Urban Pro Weekly - September 19, 2013

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Ellis M. Johnson Private Art Collection on view at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum

rban Pro NEWS • COMMENTARY

NEW BOOK

ARTS

eekly

The CSRA’s FREE WEEKLY NEWSPAPER VOL.3 NO.3

ENTERTAINMENT SEPTEMBER 19-25, 2013

SLUM LORD

Paine College Professor BELINDER WHEELER has new book

THE LITERARY ARTS

ANTHONY KELLMAN of the Sandhills Writers’ Conference

City Administrator Fred Russell finds himself at the center of the city’s SLUMGATE controversy and shows no signs of backing down.

For Russell, there’s “gold” in them thar slum tags.

UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 19-25, 2013

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Look Here!

Detail from an art piece, “Repousse”, is seen in this photograph. The art piece, on display at the Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History, is part of the Ellis Johnson Collection. Johnson is a retired performing artist, philanthropist, and arts connoisseur.The exhibit runs through September. Photo by Vincent Hobbs

Laney Museum exhibit explores Art Collection of Ellis M. Johnson AUGUSTA Lucy Craft Laney Museum of Black History is now featuring the art collection of Ellis M. Johnson, a retired performing artist, philanthropist, and arts connoisseur.

The ‘61 Paine College graduate’s collection will be on exhibit until September 30, 2013. His support for the arts in Augusta and his work as an educator embody the spirit of community service.

“This month, we observe the artistic life of Mr. Ellis Johnson whose dedication the to the CSRA’s art community is invaluable. Of note, he was instrumental in uplifting internationally renowned opera singer and Augustanative Jessye Norman”, shared Christine

Betts, Executive Director of the Laney Museum. “He served as director for The Augusta Chorale and held board positions for The Augusta Arts Council, The Augusta Symphony, and currently serves on the board for The Jessye Norman School of the Arts”.

Johnson’s collection highlights half a century of awards, For more informaclippings, newspation on the events pers, and visual art or exhibit in honor from his archives. of Ellis Johnson Spanning over 50 at the Lucy Craft years, it will chroniLaney Museum of cle the artistic life of Black History, please Mr. Johnson through visit www.lucyelectronic, print and craftlaneymuseum. oral media. The exhicom or call 706-724bition will include awards, newspaper 3576. clippings and visual school when I tried art from his collec- my hand at drawing, but never succeeded tion.

Johnson explains, in that medium. The “My interest in visu- art I collect appeals al art was sparked or speaks to me perin an art class in sonally in some way.”

GRU Lyceum Series begins Sept. 20 AUGUSTA The 46th annual Georgia Regents University Lyceum Series will kick off with the chamber music theatre production of Los Valientes at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Sept.

20 at the Maxwell Theatre on the GRU Summerville Campus.

The production features a chamber music trio and solo actor Kevin Melendez exploring the artistic and political passions of Mexican painter Diego Rivera, the unwavering commitment to human rights of Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero, and the pursuit of social justice by Mexican American desperado Joaquin Murrieta, otherwise known as Zorro.

Tickets for this event are $8 for the general public and $4 for children ages 17 and younger.

Other programs included in this year’s Lyceum Series are:

The Cashore Marionettes: Life in Motion Tuesday, Oct. 15 A series of scenes taken from everyday life and set to music by composers such as Beethoven, Vivaldi, Strauss, and Copland.

The Cashore Marionettes take the audience on a journey that celebrates the richness of life. Tickets for this event are $8

for the general public and $4 ages 17 and younger.

Urban Bush Women Saturday, Feb. 15 Founded in 1984 by choreographer Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, the Urban Bush Women dance company brings the untold and under-told histories and stories of disenfranchised people to light through dance. Tickets are $25 for the general public and $12 for children ages 17 and younger.

Johnny Clegg Band Thursday, March 27 With more than 5 million albums sold worldwide, Johnny Clegg is one of South Africa’s most prolific musicians. Not only is Clegg known for his dynamic live shows, but he is a dancer, anthropologist, singer, songwriter, activist, and a French knight with three honorary doctorates. Tickets for this show are $25 for the general public and $12 for children ages 17 and younger.

All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Maxwell Theatre. For more information, call the Maxwell Theatre Box Office at 706-667-4100.

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UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 19-25, 2013

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The City

Al M. Gray, president of Cost Recovery Works, Inc.. addresses to Augusta-Richmond County Commission on Tuesday. Gray expressed his opposition to the proposal to establish an Urban Redevelopment Area and Plan, which designates downtown Augusta as a “slum”.

Photo by Vincent Hobbs

Expert cautions against URA initiative

By Frederick Benjamin Sr. Urban Pro Weekly Staff Writer

POLITICAL ANALYSIS

AUGUSTA Anyone seeking to make sense of the recent discussions flaring up in the city will have to navigate through a maze of legalese discernible only to urban development geeks and try to make sense of the official government double-talk emanating from City Hall.

In the fog of urban redevelopment, the flow information is key. Key players in this kabuki of finance are the mayor, the city administrator and their team of financial gurus. We pity to poor commissioners who have to decipher the “official” directives that they are obliged to vote for — whether they understand what they are voting for or not.

Into this puzzling parade of obfuscation comes Al Gray, a construction and development operative with the experience and expertise to slog through the pages and pages of data the city administration is loathe to break down for sitting commissioners much less the general public.

Scorned by the “suits” who guard the details to convoluted city contracts and fuzzy money trails, Gray is a breath of fresh air to most commis-

sioners who have neither the time nor aptitude to refute the rosy narrative often fed to them by administrator Fred Russell and his posse of financial gatekeepers.

So when Gray asked to make a presentation before the city commission objecting to its proposal to expand the existing urban redevelopment area to include most of the city’s downtown in a designated “slum” area, citizens and the commissioners alike were at the edge of their seats while the guardians of the city’s deepest finance secrets collectively held their noses.

Gray’s opening remarks targeted the intellectual dishonesty of the city administration’s attempt to explain away their promotion of the S-Word.

“When words no longer are required to carry their true meaning and devolve into meaning the opposite, all men and women should shudder.

For in that immoral state what is the meaning of right and wrong?” Gray asked.

Gray’s thesis is that the city’s Gang of Three which includes Mayor Deke Copenhaver, City administrator Fred Russell and bond attorney Jim Plunkett

are floating the idea that the use the word “slum” is benign and not really a big deal. Russell has gone on record applauding the emotional reaction over the use of the word. If the city has to become a “slum lord” to save a couple of million dollars, what’s the problem, he seems to be saying.

According to Gray, words and their meaning are important, but more importantly, the inclusion of most of the downtown area in an expanded urban redevelopment area is fraught with problems. On top of that, the process has been flawed. What follows is an extract of Gray’s presentation to the commission on Sept. 17, 2013.

Al Gray’s edited remarks: Let’s look to the Department of Community Affairs Guideline on how to do Urban Redevelopment in Georgia. It cautions against this Commission surrendering all of its Redevelopment Powers to an Authority, but this resolution breathes life back into a body possessive of those powers. It says there needs to be public and private input gone missing in these proceedings. It says beware conflicts if you have a DDA. It says the redevelopment district can be a single parcel, not requiring over 1000 of them in 595 acres. It cautions on the

use the broadened power of eminent domain and the power to single out individual landowners for reward or punishment. It says the redevelopment plan is easily changed so you can start with a small district to fund the municipal building with tax exempt bonds, then expand it. These DCA guidelines have neither been followed nor met in myriad ways.

The DCA guidelines shine light on the process, so why not insist that they be met?

Questions about this resolution are legion. Is it responsible to fund unlimited debt service with SPLOST revenues that have not been approved yet?

Won’t the net result force funds from 99.8% of the rest of Richmond County into this district?

Can’t a much smaller Opportunity Zone be created? Can you recapture powers of the Urban Redevelopment Agency?

What is afoot with using the very different Redevelopment Powers Act in a coterminous TAD that is so secretive?

The ability under Augusta’s charter to pass any outrage at any time with 6 votes coupled with this SLUM resolution would leave them with no hope.

Existing Laney-Walker/Bethlehem URA is “screaming for accountability.” – Comm. Alvin Mason

By Frederick Benjamin Sr. Urban Pro Weekly Staff Writer AUGUSTA Commissioner Alvin Mason has made his move. Two weeks ago, he and other commissioners blocked a $2.5 million transfer to Housing and Community Development Director Chester Wheeler. The bridge-loan that Wheeler sought was to keep the wheels turning on the city’s awardwinning Laney Walker/Bethlehem (LWB) revitalization project. Before casting his vote to release the funds, Mason said he needed some answers.

By requiring Wheeler to provide answers to a rack of very specific questions, he knew that, if he received any answers at all, it would provide him with the ammunition he needed to highlight the lack of accountability and princely posturing of those in

charge of the city’s existing urban redevelopment area (URA).

This week, Wheeler offered answers to some of the questions and, as expected, Mason jumped all over his responses.

In a document circulated on Wednesday to other city officials, Mason voiced his concern with how the URA has been handling the city’s money.

“I asked for and have reviewed copies of all the minutes and attachments of the URA Board from 2010 to the present. I have also reviewed the response from HCD to the questions I posed . . .I want to state very clearly that I truly believe that this is a worthwhile project, but it is screaming for accountability,” Mason wrote.

Some of the key points of contention between Wheeler and Mason are outlined below.

Mason’s Question: “Where is the evidence of the 10 to one match of ‘private investment dollars” cited on your website? Provide names, amounts, and letters of commitment”

Augusta Commissioners Donnie Smith (L) and Alvin Mason (R) confer Wheeler’s Response: “The goal of a ten-to-one match of private dollars to with each other during Tuesday’s commission meeting at the Municipal bond dollars is a long-term, aspirational goal, one which will testify to the Building. Photo by Vincent Hobbs health and success of Laney Walker / Bethlehem. But that is not going to happen overnight.

MASON ALSO EXAMINED the min- houses in order to bring up values for utes of the LWB Board from 2010 to the comps, which makes sense. He Mason’s Question: “If you are not at a ten to one match, what is your present and came to the following says loans are being managed by Wells current match and what are your annual goals for increasing that per- conclusion.

Fargo. Did we (Commission) approve formance?”

Based on the minutes that I have that contract? What are the managereceived, it appears that the URA ment fees to Wells Fargo and scope of Wheeler’s Response: The current match is 1:7 on completed construction board has had few meetings over the services? projects,excluding infrastructure. Evidence of the match would be the follow- past three years and has not met • The most telling discussion of ing: in almost a year. If this board is to finances is in the 2/16/11 meeting, and • United House of Prayer: Located south of East Mill Village in the 1200 move forward, in my opinion, that perhaps explains why we can’t get a pro block of Wrightsboro Road, this is an approximate investment of $2M for language needs to be in the resolution forma. Mr. Wheeler is asked how long multifamily construction - approximately 12 units. about reporting quarterly to the URA the money will last. His answer is “We • United House of Prayer: Located within the East Mill Village develop- who would have the responsibility of don’t know. That’s the correct answer.” ment node,this is an approximate investment of $2M for multifamily con- reporting to this commission.

“We need to get a grasp on where we struction - approximately 17 units. are, but it won’t last 5 years.” (So there • Augusta Housing Authority:Approximate investment of $5M for 40 units THE FOLLOWING IS EXTRACTED is no surprise that we are being asked of housing.

FROM MASON’S DISCUSSION OF THE to make a bridge loan!)

• J&B Construction has invested $1,988,656 of construct ion financing for LWB URA BOARD’S MINUTES: • As a side note - The intergovernthe residential units in Heritage Pine • The minutes reflect meetings on mental contract between the city and 5/13/10, 2/16/11, 7/26/11, 4/26/12 and URA has a surprising section. The MASON’S RESPONSE: “The 10:1 match. It’s not “an aspirational goal” on the 10/3/12. What’s odd is that projects money we are collecting for the next 50 website; it’s a fact. And, it’s hard to see how he is getting there. If he has spent keep changing, but the minutes do not years is to fund the project. However, $8M so far, the private match to date should be $80M. If it is more like 7:1, put the changes into context. page 6 of the agreement states that as he stated, then the private money should be $56M to date. His accounting • For example, from the 2/16/11 in “30 years…all activities in connecshows $11M, and actually only $6M when you back out the housing author- meeting, Mr. Wheeler represented the tion with the implementation of the ity, which is public, not private money. So, 5 years and $8M into the project city purchased Penny Savings Bank for approved Laney-Walker and Bethlehem it appears we have less than a 1:1 match.” the expressed purpose of moving his projects shall be deemed to have been offices there to avoid paying $102,000 completed.” Why 30 years if the money Mason’s Question: “What percentage of the project money is being spent in annual rent where they are now. is coming in for 50 years? Where did on administration? Describe any city positions that are fully or partially In the same meeting he said of the this come from? funded from the bond proceeds.”

Famous Door: “we will do some façade • Mr. Wheeler’s budget reports are improvements and we’ll package it, vague. His 7/26/11 report showed budWheeler’s Response: The amount spent on management has been 19% of the bundle it, and put it up for sale to a gets for consultants, architects and engitotal budget,while the amount spent on marketing has been 3% of the total developer.” As we know, Famous Door neers totaling $1.28M, with the notation budget. was demolished to make way for a “initially not included.” It appears he new office building for Chester and the made up those funds by cutting budgets MASON’S RESPONSE: Mr. Wheeler does not answer the question about Penny Bank was left in limbo. In the for single family builder loans, single administrative costs, or the question of whether any city positions are being 10/3/12 meeting James Kendrick asked family mortgage assistance, owner occufunded from the bond money. The 22% he shows is the share of the money Hawthorne Welcher a direct question: pied assistance, and retail façade loans the consultants are getting. It does not reflect the city’s administrative costs “What is the plan for the Penny Savings – the very programs the initiative was for the program.

Bank?” Hawthorne responded: “Let set up to administer! Perhaps further me talk about the supper club and explanation is warranted. then the bank,” and the minutes do not • Interesting discussion in the reflect another word about the bank. 4/26/12 meeting, where Mr. Wheeler He did report at that time the supper discloses he has recaptured sales proclub was being demolished to make ceeds “somewhere around $358,000.” way for his new office building, but This would be income from the sale of added: “that has not been approved.” the property to the Augusta Housing • In the 2/16/11 meeting, Mr. Wheeler Authority. What has become of those says he is self-financing a handful of funds?

To Vote You Must Register!

A Special Election for House District 127 will be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2013.

UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2013

Mason’s gambit

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UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 19-25, 2013

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Fall 2013 Sandhills Writers Series AUGUSTA Presentations by award-winning author A. Manette Ansay and poet William Garrett Wright will highlight the Georgia Regents University Fall 2013 Sandhills Writers Series on Tuesday, Oct. 22 in the Jaguar Student Activities Center’s Coffee House on the Summerville campus.

The series will begin at 1 p.m. with Ansay and Wright reading from their most recent works, followed by an informal colloquium, book-signing, and reception. All events are free and open to the public.

Ansay is the author of six novels, including “Blue Water,” “Good Things I Wish You,” “Vinegar Hill,” an Oprah Book Club selection; and “Midnight Champagne,” a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award, as well as the story collection “Read This and Tell Me What It Says” and “Limbo,” a memoir. She is the recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Grant, a Pushcart Prize, the Nelson Algren Award, and two Great Lakes Book Awards.

Wright is the author of the poetry collections “Bledsoe,” “Night Field Anecdote,” and “Dark Orchard,” winner of the 2005 Breakthrough Poetry Prize.

He is also Series Editor of “The Southern Poetry Anthology,” a

multi-volume series focused on contemporary poetry in the American South.

“The Sandhills Writers Series is committed to bringing new and established authors to Georgia Regents University and the Augusta community,” said Tony Kellman, GRU Professor of Creative Writing and Director of the Sandhills Writers Series.

“The series aims to reinforce what is taught in our writing program and to provide local residents with the opportunity to hear and interact with regional, national and international authors of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry.”

The series began in 2011 as a reconfiguration of the Sandhills Writers Conference that was founded in 1975 by the late Dr. Charles Willig. Kellman. The program has attracted mainstream American authors, such as the late Ray Bradbury, Edward Albee, Paule Marshall, Nancy Willard, Billy Collins, the late Doug Marlette and Rick Bragg, in addition to Hispanic, Romanian, African, Asian (notably Maxine Hong Kingston), Caribbean (notably Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott) and Native American writers.

For more information, call (706) 737-1500 or email akellman@gru.edu.

Tony Kellman, GRU Professor of Creative Writing and Director of the Sandhills Writers Series.

Paine author breaks ground with new book AUGUSTA Recently, Dr. Belinda Wheeler, assistant professor of English at Paine College released her first book, A Companion to Australian Aboriginal Literature. Wheeler has published several articles on Australian Aboriginal literature in edited collections prior to this book’s release.

A Companion to Australian Aboriginal Literature, states Wheeler, fills a large gap in Australian, Australian Aboriginal, multi-ethnic, and world literature studies, “Writing by Australian Aboriginals has been making a decisive impression in various genres including fiction, autobiography, biography, poetry, film, drama, and music, but until the book’s release there was no companion that contextualized the Aboriginal canon for scholars, researchers, students, and general readers.” “This international collection of eleven original essays discusses crucial aspects of Australian Aboriginal literature and traces the development of Aboriginal literacy from the oral tradition up until today making it an invaluable resource for anyone interested in Australian Aboriginal literature or culture,” said Wheeler.

Last semester Wheeler taught a special topics course at Paine College, Australian Literature and Culture. “My students enjoyed all the material we covered in the class,” said Wheeler,

An Aboriginal Author You Should Read Doris Pilkington Garimara (born Nugi Garimara in 1937, and also known as Doris Pilkington) is an Australian author. She is best known for her 1996 book Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence, a story of three Aboriginal girls, among them Pilkington’s mother Molly Craig, who escaped from the Moore River Native Settlement in Western Australia and travelled for nine weeks to return to their family.

Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence is considered a powerful example of the mistreatments endured by the Stolen Generation. Her follow-up

“but they especially gravitated towards the Australian Aboriginal literature and culture material.” “Many connections exist between Australia’s Aboriginal literature and culture and America’s literature and culture, particularly African American and Native American communities,” said Wheeler, “and my students helped me recognize deeper connections than even I was originally aware.”

To Wheeler this book represents

one of her primary goals as a college educator: “One of my primary interests as a teacher and a researcher is identifying key similarities and differences between various cultures and using that information to break down barriers and build bridges.

A companion such as this allows all readers, regardless of their background, to learn more about one of the world oldest Indigenous cultures and begin building important bridges of understanding with their own culture. I am grateful to the companion’s international contributors, my publisher, and Paine College

book, Under the Wintamarra Tree, details her own escape from Moore River. “Home to Mother” is her childrens edition of “Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence”.

for their support as I worked on this important book.”

The book, published by Camden House, an imprint of Boydell & Brewer, has been released worldwide. “Interest in the book has been very strong,” said Wheeler. “The book has been released simultaneously in hardcover and e-book edition which means that anyone in the world can have instant access to the book. Some of the strongest markets for translated Aboriginal literature are in small markets, such as Slovenia, so this accessibility has been critical to the book’s success.”

n & n k n h n e d s

AUGUSTA The Augusta Museum of History has partnered with the city’s Veterans Curation Program to produce an inspiring new display that officially opens to the public on September 28th, 2013. The new exhibit, produced entirely by the military veterans who are a part of this special program, explores their lives and work through the objects they brought back from military conflicts overseas, as well as the prehistoric artifacts they have learned to preserve. Military paraphernalia, archaeological items, and personal stories provide an intimate portrait of veterans transitioning into civilian lives.

Brandie Taylor, a veteran combat medic, appreciated the program’s focus on new job skills: A lot of people don’t get to experience anything that deals with archaeology, she said. Working here has given me an opportunity to spread the word about the VCP and help other veterans.

The Veterans Curation Program provides employment and job training for veterans of the American military conf licts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Veterans receive competitive pay while learning new, marketable job skills as they are trained to rehabilitate and preserve archaeological collections administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Augusta is home to one of the three Veterans Curation Program laboratories, in addition to

those in Alexandria and St. Louis.

Brandon Holloman enjoyed expanding his knowledge of history: You never know why things are the way they are in the present until you learn about their past.

Please congratulate the latest

class of veterans to complete their term of employment at the Augusta Veterans Curation Program. We will celebrate their graduation and transition to the civilian workplace together with a special ceremony planned for the afternoon

of September 27 at the Augusta Museum of History.

The museum is located at 560 Reynolds Street in downtown Augusta. Please call (706) 722-8454 for more information or visit our website www.augustamuseum.org.

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Veteran’s Curation Program on display

UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 19-25, 2013

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GRU volleyball players (L-R) Jenna Keeler (#16), Katie Beresford (#2), and Kristin Koch (#8) attempt to block the ball during the “GRU Augusta Tri-Match” tournament on Saturday, in a game against Pfeiffer University at Christenberry Fieldhouse. This was the Jaguars first tournament under their new name. The Lady Jaguars triumphed over the Lady Falcons 3-1.

Photo by Vincent Hobbs

GRU Jaguars New uniforms New logo New attitude as Georgia Regents sports get underway GRU volleyball player Maggie Darling (#11) celebrates after a point is scored during the “GRU Augusta TriMatch” tournament on Saturday, in a game against Pfeiffer University at Christenberry Fieldhouse. This was the Jaguars first tournament under their new name. The Lady Jaguars triumphed over the Lady Falcons 3-1.

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R.I.P. Chaplain A.C. Redd

Albert Carter Redd, Sr., minister, civil rights advocate and activist, humanitarian and benefactor, died on September 14, 2013 at Georgia War Veterans Home at the age of 96. He was born in Columbia, South Carolina on March 13, 1917 to the late Mr. Curtis Redd and Mrs. Polly Redd.

He received a bachelor’s degree in history from Benedict College. Subsequently, he received a Master of Divinity degree from Howard University and did further study at Union Theological Seminary at Riverside. He was united in marriage in 1952 to Mrs. Georgia Harrison Redd, his loving partner of 52 years, who preceded him in death.

Redd worked for the NAACP in S. Carolina, serving at one point as execu-

tive secretary in the ‘50s. He also worked on research with Justice Thurgood Marshall for a S.C. companion case to the 1954 Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education case.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, September 20, 11:00 a.m. at the Williams Memorial C.M.E. Church. The body will lie in state at the church from 9:30 a.m. until the hour of service. Interment will be in Lincoln Cemetery, Columbia, SC. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to The Williams Memorial C.M.E. Church, Albert C. Redd, Sr. Memorial Fund, and the Georgia War Veterans Nursing Home. Friends may call W. H. Mays Mortuary, 1221 James Brown Boulevard, Augusta, GA (706)722-6401.

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Augusta Mini Theatre to host 12th Annual Alumni & Friends Chefs Showcase The Augusta Mini Theatre Community Arts and Life Skills School will host its 12th Annual Alumni & Friends Chefs Showcase in celebration of its 38th Anniversary.

The event will take place on Sunday, October 20, 2013 at 2:00 p.m., at the Augusta Marriot Hotel & Suites located at Two Tenth Street, Augusta, Ga. Admission for the Chefs Showcase is $38 ($1 for each year) for adults and $16 for children and students.

The highly anticipated event will feature the Augusta area’s finest chefs, caterers and restaurants.

This year’s participants

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currently include Andrew’s Restaurant (Double Tree Hotel), Jackie M’s, Villa Europa, Krispy Kreme, Mrs. Earline Brown, Augusta Technical College Culinary Arts Program, Dent Creations, Roux’s Gourmet Catering, Darlene & Georgia Catering Service, Edible A rrangements, Creat ive Moment s Catering, Gracef ully Prepared, Augusta Mini Theatre Parents Soul Food Corner, Sconyers Bar-BQue, A Special Occasion Catering, Ashley’s Fish & Seafood, French Market Grille, Sophia’s Antiques, The Harvest Table Buffett and Collins Catering Service.

“We are elated to celebrate 38 years,” said Tyrone J. Butler, Founder & Executive Director. “The Augusta Mini Theatre celebrates our anniversary each year with this

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UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2013

Community Corner

11

Forum

UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 19-25, 2013

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LETTERS: Parent seeks BOE justice

TAKE FIVE

By Ben Hasan

Where do we go from here?

The Richmond County Board of You failed the community. This is Education has really gotten under not a rant. This is as real as real can my skin lately. When a female stu- be. What is it going to take? Does In one of his last public speeches before tory and yet, it is fitting to ask ourselves, dent accuses a male student of touch- it have to be your child, your school his death, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. asked “Where do we go from here?” ing her rear end, her breasts or any before you stand up for what is right? a question which we can apply to our curAnd just like Dr. King, we have to be part of her body that makes her We all know this is wrong; wrong on rent situation here in Augusta. truthful about where we are now. uncomfortable, that male student all levels. You can call me what you The time was 1967. The occasion African Americans in Augusta are still is put out of school and sent off to want, but what you can’t call me is a was the Southern Christian Leadership unemployed and underemployed in even the Alternative School. That pun- person who ever backs down when Conference Presidential Address. The greater numbers than in the past. The city ishment was leveled on a “he said, I know something is wrong. When landmark civil rights and voting rights leg- and state spend hundreds of millions of she said” case. Now enter an adult I was accused of stealing, I had to Auto  Home  Life  Bonds Commercial  and prove islation had already been passed. Setting dollars on all sorts of products Auto Home andservicmale touching a little girlatHealth Murphey get out of my sickbed the theme for the event, Dr. King asked, es and buildings, yet recoil at the notion Middle School; a “he said, she said” to Augusta/Richmond County that I “Where do we go from here?” of pumping a fair share of those resources case as well. That adult male, who had done nothing wrong. Many peoIn his response King said, “We must to African American communities in the was in a substitute position, was ple wanted so badly to believe that I  Homefirst  Life  Health  Bondswhere  Commercial  of business loans, affordable houshonestly recognize we are form allowed to continue working at that did. But, I didn’t back Auto down then, now.” ing, quality education, public safety and school and then became a full-time and I’m not backing down now. I In what has been called his most radical good-paying jobs. employee and transferred to another want justice for our children. Justice speech, King went on to state the case that As we prepared for an open and honschool. What’s wrong with that pic- for our parents. Justice for our staff. despite political and social gains, black est discussion about our current state of ture? Now he strikes again at the We need for the RCBOE to be people, in particular, (and poor people affairs in this community? Can we mete second school; the same, exact thing completely transparent and open in general) were still in the throes of eco- out and accept constructive criticism? Can that happened to the first girl who with the parents. They talk out nomic powerlessness. This powerlessness we talk about personal responsibility, wasn’t believed. of one side of their mouths about had been buttressed by the “structure” leadership, political power, family life, Parents are made to get a back- the need for parental involvement/ of the American economic system that education, health issues and economic ground check before they are engagement, but out of the other perpetuated the oppression of 40 million empowerment? allowed to observe their child’s class. side of their mouths, they try to It is time for us to evaluate the path of I don’t know how the RCBOE let get the PTAs out of the schools. Americans --white and black. our community. Is it2636-C on a pathTobacco to success The speech was a prelude to his refothis man in the system, but what I The BOE won’t put the trash out.

636-C Tobacco Rd JyNelle Handy, Agent cusing the movement from civil rights or failure? If we determine that it is on a do know is that we send our kids Instead, they just keep transferring phzibah, 30815 Hephzibah, GA 3 we be radical enough to economic rights characterized by full path to failure, will to school GA to learn and while they them from school to school.Our chilINFO@INS-PROS.COM employment with a living wage, universal to make the necessary adjustments or will are in the care of the BOE they are dren deserve better and we demand affordable education, and decent afford- we continue the status quo? supposed to be protected. In this better.

For King, the answer to that question able housing. case, and many others, the BOE did 2636-C Tobacco Rd Agent was clear. He called on America to change Here in Augusta, we haveJyNelle more black Handy, not do that. There are no ifs, ands, Monique Braswell its whole structure.

Can we ask any less elected officials in ever more powerful or buts about it. RCBOE, you failed Parent andHephzibah, taxpayer GA 30815 positions than at any time in theINFO@INS-PROS.COM city’s his- of Augusta? these kids. You failed their parents.

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UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 19-25, 2013

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UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2013

16 UrbanProWeekly • SEPTEMBER 19-25, 2013

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