation to schools."</span></span></b></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-size: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;">Chapter 7, continues with the concern of lack of access to information; </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;">"</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #414042; font-size: 15px;">Even when low-income parents are aware of choice, some of the parents may lack
the political efficacy to exercise their options. these parents may be concerned
that they will not be able to effectively navigate the bureaucratic system, or they
may be concerned that the system is rigged against them. these concerns are
magnified for families with questionable immigration status."</span></span></b></i></div>
Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5746496644609916730.post-31607847264711821462012-06-20T11:44:00.002-07:002012-10-25T06:33:26.961-07:00A Day focused on Education<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yesterday, Tuesday June 19 was a great day. Education of African American children as well as brown and poor children reigned.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Reporting Back to Community. All who know me or read my blog and other writings know that I believe that those who use public funds, or represent a community on any issue, owe it to us to prepare and deliver in some way a report to community. Two Rainier Beach Students and their teacher Ms. Wong were our presenters at Rotary this week. We meet every Tuesday morning at 7:30 - 8:30 and hear from a variety of people who are doing something important to Rainier Valley. The students thanked us for our support and reported on their trip to the Elwa River in the Olympic Peninsula. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/30/us/30dam.html?pagewanted=all">Two hydroelectric dams are being removed</a>. I found it quite refreshing that students not only come to us for funding but understand the need to report back on their learning. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Another Seattle Public Teacher joined us as a visitor and the topic of Public Charter Schools Initiative 1240 came up in our discussion. The issue of public charters has been a topic several times. It looks as if Initiative 1240 as written just might get on the ballot November 6, and pass this time. It is important that African American parents and community understand all elements of what a public charter school is and how it can enhance or diminish the education of their children. My personal position is that if black, brown and parents and their communities are not informed and included beyond the token few in the conversations there is a danger that if and when they come into being, others continue to maintain control of our children's education. Those who have information should share it widely and deeply. </span><br />
<div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Later in the evening Rep. Eric Pettigrew responded to an invitation to meet with a parent who has been traumatized by the lack of services and responses for services needed for her son who is diagnosed with Down Syndrome, extreme Autism, Behavioral disabilities and is non verbal. Any clear thinking person would think that this child and mother is being supported by our state and other funded systems and services. Our systems are complex and too often do not get to those who need them most. This mother is Ethiopian American and her son African American as he was born right here in Swedish Hospital. She has done everything any would expect her to do. Her story is sad but more usual than any who is not engaged with our parents would think. She is not unintelligent, she owns her own successful business and her other child entered University of Oregon at age 16.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In advocating for families of the most difficult students, I have learned many things. One thing I know is that privilege is what makes the difference. Privilege comes in many forms sometimes it is money, sometimes it is education, and sometimes is relationships. Just wanting a good education for your child is not a guarantee that the child will be educated. She had the resources to get her daughter into private schools, but it take great wealth to care for an extremely disabled child outside of our public education, health and social service systems.</span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I visited <a href="http://www.ccedresults.org/">Community Center for Education Results </a>but this requires its own Dawn Seattle the Retired One Blog entry. I have to think about the conversation I had and who I had it with. </span><br />
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Taking a Leap With African American Studentshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09665111664192345514noreply@blogger.com0