It is not racism to try to help DeKalb students
“Though the public has an interest in its elected officials being able to serve in the offices to which they’ve been elected, there is an even greater public interest at stake here. The interest of the public in a healthy school system outweighs the interests of the board members in serving in their positions.”
Those two simple sentences, written by U.S. District Court Judge Richard Story in his ruling Monday, capture the essence of the controversy surrounding the DeKalb County School Board.
Students are more important than politicians. Not exactly rocket science, right? Yet too many members of the school board lost sight of that fact, assuming a degree of inflated self-importance that made an already difficult district impossible to govern. The fact that those members — most prominent among them Eugene Walker — continue to operate under the delusion of their own ego, even after reminders to the contrary by the state Board of Education, the governor, the DeKalb public and now a federal judge, speaks volumes.
In the wake of Monday’s ruling, the six members of the board suspended by Gov. Nathan Deal should resign, in the interest of those they supposedly serve.
Unfortunately, Walker and other board members have been encouraged in their obstinance by others who have lost track of priorities. Last week, leaders of the Georgia and DeKalb County chapters of the NAACP stood on the steps of the Capitol to condemn the governor for daring to intervene on behalf of DeKalb’s students, and went on to suggest that his actions were motivated by racism.
It is hard to understand the misplaced priorities that drive such statements, and hard to ignore the damage they can do in such a sensitive situation. Yes, racism does still exist, and it does still affect governmental policy and action, from health care to education to transportation. But crying racism as a political tactic, with no evidence that it is playing a role, cheapens the problem. It also ends up encouraging the very attitude that it supposedly condemns.
One important manifestation of racism is apathy — the malign neglect of struggling minority communities by a majority that cannot be bothered to care. If racism was the governor’s motivation, the easy thing to have done was absolutely nothing. Deal and the state Board of Education could have washed their hands of the problem and allowed events to take their course. And we all know what that course would have been:
Hamstrung by its board, the district would be stripped of its accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, which had already put it on probation. Loss of accreditation would in turn have devalued property throughout the county, and more importantly it would devalue the diplomas of DeKalb graduates.
The crisis would snowball from there. With accreditation lost, the competition and distrust between communities within the district would explode. Political clamor would grow for private alternatives to the public-school model. Armed with a major crisis in the state’s third-largest school system, a conservative Republican such as Deal could have used the opportunity to open the doors further to vouchers and private charter schools.
Instead, he chose to intervene and accept a degree of ownership in the problem. For that, he is rewarded by so-called community leaders with suggestions of racism?
It’s important to note that other black elected leaders, including House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams, a Democrat and a DeKalb resident, have stood in public support of Deal’s decision. Like the governor, they have nothing to gain politically by such a step, and in fact take a risk by reaching across partisan and racial lines on such a potentially emotional issue. But they too recognize that the education of schoolchildren must take precedence.
The NAACP leaders, on the other hand, show little sign of being motivated by such concerns. Their interest was much more narrow: trying to save the positions of the six board members, five of them black, who had been suspended by the governor. Despite the noble history of their organization, they have acted as if the “P” in NAACP stood for “politicians.”
It stands for “people”.
— Jay Bookman
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664 comments Add your comment
Rick James
March 5th, 2013
3:43 pm
@Jackie
“Would you consider Ralph Abernathy, Joseph Lowery, Fred Shuttlesworth, Colin Powell, Sojourner Truth leaders?”
They were true leaders not self annointed civil rights hustlers.Colin Powell has only lead the military not black people.
TBS
March 5th, 2013
3:43 pm
“Excactly,so why are you confronting me?”
Within the rules of the blog any blogger is allowed to respond to any post. If you do not like being responded to then it might be best if you refrain from posting
just saying
keith
March 5th, 2013
3:44 pm
At one time whites were considered much more racist that blacks. Thats no longer the case. Recently there was a Historically Black College (HBC) that the govt was considering merging with a majority white college. I t was the blacks that demnded the HBC be left alone. They did not want to integrate what they considered THEIR school. So Albany State University was allowed to remain an HBC. And it is very corrupt, just ask the estate of Ray Charles..
Hand Full Of Spades
March 5th, 2013
3:44 pm
OBIWAN wrote:
March 5th, 2013
8:32 am
“Of course it is racism, if an “African-American” does not get what they want it is racism. I got to tell you there are more “African-American” racist than there are white racist. What is the deal with hyphenated Americans, ether you are American, or you are not, there is NO hyphen in American!”
You are right; however, there is a reason behind every topic, and the reason that so many “African-Americans” are racist today because of what was implemented in them by their White couterparts. There are several “White Racists”, but except for the White Supremistic (Misspelled it on purpose), a lot of Whites play a different type of racist role than that of Blacks. A lot of Blacks today depend more on social groups more and BIG Government, A lot of Whites today depend more on small Government and high caliber rifles, blacks tend to march a little more, whites tend to use money to build more security fences and petition for more police stations.
As far as the whole “hypen” talk, every time I fill out a questioniare, survey, test, etc. It has an area that wants me to state my ethnicity…. Even though some give me the option to not state it, why even put in on the page, it only divides groups even more…. We are suppose to be all Americans right? Your statement would make a great debate topic. P.S. I’m not bias toward any group of people, we are all as ONE. I’m a mixed Man (Black Mother, White Father) with an Italian Great-Grandmother on my Mother’s side.
Jackie
March 5th, 2013
3:45 pm
@keith
I feel your lack of comprehension. Try reading something other than what you make up.
Brosephus™
March 5th, 2013
3:45 pm
Read the post again..I used the term “Black Leaders” the same way you used “Self annointed” You saw what you wanted to see.
I read it for what it says. Read your last little part of your post yourself. Does that sound like you’re talking about make-believe people?
————–
Bottom line is that there are “Black Leaders” that are recognized by the black community, the white community, the purple community, the news media, Congress, etc., etc.
Care to show where the Black Community acknowledges these “Black Leaders”? I’m not talking about the 1960s either. People put themselves in front of the community, but that doesn’t make them a leader anymore than it makes me the leader of the community. I’m a member of the Black community, and I don’t ever recall anybody asking me or informing me of some kind of leadership hierarchy.
Just because YOU want to believe it exists doesn’t make it a reality. Suffice to say, we’ll agree to disagree on this one. I think I have a bit of the upperhand in living within the Black community, but I’m sure you “know” some Black people too.
KhalidX
March 5th, 2013
3:46 pm
Brosephus here is the defintion of racism . Racism is usually defined as views, practices and actions reflecting the belief that humanity is divided into distinct biological groups called races and that members of a certain race share certain attributes which make that group as a whole less desirable, more desirable, inferior or superior. Sir racism and white supremacy are the same thing . But I tell you what. I will give you a chance to prove you are right. Black racism . Please list how black racism in this country has affected white people as a group. Please list specfic examples. Past or present. Take all the time you need , sir .
keith
March 5th, 2013
3:47 pm
A black guy tried to convince me that the term colored is dreogatory. I asked him what NAACP stood for and he refused to answer. He could not bring himself to say it. HILARIOUS.
KhalidX
March 5th, 2013
3:50 pm
@Brosephus. White supremacy . Who has the power to end that? Why are we still seeing racist incidents like atthe University ? Will you be the noble white to spearhead an end to white supremacy in Georgia? We await your reply .
keith
March 5th, 2013
3:51 pm
Please list how black racism in this country has affected white people as a group
Affirmative action. Disqualifying whites based on the color of their skin then hiring/enrolling blacks based on the color of their skin.
Welfare. If you are black you have a much better chance at qualifying for welfare than whites because in Atlanta those making the decisions are black.
Jackie
March 5th, 2013
3:52 pm
“Colored” was the name given to the NAACP during its inception.
The term is derogatory and demeaning in its nature because it harkens back to a time when the term was used as a pejorative.
http://racerelations.about.com/od/understandingrac1/a/racialnamestoavoid_2.htm
http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/NAACP
Brosephus™
March 5th, 2013
3:53 pm
Sir racism and white supremacy are the same thing
They are NOT the same thing. One can be Black and racist. One can be Asian and racist. All you need is to have power over the victim. Look at the actions of some of the people that the original topic dealt with. Look at the contracting actions of Atlanta mayors in relation to airport contracts.
I honestly don’t have to list you a single thing, especially anything specific. If you want to prove me wrong, you would already have done so. Thanks for trying to frame the debate for me, but I am very capable of forming my own words. You can do that to some of the feeble minded people here, but this one doesn’t play by those rules.
keith
March 5th, 2013
3:55 pm
Public education. Many white families have to send their children to ;private schools because public schools are full of black gangbanger that attack, rape, and rob white kids.
Brosephus™
March 5th, 2013
3:56 pm
Affirmative action. Disqualifying whites based on the color of their skin then hiring/enrolling blacks based on the color of their skin.
Welfare. If you are black you have a much better chance at qualifying for welfare than whites because in Atlanta those making the decisions are black.
Once again, dumbassery rears it’s head on JB’s…
Affirmative action policies were put in place BY Whites in an effort to end discriminatory policies against minorities, specifically Blacks. Given the close to 200 year period of discrimination, with a lot of it being government sanctioned, affirmative action policies should be the least of anybody’s concerns.
As to welfare, there are far more Whites on welfare than there are Blacks. Atlanta doesn’t determine who qualifies and who doesn’t as welfare is a FEDERAL program.
keith
March 5th, 2013
3:56 pm
Colored” was the name given to the NAACP during its inception.
The term is derogatory and demeaning in its nature because it harkens back to a time when the term was used as a pejorative.
So the NAACP has a racist name. thanks jackie.
Brosephus™
March 5th, 2013
3:57 pm
Oh gosh…
keith, the thread is all yours. After that that last bit of ignorant crap, I yield the floor to you. Spew away….
keith
March 5th, 2013
3:57 pm
so you end racism with racism. nice try.
Jackie
March 5th, 2013
3:59 pm
@keith
Not only are you an idiot, you make things up.
What percentage of whites send their kids to private schools because of attack, rape and robbery?
I would suspect most of them are like you, someone who tries to say things to get a response to support your specious point.
keith
March 5th, 2013
4:00 pm
Did you know that 7 out of 10 blacks are born out of wedlock. 70 PERCENT! That is a very b ig problem that no amount of welfare will solve.
Jackie
March 5th, 2013
4:01 pm
@keith
One thing can be said about you that is absolutely true, you try to extrapolate to prove your point.
You still have not come to the realization that your logic stream is vapid.
OedipusTax
March 5th, 2013
4:02 pm
I actually agree with Jay Bookman, almost. One should recognize that in Dekalb, minorities ARE the majority.
keith
March 5th, 2013
4:04 pm
Jackie, if you could afford it, i know you cant, but if you could send your children to school without the threat of black gang violence wouldnt you? The only white kids going to public schools in the inner city of Atlanta are too poor to afford it. Same with the black kids. But its not white gangs that are doing ther killing in Atlanta, Chicago etc now is it???
keith
March 5th, 2013
4:05 pm
March 5th, 2013
4:02 pm
I actually agree with Jay Bookman, almost. One should recognize that in Dekalb, minorities ARE the majority
And like Chicago its a disaster.
BADA BING (imagine an umlaut above the i, I'm trying to class this place up a little)
March 5th, 2013
4:07 pm
DjeKalb County. The D is silent. Wish the School Board was.
Jackie
March 5th, 2013
4:08 pm
@keith
My kids are all products of public schools with all having undergraduate degrees, 2 with masters degrees in math and 1 working on a PhD.
The mother and father having undergraduate degrees and work on master’s degrees.
Your credentials are?
keith
March 5th, 2013
4:10 pm
And these racist flash mobs. Blacks in huge numbers going around robbing and beating people.
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/02/04/flash-mob-mayhem-violent-groups-of-teens-leave-nyc-neighborhoods-in-disarray/
How civilized are these people jackie?
williebkind
March 5th, 2013
4:11 pm
“Care to show where the Black Community acknowledges these “Black Leaders”? I’m not talking about the 1960s either.”
Obama 2008 & 2012! They voted for him because he was black. Sorry for the truth now you can release your diatribe of denial.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
March 5th, 2013
4:11 pm
Brosephus:
” ……………….. but I’m sure you “know” some Black people too.”
Better than that ………. friends, former bosses, former subordinates, neighbors, brother deacons, pastors, brother Marines ………… many in situations I would have given my life for them and they would have given their lives for me. We had and “have” each others backs.
And ……………… many of them chose to recognize their “Black Leaders”. Some they admire ……… some they don’t and we have talked about that.
What you choose to recognize is your personal business. I can only speak from the knowledge/experience I have.
And yes ……….. as on many subjects I respectfully disagree with you.
keith
March 5th, 2013
4:12 pm
Jackie is it white gangs that are terrorizing Atlanta and Chicago?
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
March 5th, 2013
4:13 pm
BADA BING :
Welcome !!!
Jackie
March 5th, 2013
4:14 pm
@keith
Could not find any gang-related deaths in schools in Atlanta.
Here are some other students being killed by guns in schools.
Again, you should get a good dose of medication for the diarrhea of the lip condition you have.
http://www.thetrumpet.com/article/10345.19.0.0/society/crime/a-rapid-increase-in-school-shootings-in-2013
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
March 5th, 2013
4:14 pm
BADA:
“DjeKalb County. The D is silent. Wish the School Board was.”
How about the “Djemocrat” ? The ‘D’ is silent. Wish they were ! ………….
williebkind
March 5th, 2013
4:15 pm
“Affirmative action policies were put in place BY Whites in an effort to end discriminatory policies against minorities, specifically Blacks.”
WRONG – it was put in place to keep the plantation voters on the plantation.
BADA BING (imagine an umlaut above the i, I'm trying to class this place up a little)
March 5th, 2013
4:15 pm
Governor to DeKalb School Board……….
The Djig is up.
Jackie
March 5th, 2013
4:15 pm
@keith
I am of the impression that you have had your hip kicked because you ran off at the mouth once to often to someone that didn’t mind laying you down.
They call me MISTER JamVet.
March 5th, 2013
4:18 pm
keith does crack me up.
I gotta give him credit where it is due though.
He tries SO hard not to be in the venomous, virulent version of himself that he is when he is Chr!stian Conservative, !tchy Finger, St*rm Tr**per, etc.
You go, keith!
They call me MISTER JamVet.
March 5th, 2013
4:19 pm
I also enjoy the scintillating wisdom of white power willie…
williebkind
March 5th, 2013
4:19 pm
Welfare and Headstart became dominated by black workers and was biased toward blacks and their families.
keith
March 5th, 2013
4:20 pm
@jackie
i am of the impression that you have been laid down on more than a few occassions too. any idea who the fathers are???
williebkind
March 5th, 2013
4:20 pm
They call me MISTER JamVet.
March 5th, 2013
Who said I was white. Are you?
Jackie
March 5th, 2013
4:21 pm
@JamVet
It is beginning to be clear to me that keith is someone who reminds you of this youtube song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kR39r6Lxg0
Jackie
March 5th, 2013
4:23 pm
@keith
When I said laid down it was not a term that had sexual connotations. It was meant to convey the fact that you had you “hip” kicked.
Secondly, I am not a female.
keith
March 5th, 2013
4:24 pm
welfare mothers like jackie are to be pitied. toys for tots has to provide them toys for their children. every thing they have is donated.
Jackie
March 5th, 2013
4:26 pm
I think that welfare/food stamp racial characterization should be put aside.
http://www.statisticbrain.com/welfare-statistics/
Jackie
March 5th, 2013
4:27 pm
@keith
Since you pity me, why don’t you donate your hip for me the kick?
williebkind
March 5th, 2013
4:28 pm
“Despite the noble history of their organization, they have acted as if the “P” in NAACP stood for “politicians.”
The noble history! I must have missed that part.
williebkind
March 5th, 2013
4:28 pm
NAACP = KKK they are both racist organizations.
Jackie
March 5th, 2013
4:30 pm
@williebkind
What is racist about the NAACP advocating for minorities and the recognition of the constitutional rights?
BADA BING (imagine an umlaut above the i, I'm trying to class this place up a little)
March 5th, 2013
4:30 pm
Hey 0311/
Jackie
March 5th, 2013
4:32 pm
@williebkind
Definition of racist is:
The belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, esp. so as to distinguish it as…
Prejudice or discrimination directed against someone of a different race based on such a belief.
Now, you were saying the NAACP is what?
Jackie
March 5th, 2013
4:36 pm
@williebkind
Either you are young or have not kept up with history.
If you are black, as you say you were, then you have disrespected your family and your ancestral lineage. How many blacks in just 3 generations past did not have to suffer indignation and denials of their constitutional rights?
Either you are not aware or have deliberately chosen to ignore your own history.
Jackie
March 5th, 2013
4:38 pm
@williebkind
Where you stand today, you are perched on the shoulders of those who died and suffered in the belief that all Americans have a right to be Americans under the Constitution.
If the attitude is to great for you, please stand down and gather some facts that will help you understand how your family suffered to get you to this point.
whatever
March 5th, 2013
4:46 pm
You folks in Copelin-Woods, Cunningham and Walkers district need to start clammoring for them to step aside. Walker has to go and so does Sarah. They should all resign, JUST AS SARAH HAS SAID—FOR THE GOOD OF THE CHEELDREN. S. Dekalb you must be so proud. We don’t hear any different. You need to speak up and speak out. Tell them to step down. They aren’t helping your community, never have, never will. It’s all about them.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
March 5th, 2013
4:51 pm
Well, well ………….. no surprise here !
“Email tells feds to make sequester as painful as promised”
“The Obama administration denied an appeal for flexibility in lessening the sequester’s effects, with an email this week appearing to show officials in Washington that because they already had promised the cuts would be devastating, they now have to follow through on that.
In the email sent Monday by Charles Brown, an official with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service office in Raleigh, N.C., Mr. Brown asked “if there was any latitude” in how to spread the sequester cuts across the region to lessen the impacts on fish inspections.
He said he was discouraged by officials in Washington, who gave him this reply: “We have gone on record with a notification to Congress and whoever else that ‘APHIS would eliminate assistance to producers in 24 states in managing wildlife damage to the aquaculture industry, unless they provide funding to cover the costs.’ So it is our opinion that however you manage that reduction, you need to make sure you are not contradicting what we said the impact would be.”
Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/5/email-tells-feds-make-sequester-painful-promised/#ixzz2MhkCGlW6
They call me MISTER JamVet.
March 5th, 2013
4:59 pm
Jackie, great James Brown…
willie, I’m not really “white”. Otherwise I would be an albino. My melanin is more pinkish white (especially when I blush) with shades of tan and olive.
I have no idea if you are white, but given your writings here, it is clear that you are white power.
To wit, ” I must have missed that part.”
Of course, you “missed” it. It is called willful ignorance with a lack of intellectual curiosity.
Read my posts at 11:58, 2:25 and 2:37 to read the very first things you have ever read about the NAACP.
Or don’t…
John
March 5th, 2013
5:00 pm
First time I’ve ever agreed with Bookman. Nevertheless, I have a question. What’s wrong with private alternatives to the public-school model? Why the knee-jerk opposition?
creative
March 5th, 2013
5:02 pm
haha…what a fun group here. hate hate hate. Nazis vs Commies. rednecks vs inner city blacks. I love it.
Patrick Edmondson
March 5th, 2013
5:18 pm
I found what you said very intriguing because it made me another look at Deal’s options here.
An added comment is SACS. I went through 30 years of SACS evaluations at schools across the spectrum. Many SACS people are good people focused on educational quality. Some are as self-important as the Dekalb School Board members. They rated schools on what hotels and amenities were provided, as well as the mandatory “honorarium” gift. They could be a real financial drain on a school in a less-well off community, but everyone knew from experience it was a necessity for your school’s rating. Schools never know which type they will draw.
Scotto
March 5th, 2013
6:11 pm
Have any of the books been found from that $25 million textbook purchase—–someone please follow the money on this.
Dr.EB
March 5th, 2013
6:42 pm
@ Jackie, keith is having a bad day. Don’t confuse him with the facts.
Scooby
March 5th, 2013
10:01 pm
Very disappointed in you and other democrats Jay. It amazes me how you all can forget the will of the people when it only affects blacks. If this were the Federal Govt attempting to remove someone from the State of GA, the reaction would be the opposite. And we’d here references to the US Constitution.
But you know what? Sonny Perdue and Nathan Deal used to be democrats too.
Joel Edge
March 6th, 2013
5:52 am
“But crying racism as a political tactic, with no evidence that it is playing a role, cheapens the problem. It also ends up encouraging the very attitude that it supposedly condemns.”
LMAO
That was good. OK, who are you and what did you do with Jay?
skipper
March 6th, 2013
8:43 am
KhalidX,
You are nothing more than a rabble rouser……….folks like you have no solutions, so you excuse bad behaviour. If it is in any fibre of your being to defend the buffoons on the Dekalb board, then you are the racist, bigot, or whatever. Bad, incompetant behaviour knows no bounds, and this board is a burning example of why racism exists; because it is politically incorrect to point out that JUST MAYBE these morons are dumb as a sack of rocks as well as incompetant and they just happen to be black! So, they are insulated….the race card with this crew has become the joker.
Can We Just Move On
March 12th, 2013
9:37 am
Bernie, you sure do use a lot of caps in your posts (3/5 @ 12:59). Are you that bitter? Perhaps therapy would help.
This is not about race……this is not about politics…..republican or democrat…..this is not about the NAACP….this is not about the gov having so much power…..this is not about those poor School Board members being ousted for (let us count the infractions)….this is not about Obama, Paul Rand or the Dow (what the hell do all of these issues have to do with the case at hand?)….quite simply it is, however, about a group of our young people not being put in the middle of this sordid mess….who deserve better….and let’s not forget the parents/voters/taxpayers who placed their trust in the nine members to not concern themselves with their own importance, or to, it is seemingly apparent, think that the taxpayers will form a “ho hum….whatever you think” attitude about spending our money. The right and only thing has happened. Deal with it and let’s move on. A good deal of this energy we are seeing evidenced by the posts could be spent on attending future Board meetings, demanding transparency and in general letting the appointed members know we are watching.