[Durham INC] Proposal for Black Academy in Durham NC

Mon Jun 24 21:37:34 EDT 2013

Will,

First of all, it was great seeing you on yesterday afternoon at the Civil Rights event at the Durham Main Library.

Secondly, thanks for responding with specifics.  As yourself, I enjoy researching and in the respectful back-and-forth of varying perspectives.  You've always shown yourself -in your dealings with me- to be one that is willing to have conversation.  For such, I commend and respect you.

Now, to my response, to your response:

A. Progressive Behavior:

1. The premise of your response, as it relates to being "progressive" was that to you, being progressive deals with attempting to influence (thus create) policy which results in a better lifestyle.  I accept this notion;

2. Having accepted Point-1, I'd submit that my criticism of local "progressives" lies within the inconsistency between their fervor towards environmental issues (geared towards implementation of policies which, consistent with your response would result in a positive lifestyle experience), as compared to their energy and expended effort towards local issues which, directly, affect African Americans;

B. Education Inconsistency:

1. The Durham Public Schools, historically, has done a terrible job of successfully implementing any policies which can show a significant benefit for African Americans.  And yes, to demonstrate my racial-neutrality, I'll add that these behaviors existed even with BLACK majorities on the School Board.  This behavior is what I learned at UNC Chapel Hill, in Psych 100 under Dr. Paul Shinkman: a conditioned response. Durham Public Schools is conditioned to not address policy-implementation which helps African Americans.  Go check-out the report card comparisons.

FACT: DPS is overwhelmingly black.  This, despite the fact that the Durham population is closely matched as it relates to African Americans and Anglos;

FACT: Statistically speaking, Anglo students do very well in Durham Public Schools.  African American students do not.  This makes concerns about inconsistencies in suspensions, etc a valid conversation (note: issues which school boards members and DPS have stated is a concern themselves; so I'm not just creating this discussion);

FACT:  In spite of the fact that Anglo students do well in DPS - on the same level as our peer school systems across the State of North Carolina- Anglos are running from Durham Public Schools.  (Why is this, when data proves beyond any doubt that DPS is working for Anglo students?);

FACT: DPS, despite this statistic of Anglo success in DPS, has placated to the needs of the Anglo community, in an effort to "keep the white parents happy and in the school system." Out of respect for privacy, I'll not state who I just quoted.....;

FACT:  Examples of such placating are the many Woodcroft and other residents that should go to Hillside, but are allowed to go elsewhere.  There are several examples of such occurrences.  

A more interesting example is the Lucas School.  Chewning (which would attract residents from Braggtown and other such areas) was far from capacity and, in-fact could have received a few hundred more students.  Yet, Lucas was built.  Why?  Because land was donated (just as the 751 developers promised to donate land, and was rebuffed, so let's not hear any "if someone donates lands, we need to use it for schools!" rhetort) and the Treyburn residents were promised a school.

Well, their kids could've gone to Chewning.  There was plenty of space.  And yes, I know there are a lot of black Treyburn residents (I have many friends that live in Treyburn and are black).

I could ramble on and on with information to support my point, but I'm tired and I need to work on a business plan for a client, lol......

My underlying issue is:  DPS, when wanting to do whatever it has wanted, has had no problem ignoring "fiscal" matters, but instead, dropping that on the County Commissioners.

So as an African American male, I want to know why I should not smell a dirty, race-infested sock in the corner, when I hear Board Members suddenly so concerned with fiscal discipline, when it comes to implementing policy (re: "progressive" action) which would directly address the adverse stigmas (re: "progressive" resolution effort) associated with a matter which, as you pointed out yourself Will, disproportionately affects the African American community.

So nothing tees me off more than when I, as a black male, am told this isn't about race.

Damnit, this is all about race, because we agree that this matter affects BLACK males, more so than others.

Sidenote:  this is also why middle and upper class blacks, will often go align with a Republican issue, at random times over a "progressive." At least we know where those sneaky, slick, vinegar-blooded Republicans stand.  A darn "progressive" can be dangerous - and worse than a Republican.

Jesse Helms wasn't elected by Republicans.  He had a lot of good ole, NC "progressive" assistance.  

I still love ya'll though.

The Moderate,

Darius

--------------------
Darius M. Little
Executive Business Consultant  and
Strategic Marketing Analyst

(web) www.linkedin.com/in/dariuslittle

*A MANTA Verified and Approved Industry Leader in Strategic Business Consulting*

http://www.manta.com/c/mtlwj1m/little-s-business-consulting

"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall 
receive." [Matt 21:22]

-----Original Message-----
From: Will Wilson <willwilsn at gmail.com>
Sender: inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org
Date: Mon, 24 Jun 2013 20:46:26 
To: Intern Neighborhood Council<inc-list at rtpnet.org>
Reply-To: willwilsn at gmail.com
Subject: Re: [Durham INC] Proposal for Black Academy in Durham NC

The situation facing the nation's poor is a nation-wide, state-wide, and
county-wide disgrace. Poor, black males face the greatest challenge --
no doubt about it. Just one huge example for any doubters: here's a plot
of 2005 US mortality rates by gender for blacks and whites. A national
disgrace.

The single gender academy devoted to suspended minority students sounds
like an intriguing idea, but it came up so recently that I, for one,
don't know much about it. Do we have more than 500 suspended minority
students, and, if so, what are we doing for the remainder?

I've always thought that "progressive" meant having a concern for the
health and economic development of our nation's poor, and having a tax
system that has higher wealth folks pay progressively more on a
percentage basis for those needs. If so, I'm a progressive.

As a nation, we need to help poor kids and families, and that's why I
supported Obamacare, and still do despite the flaws needed for passage.
A critical part of Obamacare was the Medicaid expansion, which, in our
state would have provided health care for half a million North
Carolinians. We know who is to blame for it's rejection in NC. Maybe you
can blame bad election outcomes on progressives, but progressives didn't
reject the Medicaid expansion.

And just like we don't enough health care or provide medicines to poor
folks, we don't provide healthy environments for poor folks. Illnesses
like respiratory problems (asthma, pneumonia, etc) and heart attacks are
partly due to heat and poor air quality. Just like we need to work to
get poor folks medicine to treat some diseases, or lifestyle changes
like the ones pushed by Michelle Obama, we need to create communities
with better air quality.

A push for urban trees isn't a push for urban trees, it's a push for
better health. Durham has higher temperatures, lower air quality, and
fewer trees right where the poorest citizens live. More vegetation,
fewer parking lots, less traffic, better housing can all increase air
quality for our poorest citizens. It's an issue that's only about trees
in the way that the drugs that treat HIV is only about the drugs: Equal
access to health needs.

Like I said, the situation with our nation's poor is a national disgrace.

Will Wilson

On 6/24/2013 2:16 PM, Darius M. Little wrote:
> Thanks Carl - and Dick.
>
> Where are all of the "progressives" .....people are always
> progressive until we start specifically address Black issues.  I'm
> starting to understand Lavonia Allison more and more these days:
> progressives will fight for a tree, a dog, a cat, the environment and
> everything else....but when we start specifically discussing any bold
> effort to reduce adverse results in the Black Community, liberal
> folks suddenly become concerned with funding.
>
>
> -------------------- Darius M. Little Executive Business Consultant
> and Strategic Marketing Analyst
>
> (web) www.linkedin.com/in/dariuslittle
>
> *A MANTA Verified and Approved Industry Leader in Strategic Business
> Consulting*
>
> http://www.manta.com/c/mtlwj1m/little-s-business-consulting
>
>
>
> "And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye
> shall receive." [Matt 21:22]
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Carl Kenney <revcwkii at hotmail.com>
> Sender: inc-list-bounces at rtpnet.org Date: Mon, 24 Jun 2013 17:49:42
> To: Richard Ford<rbford at aim.com>; Intern Neighborhood
> Council<inc-list at rtpnet.org> Subject: Re: [Durham INC] Proposal for
> Black Academy in Durham NC
>
> _______________________________________________ Durham INC Mailing
> List list at durham-inc.org http://www.durham-inc.org/list.html
>
> _______________________________________________ Durham INC Mailing
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>

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