NEW PITTSBURGH COURIER NATIONAL MARCH 10-16, 2010 A7
Ed officials to step up civil rights enforcement
by Christine Armario
opposed King and the 1965
voting rights march—to
Associated Press Writer
hold his news conference.
(AP)—The federal De- Democratic Rep. Alvin
partment of Education Holmes of Montgomery had
wants to intensify its civil objected but Duncan re-
rights enforcement efforts fused to move to another lo-
in schools around the coun- cation and agency officials
try, including a deeper look said the school is now ma-
at issues ranging from pro- jority Black and its current
grams for immigrant stu- principal was 2 years old at
dents learning English to the time of the march.
equal access to college Instead, Duncan added a
preparatory courses. school to his visit—Martin
Education Secretary Arne Luther King Elementary
Duncan was set to speak School—and met with
Monday in Alabama to out- fifth-graders there. He also
line the department’s met with Holmes and an-
goals. Duncan was there to other Black lawmaker,
commemorate the 45th an- Democratic Rep. Thad Mc-
niversary of “Bloody Sun- Clammy of Montgomery.
day,” in which several hun- The education secretary
dred civil rights protesters did not comment on their
were beaten by state troop- discussion, but Holmes
ers on Selma’s Edmund said he explained to Dun-
Pettus Bridge during a vot- can that it “wouldn’t be
ing rights march in 1965. right” to visit only Lee and
“For us, this is very much not a school in a predomi-
JUDGE GREG MATHIS
about working to meet the nantly Black neighborhood.
president’s goal, that by McClammy said Duncan
2020 we will regain our asked why Alabama legis-
Mathis launches
status in the world as the lators oppose charter
number one producer of schools—a measure by Re-
college graduates,” Russ- publican Gov. Bob Riley to
lynn Ali, assistant secre- create charter schools was
Black prisoner initiative
tary for civil rights in the killed recently in House
Education Department, and Senate committees.
told The Associated Press. McClammy said he told
by Chris Levister
mately 6 percent of the pop-
The department is ex- Duncan, an advocate of
ulation of the United
pecting to conduct 38 com- charter schools, that more
For New Pittsburgh Courier
pliance reviews around 40
AP PHOTO/SUSAN WALSH
States.
assurance is needed that
different issues this year,
READ ACROSS AMERICA—First lady Michelle Obama, accompa-
(NNPA)—He is the host of He said the majority of
such schools will be avail-
she said.
nied by Education Secretary Arne Duncan, takes part in the Na-
“Judge Mathis,” the wildly those incarcerated have a
able to all and not become
Although the investiga-
tional Education Associations’ 2010 Read Across America Day,
successful syndicated court history of joblessness, a March 2, at the Library of Congress in Washington.
private schools for Whites.
television show named lack of education, and re-
tions have been conducted Hilary Shelton, director
after him. But few people turn to prison within 18
before, the department’s of the NAACP’s Washing-
realize Judge Greg Mathis months of their release.
Office of Civil Rights is
the nation’s high schools. receiving federal funding. ton bureau, said he has
was once a convicted crimi- “When you take away the
looking to do more compli-
Those roughly 2,000 Ali said the topics cover a seen more collaboration
nal who did hard time. Now jobs you undermine Amer-
cated and broad reviews
schools produce a majority breadth of areas, from food and communication with
the jurist known for his ica’s future. It used to be
that will look not just at
of the dropouts among allergies to law enforce- civil rights organizations
tough, take-no-prisoners that a Black worker could
whether procedures are in
Black and Latino students. ment procedures for vic- under the Obama adminis-
mantra in the courtroom is secure a stable job in one of
place, but at the impact
•Black students without tims of sexual violence and tration, along with a re-
determined to break the those blue collar industries
district practices have on
disabilities are more than equitable education spend- newed focus on ensuring
cycle to keep other young and work their way into
students of one race or an-
three times as likely to be ing. the civil rights tenets of No
Black men out of prison. middle class. Those days
other, and if student needs
expelled as White stu- The Education Depart- Child Left Behind are
“Over 25 years ago I was are gone.”
are being met.
dents, and those with dis- ment will work with dis- being enforced, among
sitting where you are— Gary Jameson is a 27-year-
“We are about helping
abilities more than twice tricts and states to find a other measures.
angry, beaten down and old former gang member who
kids get a good education,
as likely to be expelled or voluntary resolution in the “They have been very de-
locked up,” Mathis told a grew up on Detroit’s Ruther-
and the education they de-
suspended—numbers event a violation is found. liberate about enforcing
rapt audience of inmates ford Street in the shadow of
serve,” Ali said.
which Duncan says testify In extreme cases, Ali said our nation’s civil rights
recently. the Mathis Community Cen-
In his prepared remarks,
to racial gaps that are funds could be withheld or laws in the area of educa-
Mathis fulfilled the death- ter. He moved his family to
Duncan highlights several
“hard to explain away by terminated. tion,” he said.
bed wish of his mother, Rialto in 2009 following Gen-
jarring inequities: At the
reference to the usual sus- “If the district has vio- Others said they are still
Alice Mathis, to change his eral Motors unprecedented
end of high school, White
pects.” lated the civil rights laws waiting for stepped up en-
path, with the compassion crash and massive worker
students are about six
•Students from low-in- and does not come into forcement to take place.
of a judge who ordered him layoff.
times more likely to be col-
come families who gradu- compliance with them, we “We haven’t seen any-
to get a GED and educate He says Mathis helped
lege-ready in biology than
ate from high school scor- could put conditions on ex- thing yet,” said Raul Gon-
himself as part of his jail him turn his life around
Black students, and more
ing in the top testing quar- isting grants,” Ali said. zalez, director of legislative
sentence. after he served 11 months
than four times as likely to
tile are no more likely to Duncan’s visit sparked affairs of the National
“I walked out of prison, I in a Detroit jail for simple
be prepared for college al-
attend college than the some controversy among Council of La Raza. “But I
got a GED, bachelor’s and a possession of marijuana.
gebra.
lowest-scoring students some Black politicians who can tell you there’s a lot of
law degree. I used that “He would show up in the
Other statistics high-
from wealthy families. were upset that the Educa- hope in the civil rights
same courage when the ’hood and ask ‘Why aren’t
lighted in Selma:
In addition to the re- tion secretary picked Robert community that we are
roadblocks of life came my you in school?’
•A quarter of all students
views, the department will E. Lee High School—a going to get some really
way. I didn’t punk out and “We would make up ex-
drop out before their grad-
also be sending guidance school named after the Con- good enforcement around a
return to my old ways in cuses and act like we were
uation, and half of those
letters to all districts and federate general and where variety of issues, including
the ’hood. I didn’t blame the sick. He would bust out
come from 12 percent of
post-secondary institutions its principal at the time had education.”
system. I told myself if I can laughing and say ‘stop lying
be strong behind bars I can brother, I used those same
be stronger outside,” excuses before I got thrown
Mathis told hundreds of in- in prison more than 25
mates at Fulton County years ago. We were
Jail in Atlanta, Ga. shocked. He would tell us
Currently, Mathis is visit- about how he was a gang
ing prisoners and jails member who dropped out of
throughout the country school, and was in and out
talking to inmates about of jail and how he overcame
his rise from jail to judge. that life.”
Through his Prisoner Ed- Jameson is currently em-
ucation, Empowerment and ployed at an auto parts
Respect Program also store. He says this fall he
known as the PEER Initia- plans to enroll in an elec-
tive, Mathis is spreading tronics program at Valley
the message that success is College in San Bernardino.
still possible through edu- “The wonderful thing
cation and determination. about the Judge is that he
“Your plan should involve knows the streets, but he
finding your talent, devel- also knows what it takes to
oping that talent and work- get out of the slums of De-
ing hard to become success- troit—hard work, educa-
ful. But you gotta change tion, determination.”
your life.” The 49-year-old Mathis
He called the prison in- was the youngest person
dustrial complex “modern appointed to Michigan’s
day slavery” and criticized 36th District Superior
state and federal prison of- Court. The NAACP Image
ficials for selling prison Award winner and his wife
labor to various companies Linda, founded Young
for less than a dollar a day. Adults Asserting Them-
Mathis points out that selves, Inc. The program
Black men are 60 percent of works with Rev. Jesse Jack-
the prison population and son’s RainbowPush organi-
also talks about the trap of zation to provide mentor-
bad schools and no opportu- ship to nonviolent offenders
nities that often results in and assists individuals in a
African- American men janitorial entrepreneurial
being in prison. He said training program and the
statistics reveal African- Second Chance Through
Americans are incarcerated Expungement program to
at a rate of 6.5 times of expunge their criminal
White males. At the same records if they stay crime-
time they make up approxi- free for five years.
SHARING—Television Judge Greg Mathis shares the story of his
own troubled past and incarceration with inmates at Fulton County
Jail in Atlanta, Ga. Mathis is visiting jails and prisons throughout
the country as part of his prisoner empowerment initiative.
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