Aside from pastors, Jackson said a key partner in the coalition's work locally would be Indianapolis Public Schools Superintendent Eugene White, who has met twice with Jackson in recent weeks to talk about raising parental involvement in schools.
IPS will adopt Rainbow/ PUSH's six-point plan for parents: the Million Parent Pledge. The pledge asks parents to vow, among other things, that they will exchange phone numbers with their child's teachers and personally pick up their child's report card.
White said IPS may go a step further and encourage parents to monitor grades online. White said he is eager for Jackson's involvement, particularly as the civil rights leader has placed greater emphasis in recent years on education.
"I think he sees that all of the gains they have worked for in civil rights can go by the wayside if we don't get these kids educated," White said. "What good is it to have the right to vote if you don't have the sense to go out and vote?"
So Supt. White thinks that the man on Sunday who said he wanted to cut off the nuts of a would-be president is part of the solution for IPS? Think again, Supt. White. Number one, you risk alienating many non-African-American Indianapolis parents who find Jackson to be a divisive race-baiter. Number two, Jackson is a hard-charging partisan. He can't give a speech without talking about politics. At one point earlier in his career, Jackson used to occasionally support Republicans, but these days, he's just an extension of the Democratic Party. Number three, Jackson is a divider, not a uniter. I had high hopes for Supt. White when he first took the reins of IPS, but I"m quickly losing faith in him. IPS cannot succeed if it continues pursue policies which limit its reach to one demographic.
6 comments:
I find it interesting that, if Supt. White or a teacher or a student had said the same thing, they'd be out of the school system permanently - and probably be in court.
AI, how can you promote Jackson on one hand as isolated away from the influence of the party and on the other hand as an agent of the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party now belongs to Barack Obama. He's putting his stamp on at the DNC. That was the whole genesis of the Jackson under the breath remarks that were so conveniently played on the Billy Bob Billo Show...er...O'Reilly Factor.
I see your point though. Jackson is a divisive figure, and he's probably not the best choice to help your case for a bond issue.
Superintendent White is part of the problem not part of the solution and the sooner the Board makes a change there, then it will be time for IPS to start making some improvements.
Jon, that bond issue has been doomed from day one.......I have yet to hear a taxpayer speak in favor of it........
Jesse Jackson needs to attend IPS as a new student! What a Con Man!
I believe Nas said it best:
"I think Jesse Jackson, he's the biggest player hater," Nas said. "His time is up. All you old ..., time is up. We heard your voice, we saw your marching, we heard your sermons. We don't wanna hear that ... no more. It's a new day. It's a new voice. I'm here now. We don't need Jesse; I'm here. I got this. We got Barack, we got David Banners and Young Jeezys. We're the voice now. It's no more Jesse. Sorry. Goodbye. You ain't helping nobody in the 'hood. That's the bottom line. Goodbye, Jesse. Bye!"
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