The Judge Slams The Sham

Here we go again.

You know the drill.

Use the power of the press to marginalize and minimize legitimate concerns of people of color.

And yes, I'm going there.

 U.S. District Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala saw through the ruse,  and dropped the hammer on HCS board member Laurie McCaulley's  little "community conversations" masquerading as "a citizens workshop on unitary status" planned for Monday night.

Things in court grew tense as Haikala talked about a "citizens' workshop" that board member Laurie McCaulley has planned for Monday night at Butler High School. McCaulley earlier this week told AL.com that she had decided to host the event to help establish a "template" of the community's wishes for Superintendent Casey Wardynski to refer to during desegregation negotiations with the Justice Department.
In a scathing 107-page opinion she issued June 30, Haikala criticized the school board for a lack of communication with the public about its plans for redrawing school zone lines.
"These sorts of conversations at this juncture could cause problems down the line," Haikala said.

Unfortunately I can't say the same for  AL.com sports/opinion writer Mark McCarter, who once again took it upon himself to be a crusader for the status quo, and bash local NAACP President Alice Sams for saying she planned to attend, but other black leaders planned to boycott the sham, I mean, event.

"But to those who would cavalierly dismiss an opportunity like this to be heard, don't be surprised when people stop listening to you everywhere."

So let me see if I have this right (pun intended),  if the black leaders boycott the event, white people will  stop listening to them?  Sounds like a veiled threat and some racial code words to me.

Psst Mark McCarter!  White folks listening to black folk sound oxymoronic (sic).  Didn't you get the memo?  They certainly didn't listen to black elected officials and community leaders about the Johnson High School name change.  They certainly didn't listen to the J.O.Johnson Alumni Association's petition and march against the name change . They aren't listening to the valid concerns some people have about locating the new north high school less than half a mile from an active rock quarry , without conducting a health risk assessment.  

The education system in our city remains an area of great racial divide. The Huntsville City Schools have gone from an era of being ineptly managed to heavy handed leadership. By its nature, tough decisions that won't sit well with everyone must be made. It's a lightning rod for people with an agenda, often people who have no children involved.

Now where have I heard that Huntsville City Schools were ineptly managed under the former superintendent, and it's a lightning rod for people who have no children involved?  Oh I know.... right wing radio host Dale Jackson, Superintendent Casey Wardynski,  and Mayor Tommy Battle,  people who have no children involved.

The education system in our city remains an area of great racial divide by design,  hopefully we are coming to the end of an era, the tough decisions will be made, and Huntsville City Schools will be a shining example for others to follow again. 

I sure do miss the good old days when the media kept public officials from lying to us instead of enabling them to lie to us.

 Can you hear us now?

Throwback Thursday: Why I support the petition requesting the resignation of the Huntsville City Schools superintendent

 

This post is for those who think the petition calling for the resignation of Huntsville Superintendent Casey Wardynski is "premature" and "ill-timed".

This blast from the past is for those who are afraid to sign the petition.

Listen to this interview and tell me you are comfortable with the mentality responsible for the education of our children, who are the hope of our republic.

Listen to this interview and you will see why Wardynski is terrified of questions from the public.

Listen to this interview and you will hear the callous disregard for the safety of the students, teachers, and support personnel at the new north high school.

Listen to this interview and you will see why Councilman Richard Showers was right “We don`t need dictatorship in Huntsville. It’s just not indicative of Huntsvillians to have an attitude or personality of dictatorship,”

Superintendent Dr. Casey Wardynski is doing the job he was hired to do.

Casey you have to break the mold and prove you're not afraid of minorities, democrats, liberals, aclu (sic) types and the entire entitlement crowd! Do that, and you'll be doing the job you were hired to do! Oh yeah, not to mention striking down all racial transfers. And that includes allowing not allowing whites to racially transfer either. If you don't like where your child goes to school, move to where they can be zoned into a school of your preference, that's what I had to do!

 “Never, in my 50 plus years of professional and community service, have I seen such a display of arrogance, deception, and deceit,” said Madison County Commissioner Bob Harrison during a recent County Commissioner’s meeting.

Listen to Casey Wardynski in his own words and you will realize why we can't wait.

“We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”
― Martin Luther King Jr., Why We Can't Wait

Is Huntsville City Schools violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1965? Is the City of Huntsville enabling them?

Photo North Huntsville Environmental Concerns

Let's recap:

For the sake of giving North Huntsville a new school, the federal judge in the desegregation dispute said new school construction could continue, but does she know the school district is risking the health of the next generation by locating the new schools less than half a mile from an active rock quarry without conducting a health risk assessment?

The city of Huntsville is standing by their assertion the air is "safe to breathe" at the location of the new, illegally named, Mae Jemison High School, but to the best of my knowledge, they are basing this on one test, conducted on one day, in the early morning hours, when there was no activity at the rock quarry.

If I repeat, If, the DOJ approved the building of the new North Huntsville high school based on this one test, I not only have a problem with the BOE and the City of Huntsville, I have a problem with our government.

Title VI and Environmental Justice at EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)

In July 1964 Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. (PDF) (13 pp, 23K, About PDF) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act states that "No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."
In February 1994, President Clinton issued Executive Order 12898, "Federal Actions to Address Environmental Justice in Minority Populations and Low-Income Populations." In a separate memorandum, President Clinton identified Title VI as one of several federal laws already in existence that can help "to prevent minority communities and low-income communities from being subject to disproportionately high and adverse environmental effects."

The Civil Rights Act at 50 protects people of color and the environment too.

There are still people who think that social justice and environmental issues are totally separate things, but as I’ve argued before, they’re not — and the Civil Rights Act is a case in point. The climate justice and environment worlds have benefited much from this law, particularly Title VI, which protects people of color from discrimination in any program or activity that receives federal funding.

Now is the time for all good guys and gals to step forward.

Huntsville, Ala (WAAY) - The drama continues over Vulcan Materials opening a rock quarry off Highway 72 near the town of Gurley. One group which staunchly opposed to the quarry, traveled to Montgomery last week in the hopes of stopping it. When the East Huntsville Madison County Civic Association went to Montgomery they met with several legislators hoping to get House bill 230 through committee. The bill would stop rock quarries from operating within five miles of a school, but it has not yet made it out of committee.
Group members say health is their number one concern because of the dust produced by the blasting. North Madison county elementary and Madison county high are within 2 miles of the location
"The health of the 900 kids and the elderly in that area--that was the primary reason," said Bill Binkley of the trip to Montgomery.

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge"

Redlining Public Education: How Huntsville City Schools excludes students based on where they live, then blames it on "housing patterns"

Redlining, Blockbusting, and Urban Renewal - Oh My

The title of this post was inspired after reading an excerpt from  Redlining Education:  How Universities exclude students based on where they live, by Huntsville native Sheryll Cashin, because Huntsville City Schools excuse for operating a dual school system is school boards can not be held accountable for segregation resulting from "private choices" and housing patterns.

Yes, housing patterns  and "private choices" they created by paving over a generations educational legacy  in the name of urban renewal.

The Von Braun Center sits on land where Alabama A&M originated before it moved outside the city limits. The cemetery of the oldest African church in north Alabama lies deep beneath the hospital parking garage. There is a marker now for 5th Avenue School, Alabama's first public school to integrate peacefully, but the school and the African-American neighborhood across the street are long gone -- first to a housing project, and now to a boutiquey cluster of "artisan" apartments and fancy shops.

If you want your child to attend a successful school purchase a home in a successful school district.

 I purchased a home in the Jones Valley neighborhood of the elementary, middle an high schools that I wanted my children to attend. I need no government help. I did what I was supposed to do. I'm also not going to apologize for living in southeast Huntsville. It's where I was raised and where I raised my children. If you chose to live in north Huntsville, it's my understanding that the north Huntsville people feel that should give them the right to have their children go to which ever school that they wish. I just don't and won't understand black logic. I'm a bad person I guess. I'll shut up and listen to you geniuses.

Easier said than done.  The average home price in "successful school districts cost three times the amount of the average home in "failing school districts."  People live where they can afford to live, not where they choose to live.  If they can afford to pay $250,000 and up for a home, their children have access to the best public education their tax dollars can buy.  Those who can't, have access to the best "failing school" their tax dollars can buy.

 But that's OK,  blame life's unfairness  for the inequality. 

 "If there is unfairness, it is because life itself is unfair. The unfairness is not manmade," said Hugh McInnish, at-large member of the county's Republican Executive Committee.

Casey Wardynski is just doing the job he was hired to do, with the full support of the the board of education, the  Mayor,  the Huntsville/Madison Chamber of Commerce, the NAACP Defense Fund attorney, and some members of the Huntsville Council of  PTAs .

 Casey you have to break the mold and prove you're not afraid of minorities, democrats, liberals, aclu types and the entire entitlement crowd! Do that, and you'll be doing the job you were hired to do! Oh yeah, not to mention striking down all racial transfers. And that includes allowing not allowing whites to racially transfer either. If you don't like where your child goes to school, move to where they can be zoned into a school of your preference, that's what I had to do!

 "If people would just open their eyes and see what's really happening around here, they would be blown away," 

So, three paid groups making nearly $30,000,000 and the Superintendent’s inner circle.
There were no active classroom teachers involved in the decision.
There were no parents who were not employees of the district involved in the decision.
This decision was forced upon us all.

Does Judge Hiakala really expect this superintendent and his cabinet to mediate in good faith?  It's not like they haven't  betrayed the public trust and intimidated the public.

Though the board room was filled with spectators, no one was allowed to speak since the meeting was a special called one. Citizens will be able to offer their input at the board's July 17 meeting.

Housing patterns my Donkey.

Fifty years ago, Huntsville served as a role model for the state. In 1963, Gov. George Wallace ordered state troopers to block school doors in Huntsville, Birmingham, Mobile and Tuskegee. But after four days, Huntsville leaders sent the troopers away and peacefully became the first public system in Alabama to integrate.
Seven years later, a federal judge formally ended the city's dual system. For the next four decades the board has technically been working to eliminate traces of segregation.
But even if the Supreme Court has given up on fighting housing patterns, it's pretty clear that Huntsville doesn't know what to do about other inequities. And it's equally clear the feds don't know either.

I strongly disagree the feds don't know what to about other inequities.

The Justice Department did not file a full counter proposal, but did raise a few alternatives. The city could increase desegregation around Blossomwood and Five Points, sending more white students to Lee and more black students to Huntsville High.
"The District could redraw attendance boundaries so that three schools (Huntsville Middle, Chapman Middle, and Lee High) would achieve enrollments closely reflecting district-wide racial composition, and two other schools (Huntsville High and Jemison High) would experience significant desegregative benefits."
The Justice Department suggests zoning University Place Elementary and/or Montview Elementary for Huntsville Middle. They suggest zoning Monte Sano for Chapman Middle and Lee High.

There is no right way to do the wrong thing.

"We're not of a mind to negotiate with ourselves," said Wardynski. "My focus is on children, not on endlessly talking to the United States government."

See what EYE mean?

The DoJ can’t force people to live where they don’t want to live (yet), so it is basically saying that either Huntsville must engage in massive busing or… engage in massive busing.

Really guys and gals........ just how stupid to you think the U.S. Department of Justice IS?  I mean, really?

What is wrong with this picture?

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