Monday, March 31, 2014

The Blackboard Report - March 31, 2014

By Charles Brooks


White House
•See coverage in The Guardian about President Obama and his continuing battle of wills with Russian Vladimir Putin.
•With the March 31st deadline looming, there is a renewed focus on the Affordable Care Act and the Healthcare signup numbers. But are the uninsured getting health insurance?

National
Ray Jasper and Anthony Doyle were executed thus reigniting the debate around the death penalty.
•The Georgia State legislature passed HB60 (by a vote of 112-58) significantly expanding gun laws in Georgia
•In The Final Call, Sisters under siege - The plight of Black males was brought back into attention with a presidential declaration and initiative but what about the status of Black girls and young women, are they at risk and what needs to be done about it?

Local
•Election 2014: What are the changing demographics in New Orleans and what are the voting implications?
•A recent report by UCLA's Civil Rights Project cites New York with the most segregated public schools in the nation.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

The Blackboard survey - The death penalty


UPDATED JUNE 19th 2014
You may have noticed the death penalty in the news lately especially around what happened in Oklahoma, Florida, and in Tennessee. There was the execution in Oklahoma that went terribly wrong, the Supreme Court decision that ruled against Florida in their use of the death penalty on the intellectually disabled, and Tennessee reinstating the electric chair. Consider that 22 have been sent to their death as a result of the death penalty - two were executed in just the past week in Georgia and Missouri.

On March 19, 2014, Ray Jasper was executed by the state of Texas. He was the 11th person executed thus far in 2014 -all by lethal injection. Since 1976, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, Mr. Jasper is the 1,370th person to be executed.

The Blackboard wants to hear from you on this topic. What do you think about the death penalty? Take the Blackboard survey - do you support the use of the death penalty? Are you against the use the death penalty? What role, if any, does race play? Click here to take survey.

Thanks in advance to taking the time to take THE BLACKBOARD's survey on this topic.


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Photo credit: wootom via photopin cc

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Secret Clinton papers released

By Charles Brooks

The Clinton’s are in the news again as thousands of pages of confidential communications from the Clinton days in the White House has finally been released for public view after legal restrictions expired.  During the last two weeks, about 73 files containing documents such as internal memos, handwritten notes and drafts of speeches were made available by the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum in Little Rock, Arkansas. The public can now see the president's handwritten notes clarifying his thoughts, internal memos from White House staff outlining political strategy and political advice for the president.

Monday, March 10, 2014

But is it enough...

By Charles Brooks


Just a few days ago, President Obama announced his new My Brother’s Keeper initiative designed for young African-American and Latino young men although it’s billed for “young men of color”. Nevertheless, President Obama told the nation, “Today, I'm pleased to announce that some of the most forward-looking foundations in America are looking to invest at least $200 million over the next five years, on top of the $150 million that they have already invested, to test which strategies are working for our kids and expand them in cities across the country.”

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

President Obama wants to be My Brother's Keeper

By Charles Brooks

                                  (Official White House photo by Pete Souza)

Sandwiched in between the applause and cheers during the 2014 State of the Union address delivered just over a month ago, was the stoic silence from the audience when President Obama said,”…and I’m reaching out to some of America’s leading foundations and corporations on a new initiative to help more young men of color facing tough odds stay on track and reach their full potential.” Although at the time, you could hear a feather drop, a month later we now know that President Obama was referring to his My Brother’s Keeper Initiative, announced February 27th to widespread enthusiasm and praise. “Today, I'm pleased to announce that some of the most forward-looking foundations in America are looking to invest at least $200 million over the next five years, on top of the $150 million that they have already invested, to test which strategies are working for our kids and expand them in cities across the country,” said the President. He went on to talk about why he’s embarking on this new initiative, “This is an issue of national importance. This is as important as any issue that I work on. It's an issue that goes to the very heart of why I ran for president.”

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Turmoil at Temple: Excerpts of The Blackboard's interview with Dr. Anthony Monteiro

By Charles Brooks
See an excerpted version of The Blackboard’s interview with Dr. Anthony Monteiro below:

The Blackboard (BB): So what are the next steps Dr. Monteiro to address this issue? Where do you go from here?

Dr. Anthony Monteiro (DAM):We’re developing a united front – a coalition of labor, faith based organizations – that is everybody from Christian, to Muslim to Buddist to Hari Karishna – whoever you might be, grassroot community organizations, scholars, students, and youth. A coalition that is saying to the administration of Temple University, this is not acceptable, Dr. Monteiro has to be reinstated, you have to override the actions of this Dean, and that if you do not accede to what we consider are the just demands of the black community for education and for scholars who would educate our children as well as white children, if you do not accede to that, we will take action to force the university to do the right thing.



Turmoil at Temple: Fired Dr. Monteiro demands his reinstatement!

By Charles Brooks

Temple University is embroiled in yet another controversy involving their African-American Studies Department – this time taking drastic action against Dr. Anthony Monteiro by refusing to renew his contract - after 10 years. Temple's decision to fire Dr. Monteiro has touched off a firestorm and has galvanized a tremendous groundswell of supporters who seek nothing less than Dr. Monteiro’s reinstatement to Temple University - with tenure. The Blackboard spoke with Dr. Monteiro about this matter along with a number of issues connected to his firing, which will be in Part II. But first, in order to get a true understanding of the issue at Temple, let’s understand who is Dr. Anthony Monteiro – a rare intellectual rooted in the very community he is committed to educate and be politically engaged with.