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VOLUME 88 - NUMBER 38
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2009
Civil Rights Coalition Offers New
Congress Action Plan for Closing the
Achievement Gap
Campaign for High School Equity calls
on federal government to prioritize high
school education reform
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Less than 60 percent of African
American. Latino, and American Indian and Alaska Native
students graduate from high school on time with a regular di
ploma, compared to a national graduation rate of more than
70 percent of all students, a crisis that threatens the nation's
global competitiveness and economic security. Many Asian
Americans also face barriers in education that are often over
looked as a result of inadequate data collection and report
ing by schools, school districts, and states. The Campaign for
High School Equity (CHSE), a coalition of national civil rights
groups addressing high school education quality and equality,
hosted a congressional briefing to outline policy priorities for
improving student outcomes, including recommendations re
lated to implementation of the American Recovery and Rein
vestment Act.
"In these increasingly challenging economic times it is
more critical than ever for us to address the obstacles that
stand in the way of student performance and to introduce solu
tions that will keep students of color on the path to high school
graduation. " said Hilary O. Shelton. NAACP’s vice president
for advocacy and director of the Washington Bureau.
“Too many American high schools fail to provide a high-
quality education to the youth who should become our next
generation of business and political leaders,” said Michael
T.S. Wotorson executive director of CHSE. “While CHSE is
pleased that the House and Senate versions of the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act include some relief for states
to address public education, much more needs to be done now
to ensure that every student graduates prepared for college
and the 21st century workforce. The current stimulus bill does
not, for example, include funding for high schools. Title Vll,
Title 111, TRIO. GEAR UP. and other programs that directly
support students of color and English language learner (ELL)
students.”
At the briefing. CHSE members urged the federal govern
ment to hold high schools accountable for student achieve
ment and graduation and to give schools the resources they
need to adequately prepare students for success. The leaders
also called for comprehensive and consistent data systems to
report student progress, implementation of a variety of effec
tive high school models that support different learning styles,
and strategies to place highly-effective school leaders and
teachers in high-need high schools.
"In these increasingly challenging economic times it is more
critical than ever for us to address the obstacles that stand in
the way of student performance and to introduce solutions that
will keep students of color on the path to high school gradu
ation,” said Hilary O. Shelton, NAACP's vice president for
advocacy and director of the Washington Bureau. “We can no
longer ignore disparities in public education, denying students
the opportunity to make significant contributions in their com
munities and to our nation’s economy.”
As students of color and ELLs continue to grow as a pro
portion of the total student population, CHSE called for im
proving their educational outcomes to be a national priority.
Schools that serve a student body made up of more than half
minority students are more likely to be “dropout factories” -
schools where fewer than 60 percent of freshmen go on to
graduate three years later. Implementing federal accountabil
ity standards matched with adequate resources and data that
indicate which schools and students are most in need will raise
the bar in high schools nationwide.
“The potential for student success and achievement exists
through structural reform in public education.” said Wotorson.
“We need to hold our new president and Congress accountable
for delivering on promises of education reform, funding, and
policy at the federal level, and high schools must be included
in that dialogue.”
CHSE is a coalition of leading civil rights organizations
representing communities of color that is focused on high
school education reform. Members include the National Ur
ban League, National Council of La Raza, National Associa
tion for the Advancement of Colored People, Leadership Con
ference on Civil Rights Education Fund, Mexican American
Legal Defense and Educational Fund, League of United Latin
American Citizens, National Association of Latino Elected
and Appointed Officials Educational Fund, Alliance for Ex
cellent Education. National Indian Education Association, and
Southeast Asia Resource Action Center.
CHSE is a special project of Rockefeller Philanthropy Ad
visors.
Kenya McKoy, Keith Newsom and Leslie Blocker pick up trash around NCCU. See
related story and photos on page 3.
As Obama Gets His Groove Back,
Black Leaders Launch Grassroots
Campaign for Health Care
By Pharoh Marlin ;md Hazel Trice Edney
NNPA National Correspondent and Editor-in-Chief
The line is drawn. The Congressional Black Caucu.s has pledged to kill any House health care bill that doesn't
include a robust public option and organizational nieinbers of the Black Leadership Forum are rolling out an array
of grassroots campaigns in support of passing health care reform overall.
“‘All of us combined, the organizations who make up the Black Leadership Forum, are going to begin a series
of efforts across the nation - in our neighborhoods, in our churches, in our communities to pass comprehensive
health care reform," said National Urban League President Marc Morial, also chair of the 34-member BLF. “This
effort is going to be far ranging. It’s not the kind of effoH where we have a big sack of money to buy television
commercials. But it is an effort that is going to appeal to people's hearts and minds. “
CBC and BLF members spoke out in a joint press conference Sept. 9. The conference marked the first time
that Black elected officials and Black activists have held a joint gathering to help push through the reform that has
become an appendage of the Obama Administration and could become his legacy.
Later that evening. President Obama appeared to have gotten his groove back as he gave a dynamic speech
before a joint session of Congress with the level of charisma that was reminiscent of his campaign days. It also
made a strong moral appeal to the nation that pundits had said was missing in his earlier advocacy for the health
care bill.
“I am not the first President to take up this cause, but 1 am detennined to be the last," he told the members
of the House and Senate who repeatedly applauded the points of ihe speech. “Our collective failure to meet this
challenge - year after year, decade after decade - has led us to a breaking point. Everyone understands the ex
traordinary hardships that are placed on the uninsured, who live every day just one accident or illness away from
bankruptcy."
White House Domestic Policy Advisor Melody Barnes said in an interview with the NNPA News Service that
perceptions that Obama was not moving swiftly enough on clarifying the issues were wrong. She said he was
listening to the people at town halls and other gatherings during the month of August.
“‘I think consistently he has believed that when he can talk to people and talk directly to them that he's able to
explain and convey the level of important around a particular issue," she said. “While there was a lot of media at
tention focused on a few of the town halls, there was a lot of hyperbole and controversy. There were also a number
of other town halls where there was reasoned and considerate debate."
Once Congress was back in session, the status quo was not acceptable to Americans but it was also clear that
because of the amount of information flying around out there - a lot of misinformation around death panels and
immigration issues that it was also time for they20President to explain to the American people and be very clear
about what he does believe in and what he doesn't believe in, to in some ways provide a summary of what he
thinks is an important health care plan andy20to cut through a lot of the noise that had existed and some of the
confusion that had been mounted in the months prior."
(Continued On Page 4)
TELEPHONE (919) 682-2913 PRICE
Injunction
Allows HBCU to
Maintain
Standing
Special to the NNPA t'roin the
Dallas Weekly
DALLAS (NNPA) - Paul
College won a temporaiy sig
nificant battle in preventing the wl
lege from having its accreditafioit
removed by the Southern A
tion of Colleges and Schools
(SACS). Attorneys for the scii. o'
secured a preliminary iitjunt iou
that allows it to maintain ii
accreditation status.
The document from tli
Division of the United St;
trict Court stated; "Paul Qu"
lege - is hereby reinstated to i ,r
bership in the Southern Asso- i s
of Colleges and Schools C .
sion on Colleges. Inc ..
COC), in the same status it • ■
immediately before the r
remove it; that is. as a mci
Probation."
The injunction is pendii
the finai outcome and resolu,
Paul Quinn's case will be ; ,
It's not sure at this point of ' .
ther actions will be taken b'
or the North District Conn
junction will allow Paul Quii ;
remain accredited during
dency of its litigation agaiiis;
- challenging efforts to ren.
creditation from the 137
college. As a result of the All, ’
order. Paul Quinn may conlm ■;
award degrees and distribiru i.'-
eral financial aid to studc: ■. •
classes will begin as plaiui. ; •
Qctober 5. "The injunction ; i .
Paul Quinn to continue sei vi:
dents and the community in i c
capacity, and represents . " •
step toward securing the Ion; r ■
future ofthis college," said V ■ ;
A. Brewer III. partner at BicL .
Brewer Storefront and lead u
for Paul Quinn. The law fiin ;
the injunction on Aug. 25
lanta.
The accreditation dispute in , .
ing Paul Quinn has become ; . . ;
the most closely watched c:! ■
higher education. SACS' Coi wr
sion on Colleges notified the... .
on June 25 that it was remv,, .c
from membership in the org;! oi...
tion, and that decision was aiii an ...
by an appeals committee on A i lu 
24.
The following day. tlie H t. •
& Brewer Storefront filed a ..o
suit in Atlanta federal disirict. i ii-
and a motion seeking a teini- '
restraining order and prelim. .
injunction.
The Storefront argued that
had violated Paul Quinn'.s I
law and statutory due proi.
and that removing the sebo..'
creditation would represeni .
strophic and irreparable hariu
the institution, the oldest his' .
ly Black college in Texas, il;. .
ings demonstrate the extiaoi ' ..
recent progress the school has ..
in its financial and admini .l
management - and cite ..
concerns that SACS "made .
tiple material factual errors a ■ .
nection with its assessmem ■
Quinn's] financial condition '
The Storefront allegoi
SACS violated the Highe. ' '
tion Act by denying Paul Qui..
opportunity to "present iit .
significant financial inforu .
relating to its accreditation r,
Paul Quinn President Mich.
Sorrell hailed the developmi.
a signal that the college woul I .
mately prevail in its legal chi’ u
and ongoing pursuit of ace •
tion.
"This is an incredibly inn.'
day in the history of Paul i s >
College." said Sorrell.
“The message for otii si.’. ..
faculty, alumni and sup|X)r'
that we remain fully acci .
confident in our future, and ! us I
on our goal of becoming
A.merica’s great small code.,,
(Continued On Page 4)