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Classic Events! 5th Annual Salute to Legal Excellence

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Vol. 110 No. 46

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District 9 voters make it clear They want Rev. Ricky Burgess as their councilman

Courier Staff Writers

Love him or hate him, but voters of Pittsburgh’s Council District 9 made it clear—they approve of Rev. Ricky Burgess and want him in office for four more

iels had about 4 percent. In an interview with the New Pittsburgh Courier after his victory, Councilman Burgess acknowledged he had to “work extra hard” with so many challengers in both the Primary and General elections. But he said it was “worth it, because we

want to rebuild our city and, in particular, the neighborhoods I represent.” Those neighborhoods include the East End areas of Homewood, East Hills, Larimer, SEE BURGESS A7

McKeesport’s own LeLand Gantt to perform at August Wilson Center

For New Pittsburgh Courier

Actor and writer LeLand Gantt never thought that his childhood exploits on the streets of McKeesport would lead him on a journey of self-worth, acceptance and self-love.

tive Nov. 18. And she told the New Pittsburgh CouriCourier Staff Writer er in an exclusive interview Vibrant Pittsburgh, a that she’s ready for it. “I’ve learned that relanonprofit organization in our region, believes that tionships are very important,” Mosby a diverse said. “In both workforce is my nonprofit essential to and governthe ongoing ment backeconomic ground, I’ve vitality of been able the Greater to maintain Pittsburgh and estabarea. lish relationSabrina ships. In a Saunders role like this Mosby also one, that’s believes that going to be a diverse very importworkforce is essential SABRINA SAUNDERS MOSBY ant. Also, to be able to to the ongoing economic vitality of the come in and bring a certain level of understanding and Greater Pittsburgh area. Seems like the perfect savvy to establish new relationships and furthering match. Mosby, the former Pres- diversity and inclusion efident and CEO of CORO forts.” “We are looking forward Pittsburgh, was announced Oct. 31 as the new CEO of SEE MOSBY A5 Vibrant Pittsburgh, effec-

A+ Schools: Some Pittsburgh schools make progress despite problems by Mary Niederberger PublicSource

The issues facing Pittsburgh Public Schools— chronic absenteeism, racial achievement gaps, underrepresentation of Black students in gifted programs and significant overrepresentation of Black students among those suspended— “Growing up in the ghetto aren’t new. there were not many positive And while those trends choices for me,” said Gantt, are outlined in the statiswho graduated from McKtics of A+ Schools’ 125-page eesport Area High School in report to the community 1973 and attended Indiana released Monday morning, University of Pennsylvania Nov. 11, the major focus of for a few years before enrollExecutive Director James ing at what was then known Fogarty’s presentation was as Point Park College. on schools that are making progress in reversing the LELAND GANTT negative trends. NEW “I could stand here year “While I was in school I did ple flunk out of school. No after year and tell you that acid and anything that was one cared about reading a Pittsburgh Public Schools To subscribe, call ingested or smoked, I did it. dictionary.” fails to educate Black chil412-481-8302 That was the ghetto—it was dren,” Fogarty said after SEE GANTT A3 ext. 134 day-to-day living. I saw peohis presentation at the

‘Rhapsody in Black’ highlights his life story, November 15 by Genea L. Webb

Sabrina Saunders Mosby named CEO of Vibrant Pittsburgh by Rob Taylor Jr.

Outdistanced all his opponents to win re-election years. The incumbent councilman garnered 41 percent of the nearly 8,000 votes cast for City Councilmember in District 9 during the Nov. 5 General Election. Randall Taylor had 28 percent, B. De Neice Welch scored 22 percent, and Barbara Dan-

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Top task—attracting more diverse talent to the city

LONGTIME CITY COUNCILMAN REV. RICKY BURGESS was elected to another term during the Nov. 5 General Election. (Photo by J.L. Martello)

by Rob Taylor Jr. and J.L. Martello

Published Weekly

NOVEMBER 13-19, 2019

Kaufmann Center in the Hill District. “But instead we wanted to show examples of schools that are turning things around.” Among those schools are SEE A+ SCHOOLS B5

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This Week In Black History

CRADLE OF CIVILIZATION—The study found that ancestors of modern humans thrived for about 70,000 years in and around Botswana until climate change forced a migration out of the area. (Photo: iStockphoto/NNPA)

Australian researchers say Botswana is ancestral home of modern humans by Stacy M. Brown

of modern humans, but their new DNA evidence concludes that it’s South Africa. The ancestral home of The new report was modern humans is in Botswana, according to a new published in the journal study by researchers at the Nature. Hayes noted that the Lo Garvan Institute of Medilineage and its sub-branchcal Research in Sydney. es point back to an ancesAlthough some of the tral home that spreads oldest skeletal remains suggest an eastern African from Namibia across Botswana and into Zimbaorigin, Southern Africa bwe. is home to contemporary Her team then focused on populations that repregeological, archaeological, sent the earliest branch of and fossil evidence to gain human genetic phylogeny, insight into the climate researchers said. Vanessa M. Hayes, of the and broader ecosystem in Genomics and Epigenetics the region. They discovered that a Division of the Garvan body of water called Lake Institute of Medical Research, and her colleagues Makgadikgadi—which is now salt pans—had at one said they used the mitotime dominated the area. chondrial DNA, which is Researchers said it was passed down exclusively previously home to Homo from mother to child, to Sapiens and was populated map out the oldest known by modern humans for at maternal line of humans least 70,000 years. Howalive today. ever, the water eventually “It has been clear for became a massive wetland. some time that anatom“It would have been very ically modern humans appeared in Africa roughly lush, and it would have provided a suitable hab200,000 years ago. What itat for modern humans has been long debated is and wildlife to have lived,” the exact location of this Hayes stated. emergence and subse“We’ve known for a long quent dispersal of our time that modern huearliest ancestors,” Hayes told reporters. “We’ve been mans originated in Africa roughly 200,000 years ago, able to pinpoint what but what we hadn’t known we believe is our human until the study was where homeland.” exactly this homeland The study found that was,” she noted. ancestors of modern According to the DNA humans thrived for about 70,000 years in and around analyses reported in the study, the L0 lineage split Botswana until climate 130,000 years ago when change forced a migration some of the founder popout of the area. Study authors noted that ulation moved north-east along a green vegetated some previous evidence route that opened up as had suggested East Africa rains drenched the arid as the ancestral home land. The L0 lineage is the earliest known modern THE human populations. NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER PUBLISHING COMPANY For New Pittsburgh Courier

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The second wave of migration headed southwest about 20,000 years later as rainfall also increased vegetation in that direction. Those who headed Northeast gave rise to farming populations, while those who went South became coastal foragers, the scientists believe. “Essentially, these ancestors were the first human explorers,” Hayes stated. “Every time a new migration occurs, that migration event is recorded in our DNA as a timestamp. Over time our DNA naturally changes, it’s the clock of our history,” Hayes continued. “Everyone walking around today… it does actually come back to L0 being the oldest, and it all comes back to this one region.” Hayes and her colleagues used DNA to trace the first 100,000 years of modern humans. She said they worked with communities throughout Namibia and South Africa where they collected fossils and blood samples. “Mitochondrial DNA acts like a time capsule of our ancestral mothers, accumulating changes slowly over generations,” Hayes stated. “Comparing the complete DNA code, or mitogenome, from different individuals provides information on how closely they are related.” Taking into account the intensive study, “we propose a southern African origin of anatomically modern humans with sustained homeland occupation before the first migrations of people that appear to have been driven by regional climate changes,” Hayes said.

Week of November 13-19 November 13 1839—The Liberty Party—the nation’s first anti-slavery political party—is formed in Warsaw, N.Y. Among the founders were legendary abolitionists Samuel Ringgold Ward and Henry Highland Garnet. At this point in history the two major political parties—the Whigs and the Democrats—were both pro-slavery. 1913—Pioneering Black surgeon Daniel Hale Williams becomes a member of the American College of Surgeons. Williams is generally credited with being the first American doctor to perform open heart surgery. The history-making event took place in Chicago on July 9, 1893. DANIEL HALE WILLIAMS 1922—Many Black historians have selected this as the date which marks the beginning of the Harlem Renaissance—perhaps the greatest period of artistic achievement by African Americans in U.S. history. From poetry to plays and from paintings to sculptures, Black art reached a pinnacle. In a broader sense, the Harlem Renaissance ran from the early 1920s to the mid 1930s. 1951—Ballerina Janet Collins becomes the first Black woman to dance with the Metropolitan Opera Co. in New York City. Prior to that achievement she performed with the world-renowned Black dance troupe directed by the legendary Katherine Dunham. 1955—Whoopi Goldberg, given name Caryn Johnson, is born in New York City. She graduates from a stand-up comedy routine to become a major Hollywood actress and is currently one of the principal hosts of the television talk show “The View.” 1956—The United States Supreme Court upholds a lower court ruling which banned segregation on public buses in Montgomery, Ala. The decision was JANET COLLINS forced in major measure by a year-long Black bus boycott sparked by the refusal of Rosa Parks to give up her seat to a White man. Leadership of the boycott also launched the civil rights career of Martin Luther King Jr. and his status as the national Black leader. 1967—Carl Stokes wins the race for mayor in Cleveland, Ohio. In doing so, he becomes the first Black mayor of a major American city. 1985—New York Met Dwight Gooden becomes the youngest pitcher ever to win the Cy Young award. 1915—Booker T. Washington dies in Tuskegee, Ala. Washington was easily one of the top five most influential Black leaders in African American history. Some considered him too accommodating to Whites, but his influence was still significant. Among the educator’s lasting accomplishments was the founding of Tuskegee Institute. He was only 59 when he died. 1934—William Levi Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony (Symphony Number One) is performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra. This marked the first time a classical symphony composed by an African American was performed by a major BOOKER T. WASHINGTON White orchestra. Dawson also gained renown as the choral director at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. He died in 1990 at the age of 91. November 15 1884—The Berlin Conference begins. This stands as one of the most significant events in all of African and Black history. Basically, seven European powers sat down and divided Africa for their benefit. They created countries which divided tribes and were often unworkable economically. The divisions and exploitations, resulting from the Berlin Conference, plague Africa to this day. The conference was completed in Berlin, Germany, in February 1885. 1897—John Mercer Langston dies. Today, Langston is an unsung hero, but in the 1800s he was one of the nation’s most dedicated fighters for Black freedom and betterment. Born to a White slave owner and an emancipated Black woman, Langston became an accomplished lawyer. He helped organize the National Black Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1848; organized Blacks to fight in the Civil War; worked in the Freedman’s Bureau; organized Howard University’s law department; became president of the Virginia Normal & Collegiate Institute; and became the first Black elected to Congress from Virginia. The town of Langston, Okla.—home of Langston University—is named after him. November 16 1780—Paul Cuffee organizes a demonstration by free JOHN MERCER LANGSTON Blacks protesting the fact that they were being taxed but were not allowed to vote. Cuffee was a prominent whaling captain and businessman who organized the first integrated school in Massachusetts. In his later years he became frustrated with American racism and advocated the establishment of a free Black colony in the West African nation of Sierra Leone which was then controlled by the British. 1873—W.C. Handy is born in Florence, Ala. The prolific composer and publisher would become known as “The Father of The Blues.” Handy helped move the blues from just a musical genre among low income Blacks to national status. His works became so popular that his 84th birthday was celebrated at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City and drew a crowd of more than 800 blues enthusiasts. Handy’s full name was William Christopher Handy. 1963—Zina Garrison is born in Houston, Texas. She would go on to win 37 professional tennis titles, an Olympic gold medal and finish runner-up at Wimbledon in 1990. 1967—Lisa Bonet is born to a Jewish mother and a Black father in San Francisco, Calif. She becomes a major actress W.C. HANDY but is perhaps best known for her role in the 1980s television series “The Cosby Show.” Her given name was Liliquois Moon. 2001—Agbani Darego is crowned Miss World becoming the first Black African to win the coveted beauty pageant. She was from the oil-rich West African nation of Nigeria. November 17 1842—Fugitive slave George Latimer is arrested in Boston, setting in motion a legal battle between North and South over the degree to which free states were required to aid slave states in capturing escaped slaves. The Latimer incident was resolved when at least 100 Black men surrounded the jail where Latimer was being held. Fearing for his safety if he tried to take Latimer back South, the slave owner decided to “sell” Latimer and left LISA BONET with a small amount of money and no slave. 1911—The Omega Psi Phi fraternity is founded on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C. It goes on to become one of the largest and most influential Black Greek-letter organizations. 1972—Despite massive Black voter support for the Democrat George McGovern, Republican Richard M. Nixon is elected president carrying all states except Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. The Black view of Nixon would later be vindicated when he is forced from office because of the Watergate scandal. Nixon was referred to as “tricky dick.” November 18 1797—Abolitionist and orator Sojourner Truth is born Isabella Baumfree in Ulster County, N.Y. She struggled SOJOURNER TRUTH for an end to slavery and for a woman’s right to vote. She became so well known that she even consulted with President Abraham Lincoln. 1977—White supremacist and terrorist Robert Edward Chambliss is convicted of first degree murder in connection with the 1963 bombing of Birmingham, Alabama’s 16th Street Baptist Church. The bombing killed four little Black girls, shocked the nation and helped mobilize the civil rights movement. 1993—Black majority rule comes to South Africa as Black and White leaders reach agreement on a democratic constitution that gave Blacks the right to vote and ended Apartheid—the system of laws and regulations which had maintained White minority rule. November 19 1985—Stepin Fetchit, the first major Black movie star, dies of pneumonia in Woodlawn Hills, Calif., at the age of 83. Fetchit (real name Lincoln Perry) was harshly criticized by most major Black organizations because he made his money playing a lazy, shiftless, easily frightened Black character during the 1940s and 1950s. However, the role, which appealed to many Whites and some STEPIN FETCHIT Blacks, made him a millionaire.

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McKeesport’s own LeLand Gantt to perform at AWC ‘Rhapsody in Black’ highlights his life story, Nov. 15 GANTT FROM A1

Theater was a saving grace for the torn youth. He credits drama club teacher Janet Robb for helping him realize his potential as a performer. “She inspired me. She was the original wind in my sails. I first joined it to meet girls, but I found self-esteem and confidence. I was looking for someplace to be somebody and I found it,” Gantt fondly recollected. “We had these weekend competitions and we’d go out early Saturday mornings and speak and do original literature readings and all these different things. It was wonderful stuff. I was good at it and that helped me feel like I had something going on. Janet Robb saw something in me and she made me see it.” As a result, his grades improved and after graduating, he went on to study drama at IUP and then writing and directing at Point Park. While in college, Gantt performed in numerous shows around the Steel City with various playhouses including the now-defunct Odd Chair Playhouse, Camelot Productions, Pittsburgh Lab Theatre and the Pittsburgh Public Theater. While at Point Park, he created the Lee Gantt Show, a Las Vegas-style review show, which took him out of the concrete streets of Pittsburgh and exposed him to a whole new world of possibilities. “The show traveled to other parts of Pennsylvania, Virginia and Canada,” Gantt said. “When you travel and you see other people and other places, your opinion and view of yourself and of the world grows. You mature, you get information and nutrition.

It was a broadening experience. It made me realize I was too ambitious for Pittsburgh and what I wanted I couldn’t get in Pittsburgh.” In 1983, Gantt moved to New York (where he currently resides with his wife of 19 years, documentary filmmaker Michelle Ferrari) and has since played on Broadway in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom;” off-Broadway in “Let Me Live,” “Police Boys,” “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot” and more. He has performed in regional theater companies throughout the country and returned back to Pittsburgh twice to perform in “Jitney” and “Seven Guitars.” He also performed in the NBC mini-series Hoover vs. the Kennedys; Law & Order SVU; Jag; and The

Good Fight. He has appeared in several films including “Malcolm X” and “Miracle at St. Anna.” Those experiences are examined and discussed in Gantt’s one-man play, “Rhapsody in Black,” which will run for one night only this Friday, Nov. 15, at 8 p.m. at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. The production is being presented by Pittsburgh Playwrights Theater. “Rhapsody in Black” was a labor of love for Gantt, developed by the Actors Studio in New York City. For three weeks the coming-of-age story played there to sold-out audiences. It won the Best Storyteller and Best Director Awards at the 2014 United Solo Festival in New York City

and for the past five years has toured countless high schools, colleges and theaters-nationally and internationally. He is excited to be bringing the show to his hometown. “In the show you meet me as a 9 or 10-year-old kid who’s seen people get shot and die and he thinks life is cheap. When he goes to other neighborhoods, he sees grass and yards and he steals flowers out of people’s yards to give to his mother,” Gantt said. “This show reaffirms humanity. It deals with survival, racism, identity and the psycho-emotional effects of growing up racism on a young Black man growing up and living in America. This show has enabled me

to open up people’s minds and have them look at things differently.” Tickets for “Rhapsody in Black” are $27.50 each and can be purchased by visiting www.pghplaywrights. org or at the door while tickets last. “This is your hometown artist, and this is what McKeesport has grown, Gantt said. “This is what is

coming out of Pittsburgh. I can be your cousin or your brother. Everyone has issues and racism is affecting everyone. I just want to start a conversation. I want people to talk about the issues of racism, divine love—even if you don’t go to church every Sunday—and talk about how we are more the same than we are different.”

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America not so neighborly? U.S. not as divided as you may think (BPT)—From politics to parenting to rising property costs and much more, it seems like American communities are more divided than ever before. Are the days of close-knit communities and positive neighborly interactions a thing of the past? While you aren’t likely to find the Cleavers down the street, this doesn’t mean your neighbors are cold and conflicted. In fact, a new survey found just the opposite. OfferUp, the largest mobile marketplace in the U.S. for local buyers and sellers, released the 2019 Good Neighbor Report, which found there are steadfast levels of selflessness, care and trust across American communities, regardless of age group or location. This is good news for the company, which relies on the promise of positive relationships that come from people buying and selling in their communities. However, there’s a lot of important insight that proves people aren’t as at odds as the general population believes, and even in diverse times, the health of American communities is strong. Political differences Whether it’s the local government or discussion on the upcoming presidential election, the stage is ripe for political divide. However, the study found few (18 percent) have actually encountered a scenario where political divisions impacted a relationship with a neighbor. Among those who did, the vast majority (70 percent) still consider the neighbor who they had a political conflict with as a friend. Communication

hurdles Despite popular belief that social media is making younger generations increasingly isolated, more than half of all Americans from Gen Z to Baby Boomers regularly communicate with their neighbors in person, the study found. Likewise, younger Americans are just as likely to do something kind or helpful for a neighbor as their older counterparts. Building friendships The idea of being “neighborly” is still alive and well, with 61 percent of people feeling it’s important to develop friendships with neighbors and 58 percent likely to reach out and welcome a new neighbor to

the neighborhood. Nearly one-third (32 percent) have invited a neighbor over for a special event and 49 percent say they trust their neighbors completely. Tips to be more neighborly Befriending neighbors helps you build a strong community you can depend on and trust, plus you’ll often find when you give, you receive. Here are a few easy ways to connect with your neighbors: •Say hello. It’s short, simple and effective. •Notice what your neighbor likes and use that as a cue for conversation and small gifts. For example, if your neighbor runs daily, you can ask about their

exercise routine. If you see they drink coffee frequently, a gift card for a cup of coffee from their favorite coffee shop will brighten their day. •Offer help during transition times. If your neighbor is having a baby, consider

using OfferUp to find local sellers of new and used baby items and get a gift they need. Is a neighbor retiring? Offer to help them downsize by showing them how easy it is to sell what they no longer use. Learn more at offerup.com.

•Acts of kindness never get old. A simple gesture like shoveling an elderly neighbor’s walkways, watching a busy mom’s kids for a few hours or bringing the mail in while a neighbor is traveling can be a big help. Creating meaningful bonds with your neighbors is easy to do if you have a positive outlook, friendly approach and an open mind. You’ll feel good about building relationships while also strengthening your community. OfferUp, the largest mobile marketplace in the U.S. for local buyers and sellers, surveyed more than 2,000 Americans to discover what they really think about the relationships with their neighbors. The results of the survey are featured in OfferUp’s 2019 Good Neighbor Report, which found that there are steadfast levels of selflessness, care, and trust across American communities, regardless of age group or location. Few (18 percent) have actually encountered a scenario where political divisions impacted a relationship with a neighbor. Among the small group for whom it did, the vast majority (70 percent) still consider the neighbor who they had a political conflict with as a friend.

Urine tests and antibiotics in the elderly by Glenn Ellis For New Pittsburgh Courier

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—Regardless of how healthy you may be otherwise, the most common infection that affect seniors and the elderly are in the urinary tract. This can range from urinary incontinence; bladder infection; to even increasing the risk of kidney problems. Now, before you get carried away, please keep in mind that we are talking about issues associated with aging…in other words, it only happens if you live long enough. Sure, people can have urinary issues at any point in life, but, again, we’re talking about aging and the elderly. In fact, the urinary tract isn’t the only thing that comes along with aging. As you grow older, you will have other changes, including: the bones, muscles, and joints; the male reproductive system; the female reproductive system; and in most of your organs, tissues, and cells. Specifically, I’d like to address new finding that look at the problem with urine tests that result in elderly patients being prescribed and antibiotic. It seems that we are now finding out, that in most cases, this is not only of little to no benefit, it can actually cause problems. It’s no secret that we have a serious problem with the over-prescribing of antibiotics in this country. In some situations, when a goes to the doctor, and before the test results are back, they are already prescribed and taking an antibiotic. The problem has gotten so out of hand that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) says that more than 70 percent of the bacteria responsible the 2 million infections you can get while in a US hospital are resistant to at least one commonly used antibiotic. It gets worse; 20 percent to 50 percent of antibiotics prescribed in hospitals are found (after the fact) to be unnecessary or inappropriate. With the overuse or overprescribing of antibiotics, we can not only increase our resistance to antibiotics when you really need them, but can increase the severity of the condition you first complained about, how long you’ll be sick, increasing your risk of complications, and most importantly, prevent a situation that may have resolved itself on its own without an antibiotic. Which leads me to the original point of this column. The latest research on the topic has found that seniors and the elderly are asked to provide and urine sample for are routinely prescribed an antibiotic. In the past, when a urine specimen tested positive—even when no symptoms of infection were present—doctors were taught that treatment with antibiotics was the right approach. We know now that is wrong. As first reported in the New York Times, a task force concluded last month that for virtually everyone except pregnant women, screening for and treating asymptomatic bacteriuria provides no benefit and has potential harms. What we are learning now is that many urine samples will reveal results showing the presence of bacteria, but this does not

mean there is an infection. This practice happens all too often in the elderly, especially those in nursing homes. It doesn’t help when most of us, like most doctors, expect to use an antibiotic on the slightest hint that there could be an infection of any kind; whether it’s a cold, sinus infection, rash, and yes, a urinary tract infection. Urinary tract infections happen when germs get into the urethra and travel up into the bladder and kidneys. When you have a UTI, the lining of the bladder and urethra become red and irritated just as your throat does when you have a cold. The irritation can cause pain in your lower abdomen pelvic area and even lower back, and will usually make you feel like urinating more often. Burning or pain when urinating is the most common symptom. You may even feel a strong urge or need to urinate but only get a few drops. This is because the bladder is so irritated that it makes you feel like you have to urinate, even when you don’t have much urine in your bladder. At times, you may lose control and leak urine. You may also find that your urine smells bad and is cloudy. Further complicating things is the fact that somewhere between 40 percent-60 percent of all women will experience at least one urinary tract infection during their lifetime. Add to that, is the connection between urinary tract infections and dementia. Often, a senior of elderly person may suddenly become confused, hallucinate, or have a drastic change in behavior. Mistakenly, this can be considered to be dementia or Alzheimer’s. even though urinary tract infections can make dementia or Alzheimer’s worse, it is not necessarily the case. In a younger person, the urinary tract infection would likely reveal itself with painful symptoms. In older people, it shows up as confusion, agitation or withdrawal. So, as you can see, there is a plethora of reasons why the medical profession, as well as patients and families can find themselves on an antibiotic to treat a “urinary tract infection”. The takeaway is to know that we have reached a point in routine healthcare where we have to ask questions; even when it comes to being asked by a doctor to “pee in a cup”. In addition, you want to make sure that the next antibiotic that you really need will work, and you work experience antibiotic resistance. Taking unnecessary antibiotics is a problem for many reasons. Not the least of them being that it could be harmful to your health. The information included in this column is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Glenn Ellis, is Research Bioethics Fellow at Harvard Medical School and author of Which Doctor?, and Information is the Best Medicine. Ellis is an active media contributor on Health Equity and Medical Ethics. For more good health information visit: www. glennellis.com.

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Sabrina Saunders Mosby named CEO of Vibrant Pittsburgh Top task—attracting more diverse talent to the city Harrington to, in her words from a 2014 op-ed in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “coordinate a groundswell of efforts across the region intended to increase the diversity of the population and workforce so as to ensure our long-term economic competitiveness.” “There’s competition for talent elsewhere,” Mosby

told the Courier. “Pittsburgh is competing with a number of cities that are also looking for great talent.” And Mosby wants to make sure that while Pittsburgh’s corporations, educational institutions and nonprofit entities lure the best qualified people to the area (or keep those who are already in Pittsburgh from leaving), those people should include more African Americans and other minorities. Mosby’s charge is to make sure companies in Pittsburgh “are ready to receive the diverse talent that the city needs to move forward.” But sometimes, she said, companies aren’t ready to have those types of sensitive conversations. After all, why would a company want to admit that they aren’t doing everything possible to have a diverse workforce? “It’s important to have those conversations if we’re going to continue to move forward as a region,” Mosby told the Courier. As President and CEO of the CORO Center for Civic Leadership, Mosby’s been lauded for successfully managing and cultivating local and federal grant opportunities, while raising funds for leadership development training, evaluation and capacity building projects for local organizations. Prior to CORO, Mosby was executive director for Strong Women, Strong Girls, where she stabilized and streamlined operations, and rebuilt and expanded program staff structures and roles to imSABRINA SAUNDERS MOSBY was a New Pittsburgh Courier Fab prove the organization’s 40 under 40 honoree in 2010. productivity and efficiency.

MOSBY FROM A1

to our new CEO, Sabrina Mosby, joining us as we work in collaboration with her to further advance Vibrant Pittsburgh,” said board member Quintin B. Bullock, who is also president of Community College of Allegheny County. Vibrant Pittsburgh was started in 2010 by Melanie

SABRINA SAUNDERS MOSBY Mosby, 38, holds a Bachelor of Science in Speech Communication from Edinboro University and a Master of Science in Professional Leadership from Carlow University. She graduated from Oakland Catholic High School in 1999. Mosby was also a member of the New Pittsburgh Courier’s Fab 40 under 40 in 2010.

“I’ve learned that relationships are very important. In both my nonprofit and government background, I’ve been able to maintain and establish relationships. In a role like this one, that’s going to be very important.”

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Debbie Norrell

Lifestyles Report Things that make me go hmmm It seems like it has been Black Friday since the summer. As a matter of fact wasn’t there a Black Friday in the summer? I just saw an ad for a Black Friday-type sale. Why can’t we wait for the Friday after Thanksgiving? The fun has been sucked out of the holidays. Stores put up displays for holidays so far in advance that when the holiday arrives the excitement has dwindled. I used to look forward to Black Friday. This year I think I will stay at home unless I see an ad for something that I really have to have, and what in the world could that be. I don’t need anything. I’m sure the stores are pushing the Christmas merchandise so they can get the Valentine’s merchandise on the shelves. Several people have asked me if I am watching “The Oval”—the answer is no. After watching the commercials for the show it appears that there is a lot of scandal going on in the Oval Office and since the leading lady in the show is a woman of color and we just had a woman of color in the White House, I’m trying to figure out what was Tyler Perry thinking. The series might be good but I’ll pass. Right now I’m enjoying “Greenleaf” and wonder why shows like “Greenleaf ” and “Unsung” have not won a People’s Choice Award or an Emmy. I believe these shows are worthy of awards on all levels. Needless to say I love television, it has been my faithful companion for many years and yes I watch each commercial. Lately I have been trying to figure out the strategy of insurance companies and wonder how they decide on a spokesperson or “spokes animal.” You guessed it, I’m talking about the Emu on Liberty Insurance. Granted I know the Liberty jingle very well but how and why was an Emu selected to be the partner? I’m sure you are wondering what I was wondering, is that a real Emu? Actually both a real Emu and a digitally enhanced Emu were used. It seems that insurance companies like mascots. I’m glad that Allstate continues to use the handsome Dennis Haysbert and the Mayhem commercials are cleaver and well-done. Aren’t you curious how much these actors are making on these commercials? The two men I just mentioned are in the top 10 of money earners and their net worth is in the millions. The lady that plays Flo in the Progressive commercial is doing very well as well as the “can you hear me now” guy that got his fame in the Verizon commercials. How about the lady in the Pine-sol ads her net worth is about 2.4 million and her name is Diane Amos. The guy in the Sonic commercials is listed in the top 10 also. I have heard so many people made snide remarks about Haysbert and why would he do the Allstate commercials. Obviously they have no idea of the paycheck that comes with a respected company like Allstate. Most actors would kill for that job.

2019 PROM HONOREES—Seated from left: Alfredo Russell, Rose Cheriton, Anna Murchison and Martina R. Corbin. Standing from left: Marshall Richbourg, Marvis Y. Nichols, Joy Maxberry Woodruff, Bob Allen, Cherene McFadden and Denise A. Barron

Allen Place PROM Gala Celebrates 10 Years

by Debbie Norrell Lifestyles Editor

The Tenth Anniversary Celebration of Allen Place Community Services Inc. (APCS) was a night to remember. On Sept. 29, Jerry and Milton Allen said many of the honorees

helped to stimulate a social and cultural relationship with our faith-based communities. Many of the honorees have served 10 years with PROM (Partnership Reaching the Organization Mission) offering their professional expertise as volunteers. With Dr. Chenits and Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew M.D. as master and mistress of ceremonies, 2019 PROM Honors were presented to: Bob Allen, Denise A. Barron, Lora Ann Bray, Rose Cheriton, Martina R. Corbin, Cherene L. McFadden, Anna T.

WELCOME—Chenits and Margaret Pettigrew

FRANK AND WINIFRED TORBERT

SPONSOR & FOUNDER—Alex Matthews with Jerry Allen

LINE DANCE KING—Roland Ford (Photos by Debbie Norrell)

Murchison, Marvis Y. Nichols, Marshall Richbourg, Alfredo Russell, Robert J. Stone and Joy Maxberry Woodruff. Allen Place is growing in program participants, achievements and partnerships. They hope to enlighten the community with principles of health, well-being programs and disease prevention. Guests enjoyed a great meal, the Southern Comfort Band and Roland Ford the Line Dance King.

PROCLAMATION PRESENTATION—Milton and Jerry Allen with Councilwoman Darlene Harris

Gold and White Party was Fire by Debbie Norrell Lifestyles Editor

There is a hidden gem in Hazelwood called the Diamond Room. Not only is this a small event space that can hold up to 50 guests surrounding the Diamond Room at 4944 Second Ave. in Hazelwood, it is

THE OWNERS—Mark and Rena Halsel

CELEBRATION—Debra Bonneau and Diane Holiday

a hair salon (Monae Hair Studio), a barber shop (Killa Kutz) and a resale shop (New to You.) Owners Rena and Mark Halsel hosted a Gold and White Party on September 28, where guests enjoyed

a great evening of dining, dancing, celebrating birthdays and peeking in on the small business. Rena Halsel has been a resident of Hazelwood for 26 years and takes pride in giving back to the community.

FUN AT THE DIAMOND ROOM—Lanaina Judy, Rena Halsel and Amanda Graham

METRO

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Burgess wins bid for re-election BURGESS FROM A1

Lincoln-Lemington, East Liberty, Garfield, Friendship, and Point Breeze North. “We ran on our record of making our city safer, stronger and more secure, and to make Pittsburgh a city for all, not just a city for some,” Councilman Burgess told the Courier exclusively. “So we are grateful for the confidence that the voters have given us, our district has given us, and we look forward to serving them for another four years.” As the votes were being tallied throughout the evening, it became apparent that Councilman Burgess was not in any sizable trouble of being ousted. He felt that the voters approved of “our hard work of doing public safety reform that has brought down homicides…700 units of affordable housing in my district, and we’ve helped bring jobs and increase wages.” Overall, Councilman Burgess’ “record of being effective is what helped us be successful tonight,” he said. Councilman Burgess said he’s looking forward to rebuilding the business district along Homewood Avenue. He also has projects in the works in East liberty. He said development is more than just building—development can be a springboard to better education, better jobs, lowering crime and having an better overall quality of life. But the first thing on the reverend’s agenda is continuing to support fellow Councilman R. Daniel Lavelle’s legislation to make racism a public health crisis in the City of Pittsburgh. Councilman Burgess wants to work with Councilman Lavelle on securing “significant resources to combat that by going after all the indicators—low employ-

ment rates, lack of affordable housing, incarceration, income levels.” It’s all about “bringing more resources to the African American community to combat the effects of structural and institutional racism in our city,” Councilman Burgess said. In other election races: In McKeesport, Michael Cherepko defeated Fawn Walker-Montgomery in the mayoral race. In the Pittsburgh school board races, African American Devon Taliaferro defeated Kirk Rys by an 82 to 17 percent margin to claim the school board District 2 seat. African American Kevin Carter ran unopposed in District 8. In the county-wide races, Democrat and incumbent Rich Fitzgerald easily defeated Republican challenger Matt Drozd by a 68 to 31 percent margin to continue as Chief Executive. Democrat and incumbent Stephen A. Zappala Jr. defeated Independent Lisa Middleman to claim the District Attorney seat for another term (57 to 43 percent margin). Chelsa Wagner retained her position as County Controller with a convincing victory over Brooke D. Nadonley (63 to 36 percent), and in the County Council races, African Americans DeWitt Walton (District 10) and Olivia Bennett (District 13) ran unopposed. Court of Common Pleas Judge Joseph K. Williams III faced a retention election, and he was affirmed (75 percent “yes” to 25 percent “no”), thus staying in his position, while Oscar J. Petite Jr. continues as Magisterial District Judge. President Judge Kim Berkeley also faced a retention election and was affirmed 78 to 21 percent.

NOVEMBER 13-19, 2019 A7

RELIGION

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Praise & Worship ST. BENEDICT THE MOOR CATHOLIC CHURCH Crawford & Centre Ave. Pgh., PA 15219 412-281-3141

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Celebrating the life of Rev. Eugene ‘Freedom’ Blackwell

Sunday Mass 10:30 A.M. www.stbtmchurch.org

East Liberty Presbyterian Church Rev. Dr. Randy Bush, Senior Pastor 412-441-3800 116 S. Highland Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206

www.cathedralofhope.com

Worship on Sunday: Journey Worship...........8:45 a.m. Sanctuary Worship...........11 a.m. Taize -Wednesdays.........7 p.m.

Curious about Quakerism? You Are Welcome at our Meetings for Worship Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Pittsburgh Friends Meeting 4836 Ellsworth Avenue www.quaker.org/pghpamm/

NOVEMBER 1 AT HOUSE OF MANNA, 7240 Frankstown Ave., was pure joy and celebration. Though it’s been three years since the passing of Rev. Eugene “Freedom” Blackwell, who helped found the church, his impact and legacy will never be forgotten. He passed away at age 43 on Aug. 29, 2016. Among the many to attend the Nov. 1 celebration were his wife, Dina “Free” Blackwell, pictured at left, and Mayor Bill Peduto, pictured at right. (Photos by Courier photographer J.L. Martello)

Join our growing Praise and Worship Church Community! For rate information, call 412481-8302, ext. 128.

COMMANDER STEPEN VINANSKY, with Canaan Blackwell, one of the children of Rev. “Freedom” Blackwell and Dina “Free” Blackwell.

KIVA FISHER-GREEN, longtime friend of Rev. “Freedom” Blackwell.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEXT CHURCH EVENT! We want to place your event in our Church Circuit weekly calendar! Send info to: New Pittsburgh Courier 315 E. Carson St. Pittsburgh PA 15219

“FREE” BLACKWELL, SON ELISHA BLACKWELL

STATE REP. ED GAINEY

Or Email us! religion@ newpittsburgh courier.com

The Courier is THE VOICE of Black Pittsburgh.

REV. EUGENE “FREEDOM” BLACKWELL, in this file photo from REV. EUGENE “FREEDOM” BLACKWELL, in this file photo from The Prayer March for Peace in HomeThe Prayer March for Peace in Homewood in April 2010. wood in April 2012.

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

NATIONAL

NOVEMBER 13-19, 2019

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The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools New film ‘Pushout’ explores the issue by Stacy M. Brown For New Pittsburgh Courier

Black girls who have been subject to punitive school policies and practices are at an increased risk of coming into contact with the juvenile and criminal courts and leaving school altogether, ultimately impeding their ability to achieve future success and lead successful and healthy lives, according to a new documentary, “Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools.” The film presents a number of these stories in heartbreaking detail and further explores a topic that was originally presented in the 2016 book of the same name by Monique W. Morris. “Why not go to heaven now? I don’t want to be here,” Samaya, one of the girls featured in the film, says at one point. At 12, Samaya is now an honor student. It has taken years of therapy and a change of school for her to recover from the traumatic incident that led her to

a bridge above a highway contemplating suicide at the age of 7. The event: One of her teachers, Mr. Rodriquez, gave Samaya a warning after a minor disagreement with another child. Then, after Samaya accidentally knocked over a glass of water, Rodriguez punished Samaya by dragging her and her chair outdoors “in a fit of frightening rage.” The teacher pulled Samaya out of her classroom on a cold 46-degree December morning. She did not have on a coat or jacket. She was wearing only a pink and gray sweatshirt and blue jeans. Coping with the death of her beloved father, the destruction by fire of the only home she knew, and facing constant bullying, Ariana, another story shared by the filmmakers, found herself at a breaking point. “There is so much rage building in me,” the teen shares in the film. Now 16, Ariana said she didn’t know how to deal with the adversity she faced at home and school.

She was suspended multiple times as classmates would pick on her because “I don’t look the way they look or dress the way they dress.” Fortunately, a change in schools altered the trajectory of her life. Ariana, now a drummer in her school band at the Columbus City Preparatory School for Girls, has been able to turn her life around with the help of teachers, whom she credits with guiding her toward a positive response to the challenges she faces. Some Black girls, like Samaya and Ariana, face educational, judicial, and societal disparities. Black girls, and other girls of color, experience discriminatory, disparate, punitive, and unfair treatment in school, including suspensions, expulsions, referrals to law enforcement and arrests on school campuses, at rates that exceed the public school population in aggregate—and far exceed those experienced by their White female peers. “This has to change. Our girls deserve more,” the filmmakers write on their website. According to the most recent U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights data, Black girls are seven times more likely to be suspended from school,

and four times more likely to be arrested on a school campus than their White peers. Punitive practices and policies in schools fuel systemic inequities and result

in negative outcomes based on race and gender. They have profound consequences for Black girls: rather than promote safety and well-being, these practices disproportionately push

Black girls out of school and further into the margins.

(“Pushout” is being screened in several cities. For more information and to see a trailer of the film, visit www.pushoutfilm. com.)

A prison in Illinois banned Black history books from its library Officials claim the works are ‘racial’

by Stacy M. Brown For New Pittsburgh Courier

In the 1800s, many states in the Union adopted laws that prohibited teaching African American slaves how to read and write. Thirty lashes or even death would be the punishment for Blacks who learned to read or write. Whites who taught Blacks would incur fines or even a short jail sentence. Perhaps, someone forgot to tell Illinois prison officials that it’s 2020, not 1820. Officials at the Danville Correctional Center removed about 200 books from a prison library and banned their use in an inmate education program because they said the books were “too racial.” The catalog ban included several classic books related to African American history like “The Souls of Black Folk,” and “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” According to published reports, three out of every four inmates in Illinois prisons are African Americans, causing some to conclude that banning the books was a means for prison officials to deprive Blacks of learning their history. The books are part of an education program initiated by the Education Justice Project (EJP) and run by the University of Illinois. The Chicago Tribune, which first reported the dispute, noted that the flap between the program and prison officials started last year when the Education Justice Project began the review process for the upcoming semester’s books and course materials. That’s when a corrections lieutenant told program officials that the problem with the materials was that they were “racial,” according to testimony by EJP Director Rebecca Ginsburg. The EJP library is separate from the prison library, and it follows a different review process than the process that governs how reading materials are distributed to inmates through the prison’s mailroom. But Ginsburg told lawmakers (at a July hearing) the review policy has gone through seven revisions over the past four years. “In this case, records show EJP submitted 25 books for approval. Of those, four were denied outright, nine were allowed in for review

but then denied, and 12 were approved,” The Tribune reported. “Among the books not allowed in for review was “The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America.” Books denied after review for the spring semester deal primarily with race and social issues, including “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe and “Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl” by Harriet Jacobs, both written in the 1800s,” according to the newspaper. “Censorship in prisons is the biggest First Amendment violation in America. Yet, it remains one of the least talked about and least examined,” Kelly Jensen, a former librarian, wrote in a blog for Book Riot. The criminal justice system is no longer primarily concerned with the prevention and punishment of crime, but rather with the management and control of the dispossessed, D. Gilson, a writer for ExpertInsuranceReviews.com, told NNPA Newswire. “Education empowers individuals to rise above their dispossession,” stated Gilson, who has taught writing and popular culture studies at the university level for more than a decade. “Thus, it is no surprise the state of Illinois had banned black history books—books that explain the injustices that have been brutally forced on Black and brown bodies since the first African slaves were brought to the Americas,” Gilson stated. “By disallowing Black inmates to learn about their specific history, the state reinforces the incarceration cycle instead of empowering folks to thrive outside the system as free members of society.” Social media influencer Kenny Screven told NNPA Newswire that removing books on Black history from prisons where the population is predominately African American is unfair. “It has forbidden people to learn about their history. As a Black man, it’s really bizarre to hear this,” Screven stated. “Throughout school, we are constantly talking about White folks and how they’ve influenced society. They rarely ever talk about Black people doing amazing things in the world. We’re only ever taught about

slavery, but there’s so much more to our history than slavery,” he stated. Screven continued: “I don’t think it’s humane to stop someone from learning about their culture. Being aware of our past helps open doors for the future. If those inmates learn more about our history, maybe they will have a change of heart. If we are not able to learn about our history, we increase the risk of being forgotten. Knowledge is power, and the more we know, the better off we will be.” Bruce Mirken, a spokesman for The Greenlining Institute, said removing the books does reflect racism. “All of American history has ‘racial content,’ from

the Constitution’s accom- ternment during World War modation of slavery to the II,” Mirken stated in an ethnic cleansing of Native email to NNPA Newswire. Americans to Japanese in“To ignore Black perspec-

THE PRISON LIBRARY

tives doesn’t eliminate racial content, it just ensures that only White points of view get included.”

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NOVEMBER 13-19, 2019

METRO

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Classic Events! 5th Annual Salute to Legal Excellence

THE HONORABLE OSCAR J. PETITE J.D., right, one of the honorees at the Salute to Legal Excellence, BRYAN C. BRANTLEY, left, with wife, Katrina, and Ralph P. Watson. Other honorees not pictured inheld Oct. 19 at the Twentieth Century Club in Oakland. Pictured at left is Classic Events! Founder Ralph cluded Lauren Darbouze Esq., Lee Merritt Esq., Kimberly D. Moses Esq., Bethany L. Notaro Esq., David P. Watson. (Photos by Darren B. McCormick) J. Sharager Esq., Natalie Heil-Snyder Esq., and the law firm of Vollen-Anderson-Long.

ATTORNEY FRANK WALKER, RALPH P. WATSON

BROTHER MELVIN EL, RALPH P. WATSON

CYRIL WECHT, RALPH P. WATSON

MICHELLE KENNEY, mother of Antwon Rose II.

BUSINESS New Pittsburgh Courier

Injuries aren’t stopping the Steelers, says Bill Neal Sports B7

NOVEMBER 13-19, 2019

www.newpittsburghcourier.com

Classifieds

Find what you need from jobs to cars to housing B4-B5

B

Could you pay your mortgage on one income?

Here’s what to know (StatePoint)—For many people, getting married and buying a house is still part of the American Dream. That’s reflected in the numbers. The homeownership rate among married couples in the U.S. is 80 percent, according to recent data reported by Statista. But what if something were to happen to you or your spouse? Would the person left behind still be able to afford the mortgage? In today’s world of dual-income families, the answer could easily be “no,” which would make a sad situation even worse. Not only could a family lose their home, but a disruptive move could also mean that children would have to change schools and leave friends behind. One way to protect against this scenario is with a life insurance policy, which can be used to pay off a mortgage so that the surviving spouse and family members can enjoy the home they love and have stability at a critical time in their lives. There are generally two types of life insurance: permanent life insurance and term life insurance. Both provide financial resources to help take care of loves ones, but BLACK CONSUMERS ARE MORE LIKELY than the total population to agree that advertising provides meaningful information on most platforms. But advertising dollars designed to reach Black consumers declined by $1 billion between 2017 and 2018, according to a report. there are some important differences to consider.

Marketers should show more respect for the Black consumer by Stacy M. Brown

WHAT HAPPENS if you are suddenly left alone to handle expenses? Permanent life insurance can last for a person’s entire life. Term life insurance, by contrast, is offered for a limited period of time, such as 10-, 20- or 30-year periods. It’s generally more affordable and you can choose the duration based on your circumstances. For example, if you still have 20 years left to pay on your mortgage, you might want to purchase a 20-year plan, so you know your family would be able to keep making payments, or even pay off the house early, in the event that something happened to you. The death benefit from both permanent and term life insurance can also provide help for expenses related to maintaining the home, as well as other daily living expenses like food, medical care, utilities, car payments or even a child’s future college tuition. “People often think about getting life insurance after they buy a house, because they wouldn’t want their family to risk losing their home if something were to happen to them,” said Lou Colaizzo, senior vice president of Life, Erie Insurance. “But life insurance can provide even more than that. It can help replace a spouse’s lost income—especially, it can protect the family’s standard of living.” Colaizzo says the amount of life insurance needed SEE MORTGAGE B2

However, companies that advertise directly to Blacks have decreased their investments. Advertising dollars targeted to Black consumers declined by $1 billion between 2017 and 2018, according to the Nielson report.

it’s physically or digitally… what we found is that when it comes to making decisions, we abundantly are going to use recommendations as our (NNPA)—The influence of African first line of research,” Cheryl Grace, American consumers is extensive. Nielsen’s Senior Vice President of Driven by their tech affinity, pasU.S. Strategic Community Alliances sion for sharing experiences, and and Consumer Engagepowered by their omniment, told NNPA Newschannel thirst for information and recommen- “In a world bombarded by constant new media wire. “African Americans rely dations, the nation’s 48 million Black Americans options and technologies, companies that want on recommendations, and are now just approaching African American consumers’ dollars must un- that’s interesting,” Grace stated. their peak earning years, according to the Nielsen derstand what most influences these consum- The report’s authors report, “It’s in the Bag: ers and how they influence others on their path said Black Americans are 48 million strong, with Black Consumers’ Path to Purchase.” to purchase. Developing authentic strategies nearly 25 million being millennial age or younger The report noted that African Americans are that evolve from listening to Black consum- as of 2018. adopting and adapting ers’ needs and demands is not only the best However, they are already dominating indusmedia and technology in their shopping journey way—but the only way—for brands to realize tries from music to fashion, and many others. to fit their unique needs the powerful growth opportunity ahead.” African Americans also and culture. African are creating apps and Americans love the latest CHERYL GRACE digital spaces to serve trends. Nielsen’s Senior Vice President of U.S. Strategic their own unique needs The 50-page report suggests that marketers Community Alliances and Consumer Engagement when the opportunity demands it, according to the should be aware that Afreport. rican Americans demand Nearly 40 percent of Black con“In a world bombarded by constant that product information and feedback opportunities integrate across sumers saying that they are the first new media options and technologies, among their friends to try new prod- companies that want African Amerimultiple media channels. African Americans are more likely ucts and services, surpassing the to- can consumers’ dollars must understand what most influences these than the total population to agree tal population by 29 percent. “Take a look at how African Amerthat advertising provides meaningSEE MARKETERS B2 ful information on most platforms. icans make their decisions, whether For New Pittsburgh Courier

America’s veterans deserve better from for-profit colleges Every year, the 11th day of the 11th month is observed as Veterans Day. It’s a time to honor the 18.2 million men and women still living who served in at least one war. Though observances vary across the nation, each celebrates the American ideal of service to country. It’s also a time to remember that our nation makes promises to these patriots that must be kept. From health care to home loans and educational benefits, our nation supports the well-being and financial security of those who have served and their families. For example, VA (Veterans Administration) home loans enable veterans to have their own American Dream. And who wouldn’t want a federal assurance that the nation would pick up the tab on health care? When it comes to the transition from military to civilian life, many veterans rely upon GI benefits to financially support their efforts to receive higher education and better incomes without incurring thousands of dollars of student debt. So why is it that veterans seeking to gain updated and marketable skills in a technology-driven economy become prey to for-profit colleges?

VETERANS DAY was recognized this past Monday, Nov. 11. Major Chris Davis with the United States Marine Corps observes that these valued educational benefits are making targets out of vets. “The GI Bill is a promise between Americans and the service members who protect our freedom from all threats,” wrote Major Davis in a recent blog. “My friends and fellow veterans did not spill their blood on foreign

lands to return home and be taken advantage of by collegiate con artists.” Many of the “con artists” Major Davis refers to are for-profit colleges that typically charge higher tuition and fees for enrollment than do public or nonprofit institutions. Many of these schools have low graduation rates and/or lower earnings than those promised—even af-

ter 10 years in their respective fields. Beyond these significant concerns, since 2012, for-profit college closures have left many veteran students with few, if any, of their GI educational benefits left. College credits earned at these closed schools frequently are not accepted at other institutions. “That VA has not invoked their authority to ban schools that

engage in deceptive marketing for almost 50 years is a missed opportunity to do what is right for military-connected students in higher education,” said Tanya Ang, Vice President at Veterans Education Success, a veteran advocacy organization dedicated to advancing higher education success for veterans. “We urge VA and their Office of General Counsel to review the relevant statute and act now to protect veterans from predatory schools,” added Ang. Ang’s concerns are bolstered by a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that found more than 7,000 veterans receiving Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits were attending schools operated by Corinthian Colleges and ITT Educational Services when the institutions respectively closed with little to no notice in 2015 and 2016. At the time of Corinthian Colleges’ closure, over 72,000 students were enrolled. The next year, ITT’s closure of 136 campuses affected 35,000 students. Other for-profit closures by Education Corporation of America in 2018 and The Art Institutes and Argosy University—both SEE VETERANS B2

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NOVEMBER 13-19, 2019

BUSINESS

BUSINESS CALENDAR Sales Training Event

NOV. 15—The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center will host Sales Boot Camp, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., 108 Rockwell Hall, 600 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh 15282. Learn proven techniques to create predictable, consistent sales results that lead to long-term customers who are willing to give references. Topics include: cold calling; presentations skills; handling objections; getting the asking price, and more. Cost: $399 and includes breakfast and lunch. Call 412-396-1633 for more information.

Website Workshop

NOV. 19—The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center will present Boost Your Website’s Visibility: SEO 101, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., 108 Rockwell Hall, 600 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh 15282. Many small businesses struggle with ranking their website highly on search engine results pages. This workshop will present key techniques to increase website visibility such as: optimizing content; how Google Search works; organic results/paid ads; Google SEO tools, and more. Cost: $35. Call 412-396-1633 for more information.

Annual Business Luncheon

DEC. 5—The African American Chamber of Commerce will hold its Annual Business Luncheon featuring Jerry MacCleary, Chairman and CEO, Covestro, LLC., at the OMNI William Penn Hotel, 530 Wm. Penn Place at 12 Noon. Tickets are $80.00 for members and $90.00 for Non-Members. Reply requested by Nov. 27, 2019. Call 412-3920610.

Two-Day QuickBooks Advanced Tutorial

DEC. 11 & DEC. 18—The Duquesne University Small Business Development Center will present QuickBooks Advanced for desktop software users, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 108 Rockwell Hall, 600 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh 15282. This workshop is tailored to QuickBooks Desktop users that are interested in learning in-depth topics like money management, expense billing, and reconcile bank statements. Day one topics include: Inventory; Time and Billing; Company file setup and preferences, and Adjustments and year-end procedures. Day two topics: Sales tax payable; Payroll set up, and Payroll processing. Cost: $49. Call 412-396-1633 for more information.

Savoy mourns the loss of Bernard J. Tyson, chairman and CEO, Kaiser Permanente ATLANTA, Nov. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/—Savoy magazine recognizes the loss of a tremendous business leader with the passing of Bernard J. Tyson, Chairman and CEO of Kaiser Permanente (Kaiser) on November 10, 2019. Tyson, who served as chairman of Kaiser since 2014, was 60 years old. “Bernard was a dear friend, a mentor, a great leader, and a noble man with the biggest heart. He had a special gift to connect with people through humor and compassion. I will truly miss him,” said LP Green, II, CEO & Publisher of Savoy. Tyson’s meteoric rise at Kaiser spanned over 30 years to become head of the organization. He was a beloved and savvy business leader that Savoy covered extensively during his career. “An outstanding BERNARD J. TYSON leader, visionary and champion for high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans, Bernard was a tireless advocate for Kaiser Permanente, our members and the communities we serve,” a Kaiser press release shared. “Most importantly, Bernard was a devoted husband, father and friend. We all will miss his tremendous presence in our lives.”

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Jennifer Hawkins named to advisory board

The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned that SportsPITTSBURGH’s Executive Director, Jennifer Hawkins, has been named to the advisory board of the EventConnect™ Sportology Conference. EventConnect™ is the leading cloud-based event and tournament management system for the sports tourism industry. The Sportology Conference focuses on issues related to sports technology. “It’s an exciting time to be involved with an event like Sportology,” Hawkins said in a statement. “Serving on the advisory committee provides a fantastic opportunity to learn how top event organizers improve upon customer experiences and event execution. Along with providing insight from the innovative orga-

JENNIFER HAWKINS nizations in our area, I can benchmark SportsPITTSBURGH’s best practices against some of the most creative minds in the event tech industry.”

“Jennifer’s hard work and industry expertise make her deserving of the honor of serving on the Sportology Advisory Board,” VisitPITTSBURGH’s Executive Vice President Jerad Bachar said. “This is a great opportunity to play a key role in the growing sector of sports tourism.” Hawkins has witnessed exponential growth in the sports-event and tourism industry in the Pittsburgh region and nationally. She and her staff have dramatically increased the exposure of the SportsPITTSBURGH brand and prove every day that Pittsburgh is the definitive destination for Iconic Experiences. Hawkins has been instrumental in the entire process of bidding on, planning and executing numerous, high-profile sports events. Most recently, she served as co-Tournament Director of the 2019 NCAA Division I Men’s Wrestling Championships. A member of Women in Sports and Events and the National Association of Sports Commissions, Hawkins is a board member of P3R/Pittsburgh Marathon and Connect Sports’ Executive Advisory Committee.

Gwen Ifill immortalized with postal service ‘forever’ stamp

by Stacy M. Brown

Ifill’s interest in journalism was rooted in her parents’ insistence that their children gather nightly in front of the television to watch the national news, according to The HistoryMakers. In 1973, Ifill graduated from Classical High School in Springfield, Massachusetts. Four years later, she received her B.A. degree in communications from Simmons College in Boston. “During her senior year, she interned at the Boston Herald American newspaper,” the biography reads. She later worked at the Baltimore Evening Sun, the Washington Post, and the New York Times before moving over to NBC News. In 1999, Ifill became the first African American woman to host a prominent political talk show on national television when she became moderator and managing editor of PBS’s Washington Week and senior political correspondent for The PBS

For New Pittsburgh Courier

(NNPA)—The 43rd stamp in the United States Postal Service’s Black Heritage series honors Gwen Ifill, one of America’s most esteemed journalists. The stamp features a photo of Ifill taken in 2008 by photographer Robert Severi and designed by Derry Noyes, according to the Postal Service. Among the first African Americans to hold prominent positions in both broadcast and print journalism, Ifill was a trailblazer in the profession. Ifill was born on September 29, 1955, in New York. Her father, O. Urcille Ifill, Sr., served as THE STAMP features a photo an African Methodist Episcopal minister of Ifill taken in 2008 by photogwho hailed from Panama. rapher Robert Severi and deHer mother, Eleanor Husbands, was from signed by Derry Noyes, accordBarbados. ing to the Postal Service. According to Ifill’s 2012 biography and interview with The HistoryMakers, her father’s ministry NewsHour. Ifill died at the age of 61 on Nov. 14, 2016. required the family to live in several cities in different “She was the most American of success stories,” Sherrchurch parsonages throughout New England. Those stops also included Pennsylvania, Massachu- ilynn Ifill, a law professor, director of the NAACP Legal setts, and New York, where the family resided in federal- Defense Fund, and Gwen Ifill’s cousin told NBC News. “Her life and her work made this country better.” ly subsidized housing.

Marketers should show more respect MARKETERS FROM B1

consumers and how they influence others on their path to purchase,” Grace stated. “Developing authentic strategies that evolve from listening to Black consumers’ needs and demands is not only the best way—but the only way—for brands to realize the powerful growth opportunity ahead.” “African Americans have a $1.3 trillion annual buying power, and we watch 15 hours or more every week of traditional television,” Grace stated. “You can reach 92 percent of African Americans in any given week on the radio. When you look at radio, and you compare the consumption habits of how much time we’re spending across these platforms, you’ll see that the advertising spent with African American-focused media doesn’t necessarily add up,” Grace noted. Part of that problem is the

lack of diversity at advertising agencies, she stated. “There need to be more people of color in those firms,” Grace stated. Perhaps a more diverse and inclusive workforce would enable marketers to better appreciate that African American interests are not monolithic. They encompass everything from good food, great music and the latest fashion trends to healthcare and the environment. While climate change and protecting the environment is more vital than ever, African Americans typically are forgotten in the conversation. “African American shoppers are increasingly passionate about their environment, including buying local,” the report’s authors noted. When asked, “how important is it to buy local” in multiple food categories, African American consumers named produce as the most important category

for local sourcing. Sixty-one percent said it was extremely or very important, followed by bakery and prepared foods at 56 percent, eggs at 55 percent, and dairy at 52 percent. Understanding the environmental and safety concerns of Black consumers can help marketers understand what matters most to African Americans consumers in making decisions along their shopper journey, the report’s authors said. The top 3 environmental/ food safety concerns among Black consumers are: “Pesticide/ herbicide use in food production” (76 percent), “Antibiotic use in animal production” (71 percent), and “Rising prices due to trade tariffs” (68 percent-21 percent higher than the total population). The report concluded that the African American path to purchase is social and circular, with the transac-

tion being a critical step in the process before consumers express their passionate feedback about their experience, be it positive or negative. “Brick and mortar stores, online retailers and service providers should each strive to provide an experience that not only satisfies Black consumers, but creates buzzworthy raves that will quickly be passed on to friends, family and virtual networks in their discovery, awareness, and decision making processes,” the authors wrote. “Developing strategies to connect with African American consumers, and assuring that their culture is understood and respected, as well as assuring that their expectations are exceeded, will provide far-reaching influence and growth throughout all consumers for many years to come in the evolving American mainstream,” Grace stated.

America’s veterans deserve better

VETERANS FROM B1

owned by Dream Center Education Holdings—literally added thousands more exploited veteran students. According to the GAO report, “[V]eterans can face challenges transferring credits and continuing their education at a new school. This may make it more difficult for veterans to complete their degrees before exhausting their eligibility for Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits.” For-profit schools had lower 4-year program graduation and retention rates, according to the GAO report, compared to public and nonprofit colleges. Under the Post 9/11 GI Bill, since 2009, the VA has paid $94 billion in two ways. College tuition and fees are paid directly to schools, while an addition-

al monthly housing benefit and stipend for books is paid to vets. Those who served on active duty for 36 months can access this benefit that amounts to $24,477 for the 2019-2020 academic year. Depending upon other circumstances, veterans could also be eligible for Pell Grants and/ or Direct Federal Student Loans available through the Department of Education. For-profit institutions that enroll veterans accessing both federal loans through the Department of Education and Post 9/11 benefits can derive nearly all of their revenues and subsequent profits from federal taxpayer dollars. Such scenarios exploit the original intent of the 90/10 rule which requires that no more than 90 per-

cent of all funds received by for-profit colleges from federal sources. Post 9/11 benefits are not counted in the 90 percent, hence the term, “the 90/10 loophole” and the practice of targeting veterans by for-profit colleges. It’s enough to make a sensible taxpayer question

whether for-profit colleges are in the business of educating veterans and other consumers or simply gouging the goodwill of taxpayers. (Charlene Crowell is the Center for Responsible Lending’s communications deputy director. She can be reached at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.)

Could you pay your mortgage? MORTGAGE FROM B1

depends on several factors, including a person’s salary and the number of years to retirement. Experts recommend talking with an insurance agent

to ensure you have the right coverage based on you individual circumstances and to make sure your family‚and their ability to keep their home— are protected.

OPINION

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

NOVEMBER 13-19, 2019 B3

Automation threatens the future of Black workers in America

Guest Editorial

Vets deserve more than a warm, fuzzy ‘Thanks for your service’ On Monday, Nov. 11, our nation paused to honor the men and women who have taken a sacred oath to protect America by either land, sea or air, in times of war or peace, as active or formerly active members of the armed forces. Federal workplaces, post offices, banks—even a few public schools— were closed for Veterans Day (originally called Armistice Day) as America offered its gratitude to living veterans for their service and sacrifices. In many cities, there was plenty of pomp and circumstance as high-stepping drum majors led marching bands in patriotic expressions during parades and programs amidst backgrounds of red, white and blue in a tradition that became a national, annually-observed holiday in 1938. However, despite the usual proliferation of Betsy Ross-inspired flags fluttering in the wind and sopranos articulating the words of our national anthem, history shows that we haven’t always treated our veterans with the kind of respect they’ve earned and deserve. Black vets returning home after World War I were often attacked, harassed, asked to show their “tails” and forced to accept second-class citizenship, despite having put their very lives on the line for their country. Asian Americans faced similar injustices after serving in World War II and coming back to the U.S. As for veterans of the Vietnam War, they would be regarded as pariahs—unfortunate pawns caught in the middle of political fallout that came both during and decades after a war that millions of Americans neither wanted or condoned. And while well-meaning expressions like “thanks for your service” are undoubtedly appropriate, today’s veterans deserve and need a lot more than conciliatory phrases as they seek to assimilate back into civilian life. Many face hurdles that seem all but insurmountable including higher than national average rates of unemployment, homelessness and suicide—20 veterans on average take their own lives each day. In addition, disability rates are higher among veterans with an estimated 29 percent of recent vets facing a variety of service-related disabilities: missing limbs, burns, spinal cord injuries, post-traumatic stress disorder, hearing loss and traumatic brain injuries. We may never be able to fully understand their pain, physical or emotional, the acute sense of loneliness and isolation that afflicts those plagued by PSTD or who were once prisoners of war or the added pressure that overwhelms those vets who had prior mental health challenges even before their years of service. But we can make sure they receive adequate support and services that will make their lives more manageable and meaningful. Saying “thanks for your service” may be a fitting beginning but it simply is not enough. (Reprinted from the Washington Informer)

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(TriceEdneyWire.com)—“Black America’s collective response to emerging technology will determine whether it is an opportunity—or an existential threat”—George H. Lambert Jr., President and CEO, Greater Washington Urban League A new report about the future of work in the United States casts a somber outlook about the effects of artificial intelligence on African American employment—particularly for African American men. According to a recent headline: Artificial intelligence is slated to disrupt 4.5 million jobs for African Americans, who have a 10 percent greater likelihood of automation-based job loss than other workers. The report, titled “The Future of Work in Black America,” was produced by the management consulting company McKinsey & Company. African American men are over-represented in the jobs most likely to be lost, such as food services, retail workers, office support, and factory workers. Many fast-food restaurants, for example, have implemented selfserve kiosks, reducing the need for workers at the counter. McDonalds has even acquired an artificial intelligence company focused on speech recognition which could displace workers on the drive-through lines. African American men also are under-represented in the jobs least likely to be lost to artificial intelligence. These include educators, health professionals, legal professionals and agricultural workers. According to the report, “Only half of the top ten occupations that African Americans typically hold pay above the federal poverty guidelines for a family of four ($25,750), and all ten of those occupations fall below the median salary for a US worker ($52,000) (Exhibit 2). Many of these occupations are among the top 15

Marc H. Morial

To Be Equal occupations most at risk of automation-based displacement and are also projected to affect young African American workers without a college degree.” Geography plays a role, too. African Americans are underrepresented in the areas of the country where job growth is predicted to be the highest: places like Seattle, Washington; Sarasota, Florida, or South Bend, Indiana. “Distressed americana showed negative net job growth from 2007 to 2017 and is projected to show negative job growth through 2030,” according to the report. “African Americans in these distressed areas may disproportionately feel the negative effects of impending economic and technological changes, see fewer new opportunities, and face additional challenges in transitioning to the economy of the future.” The National Urban League addressed these concerns in our State of Black America® report, “Powering the Digital Revolution,” shining a spotlight on African Americans’ underrepresentation in the kind of jobs that are least likely to be displaced by artificial intelligence. We calculated a Digital Inclusion Index—a variation on our traditional Equality IndexTM that measures the relative economic an social status of Black Americans as compared to Whites. We found a Digital Inclusion Index of 74.1 percent, with 100 representing true equality between Black and White Americans.

African Americans are far less likely than Whites to be employed in social media and technology companies—less than 5 percent of the workforce, vs. more than 50 percent for Whites. Less than 6 percent of total Black employment in 2017 was in the tech industry, vs. 8.5 percent for Whites. Black families continue to remain less likely than White families to have dedicated internet access at home, yet African Americans are the second-largest multicultural group, after Asian Americans, for mobile device ownership, with 91 percent owning smartphones. Black millennials are influential, leading users of mobile technology and platforms, and voracious consumers and creators of digital content, but lag behind in tech employment. The McKinsey report included recommendations to avert a crisis, including: More economic investments into high-skilled jobs in cities and markets where Blacks are currently overrepresented can directly pave a path of job stability. Mobility of Black workers into new geographical markets with higher projected job growth. Focused initiatives by university/ collegiate education to recruit and retain Black students Financial investment into Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Employer investment in re-skilling programs and training courses can meaningfully help offset skill gaps among under-represented groups. These recommendations reflect the long-standing positions of the Urban League Movement. Elected officials, business and community leaders and educational institutions must be mindful of the risk to the African American workforce and work together to insure that the job opportunities of the future are available to everyone.

ERA soon and very soon! (TriceEdneyWire.com)—White women got the right to vote in 1920. It has taken many of them awhile to vote in their own best interest. We Black women did not get the right to vote when White women did, but we quickly learned the importance of voting in our best interest. Since we first gained the right to vote at all, we have struggled to have the right to vote unhindered. That hasn’t happened yet through no fault of our own. There’s constantly somebody wanting to water down our ability to vote by closing polling places for us to vote, by making it difficult to register to vote, by deleting names from voter registration rolls for innocuous reasons. We, Black women, have always had to struggle for whatever we’ve been able to achieve—but we persist. When we win a victory, it’s usually a gain for all people. Through the years, we’ve struggled for something as simple as equal rights for all without regard to sex or race or economic status in life. When we didn’t have enough courageous elected officials to make that happen, we didn’t give up. We rallied. We protested. We hoped, and often we begged our White sisters to vote with us to elect people who were more likely to vote for things like the Equal Rights Amendment. We continued to be told that if only suburban women (meaning white

around passage—but we are so close now! The amendment was first offered in 1972. We need 38 states to ratify it to become, but somehow because the wrong people were constantly elected or they were re-elected it took us from 1972 to 1977 to get to 35 of the 38 required states to become law. That vote of 35 was won on a bi-partisan basis. We then got to 36 by a vote from Inwomen because we’re called urban diana. That vote came in 1977 and women) would vote like Black wom- not withstanding that victory, we’ve en, we could get the ERA passed. waited for years to get another vote. Well, we’ve kept on working, and The vote in Virginia has brought us finally our suburban sisters saw the new momentum not only for ERA, light! but also for gun control, and justice Unfortunately, year after year, for all—especially for immigrant many suburban women voted to children. elect candidates they knew would If we want equality for the young vote against their best interests. women coming behind us, it’s our So often, we came up empty on duty to make it happen. If we truly an ERA. Last night, it looks like want an Equal Rights Amendment, suburban (White women) finally get then all of our sisters—Black, Brown, it the we can pass the Equal Rights Yellow, Red and White—will stick Amendment and any other amendtogether to continue registering more ment we wish to pass. voters, planning more get-out-theI’m still nervous about passing vote efforts and helping reluctant ERA, but one thing is clear, Virginia people understand the importance gave us hope with the victories in of every vote, so that in 2020, we can their election of November 5, 2019! not only get the long awaited ERA, We need that one state to clear a but we can also get more attention hurdle that has stood in the way of on climate change, education, imwomen having equal rights. Another proved health care, justice for all and way of putting that is to say we will respect not only for ourselves, but not be discriminated against just also for our children and our nation. (Dr. E. Faye Williams is president of the Nabecause we are women! tional Congress of Black Women, Inc.) The ERA has taken a long way

Dr. E. Faye Williams, Esq.

Commentary

God is not schizophrenic (BlackPressUSA)—Let me state up front. This is not new. I heard something recently that has stayed with me and has rapidly become embedded in my spirit, so I thought it was worthy to again pass along to you. “God is not schizophrenic.” It sounds simple enough, but, at closer inspection, you might want to seriously consider it implications. When I looked for a biblical reference point, there were actually too many to quote. I mean the bible is full of confirmation regarding God’s consistency. His unwavering faithfulness to us. God does indeed keep His promises and in His unpredictability, He is predictable. God loves us no matter how hard we try to deny this. We can never remove ourselves from this truth. It/ He never changes. Warts and flaws and faults, God loves us. That means you and all your hidden secrets too. Deal with it. The problem with God’s consistency is our inconsistency. When put into that perspective alongside God’s steadfastness, our fickleness screams out almost as some kind of bizarre trick. What I’m saying is our behavior can become unsteady and sinfully shaky. But our faith should not. In the con-

James Washington

Spiritually Speaking text of our faith, the consistency of God’s promise and His covenant with us should flourish. It should provide us with that proverbial ‘rock’ that we need to lean on. After all, we’re not dealing with trick questions, slight of hand or spiritual illusions when it comes to God’s promise of eternal life and everlasting salvation. With faith comes the understanding that “God is not schizophrenic.” Someone once told me that there should be some things and people in life that you can always count on. Folk who will be there for you no matter what! The reason we can relate to this is we know so many things and people in our lives that we cannot count on, or certainly shouldn’t. So called friends will let you down. Family will fail you. Circumstances

will change. Results are inconclusive and fame is fleeting. Being a Christian does not exempt us from everyday and every people challenges. They can be severe and debilitating. Tests and testimonies are real. Yet God is steadfast. He does require however—or should I say, demands— the discipline of faith. Unfaithfulness, schizophrenia, relapses, backsliding; all combine to get us into spiritual trouble. Faith, fortunately, always gets us out. That’s because God is good all the time. And God is God all the time, always was, always will be. He is not lost. He has not moved and left no forwarding address. He’s at the same place where you originally found Him and blessedly for you, he’s patiently waiting for you to acknowledge His presence there again and again and if needed, again. My bible says faith proves itself by its obedience to the Lord. The more we accept His steadfastness, the clearer our paths become. When all is said and done, once you know where home is, you’re never lost. Because when we acknowledge the Almighty and who we are in relation to Him, we too, will never be lost or forsaken. May God bless and keep you always.

CLASSIFIED New Pittsburgh Courier

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NOVEMBER 13-19, 2019

www.newpittsburghcourier.com

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Help Wanted

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South Fayette Twp. School District DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

DIRECTOR OF STUDENT ACCOUNTS/BURSAR

Complete job description is available at: www.southfayette.org South Fayette Twp. School District 3680 Old Oakdale Road McDonald, PA 15057 Deadline: November 22, 2019 or Until Position is Filled EOE

DIRECTOR – LEGAL AND CONSULTING SERVICES

Port Authority is seeking a Director – Legal and Consulting Services to manage the functions and day-today operation of the Legal and Consulting Services Department. Represent and supervise Department attorneys representing Port Authority in litigation, procurement, and real estate matters, and participate with Chief Legal Officer in supervision of Department attorneys representing Port Authority in employment/human resources, tort/litigation, RTK and various other matters. Supervise Department attorneys and staff on completion of assignments in all areas of Authority business and governance. Oversees work product of outside counsel on assigned matters. In coordination with Chief Legal Officer, set annual and longterm Department goals and objectives. Assist Chief Legal Officer with Legal Department budgeting and financial performance matters, as needed. Essential Functions: •Supervises Port Authority’s Legal and Consulting Services Department attorneys and other staff, which includes day-to-day oversight, annual performance evaluations and ensuring attorneys and staff attend required continuing professional education and other internal and external training and professional development programs and courses. •Represent and supervise Department attorneys in representation of Port Authority in litigation matters in state and federal courts and administrative agencies and bodies. •Assigns and supervises Department attorneys and outside counsel (with input from Chief Legal Officer on significant outside counsel assignments) to legal matters and cases, including monitoring of case or assignment through review, strategic planning and completion. Job requirements include: •Degree of Juris Doctor from an accredited law school and member in good standing of the Pennsylvania Bar. •Valid license to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. •Admission to the courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. •Minimum of seven (7) years supervisory and practical experience in handling litigation and transactional matters and supervising other legal personnel in completion of same. •Ability to review and analyze outside counsel and other legal fees incurred by Port Authority. •Demonstrated knowledge of government contract and procurement law and Pennsylvania’s Right-toKnow Law, with at least five (5) years of experience handling such matters. •Demonstrated knowledge of real estate law, including zoning, land use and/or negotiation of right-ofway related agreements (licenses, easements, purchase and sale agreements, etc.), with at least five (5) years of experience handling such matters. •General knowledge of tort and employment/Section 1983 law, with ability to supervise Department attorneys and outside counsel specialized in handling such matters. •General knowledge of insurance and re-insurance processes and procedures, including demonstrated ability to supervise internal Insurance Administrator/Risk Manager and work directly with insurance brokers and carriers * Demonstrated ability in the use of Microsoft Word, Windows, Outlook and Westlaw/LexisNexis or similar legal research programs or applications. •Effective and professional communication skills Preferred attributes: •Experience working in an in-house legal department for a Pennsylvania government agency, public transit agency and/or private transportation company.

We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package. Interested candidates should forward a cover letter (with salary requirements) and resume to: Robyn Taylor Employment Department 345 Sixth Avenue, 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2527 RTaylor@portauthority.org EOE

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California University of Pennsylvania seeks to hire a full-time director of Student Accounts/Bursar who will be responsible for the overall operation of the Student Accounts Office. The director is responsible for the billing and collection of over $100M annually in tuition, related fees, and room and board, and the maintenance of approximately 8,000 student accounts per semester, while maintaining an exemplary customer service orientation. A bachelor’s degree in accounting, business administration, finance or related field and five years of experience in billing and collection of accounts receivable is required. For a detailed job description, position requirements and instructions for application, visit www.calu.edu; click on Employment near the bottom of the page, then Staff Positions. All applicants must apply online. “Don’t settle for someone else’s vision of your life. Build your career at California University of Pennsylvania.” Integrity, Civility and Responsibility are the official core values of California University of Pennsylvania, an Equal Opportunity Employer. LEGAL ADVERTISING Legal Notices

MS. VIRGINIA RUTH WICKLINE a/k/a VIRGINIA WICKLINE, Deceased, of 1108 Bonnie Brae Drive, Moon Township, A 15108. Estate No. 02-19-06686 Ms. Jamie Kerwoski, Executrix, 168 School Road, Aliquippa, PA 15001, c/o Max C. Feldman, Esquire and the Law Offices of Max C. Feldman, 1322 Fifth Avenue, Coraopolis, PA 15108. Estate of MS. WILDA K. LOGUT, Deceased, of 1012 Linden Lane, Oakdale, PA 15071. Estate No. 02-19-06542 Mr. Bradley P. Logut, 124 Shippen Drive. Coraopolis, PA 15108, Executor, c/o Max C. Feldman, Esquire and the Law Office of Max C. Feldman, 1322 Fifth Avenue, Coraopolis, PA 15108.

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS ALLEGHENY COUNTY SANITARY AUTHORITY PUBLIC NOTICE

The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) is accepting Letters of Interest and Statements of Qualifications from Professional Construction Management or Engineering Firms who wish to be considered for the following: On-Call Construction Management and Resident Inspection Services for Small to Mid-Sized Capital Projects, As Needed Interceptors Interested Parties shall submit ten (10) bound paper copies and one electronic copy on a CD/memory stick in a sealed envelope plainly marked: Statement of Qualifications On-Call Construction Management and Resident Inspection Services for Small to Mid-Sized Capital Projects, As Needed Allegheny County Sanitary Authority 3300 Preble Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15233-1092 Attn: Suzanne Thomas, Procurement Officer All questions should be submitted, in writing, to Suzanne Thomas at Suzanne.thomas@alcosan.org. ALCOSAN intends to award the services to at least four firms. All submittals must be received no later than 2:00 p.m. on December 16, 2019 at the ALCOSAN Procurement Department. Please allow time to process through security. If the documents are sent via courier, it is Consultant’s responsibility to ensure the documents have been received. Late submittals will not be considered and will be returned unopened. Additional information and instructions may be obtained by visiting: http://www.alcosan. org/BusinessOpportunities/ RFQsRFPs/tabid/182/Default. aspx ALCOSAN encourages businesses owned and operated by minorities, disadvantaged and women’s business enterprises to submit qualification statements or to participate as subcontractors or suppliers to the selected Consultant/Firm. The Party selected shall be required to utilize minority, disadvantaged, and women’s business enterprises to the fullest extent possible. The goals of the ALCOSAN’s Minority and Women Business Policy are listed on the ALCOSAN website at www.alcosan.org.

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LEGAL ADVERTISING

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OFFICIAL ADVERTISEMENT THE BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION of the SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PITTSBURGH

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP) FOR MULTIPLE INSURANCE LINES RFP #700-29-19

NOTICE is hereby given that Articles of Incorporation have been filed with the Department of State of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the purpose of engaging in any lawful act concerning any or all lawful business for which corporations may be incorporated under the Pennsylvania Business Corporation Law of 1988 as amended. The name of the corporation is: ME First Fitness Inc. Articles of Incorporation have been filed on: November 5, 2019

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH PUBLIC NOTICE OF REVISED FLAT RENT SCHEDULE

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP), in accordance with federal law and regulation, is proposing revisions to its Low Income Public Housing Flat Rent Schedule. The revised HACP Flat Rent Schedule is available for review and comment from November 15, 2019 to December 16, 2019 at the following locations: •HACP Operations Department 200 Ross St. 6th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219; •HACP Web Site: www.hacp.org; •HACP Management Offices A Public Hearing to receive public comments on the revised HACP Flat Rent Schedule will be held on Thursday, December 5, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., at 200 Ross St., 9th floor Board Room. Written comments on the proposed revisions to the HACP Flat Rent Schedule must be addressed to “Attention: HACP Flat Rent Schedule” at HACP Department of Operations, Asset Management, 200 Ross St. 6th Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15219, and must be received by 12:00 p.m. on December 17, 2019. Once approved, the final revised HACP Flat Rent Schedule will be effective February 1, 2020. If you are a person with a disability and need an alternate means of reviewing this information, please contact the Disability Compliance Office at 412.456.5282 to discuss the options available.

LEGAL ADVERTISING Bids/Proposals

NOTICE TO PROPOSERS

The Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County (“SEA”) will receive proposals for North Shore Riverfront Park (“NSRFP”) Geese Control Services at the SEA office as identified below. The contracts for this work will be with the SEA. The Request for Proposals (“RFP”) may be obtained after the date identified below from Bill Williams, email: bwilliams@pgh-sea. com, Telephone: (412) 325-3003. This Advertisement applies to the following RFP: Project: NSRFP Geese Control Services RFP Available: Nov. 11, 2019 Pre-Proposal Meeting: 2:00pm Nov. 21, 2019 (non-mandatory), NSRFP, Water Steps, Pgh, PA 15212 Time/Date/Location for Proposal Submittal: 2:00pm Dec. 19, 2019, SEA, 171 10th Street, Second Floor, Pgh, PA 15222

OFFICIAL BID NOTICE TOWNSHIP OF UPPER ST. CLAIR

Sealed Bids will be received by the Township of Upper St. Clair, 1820 McLaughlin Run Road, Upper St. Clair, PA 15241, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania until 9:00 A.M., Tuesday, January 21, 2020, and the Bids will be publicly opened and read thereafter in the Training Room in the Township Building at the same address for the following: TOWNSHIP OF UPPER ST. CLAIR ASPHALT PERIMETER TRAIL PROJECT Please refer to www.twpusc.org/ Business/Procurement & Bid Information, for details regarding specifications and Bidding requirements. /s/ Matthew R. Serakowski Township Manager

COURIER CLASSIFIEDS… THE ONLY WAY TO GO!

Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on December 3, 2019, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for: Pgh. Brookline PreK-8 Masonry Restoration General and Asbestos Abatement Primes Pgh. Greenfield PreK-8 – Rebid Replace Electrical Distribution General and Electrical Primes Pgh. Milliones 6-12 Masonry Restoration & Window Replacement General and Asbestos Abatement Primes Pgh. Spring Garden ECC Elevator Addition General, Plumbing, Mechanical, Electrical and Asbestos Abatement Primes Pgh. Woolslair K-5 Waterproofing and Masonry Restoration, Phase 1 & 2 General and Plumbing Primes Pgh. Linden K-5, Manchester PreK-8, Roosevelt 2-5 Replace EM Generator Systems General and Electrical Primes Various Buildings Water Cooler Replacements, Phase 3 Plumbing and Electrical Primes Various Buildings Asbestos, Lead-based paint, Mold & Animal Excrement Remediation, Mitigation & Abatement Including Repair, Restoration & Re-insulation Work Environmental Abatement Contract Sealed proposals shall be deposited at the Administration Building, Bellefield Entrance Lobby, 341 South Bellefield Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15213, on December 17, 2019, until 2:00 P.M., local prevailing time for: Pgh. Allegheny Boiler Room Upgrade General, Mechanical, Electrical, and Asbestos Abatement Primes Project Manual and Drawings will be available for purchase on November 4, 2019 at Modern Reproductions (412-488-7700), 127 McKean Street, Pittsburgh, Pa., 15219 between 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. The cost of the Project Manual Documents is non-refundable. Project details and dates are described in each project manual.

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) hereby request proposals from qualified Firms or Individuals capable of providing the following service(s): Multiple Insurance Lines The documents will be available on or about November 4, 2019 and signed, sealed proposals will be accepted until 10:00 A.M., November 22, 2019 at which time they will be Time and Date Stamped at 100 Ross Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Parties or individuals interested may obtain information from: Mr. Kim Detrick – Procurement Director/ Chief Contracting Officer Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Procurement Department 2nd Floor, Suite 200 100 Ross Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-456-5116, Option 1 or by visiting the Business Opportunities section of www.hacp.org A pre bid meeting will be held: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh 100 Ross Street 2nd Floor Conference Room Pittsburgh, PA 15219 November 14, 2019 10:00 A.M. The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh strongly encourages certified minority business enterprises and women business enterprises to respond to this solicitation. HACP’s has revised their website. As part of those revisions, vendors must now register and log-in, in order to view and download IFB/RFPs documentation. Caster D. Binion, Executive Director Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh

HACP conducts business in accordance with all federal, state, and local civil rights laws, including but not limited to Title VII, the Fair Housing Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, The PA Human Relations Act, etc. and does not discriminate against any individuals protected by these statutes.

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November 8, 2019 The Office of the County Controller of Allegheny County, Room 104, Court House, Pittsburgh, PA, will receive separate and sealed Bids until 11:00 A.M. prevailing local time, December 11, 2019, and a representative of the Department of Public Works will open and read the Bids in the Gold Room, Room 410, County Court House, Pittsburgh, PA, onehalf hour later, 11:30 o’clock A.M., for the following: DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS SOUTH PARK TRAIL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT CORRIGAN DRIVE MUNICIPALITY OF BETHEL PARK/ SOUTH PARK TOWNSHIP COUNTY PROJECT No. 5065-0005 As a prospective bidder please note the following general Project information regarding: PreBid Information, Bidding Requirements, and Contract Conditions. See the Project Manual for detailed information, responsibilities and instructions. PRE-BID INFORMATION: Purchase and/or view the Project Manual and Drawings at the Office of the Contract Manager, Room 504, County Office Building, Pittsburgh, PA. The non-refundable charge for the Proposal and a disk containing the Specifications and Drawings is $107.00 including sales tax. The Contract Manager will accept only check or money order to the “COUNTY OF ALLEGHENY” in that amount and WILL NOT ACCEPT CASH OR EXTEND CREDIT. Prospective bidders may request to have bid documents mailed. An additional fee of $16.05 including tax, for handling costs for each requested proposal must be paid in advance. The fee must be received at the Office of the Contract Manager prior to the mailing of any documents. The Department of Public Works will hold a PreBid Meeting on November 20, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. in Room 505 County Office Building. The anticipated notice to proceed is January 27, 2020. The project completion will be 186 consecutive calendar days from the notice to proceed. Further details of this project, Bidding Requirements and Contract Conditions are available on the Allegheny County internet website (www.alleghenycounty.us; Click on “Departments,” click on “Public Works” then click on Bids and Proposals).” For technical questions contact Kevin Lemon, E.I.T., Project Manager, at 412-350-2517. For contracting questions contact Dan Swisher, Contracts Manager, at 412-350-5955 or 5924. Chelsa Wagner Controller County of Allegheny

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America’s Best Weekly

NOVEMBER 13-19, 2019

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A+ Schools: Some Pittsburgh schools make progress despite problems A+ SCHOOLS FROM A1

Pittsburgh Schiller 6-8, which saw a 36 percent chronic absenteeism rate in the 2012-2013 school year reduced to 3 percent in the 2018-19 school year. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10 percent (or 18 days) or more of the school year. According to the report, chronic absenteeism can hurt a third grader’s ability to read, cause sixth graders to fail classes and increase the likelihood that ninth graders will eventually drop out. Schiller took several steps to reduce absenteeism. Those include hiring counselor Lana Shaftic to work with students and parents, partnering with the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s “Be There” attendance program and assigning an adult buddy to each student with an attendance problem. Fogarty said Schiller staff members have worked hard to break down barriers students face in getting to school, including sending an Uber for a student who missed the bus. Chronic absenteeism Fogarty said it’s his hope that other schools in the district can learn from Schiller to help alleviate the district’s persistent problem with chronic absenteeism. Some of the numbers are alarming, particularly at the secondary level. Among the grades 9-12 high schools, 76 percent of the students at Pittsburgh Perry 9-12 were chronically absent. Among the grades 6-12 schools, Milliones saw 54 percent of its students miss 10 percent or more of the school year. That figure was 56 percent at Westinghouse. The rates of absenteeism were not as high in the lower grades. But there were pockets of high absenteeism at some elementary schools. Among the grades K-5 schools, Pittsburgh Faison, Pittsburgh Grandview, Pittsburgh Miller, Pittsburgh Minadeo, Pittsburgh Roosevelt, Pittsburgh Weil and Pittsburgh Woolslair had chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 30 to 35 percent . Among grades K-8 schools, Pittsburgh Arlington had the highest chronic absenteeism rate at 49 percent, followed by Pittsburgh King at 45 percent and Morrow at 39 percent. In some instances, the high absenteeism correlated with low thirdgrade reading scores. At Arlington, just 13 percent of Black third graders scored proficient or advanced on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment exams (PSSA) and at Miller and Weil, the percentages were 16 and 19 percent, respectively. There was no White subgroup at those schools because the population was too small. Third-grade reading proficiency is identified as an important educational milestone because, after third grade, students need to read in order to learn concepts in all subjects. Among the elementary charter schools, the highest chronic absenteeism rate was 49 percent at Propel Hazelwood, where third-grade reading proficiency among Black students was at 11 percent. There was no White subgroup. High school graduation rates Fogarty pointed to City Charter High School’s overall graduation rate of 96 percent in 2018 as exemplary among high schools in the city. Pittsburgh Public Schools’ overall average graduation rate the same year was 79 percent. Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12 had a graduation rate of 98 percent but its demographics are not reflective of the district-wide percentages. CAPA reports 30 percent of students as economically disadvantaged and 63 percent are White. City Charter’s demographics of 59 percent economically disadvantaged and 52 percent Black are more aligned with the Pittsburgh district, where 52 percent of students are Black and 71 percent are economically disadvantaged. Among the reasons listed for City Charter’s success is its practice of “looping,” which keeps students with the same teachers for all four years and allows them to develop more steady relationships.

Racial achievement gaps Pittsburgh Dilworth PreK-5 was lauded in the report for its thirdgrade reading proficiency rates for Black students on PSSA exams. They exceeded the Pittsburgh district’s overall average. At Dilworth, 58 percent of Black third graders scored proficient or advanced—seven percentage points above the district average and 20 percentage points above the district-wide average for Black students. However, that percentage was down from 69 percent in the 2017-18 school year and 65 percent in 201617. Fogarty and school officials credit the success to the implementation of culturally responsive teaching strategies and efforts by staff to work together on issues of racial bias and student achievement. Across the school board, large racial disparity gaps remain between Black and White students at all levels and all subjects. PublicSource reported on the disparities in a September story when the district reported its 2018-19 state test results. The A+ Schools report shows district-wide gaps of 35 percentage points in grades 3-5 reading, 36 percentage points in grades 6-8 English and 35 percentage points in Keystone literature. Keystone exams are given to secondary students at the completion of the course. In math, the percentage-point gaps listed are 35 in grades 3-5, 34 in grades 6-8 and 40 in algebra. Gifted enrollment Enrollment in the district’s gifted program is still overwhelmingly White. In the 2018-19 school year, 18 percent of students in the program were Black, though Black students make up 53 percent of district enrollment. White students make up 31 percent of district enrollment but 66 percent of enrollment in gifted programs. “These percentages have remained almost the same compared to 201718,” the report stated. Last fall, the district initiated a pilot program that expanded and changed the screening process at Arlington PreK-8, Arsenal PreK-5, Banksville K-5, Brookline PreK-8, Langley K-8 and Mifflin PreK-8. Results on how that new system is eliminating bias in the selection process is not yet available. Comparisons with other cities Fogarty reported that Pittsburgh compares well with other similar city school systems in Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Milwaukee, Indianapolis and Baltimore. He said the cities were chosen because they have a similar racial and economic makeup as Pittsburgh, though Philadelphia is considerably larger. At 51 percent, Pittsburgh had the second highest third-grade reading proficiency. Highest among the cities was Cincinnati at 66 percent. Pittsburgh also had the second highest graduation rate at 79 percent for spring 2018. Indianapolis had the highest graduation rate at 82 percent. Minika Jenkins, chief academic officer for Pittsburgh Public Schools, said she appreciated the comparison the report showed with other cities because it showed other districts struggle with the same problems as Pittsburgh. “So it’s not just a Pittsburgh challenge,” Jenkins said. “It’s a national challenge.” She referenced a plan the district announced last week to bring more equity to Pittsburgh schools through professional development; creation of culturally responsive material and practices to trauma and violence; and a review of curriculum to ensure all students have access to rigorous coursework. Jenkins said she was also pleased to see the focus in the report on Pittsburgh schools that are making progress. She said district officials now need to figure out “how can we replicate that across the district.” (Mary Niederberger covers education for PublicSource. She can be reached at 412515-0064 or mary@publicsource.org.)

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NOVEMBER 13-19, 2019 NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Let’s suspend the We as Black Folks must use our F-35 Joint Strike common sense in 2020 and beyond A. Peter Bailey Fighter program (TriceEdneyWire.com)—Even as our legislators grapple with impeachment, they are also charged to pass a dozen budget bills, including a bill on “defense.” Recent elections suggest a paradigm shift in the way we view budget spending, what with Democrats taking charge in both Virginia and Kentucky (I’m not counting Mississippi, Dems aren’t likely to capture that one until lightening strikes). Some are suggesting that the government might shut down if Congress can’t get its act on the budget together in the next couple weeks. Alternatively, Congress might look differently at our priorities. A post-Trump America might include a Green New Deal, Medicare-for-All, and free or subsidized higher education. These programs cost. How will we pay for them? One place to look for massive government waste is in the Pentagon, which has too frequently couched in “national defense” but is nothing more than the government providing massive profits for inefficient corporations who have well-paid and highly effective lobbyists. The $1.5 trillion budget for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program is an excellent place to start. Tom Pennington at Truthout.org was spot on when he wrote in a piece titled “The F-35 Fighter Jet Will Cost $1.5 Trillion. It’s Time for New Priorities” on April 11, 2019. The article opened with “It began with such promise, too, as far as airborne weapons of mass destruction

Julianne Malveaux

Commentary go. First conceived by Lockheed Martin in 1997 and built-in collaboration with Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems, the F-35 first took wing in 2006. The all-purpose fighter was intended to stand as the replacement for the A-10 Warthog, F-15E Eagle, the F-16 Falcon, the AV-8B Harrier, and the F/A-18 Hornet.” The plan was for this aircraft to be everything to everybody in the Air Force, and this would replace all other fighter jets. This idea was great on paper, but not so good when they started to build the F-35’s. Pennington wrote, “It did not take long for a series of fantastically pricey problems to pile up. The production plan had the planes being built before all the highly technical, often brand-new systems had been tested. When these began failing, fixing them in an aircraft that had already come off the production line rapidly turned the program into a financial sinkhole. The eight million lines of code that make up the software controlling vital elements like the aft tails, electronic warfare systems, and flight control were bursting with bugs and subject to malicious hacks. The helmets were too big. The ejection seats didn’t work. The four-piece wings met with assembly difficulties, and the supporting bulkheads suffered from structural fatigue. The plane itself was 2,000 pounds too heavy.” Those problems were merely the start of challenges that bring us to today where the aircraft has been seldom used and is way over budget. And we are spending $1.5 trillion for that when we could use that money to feed people, provide education, and provide environmental relief? Who are the lobbyists pushing this ill-advised investment? If you believe President Trump (and I don’t), we will be spending less money overseas in the upcoming years. The Balance reported on June 15, 2019, that “the war in Afghanistan began in 2001 and has cost the U.S. $975 billion, including estimates for 2019,” yet “the number grows even more when taking into account increases in the base budgets for the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The George W. Bush administration launched the war in Afghanistan and the War on Terror in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks by al-Qaida. The United States attacked the Taliban in Afghanistan for hiding al-Qaida’s leader, Osama bin Laden. In addition to the $975 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations funds specifically dedicated to the war, the base budget for the Department of Defense has increased by about $250 billion, and the Department of Veterans Affairs budget has increased by more than $50 billion. Some of these costs also are attributable to the War in Iraq. There is another pot of money that could be used to make Americans healthy and to help them out of poverty. Taking one year off from the F-35 and ending the overseas wars would pay for the Green New Deal, Medicare-for-All, and free higher education for all. If Democrats prevail in 2020, and Progressives rule Washington come 2021, we will need a comprehensive effort to push our priorities in the face of right-wing obstructionism. Those who talk about waste, fraud, and abuse, cannot defend the $1.5 trillion F-35 and overseas wars that are costing lives and taxpayer money. If deficit hawks are so opposed to the rapidly increasing deficit, why can’t they slash the government contracting that is directly taking away money that could be used to help the poor and underemployed? The F-35 is being funded in the name of “national defense,” but it is a national offense for an unnecessary, inefficient, boondoggle to absorb $1.5 trillion that could be much more appropriately spent. After the F-35 has proven ineffective, it is unconscionable that some legislators are willing to continue to fund it. Let’s eat our losses and move on. Let’s direct these precious funds to the hungry, those who clamor for education, and those who want a more sustainable future for our nation. And let’s draw a line in the sand on useless “defense” spending that simply enriches profit-maximizing manufacturers. (Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an economist, author, media contributor and educator.)

(TriceEdneyWire.com)—As we enter the last quarter of the 400th anniversary of our African ancestors being forcibly brought to enslavement in North America, here are my suggestions for 2020 and beyond: •That we as a people stop trying to claim people who don’t want to be claimed. We are not so lacking in quality people that we have to lay claim on people who regularly insist that they are not Black artists, writers, scholars, etc. but ones who just happen to be Black. It’s time we let such people be what they want to be and call them whatever they want to be called. •That Black people speak out in a loud voice against those writers, singers, film makers, playwrights and rappers who pass off their crude, sleazy and vulgar products as shining examples of being “Black.” They’re being “American” to sell their creations with crudeness, sleaziness and vulgarity---not being Black. •That we recognize that our collective economic resources are a potentially powerful weapon on the struggle for equal justice and equal opportunity that we rarely, if ever, use effectively. For instance there was much talk recently about banks that seldom provide loans to Black applicants. Immediately there was a call from some for a big, loud protest. Much more effective than that would be for 500 Blacks to turn up at that bank one morning and withdraw all of their money. That’s the proper use of economic power. •That Black folks will realize that we are sitting on top of a gold mine of Black history which, if properly mined, can be very productive for us both educationally and financially. •That Black people recognize that there is no more valuable member of any community than a master teacher. Much more needs to be done to show such a person how much he or she is appreciated for taking on the absolutely essential task of educating our children. •That those Black folks who are

Commentary

insensitive to the attempts of Native Americans to change the name of the Washington Redskins ask themselves how they would feel if the team was called the

Blackskins. •That we recognize that predatory street criminals and selfish me, myself and I Black professionals are equally destructive to efforts to build politically, economically and culturally powerful Black communities throughout the country. •That Black students reject any notion that striving for academic excellence is somehow trying to be White. The fact that even a few Black students believe such stupidity is a victory for our enemies. •That Black people refuse to attend any conference or seminar dealing with “The Problem of the Black This or That.” They should attend and participate in such events that focus on “How to Build Stronger Black Families, Communities, Schools, etc.” That way they will be discussing possible solutions rather than weeping and wailing and moaning and groaning with “canyou-top-this” horror stories as so often is the case in the first set of gatherings. •That we let the whole nation know that the emphasis on Black self-help did not begin with the socalled Black conservatives. People such as Martin Delaney, Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, among a host of others, were emphasizing selfhelp long before it was discovered by Clarence Thomas, Walter Williams and Thomas Sowell. One of the major differences between the approach of those like Malcolm X and the latter is that while advocating self-help, they didn’t believe in letting the government off the hook. Black people pay much more in taxes than they get back in goods and services so they have a right to demand their share of public monies. •Finally, that we remember what my grandmother once told me when I was over-complicating a problem. “Use your common sense, Boy,” she said. We as a people need to use our common sense in 2020 and beyond.

The D.C. Sniper case and life sentences for juveniles Last month ginia claimed the U.S. SuMalvo’s senJ. Pharoah Doss preme Court tence was disheard oral cretionary (the arguments judge had an for resentencoption of a lessing Lee Boyd er sentence) Malvo. Malvo and the 2012 and John Allen Miller decision Muhammad prohibited were the infamandatory life mous Beltway D.C. snipers. In 2002 sentences without possibility of parole. Malvo’s lawyers stated a Malvo and Muhammad terrorized life without parole sentence for a the nation’s capital, Virginia, and juvenile without considering the Maryland during a series of sniper shootings that killed 10 and wound- defendants maturity and changeability violates the Miller ruling ed three. weather the life sentence was Muhammad was 41 during the sniper shootings. He was sentenced mandatory or not. The New Tribune editorial to death in 2004 and executed in 2009. Malvo was 17 and sentenced board correctly argued: Whether the public likes it or not, Malvo to multiple life sentences in 2006. Malvo is now 34 and is serving four should qualify for resentencing. His case has been hung up in the life sentences without parole in courts over technical questions Virginia and has six life sentences without parole for the murders that about mandatory vs. discretionary life sentences. The truth is, Maltook place in Maryland. vo’s chances for parole are slim, During the same decade the because he’s been sentenced to six Supreme Court started a series of rulings that recognized that teen- life sentences in Maryland, but like all Supreme Court cases, there age brains were undeveloped and are implications for other juvenile prohibited extreme penalties for offenders. juveniles. At the time of Malvo’s original First, in 2005, the court ruled that trial, he was one of 2,800 people it was unconstitutional for juvenationwide who were juveniles niles to receive the death penalty. when they were sentenced to life Second, in 2010, the court ruled without possibility of parole. After that juveniles may not receive life the 2016 Montgomery ruling, sentences for non-homicide conresentencing hearings began victions. Then, in 2012, Miller v. Alabama, the Supreme Court ruled across the country with over 1,900 that mandatory life-without-parole inmates getting new hearings. sentences for defendants who were There was also a racial disparity. African American youths received under the age of 18 violated the life sentences at 10 times the rate Eighth Amendment, which bars of Whites. cruel and unusual punishment, The proper outcome of this case unless the defendant is found to won’t make a big difference for be “irreparably criminal.” Also, in 2016, Montgomery v. Louisiana, the Malvo, but it will be the major difference in future juvenile court decided the Miller’s prohibition on life-without-parole sentenc- cases. Malvo’s lawyers argued those es applied to convictions before sentenced to life without parole as 2012. juveniles are entitled to at least one Malvo’s lawyers went to court in opportunity to show they are not 2017 and argued that the Miller permanently incorrigible. This is a and Montgomery decisions renhard argument to make with Malvo dered Malvo’s sentence unconstias an example because his crimes tutional. The lower courts agreed and ordered Virginia to resentence were so heinous, but Malvo is the best example to establish a precehim, because the judge and jury dent and prove “justice for all” isn’t had not had a chance to consider just a slogan. whether a shorter sentence might (J. Pharoah Doss is a contributor to the be more appropriate because of New Pittsburgh Courier.) Malvo’s age. But the state of Vir-

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Jesse Jackson Sr.

Commentary

The Medicare For All debate is long overdue (TriceEdneyWire.com)—Affordable health care for all is now at the center of the presidential debate. Two of the top three contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination—Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders—support Medicare for All. The third—Joe Biden—and those hoping to take his place as the leading centrist in the race—Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar—have attacked the plan to contrast their candidacies from Sanders and Warren. Donald Trump, who wants to eliminate the Affordable Care Act itself, and has already added some 10 million people to the ranks of the uninsured, scorns it as “socialism,” just as earlier Republicans libeled Social Security and Medicare itself when they were under consideration. In 1984 and 1988, I made a single-payer Medicare for All plan central to my presidential campaign. As a policy, it has always made the most sense. The question has always been whether the politicians had the nerve to weather the fierce attack that insurance and pharmaceutical drug companies will unleash against the proposal and any candidate who supports it, and whether voters would be scared off by the attacks. Sanders brought Medicare for All back into the national political debate in his remarkable run for the Democratic nomination in 2016 against Hillary Clinton. The National Nurses Association and others have helped build a movement out of that momentum. Sanders has “written the bill,” and in the House, Rep. Pramila Jayapal has introduced a detailed complement to the Sanders bill. Elizabeth Warren, who signed onto the Sanders bill, now has produced a clear plan on what Medicare for All would cover, and how it would be paid for. The basic principles and values are clear and widely popular. Health care should be a right, not a privilege. No one should go without the care they need because they cannot afford it. No one should go bankrupt simply because they get sick. Yet our current health care system offends each of those principles. We spend almost two times per capita on health care as other advanced nations. If you have a lot of money or a strong union, you can get excellent health care. For the rest, care is rationed by money. Twenty-four million go without insurance, up 10 million under Trump. Another 65 million are underinsured, one serious illness away from bankruptcy. Health care costs are the leading cause of bankruptcy. Medicare for All is popular at first look. Then the insurance and drug companies and the opponents unleash their arguments: government will mess it up, it will raise your taxes, it will take away your current insurance. Presented with that information, people’s doubts grow. So most of the opponents fly under a false flag: they lay on the arguments against Medicare for All, but claim they support health care as a human right and support some version of a public option, giving people the illusion of choice. The reality is that those plans will still leave millions without coverage and many millions more underinsured. Warren came under particular attack in the debates and the media for not detailing how she would pay for her plan (Sanders has been clear on his plan). Now Warren has answered her critics. Her plan covers the cost of Medicare for All by raising taxes on the very wealthy—largely a 3 percent surcharge on the wealth of billionaires— and by requiring big companies to pay almost what they now pay for providing health care to their workers. Her plan would save some $7 trillion of the $59 trillion it costs to provide health care to all over a decade, according to the Urban Institute, by reducing overhead, eliminating insurance company profits, reducing monopoly and negotiating bulk discounts for drugs like every other advanced nation does. She would eliminate co-pays and premiums, returning $11 trillion to the pockets of working people, what she hails as the largest middleclass tax cut in history. Once voters learn that under Medicare for All they can always keep their doctor, they won’t be faced with co-pays or premiums, and they will be guaranteed comprehensive health care, support begins to build back up. Now Sanders and Warren have doubled down on their argument. Warren now puts it to Biden and the other critics: “Every candidate who opposes my long-term goal of Medicare for All should put forward their own plan to cover everyone, without costing the country anything more in health care spending, and while putting $11 trillion back in the pockets of the American people,” she writes. “If they are unwilling to do that, they should concede that they think it’s more important to protect the eye-popping profits of private insurers and drug companies and the immense fortunes of the top 1 percent and giant corporations.” It’s over three decades since I sounded the call for Medicare for All. Since then, health care costs have soared faster than wages, more companies have found ways to avoid covering more workers and more people have died or gone bankrupt because they couldn’t pay for the care they needed. Now with Sanders and Warren, the debate is joined again. The naysayers say that Medicare for All isn’t popular, that voters love their insurance companies. Sanders and Warren say voters love their doctors but are getting savaged by the drug and insurance companies. In the coming primaries, voters will have the opportunity to sort out what makes sense and what does not, and to show what is popular and what is not. This is a debate that is long overdue.

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

SPORTS

NOVEMBER 13-19, 2019

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Steelers will beat Browns, thanks to their best defense in years Game is Nov. 14 in Cleveland

As the Steelers come off their 4th straight victory over the defending NFC Champion Los Angeles Rams, they need to make a quick turnaround and head to Cleveland to take on the Browns. Cleveland has been a disappointment thus far this season, however, after beating the Bills this past Sunday, Nov. 10, they may have found a little life and some motivation to take down their intra-division rivals from Pittsburgh. The game will feature two quarterbacks who are no strangers to each other from their Big 12 days at Oklahoma and Oklahoma State in Baker Mayfield and Mason Rudolph. This will be the first time these guys have faced off as pros but I expect a good, heated battle. On offense, the team wants to get more touches from JuJu Smith-Schuster

but I anticipate the Browns will double-team him, as most teams have this season, meaning Rudolph is going to need to distribute the ball downfield to both Diontae Johnson and James Washington. Washington is coming off the best game of his career where he just posted six receptions for 90 yards. Given he has a good, solid connection with Rudolph, I’m looking for him to put up similar numbers again this week and really become a go to guy for the young QB. I’d like to see the use of Vance McDonald even more, especially in the red zone and on third down. McDonald should be Rudolph’s safety blanket and I look for more involvement out of him this week. From Rudolph’s standpoint, he needs to get more comfortable in the pocket and read the defense faster. He’s taking too many hits,

Commentary

Mike Pelaia getting stuck in the pocket too frequently lately and has been the victim of two safeties over the past two weeks. While I recognize the Steelers offensive line had to contend with Aaron Donald this past week vs. the Rams, possibly one of the best defenders in the entire NFL, Rudolph needs to be more aware. On Thursday, Nov. 14, he’ll have to face another monster in Myles Garrett for the Browns and if he continues to hold onto the

ball too long, it could spell disaster. In addition to getting the ball downfield, I maintain, as I have for weeks, the pass game needs to be set up by an effective rushing attack. One that controls the clock and moves the sticks, no matter who’s carrying the ball. It’s extremely important for a young quarterback. If the Steelers can’t gain four yards per carry at the least, the passing attack will suffer against the Browns.

But this game, like most this season, won’t be won by the offense. It’s this newlook defense that will need to step up again. I look for an all-out blitzkrieg on Mayfield. He talks a big game but he’s a turnover, mistake machine and this opportunistic defense led by Minkah Fitzpatrick will be ready to pounce. Mayfield will be looking to distribute the ball to his two stud wideouts, Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry but if the Steelers can get into the backfield as quickly as they have been, with guys like TJ Watt and Bud Dupree, Mayfield won’t have the time necessary to get it out to his playmakers. I anticipate Watt will get a few more sacks this week and Mayfield won’t know what hit him. The Browns will need to, and will try to, run the ball with Nick Chubb who has been a terror on defens-

es this year, amassing 919 yards already. To add to that threat, Kareem Hunt is back in the mix and is a playmaking thereat. I’m looking for the front line to plug the holes. Javon Hargrave and Cam Heyward have been impenetrable this season and if Chubb or Hunt get through, they will be hard pressed to get past Vince Williams and Devin Bush. This defense is one of the best we’ve seen in Pittsburgh in years and they will gain at least five more sacks this week, generate at least two more turnovers and will shut the Browns offense down. I look for the Steelers defense to set up their offense with short fields and easy scoring opportunities in this matchup, allowing the Steelers to extend their winning streak to five games. Prediction: Steelers 24, Browns 20.

Hello, Defense—The new star of the Pittsburgh Steelers On the afternoon of Nov. 10, the Los Angeles Rams bullied their way into Heinz Field to play the Pittsburgh Steelers. The men from the Steel City were given a snowball’s chance in Hades at coming out on top against the feared and talented Rams. The Steelers were also coached by Mike Tomlin who was certainly going to be outcoached by the Rams’ wunderkind head coach Sean McVay. The Steelers won the game by the score of 17-12 only because Pittsburgh reached into an old, new, old bag of tricks pulling out the two things that have stabilized them and aided their success over the past 40 plus years. Those two elements are coaching and defense. At this moment the Steelers have a sporadic and unimpressive passing game

anchored by a very sporadic and unimpressive second-year, second-string quarterback named Mason Rudolph whose only claim to a roster spot was based on him having a “great” camp. The current 2019 Steelers have limped from a season-threatening 1-4 start to knocking on the Wild Card door with a present record of 5-4. Their 2019 turnaround has been in spite of but certainly not because of Mason Rudolph even though Rudolph was 22-38 for 242 yards and a TD against Los Angeles. Also take into consideration that for the second consecutive week, Mason Rudolph has allowed himself to be sacked in the end zone for a safety. In spite of the semi-incompetence of Rudolph and the Steelers offense featuring

Inside Conditions

Aubrey Bruce fumbles, dropped passes and snaps over the head of the quarterback, the defense has once again pulled “steel wool” over the eyes of opposing offenses. Pittsburgh’s offense has tried every imaginable way to gift wrap wins for opposing teams only to be thwarted by the Steelers’ “big nasty D.” Some of the “squawking heads” are now even trying to take away the credit of

the defensive turnaround of the Steelers from the recently acquired Minkah Fitzpatrick, the former Miami Dolphins safety, now an almost certain Steeler for life. Fitzpatrick also ran a fumble back for a touchdown against the Rams as well as snagging another pick of the 2019 season, his fourth as a Steeler. I heard from one of the “pundits” (and I use that term very superficially) that the

Steelers defensive line was the reason that Fitzpatrick has been afforded multiple opportunities to get picks and recover fumbles. Have these nuts lost their ever-lovin’ mind? It is clearly because of the tight coverage on the back end that the D-line has more opportunities and more time to sack the QB. The Steelers have been putting upfront pressure on opposing QBs for the last couple of seasons, but the defensive backfield has generally answered their effort by usually crumbling like dried out PlayDoh. With the exception of cornerback Joe Haden, it really didn’t matter who was patrolling the Steelers defensive backfield because opposing teams could almost always count on Artie “toast and jelly” Burns and his comrades to give up a

big play to ruin the Steelers chance at victory. Over the course of the 2019 season except for the season-opening loss against the Patriots at Gillette Stadium, Pittsburgh has been in the thick of almost every game with the defense almost always providing the Steelers a genuine chance to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. With the 2019 addition of cornerback Steven Nelson as well as Minkah Fitzpatrick, the Steelers defense doesn’t hope to win, they expect to win. However presently, the offense hasn’t quite acquired that swagger of confidence. Let’s hope that misplaced loyalty for an unproven quarterback doesn’t waste and sacrifice some truly great performances by an up-and-coming great Steelers, steel curtain-like defense.

Next man up…that’s the Steeler way! :10—That being said, let’s take a minute and talk about the men that are down. Trust me there’s a point here. #1. As you well know, the Steelers franchise and soon-to-be Hall of Fame quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, is gone for the season. #2. Stephon Tuitt, a six-year veteran defensive lineman, is gone for the season. #3. Quarterback Mason Rudolph is standing on shaky ground after being knocked out cold against the Ravens a few weeks ago. #4. James Conner, now minus about 30 pounds that padded him at Pitt, is week to week to

week. #5. Joe Haden—ankle. #6. Benny Snell—knee. #7. JuJu Smith Schuster – ankle. #8. Roosevelt Nix —foot. #9. Ramon Foster —concussion. And, just for the record…#10. More than likely tight end Vance McDonald will get hurt. I am just saying!!! And yet, we rise! :09—If Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin gets this team to 8 and 8, I dare say into the playoffs with this mash unit, he deserves Coach of the Decade. :08—Just another warm reminder and continued condolences to the late great Cleveland “Cle” Ed-

Overtime

Bill Neal wards. The legendary Fifth Avenue Archer who passed on much too soon, but clearly left a giant footprint. A do-it-all athlete at Fifth, an All-American basketball player at Robert Morris University, a

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game-changer at the University of Pittsburgh as both a player and a coach and most importantly a big brother to many in the sports and community arena, me included. A very special thanks must go out to David “QuickDraw” Strothers and Calvary Baptist Church for a celebration of life ceremony given in Cle’s honor. And of course, praises to his children and family for sharing the moment and time to the legion of friends who came out to say goodbye. :07—Speaking of greatness, and I just was, do “yourself” a favor, don’t do it for me. Run…Do-NotWalk…to the closest theater to you and see Harriet,

the movie/documentary of the legendary soldier who rescued over 70 slaves to freedom and a ton of other things you didn’t know. The movie is fantastic. I give it 5 basketballs just like other great movies including Malcolm X, the Magnificent Seven, the Godfather, the Outlaw Josey Wales—I am just sayin’! And if Cynthia Erivo doesn’t win the Oscar for her lead role…“No Justice, No Peace!” :06—How about a tip of the cap to Andrew McCutchen. Playing for Philly, but still lives here in the Burgh. And still does bigtime charity work in the area. Not bad for a guy that wasn’t treated as well as he should have been by Pirate management. :05—This just in. Two things about the World Series. #1. The Washington Nationals won. Who cares, they went to the White House! #2. More importantly, how about that unbelievable and amazing backflip Simone Biles did before she threw out the ceremonial first pitch for game two of the se-

ries. C’mon, Man…C’mon, Woman! :04—Not enough attention given to the nationally ranked Pitt women’s volleyball team? You got it. The Pitt women’s volleyball team is ranked #2 in the nation with a record of 241. Let’s go Pitt! :03—Pitt men’s basketball is back with some significant interior changes to the Petersen Events Center. Too early to tell about changes to the team. A whoopin’ to my alma mater, Slippery Rock University, to open the season, an upset over ACC opponent Florida State and a loss to a very good but relatively unknown Nicholls State out of Thibodaux, Louisiana leaves us room to wonder. :02—This just in. Mason Rudolph may be your quarterback…but he won’t be your franchise. And yes, you can take that to the bank! :01—As I always leave you with words of wisdom. If you don’t vote him out… you get what you deserve! :00—GAME OVER.

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ACHIEVE

School Choice Guide — New Pittsburgh Courier • November 13-19, 2019

COMMUNITY PROTEST—Representatives from social justice organizations Education Rights Network, One Pennsylvania and the ACLU of Pennsylvania rallied before the Pittsburgh Public Schools board meeting on Oct. 28. (Photo by Stephanie Hacke/PublicSource)

Pittsburgh school board delays police memorandum vote. Activists say it favors police, not students. by Stephanie Hacke PublicSource

Parents and community activists say many changes still need to be made to a proposed memorandum of understanding between Pittsburgh Public Schools and city police to ensure the most vulnerable students’ rights are protected. School board members decided at its Oct. 28 hearing to wait yet another month to vote on the agreement with

city police that outlines how officers can respond to certain incidents on school property or at school-sponsored activities. The board now plans to take action later in November, following further board discussion at its Nov. 6 workshop meeting. Representatives from social justice organizations Education Rights Network, One Pennsylvania and the ACLU of Pennsylvania rallied before the board’s Oct. 28 public

hearing, demanding changes be made to the memorandum of understanding [MOU] before its passage. They also rallied to encourage the board to expand the district’s suspension ban for non-violent infractions for students in pre-K to second grade to now go through fifth grade. Statistics show that Black students and students with disabilities are suspended at a disproportionate rate. Instead of suspension, the ad-

vocates and students present at the rally said they want to see services offered to help students. “You have principals who are running little prisons. These principals are small representations of prison wardens,” Paulette Foster, co-founder of Education Rights Network, said during public comment. The organizations have gathered more than 750 signatures from people seeking to stop suspensions of children

through fifth grade, she said. While parents and community members said they are glad to see the ban from pre-K through second grade, they believe more needs to be done. Angel Gober, Western Pennsylvania director of One Pennsylvania, said she plans to follow up with board members and the superintendent in the coming weeks in hopes of getting a policy drafted to SEE ACTIVISTS PAGE 7

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NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Propel Schools redefine school, defy expectations Propel Schools has been transforming the lives of children through innovative, scholar-centered learning for more than 15 years. When Propel first opened its doors in the basement of a former Homestead hospital in 2003, our founders were on a mission to operate high-performing public charter schools and provide a choice to families who might not otherwise have options for their children. Since that time, Propel Schools has grown to serve 4,000 scholars in 13 schools throughout Allegheny County. A caring and committed team of educators, who are passionate about education and social justice, supports each Propel scholar’s journey. Propel students are exposed to a wide range of memorable and meaningful experiences. Through our Student Opportunities, we are developing scholars who will be effective communicators, problem solvers, financially and digitally literate, and college or career ready. Our Career Pathways program provides a fully-mapped curriculum that includes high school and college courses to prepare scholars for high priority occupations such as nursing. They will graduate with up to 31 college credits, free of charge. Propel embraces the power of creativity in helping scholars build confidence and find their place and passion.

STEAM—In addition to a focus on science, technology, engineering, arts, and math, Propel’s small class sizes ensure students get the specialized attention they need.com. Propel’s Creative Arts Program brings professionals in the fields of musical theater, dance, martial arts, media and physical education into our classrooms. We strive to provide diverse programming to close the experience gap. All 6-12 grade scholars have the opportunity to

Founded 1910

Rod Doss Editor & Publisher Stephan A. Broadus Assistant to the Publisher Rob Taylor Jr. Managing Editor The New Pittsburgh Courier acknowledges graphic designer Kathleen Yocum and advertising coordinaor Ashley Johnson for their contributions to the Courier’s 2018 School Choice Guide.

participate in Propel Athletics, which includes basketball, volleyball, track and field, cheerleading and bowling. Additional things you should know about Propel Schools: •Currently, our schools our Andrew Street High School in Munhall; Braddock Hills Ele-

mentary (K-5), Braddock Hills Middle (6-8), and Braddock Hills High; East (K-8) in Turtle Creek; Hazelwood (K-8); Homestead (K-8); McKeesport (K-8); Montour Elementary (K-5) in Kennedy Township, Montour Middle 6-8), Montour High in Robinson Township; Northside

(K-8); and Pitcairn (K-8). •Our award-winning afterschool programs are free to Propel families. Afterschool offers academic enrichment opportunities and includes snacks and/or dinner. •Propel’s school year begins mid-August and ends late June. The longer school day and year allows more time for instruction and student/ educator engagement. •Propel has a student uniform dress code to support our Culture of Dignity and minimize distractions. •Families of new kindergarten students must attend registration and kindergarten screening. These sessions are intended to assess students’ strengths and growth areas. PARTNERSHIP—A partnership with CCAC will enable students to graduate from high school with up (Find out more at to 31 college credits, free of charge, in subjects such as nursing. www.propelschools.org.)

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SCHOOL CHOICE GUIDE 2019

Catalyst Academy becomes Pittsburgh’s first new K-8 public charter school in six years The Pittsburgh Public Schools (PPS) Board of Directors recently approved a charter agreement with Catalyst Academy Charter School. This ends a two-year process that began with the submission of the Catalyst Academy application on Nov. 15, 2017. The charter agreement between PPS and Catalyst Academy contains performance measures including student scores on PA standardized tests, providing more accountability than prior Pittsburgh charter agreements. Catalyst Academy Founder & CEO Brian Smith remarked, “From the beginning, we have been laser-focused on providing a great public school option to the families in underserved, disadvantaged neighborhoods in the East End. Though this has been a lengthy, costly process, we are excited that we are

finally able to tackle the hard work of providing a world-class school that prepares students for college, career, and life. Additionally, we embrace the spirit of accountability in this first of its kind charter agreement. Indeed, we believe all public schools should be accountable to parents, the state, and to taxpayers.” Catalyst Academy has been diligently preparing for their opening this coming August. Darren Gray joined the organization this past summer as Founding Principal. Darren came to Catalyst Academy from Nashville’s Liberty Collegiate Academy, where he was an Assistant Principal focused on teacher development. Liberty Collegiate, which serves predominantly low-income families of color, is recognized for academic growth in the top 5 percent of schools in Nashville.

DARREN GRAY

BRIAN SMITH

Founding Principal Darren Gray, remarked, “I am excited to engage with families and learn how Catalyst Academy can help to fulfill their hopes and dreams for their children’s future.” Catalyst Academy also announced today that they will be opening in the former Lemington School in the Lincoln-Lemington neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The East End neighborhoods that Catalyst

Academy is focused on include the Hill District, Garfield, East Liberty, Larimer, Lincoln-Lemington, Homewood, and East Hills. Catalyst Academy will open in August 2020 with kindergarten and 1st grade classes, and will grow a grade per year to eventually serve kindergarten through 8th grade. Parents can learn more and apply online at CatalystAcademy.org

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More About Catalyst Academy Charter School Catalyst Academy Charter School’s mission is to prepare all students for college, career, and life. The school will serve children in underserved East End communities that today lack High-quality neighborhood schools Catalyst Academy Charter School’s motto is “Belong. Grow. Achieve.” This reflects the school’s deep commitment to cultivating an inclusive supportive school community where everyone—children and adults—is focused on learning every day, in order for all students to define and achieve their dreams. Catalyst Academy Charter School’s education model is designed to close both the achievement and opportunity gap The approach couples rigorous core academics with a broad offering in he arts and sciences. Students will experience STEM learning daily and arts programming four days per week. (For more information, please visit our website at www.catalystacademy.org or contact Brian Smith at (412) 684-2400.)

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PA CYBER GRADUATE

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

PA CYBER STUDENT

The learning never stops at PA Cyber Serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade, the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School (PA Cyber) is one of the largest, most experienced, and most successful online public schools in the nation. PA

Cyber’s online learning environments, personalized instructional methods, and choices of curricula connect Pennsylvania students and their families with state-certified and highly-qualified teachers, and rich academic

content that is aligned to state standards. Founded in 2000, PA Cyber is headquartered in Midland (Beaver County) and maintains a network of support offices

throughout the state. As a public school, PA Cyber is open for enrollment by any school-age child residing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and does not

charge tuition to students or families.

(For more information please visit www.pacyber.org or call one of our enrollment representatives at 1-888-PA-Cyber (722-9237).)

Extra Mile Education Foundation supports schools in Pittsburgh neighborhoods

For nearly 30 years, the Extra Mile Education Foundation has been providing financial support to schools in Pittsburgh neighborhoods. The Foundation’s support has enabled these schools to offer an affordable education centered on academic excellence and an emphasis Students at St. Benedict the Moor in the Hill District. on values in a safe and structured envi- Bowman Catholic Acad- eighth grades. ronment. In addition to emy in Wilkinsburg, The strong educationeach school’s affordable and Northside Catholic al foundation Extra Mile tuition structure, the Assumption Academy in students acquire in our Foundation also has a sig- Brighton Heights. The elementary schools serves nificant tuition assistance schools are pre-kinder- our graduates through garten through eighth high school and beyond. program. There are three schools grade, offer a number of For more information on in the Extra Mile net- special programs, and the Extra Mile-supported work of schools: St. Ben- provide high school pre- schools, contact Brandi edict the Moor in the paratory assistance to Cheatom at 412-456-3103, Hill District, Sr. Thea students in seventh and or the school of your choice.

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

SCHOOL CHOICE GUIDE 2019

A word from Dr. Nancy Hines, Penn Hills School District Superintendent At Penn Hills School District, we’re following a new approach. We know many kids have had and continue to have wonderfully engaging experiences in our schools, yet we have missed the mark with other students. Consequently, we are studying how student experiences compare. To date, we’ve found no single reason for disparities, whether we are looking directly at gender, ethnicity, family income, disabilities, and/or English language proficiency; however, identified disparities seem to tie directly to assessments, curriculum, and instruction. For example, the scores on certain assessments (in the past) opened doors to our most dynamic learning opportunities for some, but certainly not all. In the past, it was thought that remediation alone would bring the other students along, and non-qualifying students just weren’t ready for

way and conh i g h e r- l e v e l sequently fall(and more enen behind on gaging) expeskills developriences. ment. UnfortuSo, the Penn nately, remeHills School diation efforts District has and basic inchanged its struction isoapproach and lated students is now extendand left them ing access to in non-stimmore rigorous ulating enviDR. NANCY HINES coursework ronments that relied heavily on low-level as- and our full array of instrucsignments. Again, the thought tional resources. Additionally, was that students who scored instruction is being modified to lower on certain assessments include the application of basic needed to be drilled repeated- facts and principles when they ly on basic facts, concepts, and are initially presented. This skills viewed as foundational strategy is helping students not only to master the basics for higher-level learning. An unintended consequence but also allowing students the has been that excluded stu- opportunity to participate fuldents haven’t developed ly in higher-level experiences learner confidence, and their that are more dynamic, which creativity has been stifled. is fueling further inquiry and Without confidence and full engagement. Curriculum is also being engagement, kids seem to have lost interest along the assessed from the learner

point-of-view. A review of our textbooks and related resources has shown that many students feel no connection with various authors, characters and situations being portrayed in literature selections we had been using. Traditional thinking had been that kids just have to “tough it out” in the classroom, even when the content isn’t appealing. That is still true to some degree, but we can do better as a school system when we take the time to identify and make available alternative reading materials and resources that address similar themes that are viewed as essential for next-level learning. Similarly, we are finding that students benefit when issues and problems are addressed from multiple perspectives. A review of current events broadcast locally and at the national level shows us that not everyone views cost and benefit the same, and

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traditional resources haven’t always acknowledged victims. In this same vein, we are encouraging students to analyze current and historical events with a different lens, and teachers are now considering the position of the victim (intended or unintended) alongside the position of those making the decisions in that moment. Increasing focus on the student experience is allowing us to evaluate past practices honestly, and we are using action research in our classrooms to help us address learning gaps. We are learning better strategies to expose the hidden talents our students possess and to promote growth and development of those talents beyond test scores. While we are in no way where we want to be, I am pleased that we are having serious discussions and seeing real movement in learner confidence and engagement that is leading to a stronger sense of belonging within our school community. Dr. Nancy Hines Penn Hills School District Superintendent

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Public schools are more segregated than they were 40 years ago

by Rushern Baker For Speakin’ Out News

On Nov. 4, 1952, Dr. Helen Kenyon addressed the Women’s Society of Riverside Church in New York City and opined that, “Eleven o’clock Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in America.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. often paraphrased the quote. Today, sadly, our public schools best reflect Dr. Kenyon’s and Dr. King’s sentiment as the most segregated place in America. The rampant re-segregation of American public schools poses a greater threat to the trajectory of America’s progress than terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and Russian meddling in our elections. Sixty-two years after Brown v. Board, the GAO (Government Accountability Office) reported that from the years 2000-2014, both the percentage of K-12 public schools in high-poverty and the percentage of African American and Hispanic students enrolled in public schools more than doubled, and the percentage of all schools with so-called racial or

socioeconomic isolation grew from 9 percent to 16 percent. Research shows that racial and socioeconomic diversity in our classrooms leads to higher than average test scores, greater college enrollment rates, and the narrowing of achievement gaps. These gains don’t just apply to poor and minority children either—every student benefits from learning and engaging with peers from different backgrounds. Despite the evidence, today our public schools are more segregated than they were 40 years ago. As an advocate for children

and families, and as a public servant, who has fought for more resources for students, I believe we must act boldly to save free, high-quality public education for all. Some of the very leaders tasked with solving the negative effects from school re-segregation offer shortsighted policies that exacerbate racial and economic divisions. The ripple-effect, consequences of their misguided thinking remains the greatest policy foible of the modern era. Lazy logic behind bad policy feeds a perception that the achievement gap exists simply, be-

cause poor and minority students learn differently than their wealthier, White peers. Rather, it is directly tied to declining enrollment, lower property values, and the dwindling resources available to tackle mounting challenges in the communities that surround underperforming public schools. The greatest irony remains that those promoting harmful education policies use the same language of “giving every child a chance at a high-quality education” to pitch their tax-dollar-poaching and resource-pilfering experiments to desperate parents. Rather than making public education a number one priority, a Hunger-Games-like competition for vouchers and charter schools leaves parents and students fending for themselves. The families that lose the education lottery end up at schools with increased needs and declining resources. In Maryland, our Governor’s BOOST voucher program set aside $5 million dollars of public money to help 2,400 families pay for their child’s education. Yet, 80

percent of the families receiving these grants had children who were already enrolled in private schools. Vouchers, whose American roots can be traced back to some Southern states’ attempts to avoid integration, perpetuate segregated education and are nothing more than a thinly-veiled attempt to cut off funds to public schools. It gets even worse. Some communities have simply seceded from the larger school district, as we’ve seen in Alabama and Tennessee, to keep from integrating their schools. Since 2000, the U.S. Justice Department has released 250 communities from their desegregation orders and consequently facilitated their financial and administrative secession from their school districts. After all those factors lead to a dip in school performance, students and their communities are stigmatized as “failing.” Schools close. Quality of life drops; economic prospects dwindle; public safety decreases; and the cycle repeats, so that higher needs populations receive even fewer resources.

How a scholarship opportunity preps students for their future (BPT)—According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020 there will be 1.4 million computer science-related jobs available, but there will only be 400,000 computer science graduates with the skills needed to apply for those jobs. Furthermore, although computer science is the fastest-growing profession within the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), only 8 percent of STEM graduates earn a computer science degree in school —with only a small percentage of those students from underserved backgrounds. To discover the untapped talent among today’s high school and college students, scholarship opportunities are needed to provide the encouragement and the financial means for more students to pursue careers in computer science. With the goal of inspiring and educating children and young adults to try computer

science, especially students from underserved and underrepresented communities, Amazon has founded a program called Amazon Future Engineer, which is part of Amazon’s $50 million investment in STEM and computer science over the next five years. Amazon Future Engineer is a four-part, childhood-to-career program that funds programs ranging from after-school coding classes for kids in grades K-8, to robotics programs and Intro and Advanced Placement (AP) computer science courses for high school students. One of the highlights of the program is the Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship, which awards 100 high school seniors from underserved communities scholarships of $40,000 over four years to study computer science at a four-year college or university of their choice. The scholarship award also includes an

offer for a guaranteed, paid internship with Amazon, after students complete their first year of college, to gain valuable work experience. It is one of the only computer science programs to offer both a scholarship and guaranteed internship placement to students. Previous scholarship winner and current Ohio University student Hannah Nguyen said, “Being selected for the Amazon Future Engineer program is incredibly empowering, especially with women being so underrepresented in the field. I’m so excited for my future in computer science and I’m looking forward to the amazing opportunity to apply my knowledge while gaining real-world experience at this summer internship.” What are the scholarship requirements? •Completion of an AP computer science class in high school

•Intent to pursue a computer science degree at a fouryear college or university •Teacher recommendation Other factors considered include the applicant’s academic performance, demonstrated leadership, participation in school and community activities, work experience, a statement of career and educational goals, and financial need. Amazon’s inaugural class of scholarship winners was announced in April 2019 and includes 100 students from 32 states. All of the recipients demonstrated financial need and more than half of the students awarded the scholarships were from underrepresented groups in the computer science field, such as women, first-generation immigrants and people of color. These 100 students are currently attending some of the top universities and computer science programs in the country.

Another scholarship winner from the class of 2019, Jailynn Primus, used her award to enroll at Howard University. “To me the Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship means an investment in my future and the opening of doors that I thought were previously closed to me,” she explained. “Being a double minority in STEM by being both African American and female, this empowers me to stay focused on the future I would like to create for both myself and society.” To read more about previous scholarship winners, visit blog.aboutamazon.com/ community/how-raising-herhand-in-robotics-club-led-toan-amazon-scholarship. Applications for this year’s Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship will be accepted through January 17, 2020 for current high school seniors. Interested students can apply at AmazonFutureEngineer. com.

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Pittsburgh school board delays police memorandum vote. Activists say it favors police, not students. ACTIVISTS FROM PAGE 1

extend the suspension ban. Gober said she also wants to see a suspension working group reconvened to do a deep dive into the implementation of the suspension ban for pre-K through second grade to examine the services offered to students. Parents and community groups also want their voices to be heard regarding the proposed MOU. While they were a part of a working group that gave recommendations for the agreement between Pittsburgh Public and city police, Gober said their recommendations were not implemented. The MOU would define parameters for information sharing between the district and police, what incidents school officials must notify police regarding and what law enforcement response may

involve, including taking a child into custody, notification of parents or guardians and reporting requirements. Pennsylvania School Code requires that districts and municipalities have an MOU in place. The Pittsburgh district has been working without an agreement with city police since 2011. The MOU was pulled from a vote in May and delayed again last month when a board member asked for another month to give the public time to comment. Sticking points have included Pittsburgh police’s ability to arrest students in school for offenses committed in the past or off of school grounds. “We need MOUs that limit the role of police and not facilitate it,” said Cheryl Kleiman, attorney with the Education Law Center. Parents and community

advocates said the MOU is written from the perspective of the police, not the students and parents. “We are effectively handing over complete control of discipline to city police and trusting that they will do the right thing. Where do we draw the line?” said Ghadah Makoshi, parent and community advocate for the ACLU of Pennsylvania. “As we all know, the people most impacted by this overreach are the people most marginalized. In the case of schools, these are Black and brown students and increasingly Black girls in particular, students with disabilities and LGBTQI students. It is our responsibility to protect our students’ rights and privacy and to draw that line,” Makoshi said. Makoshi raised concerns that the MOU requires the

school to notify law enforcement for a long list of offenses. One is when a disorderly person fails to disperse upon official order. “This could mean something like a group of Black girls is taking a walk in the hallway and being asked to go somewhere else but do not,” she said. “So they would be considered disorderly and a failure to disperse, particularly when viewed through the lens of implicit bias and racism.” Other concerns raised during public comment on Monday night included: How police would respond to incidents involving students with special needs. That protections in the agreement during interviews or interrogations vary between victims, witnesses and suspects. That the agreement doesn’t ensure a parent will be in the

room if a child is questioned. While the latest draft states that parents or guardians of a suspect must be contacted by law enforcement, the language reads that if they cannot be reached, “the school entity shall defer to the investigating law enforcement authority, which will protect the student suspect’s legal and constitutional rights as required by law.” Gober said the organizations advocating for students provided board members with a list of “progressive MOU language that school districts have adopted across the country.” “This is our opportunity to protect students and not overcriminalize them,” Gober said.

(Stephanie Hacke is a freelance journalist in Pittsburgh. She can be reached at stephanie.hacke@gmail. com.)

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New Pittsburgh Courier list of schools DISTRICT INFORMATION Allegheny Valley School District Communities Served: Cheswick and Springdale Boroughs, Harmar and Springdale Townships Levels: K-12 http://www.avsdweb.org/ Avonworth School District Communities Served: Ben Avon, Ben Avon Heights and Emsworth Boroughs, Kilbuck and Ohio Townships Levels: K-12 http://www.avonworth.k12. pa.us Baldwin-Whitehall School District Communities Served: Baldwin and Whitehall Boroughs and Baldwin Township Levels: K-12 http://www.bwschools.net Bethel Park School District Communities Served: Municipality of Bethel Park Levels: K-12 http://www.bpsd.org

Brentwood Borough School District Communities Served: Brentwood Borough Levels: K-12 http://www.bb-sd.com Carlynton School District Communities Served: Carnegie, Crafton and Rosslyn Farms Boroughs Levels: K-12 http://www.carlynton.k12.pa.us Chartiers Valley School District Communities Served: Bridgeville and Heidelberg Boroughs, Collier and Scott Townships Levels: K-12 http://www.cvsd.net Clairton City School District Communities Served: Clairton City Levels: K-12 http://www.ccsdbears.org Cornell School District Communities Served: Coraopolis Borough and Neville Township Levels: K-12

http://www.cornell.k12.pa.us Deer Lakes School District Communities Served: East Deer, Frazer and West Deer Townships Levels: K-12 http://www.deerlakes.net Duquesne City School District Communities Served: Duquesne City Levels: K-6 http://www.dukecitysd.org East Allegheny School District Communities Served: East McKeesport, Wall and Wilmerding Boroughs; North Versailles Township Levels: K-12 http://www.eawildcats.net Elizabeth Forward School District Communities Served: Elizabeth Borough, Elizabeth and Forward Townships Levels: K-12 http://www.efsd.net Fox Chapel Area School District Communities Served: Aspinwall, Blawnox, Fox Chapel and Sharpsburg Boroughs; Indiana and O’Hara Townships Levels: K-12 http://www. fcasd.edu Gateway School District Communities Served: Municipality of Monroeville and Pitcairn Borough Levels: K-12 http://www. gatewayk12. org Hampton Township School District Communities Served: Hampton Township Levels: K-12 http://www. ht-sd.org Highlands School Dis-

trict Communities Served: Brackenridge and Tarentum Boroughs, Harrison and Fawn Townships Levels: K-12 http://www.goldenrams.com Keystone Oaks School District Communities Served: Castle Shannon, Dormont, Green Tree Boroughs Levels: K-12 Enrollment: 1,880 http://www.kosd.org McKeesport Area School District Communities Served: Dravosburg, Versailles and White Oak Boroughs; City of McKeesport; and South Versailles Township Levels: K-12 http://www.mckasd.net Montour School District Communities Served: Ingram, Pennsbury and Thornburg Boroughs; Kennedy and RobinsonTownships Levels: K-12 http://www.montourschools. com Moon Area School District Communities Served: Moon and Cresent Townships Levels: K-12 http://www.moonarea.net Mt. Lebanon School District Communities Served: Mt. Lebanon Levels: K-12 http://www.mtlsd.org North Allegheny School District Communities Served: Bradford Woods and Franklin Park Boroughs, Marshall Township and Town of McCandless Levels: K-12 http://www.northallegheny.org North Hills School District Communities Served: West View Borough and Ross Township Levels: K-12 http://www.nhsd.net Northgate School District Communities Served: Avalon and Bellevue Boroughs Levels: K-12 http://www.northgate.k12.pa.us Penn Hills School District Communities Served: Municipality of Penn Hills Levels: K-12 http://www.phsd.k12.pa.us Pine-Richland School District

Communities Served: Pine and Richland Townships Levels: K - 12 http://www.pinerichland.org Pittsburgh Public Schools Communities Served: City of Pittsburgh Levels: K-12 www.pps.k12.pa.us Plum Borough School District Communities Served: Plum Borough Levels: K-12 http://www.pbsd.k12.pa.us Quaker Valley School District Communities Served: Bell Acres, Edgeworth, Glenfield, Haysville, Leetsdale, Osborne, Sewickley, Sewickley Heights and Sewickley Hills Boroughs; Aleppo and Leet Townships Levels: K-12 http://www.qvsd.org Riverview School District Communities Served: Oakmont and Verona Boroughs Levels: K-12 http://www.rsd.k12.pa.us Shaler Area School District Communities Served: Etna and Millvale Boroughs, Reserve and Shaler Townships, Glenshaw Levels: K-12 http://www.sasd.k12.pa.us South Allegheny School District Communities Served: Glassport, Liberty, Lincoln and Port Vue Boroughs Levels: K-12 http://www.southallegheny.org South Fayette Township School District Communities Served: South Fayette Township Levels: K-12 http://www.southfayette.org South Park School District Communities Served: South Park Township Levels: K-12 http://www.sparksd.org Steel Valley School District Communities Served: Homestead, Munhall and West Homestead Boroughs Levels: K-12 http://steelvalleysd.org Sto-Rox School District Communities Served: McKees Rocks Borough and Stowe Township SEE LIST PAGE 9

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SCHOOL CHOICE GUIDE 2019

Levels: K-12 http://www.srsd.k12.pa.us Upper St. Clair School District Communities Served: Upper St. Clair Township Levels: K-12 http://www.uscsd.k12.pa.us West Allegheny School District Communities Served: Findlay and North Fayette Townships, Oakdale Borough Levels: K-12 http://www.westasd.org/ West Jefferson Hills School District Communities Served: Jefferson, Pleasant Hills and West Elizabeth Boroughs Levels: K-12 http://www.wjhsd.net West Mifflin Area School District Communities Served: West Mifflin and Whitaker Boroughs Levels: K-12 http://www.wmasd.org Wilkinsburg School District Communities Served: Wilkinsburg Levels: Pre-K-6 http://www.wilkinsburgschools. org/

Woodland Hills School District Communities Served: Braddock, Braddock Hills, Chalfant, Churchill, East Pittsburgh, Edgewood, Forest Hills, North Braddock, Rankin, Swissvale and Turtle Creek Boroughs; and Wilkins Township Levels: K-12 http://www.whsd.net NON-PUBLIC SCHOOLS PROGRAM PAROCHIAL & PRIVATE SCHOOLS Private Schools—Eastern Area Beulah Christian Preschool Grades: P-K 2500 McCrady Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15235 Phone: 412-242-4424 CCAC Boyce CDC Grades: Pre K-K 595 Beatty Road, Monroeville, PA. 15146 Phone: 724-325-6677 Christ Lutheran School Grades: Pre - 3 -8 400 Barclay Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. 15221 Phone: 412-271-7173 East Catholic Grades: K-8

2001 Ardmore Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA. 15221 Phone: 412-351-5403 Faith Christian School Grades: K-12 801 Thompson Street, Turtle Creek, PA. 15145 Phone: 412-825-7455 Greater Works Academy Grades: K-12 301 College Park Drive, Monroeville, PA. 15146 Phone: 724-327-6500 Learning Tree, The V Grades: K 2566 Haymaker Road, Monroeville, PA. 15146 Phone: 412-372-2744 North American Martyrs School Grades: K-6 2526 Haymaker Road, Monroeville, PA. 15146 Phone: 412-373-0889 Pittsburgh Urban Christian Grades: K-8 809 Center Street, Pittsburgh, PA. 15221 Phone: 412-244-1779 Praise Christian Academy Grades: K-8 245 Foster Road, North Versailles, PA. 15137 Phone: 412-829-0400 Redeemer Lutheran

Grades: Pre - 6 700 Idaho Ave, Verona, PA. 15147 Phone: 412-828-9323 Shady Side Academy (Junior School) Grades: PK-5 400 South Braddock Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. 152213215 Phone: 412-473-4400 St. Bartholomew School Grades: Pre -8 111 Erhardt Drive, Pittsburgh, PA. 15235 Phone: 412-242-2511 St. Bernadette School Grades: Pre- K -8 245 Azalea Drive, Monroeville, PA. 15146 Phone: 412-372-7255 St. Joseph School Grades: K-8 825 Second Avenue, Verona, PA. 15147 Phone: 412-828-7213 Sister Thea Bowman Catholic Academy Grades: K-8 721 Rebecca Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. 15221 Phone: 412-242-3515 Trinity Christian School Grades: K-12 299 Ridge Avenue, Pittsburgh,

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PA. 15221 Phone: 412-242-8886 Private Schools––Northern Area Aquinas Academy Grades: K-12 2308 West Hardies Road, Gibsonia, PA. 15044 Phone: 724-444-0722 Assumption School Grades: K- 8 35 North Jackson Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. 15202 Phone: 412-761-788 Blessed Sacrament School Grades: K-8 800 Montana Avenue, Natrona Heights, PA. 15065 Phone: 724-226-2345 CCAC North Child Development Center Grades: P-K 8701 Perry Highway, Pittsburgh, PA. 15237 Phone: 412-369-3722 Cheswick Christian School Grades: Pre - 12 1407 Pittsburgh Street, Cheswick, PA. 15024 Phone: 724-274-4846 Christ the Divine Teacher Catholic Academy Grades: 1-8 SEE LIST PAGE 10

A word from PPS Superintendent Anthony Hamlet The recent release of the Pittsburgh’s Inequality Across Gender and Race report by the City of Pittsburgh’s Gender Equity Commission, rehashes what we know too well—the impact of racial inequities across our city are systemic, and the challenge ahead to repair them is steep. In many ways, Pittsburgh Public Schools is the crucible of inequity — yet we also recognize that we are in the ideal position to serve as architects of the solution. Finding the solution is a call that I hold close to my heart. When I assumed my post as Superintendent in 2016, one of my first major undertakings was to uncover the disparities within PPS as part of the development of the District’s strategic plan, Expect Great Things. What we found was startling: an independent, third-party consultant reported that regardless of economic status, African American children lagged significantly behind white children in achievement, and PPS was using out-of-school suspension at a disproportionately higher rate for African American students, undoubtedly contributing to this gap. We began our efforts to eliminate this gap with the implementation of our strategic plan, Expect Great Things. Through this work, the Board and I have taken several actions designed to improve equity, such as: •Banning the use of out-of-school suspension for students younger than the third grade for non-violent minor disciplinary infractions; •Revising the PPS Code of Conduct to minimize exclusionary discipline and provide a graduated response for student drug offenses based on the severity of the infraction; •Approving a new Transgender and Gender Expansive Students policy designed to ensure the District clearly communicates the rights of students as they relate to gender; and •Implementation of real-time monitoring and public reporting of suspension data. But that was only the beginning—a gap that has been gradually widening across generations cannot be closed without a deliberate, research-based strategic approach. This month we unveiled the next phase in our ongoing efforts to bridge the equity gap: On Track to Equity, a comprehensive implementation plan that seeks to integrate equity throughout the District. On Track to Equity represents the next milestone in our quest to achieve true equity in our city’s public schools. The 97-page plan details 27 key action steps the District is taking toward this goal, each grouped under one of seven focus areas outlined in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between PPS and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. Some examples of action items include: •Improving professional development for PPS educators to bridge knowledge to practice, particularly in instructional strategies; •Creating culturally responsive instructional materials; •A careful review of curricular materials to ensure all students have access to a rigorous education; and •Developing culturally responsive practices to healing violence and trauma. We recognize that all students deserve of a quality, culturally relevant public education. With the finalization of our plan, we have set forth a road map for how we intend to continue on this journey and double down on our commitment to ensuring the best possible education for all children. Education lays the groundwork that will guide our city toward an equitable future. It is our greatest weapon in the fight against poverty, discrimination, ignorance, and other root causes of these disparities. Closing these gaps will not be an easy undertaking—but it is one that we are committed to achieving. Our vision is one in which our city is truly one of the greatest places to live for all our citizens. My hope is the entire community will embrace this plan to ensure a more equitable education for all. It will take all of us. Our city’s future depends on it. Yours in Education, Superintendent Anthony Hamlet, Ed.D.

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SCHOOL CHOICE GUIDE 2019

205 Brilliant Street, Pittsburgh, PA. 15215 Phone: 412-781-7927 Community Child Development Center Grades: P-K K 400 Center Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. 15215 Phone: 412-781-2204 Eden Christian Academy-B Grades: P-8 206 Seibert Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15237 Phone: 412-364-8055 Eden Christian Academy-W Grades: Pre-5 12121 Perry Highway, Wexford, PA. 15090 Phone: 724-935-9301 Fox Chapel Country Day Grades: PK-5 620 Squaw Run Road East, Pittsburgh, PA. 15238 Phone: 412-963-8644 Montessori Centre Academy 1014 William Flynn Highway, Glenshaw, PA. 15116 Phone: 412-486-6239 Montessori Children’s Community Grades: Pre - 6 474 Chadwick Street, Sewickley, PA. 15143 Phone: 412-741-8982 Mt. Alvernia High School Grades: 9-12 146 Hawthorne Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15209 Phone: 412-821-3858 Mt. Nazareth Center Grades: P-K 285 Bellevue Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15229 Phone: 412-931-9761 North Pittsburgh Child’s House 5031 Oakview Drive, Gibsonia, PA. 15044 Phone: 724-444-0480 Providence Heights Alpha School Grades: 1-8 9000 Babcock Boulevard, Allison Park, PA. 15101 Phone: 412-366-4455 Royal Oak Nursery 4413 Mt. Royal Boulevard, Allison Park, PA. 15101 Phone: 412-487-1668 Sewickley Academy Grades: Pre -K-12 315 Academy Avenue, Sewickley, PA. 15143 Phone: 412-741-2230 Shady Side Academy (Middle School) Grades: 6-8 500 Squaw Run Road East, Pittsburgh, PA. 15238 Phone: 412-968-3100 Shady Side Academy (Senior

School) Grades: 9-12 423 Fox Chapel Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15238 Phone: 412-968-3000 St. Alexis School Grades: P-K, 1-8 10090 Old Perry Highway RD#1, Wexford, PA. 15090 Phone: 724-935-3940 St. Alphonsus School Grades: K -8 201 Church Road, Wexford, PA. 15090 Phone: 724-935-1152 St. Bonaventure School Grades: pre -K- 8 2001 Mt. Royal Boulevard, Glenshaw, PA. 15116 Phone: 412-486-2608 St. James School Grades: K-8 201 Broad Street, Sewickley, PA. 15143 Phone: 412-741-5540 St. Joseph High School Grades: 9-12 800 Montana, Natrona, PA. 15065 Phone: 724-224-5552 St. Mary School Grades: Pre -K-8 2510 Middle Road, Glenshaw, PA. 15116 Phone: 412-486-7611 St. Sebastian School Grades: K-8 307 Siebert Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15237 Phone: 412-364-7171 St. Teresa of Avila School Grades: Pre K -8 800 Avila Court, Pittsburgh, PA. 15237 Phone: 412-367-9001 St. Ursula School Grades: Pre - K- 8 3937 Kirk Avenue, Allison Park, PA. 15101 Phone: 412-486-5511 The Glen Montessori Grades: P-K 500 Huntingdon Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. 15202 Phone: 412-766-3815 TLC Child Development Center 8801 Peebles Road, Allison Park, PA. 15101 Phone: 412-635-0785 UPMC The Children’s House 9100 Babcock Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA. 15237 Phone: 412-367-6879 Vincentian Academy Grades: 9-12 Peebles & McKnight Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15237 Phone: 412-364-1616 Western Pa Montessori Grades: P-K 2379 Wyland Avenue, Allison

Park, PA. 15101 Phone: 412-487-2700 Winchester Thurston North Campus Grades: K-5 4225 Middle Road, Allison Park, PA. 15101 Phone: 412-486-8341 PRIVATE SCHOOLS— SOUTH AREA ABC’s for Children 1630 Greentree Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15220 Phone: 412-344-4422 Calvary Baptist Church Grades: Pre- K 120 Anborn Drive, West Mifflin, PA. 15122 Phone: 412-461-6211 Hillcrest Christian School Grades: Pre -K- 8 2500 Bethel Church Road, Bethel Park, PA. 15102 Phone: 412-854-4040 Holy Trinity School Grades: Pre- K 1-8 5720 Steubenville Pike, McKees Rocks, PA. 15136-1311 Phone: 412-787-2656 Jubilee Christian Grades: K-6 255 Washington Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15216 Phone: 412-561-5917 Mon Yough Catholic School Grades: P-8 1640 Fawcett Avenue, McKeesport, PA. 15131 Phone: 412-672-2360 Montessori Early Childhood Grades: P-K 2400 Old Washington Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15241 Phone: 412-881-1566 Mt. Lebanon Montessori Grades: Pre - K -6 550 Sleepy Hollow Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15228 Phone: 412-563-2858 Serra High School Grades: 9-12 200 Hershey Drive, McKeesport, PA. 15132-7400 Phone: 412-751-2020 Seton-LaSalle High School Grades: 9-12 1000 McNeilly Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15226 Phone: 412-561-3583 St. Agnes School Grades: Pre-K -8 653 St. Agnes Lane, West Mifflin, PA. 15122 Phone: 412-466-6238 St. Anne School Grades: K-8 4040 Willow Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. 15234 Phone: 412-561-7720 St. Bernard School Grades: K-8

401 Washington Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15216 Phone: 412-341-5444 St. Elizabeth School Grades: P-8 Grove Place, Pittsburgh, PA. 15236 Phone: 412-881-2958 St. Gabriel School Grades: K-8 5200 Greenridge Drive, Pittsburgh, PA. 15236 Phone: 412-882-3353 St. John the Baptist School Grades: K-8 418 Unity-Center Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15239 Phone: 412-793-0555 St. Louise deMarillac School Grades: K - 8 310 McMurray Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15241 Phone: 412-835-0600 St. Margaret School Grades: 1-8 915 Alice Street, Pittsburgh, PA. 15220 Phone: 412-922-4765 St. Sylvester School Grades: Pre - K- 3 - 8 30 West Willock Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15227 Phone: 412-882-9900 St. Therese School Grades: Pre - K- 8 3 St. Therese Court, Munhall, PA. 15120 Phone: 412-462-8163 St. Thomas More School Grades: Pre - 8 134 Fort Couch Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15241 Phone: 412-833-1412 Three Hierarchs East Orthodox Grades: Pre-3 123 Gilkeson Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15228 Phone: 412-851-7279 Walnut Grove Christian Academy Grades: K-7 44 Adams Avenue, West Mifflin, PA. 15122 Phone: 412-469-3280 Wesley Academy Grades: 6-12 243 Johnston Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15241 Phone: 412-833-6444 Wilson Christian Academy Grades: Pre -K-12 1900 Clairton Road, West Mifflin, PA. 15122 Phone: 412-466-1919 Private Schools-West Area Carol Leone CC & Development Center 551 Thorn Run Road, Coraopolis, PA. 15108 Phone: 412-264-0633 Crafton Children’s Center

NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER

Grades: P-K 600 Hamilton Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15205 Phone: 412-561-5502 Holy Child Catholic School Grades: Pre-K-8 220 Station Street, Bridgeville, PA. 15017 Phone: 412-221-4720 Noah’s Ark Grades: K 405 Frederick Avenue, Sewickley, PA. 15143 Phone: 412-741-5231 Our Lady of Grace School Grades: P-8 1734 Bower Hill Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15243 Phone: 412-279-6611 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School Grades: 9-12 1504 Woodcrest Avenue, Coraopolis, PA. 15108 Phone: 412-264-5140 Pumpkin Patch Preschool Grades: Pre -K 601 Flaugherty Run Road, Coraopolis, PA. 15108 Phone: 412-269-0525 Rhema Christian School Grades: Pre- K -8 1301 Coraopolis Heights Road, Moon Township, PA. 15108 Phone: 412-269-9555 Robinson Township Christian Grades: Pre - 12 77 Phillips Lane, McKees Rocks, PA. 15136 Phone: 412-787-5919 St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School Grades: K-8 316 Third Avenue, Carnegie, PA. 15106 Phone: 412-276-4366 St. Malachy School Grades: Pre -K-8 343 Forest Grove Road, Coraopolis, PA. 15108 Phone: 412-771-4545 St. Philip School Grades: Pre - K-8 50 West Crafton Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. 15205 Phone: 412-928-2742 PRIVATE SCHOOLS— CITY AREA Bishop Canevin High School Grades: 9-12 2700 Morange Road, Pittsburgh, PA. 15205 Phone: 412-208-3400 Central Catholic High School Grades: 9-12 4720 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. 15213 SEE LIST PAGE 11

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LIST FROM PAGE 10

Phone: 412-208-3400 The Ellis School Grades: Pre-K-12 6425 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. 15206 Phone:412-661-5992 Falk School Laboratory School Grades: K-8 4060 Aliquippa Street, Pittsburgh, PA. 15261 Phone: 412-624-8020 Oakland Catholic Grades: 9-12 144 North Craig Street, Pittsburgh, PA. 15213 Phone: 412-682-6633 Winchester Thurston School Grades: Pre-K-12 555 Moorewood Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. 15213 Phone:412-578-7500 CHARTER SCHOOLS Academy Charter School Levels: 9-12 www.theacademyschools.com City Charter High School Levels: 9-12 www.cityhigh.org Environmental Charter School Levels: K-6 https://ecspgh.org

Manchester Academic Charter School Levels: K-8 www.Macsk8.org Neighborhood Academy Charter School Levels: 6-12 www.theneighborhoodacademy.org Propel Charter School Levels: K-12 www.propelschools.org Urban Academy of Greater Pittsburgh Charter School Levels: K-5 www.urbanacademypgh.org Urban Pathways K-5 Charter School Levels: K-5 www.upcsk5.net Urban Pathways 6-12 Charter School Levels: 6-12 www.upcs.net CYBER SCHOOLS 21st Century Cyber Charter School Levels: 6-12 www.21cccs.org Achievement House Cyber Charter School Levels: 7-12 www.achievementcharter.com ACT Academy Cyber Charter

School Levels: 9-12 www.actacademy.org Agora Cyber Charter School Levels: K-12 https://agora.org Aspira Bilingual Cyber Charter School Levels: K-12 www.aspirapa.org/abccs Central PA Digital Learning Foundation Charter School Levels: K-12 www.cpdlf.org Commonwealth Connections Academy Charter School Levels: K-12 https://ccaeducate.me Esperanza Cyber Charter School Levels: K-12 www.esperanzacyber.com Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School Levels: K-12 www.pacyber.org Pennsylvania Distance Learning Charter School Levels: K-12 www.padistance.org Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School Levels: K-12 www.palcs.org Pennsylvania Virtual Charter

School Levels: K-12 www.pavcsk12.org SusQ-Cyber Charter School Levels: 9-12 www.susqcyber.org (This list was compiled with

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information from the Allegheny County Intermediate Unit, the Pennsylvania Department of Education, metrokids.com, noodle. com and the Popular Pittsburgh Websites. This is not a comprehensive listing.)

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