by Clayola Brown, President, A. Philip Randolph Institute

 

 

Today, one of the most important and talked about domestic subjects is educational reform.  Various types of change have been proposed, and I would like to examine some of them from the perspective of minorities, particularly blacks and Latinos, who have often been poorly served by our schools.

 

One type of reform that we at the APRI cannot support is the use of tax money for vouchers that pay all or part of the tuition at private and religious schools. Supporters say vouchers give parents a choice of schools for their children. However, private and religious schools can decide what students to admit, and normally those schools exclude less-prepared students, who are disproportionately from the poor and minority populations.  Why should poor, minority taxpayers—or taxpayers in general, for that matter—subsidize these exclusive schools, schools that, furthermore, are not accountable to the public about how their money is spent or how well they are performing?  Some say these schools provide competition that will improve the public schools, but there is no evidence that this is true.  Meanwhile, the tax dollars they receive could be used to improve public schools.

 

Charter schools, which are proliferating across the country, represent another reform idea. They are publicly funded institutions that are allowed exemptions from some state and local regulations to help them meet the goals of their charter.  We, along with the teachers’ unions, support charter schools under certain conditions.  We envision these schools as places where teachers, free from excessively restrictive regulations, can experiment with new methods of instruction.  These methods would be professionally evaluated and, if they improved student performance, would be applied to public schools.

 

Some charter schools do not work, however, because they are contracted out to private operators who function on a for-profit basis and try to exploit teachers through a low pay, nonunion environment.  To “prove” their effectiveness, they stack the deck at the beginning by cherry picking the most well prepared students.  Charter schools should be nonprofit and operate transparently.  Their teachers must be free to join a union, because a union contract gives them security, which encourages experimentation.  And charter schools must receive students on an equal basis, so that poor, minority children have the same opportunity to attend as any others.

 

Last year the Obama administration established a Race to the Top Fund of  $4.3 billion, the money to go to the states that best support effective educational reform.  We support this program because it encourages school reforms that meet our standards.  For example, one of the criteria by which states are judged requires them “to ensure that students in high-poverty and/or high-minority schools . . . have equitable access to highly effective teachers and principals.”  Another criterion calls upon states to “encourage charter schools that serve student populations which are similar to local district populations, especially relative to high-need students.”  Florida and Tennessee were the first two states to be awarded Race to the T op funding.  Their plans met these criteria and those states’ teachers unions supported their applications.

 

The APRI can help to foster positive change in our schools.  Our local affiliates need to form coalitions with other organizations in the black community and with affiliates of the American Federation of Teachers to block politicians and entrepreneurs who want to misuse charter schools to bring down labor standards and advance the privileged rather than the underprivileged, who need help the most.  In New York City, for example, the United Federation of Teachers has been attempting to amend the state charter school law to meet exactly the pro-labor and pro-minority criteria discussed here.  In an economy where the unemployment rate is 9.7 percent (and 15.5 percent for blacks), minority children will need all the educational help they can get to compete for jobs, and in New York and everywhere else, we at the APRI are obliged to help them.

Message from Clayola Brown, President of The A. Philip Randolph Institute April 15, 2010 – April 20, 2010 Within the short span of one week, the nation and the world has lost two noble icons of dignified strength and formidable courage.  Last Thursday, on April 15, the birth date of civil rights and labor activist A. Philip Randolph, Dr. Benjamin Lawson Hooks passed away. Today, April 20th, Dr. Dorothy Irene Height leaves us just a few weeks after her 98th birthday. Two formidable Giants--Dr. Hooks and Dr. Height were two legendary African American leaders who stood up against all odds and stood out against all oppressors for those who were unable to fight for themselves.  True Heroes--they chose a path of selflessness, dedication, and sacrifice to wrap their arms around the downtrodden, the forgotten and the invisible.  They embraced all who shared their values. Their legacy is unquestionable. Both began their service to humanity as young ...continue reading

  Wake Forest University has an opportunity for minority students to attend its MBA program for FREE, and so far, the response has been very poor. Please, pass along this opportunity to your friends, families, and networks to see if there is an interest. This is a great school and a tremendous opportunity to attend a top graduate school.See details below.   The contact person information is:   Derrick S. Boone, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Marketing Room 3139 Worrell Professional Center Babcock Graduate School of Management Wake Forest University 1834 Wake Forest Drive Winston-Salem , NC 27109-8758   Email: derrick.boone@mba.wfu.edu Website:  http://business.wfu.edu/default.aspx?id=1454 To hear a message on the Corporate Fellowship award, call 336.758.4584.   Phone: (336) 758-4475 Toll-free:   (866) 925-3622 Fax:  ( 336)758-4514   Message from Derrick S. ...continue reading

For those who knew Mark Duane Anderson, I regret to inform you of his passing at his home on Tuesday, November 10. Services for Mark are as follows: "Celebration of Life" Saturday, November 21 @1pm Trinity United Methodist Church 1210 S. Hackley Street Muncie, IN 47302-3565 "Remembering a Great Soul" (Very likely but still TENTATIVE) Saturday, November 28 @ 1pm Union Temple Baptist Church 1225 W Street, SE Washington, DC The Anderson's home address is: 1407 S. Hackley Street Muncie, IN 47302 H - (765) 289-4885 (they will be back in Muncie on the 20th) For those of you who will be joining his family in Muncie, you may fly into Dayton, OH or Indianapolis IN. They are both about 1.5 hours away from Muncie. The Anderson's have asked that we make sure you know that all are welcome. Your support and kind words have meant more than you will ever know. On behalf of his mother,"Punchie", his dad, Sam, and his ...continue reading

On Saturday, two streets in Harlem were named in honor of two civil rights leaders with ties to New York City: A. Philip Randolph and W. E. B. DuBois.     All of 145th Street was named A. Philip Randolph Boulevard, in honor of the labor and political leader. The length of Bradhurst Avenue, running from West 141st Street to 155th Street, was named W. E. B. DuBois Avenue, after the scholar and writer who also helped found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.   Library of Congress 145th Street will also carry the name of A. Philip Randolph, the labor and civil rights leader.   Each man was a longtime resident of Harlem, though neither lived there when he died. “They walked those streets,” said Anthony Harmon, the president of the New York chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Institute. “They were part of that community.” They did not live on the streets that are named after them.   ...continue reading

APRI was well-represented at the AFLCIO Diversity Summit on Sunday, September 12, 2009. Clayola Brown, President of APRI, brought the crowd to its feet as she spoke of the changes in the labor movement since that time. She told the group that opportunities created in the efforts to achieve full inclusion in leadership for people of color, women, disabled, and LGBT had resulted in this wonderful rainbow of people attending the Diversity Summit. Following crowd rousing remarks from President Brown, youth activist Audrey Medley participated on the panel which featured young organizers from unions and community groups. [Click below to read the full article] A New Generation of Unions: Voices and Stories from the Diversity Summit     ...continue reading

Dear APRI members, friends and allies, Our economy is hurting and hardworking people are losing their jobs.  In particular, Latino and African American workers are losing their jobs at a faster rate than the general population. To help workers get by in this recession, the AFL-CIO has created an Unemployment Lifeline .  This is a one-stop shop to various links and local resources for unemployed workers.  You can find your local unemployment office, child care services, veteran services, and much more!  You also have the opportunity to talk to other workers, exchange ideas and support one another in these tough times. Check out the Unemployment Lifeline TODAY and share it with family and friends who may need these helpful resources as well. We want workers to know that you are not alone and that we are here to help! If there is a helpful link you know of that you can't find on the site, contact ...continue reading

In the spirit of the famous African-American labor leader A. Philip Randolph, the Central Florida chapter of an organization dedicated to his name has lent their voice of support in the campaign to pass the Employee Free Choice Act.   Phyllis Hancock, chapter president, says the Employee Free Choice Act will greatly benefit the African-American community.    “It is very important for me to take to the African American community the message of the Employee Free Choice Act because it can help them economically,” she explained.   Hancock knows firsthand the benefits of unions.  Growing up, her father was in a union and as a result received higher wages than most families in her neighborhood.  She said that the security afforded by the union enabled her father to be able to take care of his family with less worries than his non-union counterparts.   Additionally, Hancock says her own experience as a union member showed her the ...continue reading

Dear Brothers and Sisters: This is to inform you that the A. Philip Randolph Institute joined several other leading organizations on a filing with the National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) on April 13, 2009, in which several key priorities are expressed to the administration on how to best spend stimulus funds to promote computer and broadband adoption in the home and to support programs that develop 21st Century tech literacy skills.  The letter specifically calls on NTIA to: Increase access to computer hardware; Support Community Technology Centers and like-minded civic organizations in local schools, places of worship,  and other community meeting places; Support non-profit digital education programs; Support Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions and other Minority-Serving Institutions; Treat single state and multi-state applicants equitably to leverage the strength of national, ...continue reading

APRI Louisville Chapter GOTV Efforts APRI Savannah, GA GOTV Video Click Here to watch More... APRI Youth iReport APRISF March with clergy to Vote early in San Francisco Click Here to read the news article on the walk to City Hall to vote in San Francisco!! ...continue reading

Leon Lynch, Former APRI Chairman is recuperating in a Memphis, TN hospital. We will keep you abreast of his condition. For more information, you may contact the APRI national office @ 202-508-3710.

The significance of voting rights and voter protection efforts cannot be overstated. Especially since 2000, the weaknesses in our election system have become obvious. Poor administration, limited resources, intimidation, manipulation and lack of voter education have become too common, particularly among communities with the greatest needs. Get Involved!! My Vote, My Right seeks to build a network of labor activists to get involved in voter protection activities. This network includes union attorneys, AFL-CIO staff, state and local coordinators and voter protection volunteers. My Vote, My Right is looking for people to fill leadership rolls, educate voters and volunteer to work in and at the polls on Election Day. To get involved, send your name, address, county, e-mail address and phone number to yourvote@aflcio.org or AFL-CIO My Vote, My Right 815 16 th Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20006 My Vote, My Right, the AFL’s 2008 ...continue reading

Do your stewards, union staff, union leaders know how to make their contracts inclusive of their lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender members? If not, your union needs to take the Pride At Work Union Certification Program! In five hours, P@W staff can teach you how to add non-discrimination language, domestic partner benefits, inclusive FMLA language, and transgender health benefits to your union contract. We come to you, and we offer it for free, For more information, contact Sandra Telep @ (202) 487-9171. Get your union certified as an LGBT-friendly local today.  

The Southern Arizona chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Institute on Friday honored 10 Tucsonans who have played a significant role in civil rights in Arizona. "There are so many outstanding people in our community that are black," said Vicki Marshall, an organizer for the event. "I'm proud of the longevity of these people." The institute uses the ideas of the civil rights and labor movements to promote or extend democracy to those traditionally disenfranchised or discouraged from participating in the political system.   At the ceremony, held at Pima Community College, Norman Hill, national president emeritus, discussed the accomplishments and principles of the founders of the institute - Asa Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin.   Hill, 74, of Washington D.C., was a member of the Congress of Racial Equality and served as a key adviser to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. He said he hoped his talk in Tucson would support the continued efforts of the ...continue reading

This episode of the ColorsNW podcast features Cathy Allen, Angela Gilliam, Verlene Jones (APRI Seattle) & Peter Masundire talking about Race & Gender in the 2008 Presidential Elections.