The Impeachment of Black South Carolina Legislators
The South Carolina Legislature this year took a step towards progress, in attempting to rectify the racial disparites of the past, by enacting The Early Childhood Education Program. The lawmakers set aside 23 million dollars for a four-year old kindergarten program in an attempt to close the achievement gap, between black and white students, particularly in those counties that were affected by the equity school funding lawsuit. Educators realize that intervention at the early childhool level is important if a child is too have any reasonable measure of success in his/her later years.
The Legislators placed the responsibility for the administration of the program under the auspices of First Steps, a statewide early childhood education program. On Thursday, September 14th, Ms. Susan DeVenny, the director of the program gave a briefing to Governor Mark Sanford and his administrative cabinet on the progress of the program. The response from the Governor and his cabinet, was upbeat and positive. Governor Sanford stated, "do you guys understand how groundbreaking this is".
According to guidelines of the program, the children must reside in the "suing" school districts and meet age and income limits to be accepted into one of the "privately operated" programs. The children can "attend schools" if they wish, outside the boundaries of those districts implicated in the equity lawsuit. In other words, the parents will decide where their child will attend a "privately operated early childhood facility/school". The "money" is attached to the child. In other words, the money follows the child. If a parent lives in one of the impoverished counties, but happens to work in a wealthy county, they can take their child with them and have that child attend a facility/school in that wealthy county.
This is a prime example of placing the responsibility for the education of the child on the parent, and not some governmental entity. Parental educational options is the hallmark of a movement that is sweeping all across America. It is allowing low-income, poor, and minority families, the right to choose an educational delivery system that is best for their child. The enactment of the Early Childhood Program is a positive step in the right direction for "educational freedom" or "parental choice" or "choice options". No matter the nomenclature it is good for South Carolina.
The majority of the children that will benefit from this progressive Early Childhood Program, are poor, rural Black children, who reside in those counties that were affected by the equity school funding lawsuit. Our poorest children are being denied a quality education in so many places in our beloved state, and we have Black Legislators who are becoming obstructionists.
For example: Representative Ken Kennedy, D-Greenleyville (Williamsburg County, one of the poorest and a minority majority population) stated," they are disguising this devil", making reference to the 23 million dollar program, that he voted against, but it will aid many of his constitituents. Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg stated, " this is the realization of my deepest fears and concerns about this program", "this is just a backdoor way of allowing vouchers".
The irony is these are Black Lawmakers, who are denying Black children the opportunity to receive a quality education, because of their ignorance and racist attitudes and opinions. While our Black childrens futures are being snuffed out, these lawmakers, who were able to access quality options for their children (Rep. Kennedy, sent his children to private schools in New York City) have the audacity to question the idea of empowering our poor children and families by making those very same options to them.
We cannot sit idly by and continuely support Black Legislators, no matter who they are or where they live, who are becoming obstructionists in our quest to provide quality education and choice options for our children, in particular, poor Black children. Dr. Howard Fuller once stated" our children continue to be miseducated, under-educated and not educated at all because they are invisible. They are invisible because those who are suppose to educate them don't see them. They see only their surroundings, themselves, or figments of their imagination--indeed, everything and anything except our children."
If our Black Legislators do not represent the interest of our children, but are only interested in representating special interest groups, then they should be Impeached with all delibrate speed.
Dr. Taliaferro
The Legislators placed the responsibility for the administration of the program under the auspices of First Steps, a statewide early childhood education program. On Thursday, September 14th, Ms. Susan DeVenny, the director of the program gave a briefing to Governor Mark Sanford and his administrative cabinet on the progress of the program. The response from the Governor and his cabinet, was upbeat and positive. Governor Sanford stated, "do you guys understand how groundbreaking this is".
According to guidelines of the program, the children must reside in the "suing" school districts and meet age and income limits to be accepted into one of the "privately operated" programs. The children can "attend schools" if they wish, outside the boundaries of those districts implicated in the equity lawsuit. In other words, the parents will decide where their child will attend a "privately operated early childhood facility/school". The "money" is attached to the child. In other words, the money follows the child. If a parent lives in one of the impoverished counties, but happens to work in a wealthy county, they can take their child with them and have that child attend a facility/school in that wealthy county.
This is a prime example of placing the responsibility for the education of the child on the parent, and not some governmental entity. Parental educational options is the hallmark of a movement that is sweeping all across America. It is allowing low-income, poor, and minority families, the right to choose an educational delivery system that is best for their child. The enactment of the Early Childhood Program is a positive step in the right direction for "educational freedom" or "parental choice" or "choice options". No matter the nomenclature it is good for South Carolina.
The majority of the children that will benefit from this progressive Early Childhood Program, are poor, rural Black children, who reside in those counties that were affected by the equity school funding lawsuit. Our poorest children are being denied a quality education in so many places in our beloved state, and we have Black Legislators who are becoming obstructionists.
For example: Representative Ken Kennedy, D-Greenleyville (Williamsburg County, one of the poorest and a minority majority population) stated," they are disguising this devil", making reference to the 23 million dollar program, that he voted against, but it will aid many of his constitituents. Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg stated, " this is the realization of my deepest fears and concerns about this program", "this is just a backdoor way of allowing vouchers".
The irony is these are Black Lawmakers, who are denying Black children the opportunity to receive a quality education, because of their ignorance and racist attitudes and opinions. While our Black childrens futures are being snuffed out, these lawmakers, who were able to access quality options for their children (Rep. Kennedy, sent his children to private schools in New York City) have the audacity to question the idea of empowering our poor children and families by making those very same options to them.
We cannot sit idly by and continuely support Black Legislators, no matter who they are or where they live, who are becoming obstructionists in our quest to provide quality education and choice options for our children, in particular, poor Black children. Dr. Howard Fuller once stated" our children continue to be miseducated, under-educated and not educated at all because they are invisible. They are invisible because those who are suppose to educate them don't see them. They see only their surroundings, themselves, or figments of their imagination--indeed, everything and anything except our children."
If our Black Legislators do not represent the interest of our children, but are only interested in representating special interest groups, then they should be Impeached with all delibrate speed.
Dr. Taliaferro
posted by Dr. Taliaferro at 10:09 PM
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