Richmond Free Press
Pansies growing in the West End
Editorial Page
A6
March 19-21, 2015
Bedden trouble? Dr. Dana T. Bedden, Richmond’s public schools superintendent, is probably out of here. No, it’s not because he was a runner-up and not the winner of the Boston public school system’s top job. It’s because of the latest actions by possibly the two biggest burrs under his saddle — Mayor Dwight C. Jones and the Richmond School Board. Last Friday, Mayor Jones announced a $2.8 billion budget plan for the city for the next two years. His plan includes little more for the city’s public school system than it currently receives — roughly $136 million annually for operations. Dr. Bedden and the School Board had requested nearly $25 million more. Ouch! That’s a big gap and a bigger blow to Dr. Bedden and the plans he recently articulated for turning around the city’s ailing — some say failing — schools. There’s a saying that you can tell a person’s priorities by where they put their money. In this case, what does it say to Dr. Bedden — and to the citizens of Richmond — that a beer garden and a bike race take fiscal priority over the needs of the 24,000 students enrolled in Richmond Public Schools? To further confound the situation, the School Board voted Monday night to approve a new public charter school to possibly open in 2016. Dr. Bedden recommended against it — and we say rightly so. Our major concerns: Where will a new charter school be housed and where will the money come from to run it? With current school buildings crumbling and the city’s financial support just short of receding, why would the School Board make such an awkward, fiscally short-sighted and possibly damaging move? The School Board is simply creating more of the chaos that would compel Dr. Bedden to entertain an offer from just about anyplace right now. On the budget side, we understand that the city’s projected revenue for the next two fiscal years — 2016 and 2017 — that begin July 1 isn’t expected to swell like the James River after a summer storm. And we note that Mayor Jones, to his credit, has proposed $31.4 million go to the school system for capital improvements. However, the lion’s share —$18 million — would go toward building a new elementary school in a city-supported development in the former Dove Court public housing community. Dr. Bedden and the School Board would rather use the money for more critical needs, including a new middle or elementary school in South Richmond, where the schoolage population is exploding. A showdown is looming. The situation for Dr. Bedden also will become crucial over Mayor Jones’ call to close underused school buildings. Why pour money into buildings that are operating woefully under capacity? The school system possibly could save millions by shifting students to the under-populated schools. However, with roofs leaking, heating and air conditioning systems not working and health-threatening mold forcing the 500 students at Elkhardt Middle School to be displaced recently to the previously closed Clark Springs Elementary School, the Richmond school system has serious problems requiring immediate attention and money. For the future of our students, for the future of the city, for the future of our leadership, we call on Mayor Jones and Dr. Bedden to re-examine what they’re doing and what they are proposing. A big fight will produce little but noise, while ignoring the critical and paramount need — to boost educational quality for our students. If a dialogue doesn’t begin, and soon, Richmond may find itself interviewing candidates for a new schools superintendent.
True winners Congratulations to the city’s and region’s scholar-athletes and their coaches who already have made February-intoMarch Madness a basketball season to remember! Their hours of practice and discipline on the court have translated into victories in state and conference championships that have thrilled basketball fans across Virginia and beyond. The list of champions is impressive: • Virginia State University’s Lady Trojans won the CIAA crown Feb. 28 in Charlotte, N.C. • Richmond’s George Wythe High School Bulldogs and the Henrico High School Warriors clinched the 3A and 5A state championships, respectively. • The Lady Justices from Richmond’s John Marshall High School won conference and 3A regional titles. • Virginia Commonwealth University’s exciting Rams took the Atlantic 10 crown. • And the underdog Hampton University Pirates upset a favorite to win the MEAC Tournament and defeated a higher-seeded foe in first-round competition in the NCAA tournament. Like most, we will be glued to the TV this week cheering the Rams and the Pirates as they continue in fierce competition in the NCAA tournament. The games have been exciting and filled with genuine sportsmanship — hallmarks of excellent coaching and lessons that should take each of the athletes far in their lives off the court. Congratulations! You are true winners!
Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press
Lynch confirmation needed now On Nov. 8, 2014, President Obama nominated an outstanding prosecutor from the Eastern District of New York to be our nation’s next attorney general. It now has been more than four months since Loretta Ly n c h w a s nominated to lead the U.S. Department of Justice — a period longer than any attorney general nominee in the last three decades. On Feb. 28, 2015, her nomination was approved by a bipartisan majority of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Yet Senate Republicans continue to stand in the way of a full Senate vote to confirm her to this critical post. When I think about what an important role our attorney general plays, I immediately flash back to my time as mayor of the City of Richmond when our city had one of the highest homicide rates in the country.
It became very clear that in order to tackle a major public safety challenge like ours, you needed strong relationships between the community and local law enforcement and a strong Department of Justice. As mayor, my office and the
Sen. Tim Kaine City Council relied heavily on our partnerships with the Justice Department — from the U.S. attorney from the Eastern District of Virginia, all the way up to Attorney General Janet Reno. If there is ever a time to avoid needless uncertainty around the top government official charged with handling the fragile relationship between local communities and law enforcement agencies, it’s now. In 2013, an unarmed man named John Geer was shot by police in the doorway of his Fairfax County home. Last August, Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old, was shot during a confrontation with an officer in
Ferguson, Mo. A month prior, Eric Garner died as a result of a police chokehold in New York when he was confronted over the selling of untaxed cigarettes. There have been similar incidents in Cleveland and Madison, Wis., that have raised serious concerns. It’s not limited to one part of the country. It’s not limited to North, South, East or West. There also have been horrible crimes committed against members of the law enforcement community — two New York City police officers shot point blank while they sat in their patrol car, and two other officers shot just last week in Ferguson. These incidents in cities across the country demonstrate a significant level of tension between the police and communities they serve, often minority communities or communities of color. These tensions do not have to exist. They can be solved. But to do so, it’s critical that we confirm President Obama’s nominee for attorney general.
Level the education playing field I am saddened and frustrated every time I hear about the academic achievement gulf that exists between black students and their white classmates in our nation’s public schools. I am saddened because I know that, without a quality education, the future for these children is bleak. I am frustrated because if we don’t do something now, we will continue to fail these children in a way that will cause irreparable harm to them, their families — both current and future — our communities and the world. That’s why 100 Black Men of America Inc., The 100, is issuing a clarion call to all Americans who share our concern about the fate of our children and communities to raise their voices with ours to bring attention to one of the most critical civil rights issues of our time — education equity. The reason is as clear cut as it is troubling. Far too many low-income and black youths are languishing in failing schools. This places them at a severe disadvantage in achieving their full potential, becoming leaders in their communities and competing in a global economy. No child’s future should be determined by his or her color, economic status or ZIP code. To The 100’s network of more than 100 chapters around the world, this is appalling and unacceptable! We need organizations and caring adults to join us in a collective effort for systemic and sustainable education reform. The 100’s 50-year history of mentoring African-American youths has given us a unique perspective on what is and isn’t working in many of the nation’s public schools through the experiences of the young people we serve.
Although the high school dropout rate is improving, it still is not where it should be. It is also disturbing that, of those African-American youths who
Brian L. Pauling successfully graduate from high school, far too many are woefully unprepared for freshman-level college coursework. As a result, they are required to complete remedial classes as a prerequisite for acceptance into post-secondary institutions. Some find themselves so far behind that it seems impossible to catch up. Not only does this situation shatter their self-esteem, it also suffocates their desire to even try. Rather than face the humiliation of trying to catch up to their peers, some simply give up and drop out. While there is no silver bullet or quick fix to these problems, we believe the journey toward solutions begins with creating high-performing schools — schools, for example, that promote high student expectations and achievement, insist on teacher accountability through regular evaluations and encourage innovation among principals and other school leaders. The 100 has been a longtime supporter of traditional public schools, where most of the youths we serve attend. While each of our chapters is deeply rooted and involved in their communities, true education reform requires a collective effort from like-minded organizations and individuals. To that end, during The 100’s Education Summit last October in Washington, D.C., members from across the country met with leaders from several nonprofit, education and civil rights organizations to explore ways to collaborate, mobilize and advocate for action that leads to positive, tangible and
lasting change. During our discussions, areas of agreement included advocating for public school education options for parents and their children. Our youths should not be doomed to 13 years — between kindergarten and senior year — of academic failure. We will remain committed to supporting those public schools that are high performers and able to demonstrate exceptional and measurable academic outcomes for our children — or those that are executing a plan to successfully reach that goal. When traditional public schools fail to perform at high levels, our organization supports educational alternatives, including successful nonprofit charter schools. We also need to encourage nonprofit public charters and traditional public schools to collaborate and share best practices that have proven to be successful in educating lowincome and black children. No matter which type of schools parents and guardians ultimately decide are best for their children, all public schools — particularly those in AfricanAmerican and economically disadvantaged communities — must be high-performing, evidence-based institutions of learning, where children are prepared to advance successfully to the next grade level, graduate from high school and progress seamlessly into college and career. The time is now — before another child’s future is lost— to raise our collective voices in advocacy and take action so that high-performing public schools in our communities become the norm rather than the exception. While this task may seem daunting, our children’s futures, quality of life and, in some cases, their very lives are at stake. Brian L. Pauling is national president of 100 Black Men of America Inc.
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Loretta Lynch understands the significance of the attorney general’s role in these situations. She has testified that one of her key priorities would be to work to strengthen the bonds between law enforcement personnel and the communities they serve. Ms. Lynch is a no-nonsense, hard-working prosecutor, known for her demeanor, intelligence and ability to work with a wide variety of stakeholders. And I am absolutely confident that she will approach these issues with the same focus, fairness and expertise that she has displayed throughout her career. Justice delayed is justice denied. The refusal to confirm a leader to head the most important law enforcement agency in the United States is a delay of justice that, for many, seems to be a denial of justice. We can rectify that concern in communities across this country if we act with dispatch to confirm a person who is eminently qualified to hold the nation’s highest law enforcement position. Sen. Tim Kaine represents Virginia in the U.S. Senate.
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