This video premiered at The Democratic Party's Jefferson Jackson Dinner on Saturday, April 30, 2011:
There are very few families in North Carolina who are not invested in the history-- and therefor the defense-- of our state's public schools. To divorce ourselves from that history is to lose something of our own story. It's to squander a grandmother's long teaching career. To disregard the incredible bravery of individual parents and children that integrated our racially divided school systems. It's to dishonor the millions of successful adults who were once children sharing remarkably similar experiences in North Carolina's public schools.
Their investment is real. It's ours. It's US. And it must be defended.
Comments
opened my eyes
I was a member of the first class to go all 12 years with court ordered bussing here in Mecklenburg County. The bus ride from my lily white east Charlotte neighborhood to Lincoln Heights Elementery in west Charlotte is what opened my eyes to what my classmates had to go through before we even got to school. Lincoln Heights was in horrible shape, remember this was only three years after defacto segregation had ended. The water pipes were so rusted that we were not allowed to drink the water.
Another thing that I saw was Black men in positions of authority. Before that, the only black men I ever saw were garbagemen, janitors, and yardmen. At Lincoln Heights the principal was a black man and so were many of the teachers.
The bus ride didn't kill me but made me a better person.
I am also a graduate of a public community college and three public colleges so the education I received in public school has prepared me for life.
Black men in positions of authority
Representative Larry Womble (interviewed in the film) was the assistant principal at my middle school.
Great job, Frank
Thanks for putting this together. It's hard to fully understand what you're about to lose if you don't take an inventory of what you've gained.
You Go Boy!
Probably a moment I will never forget when I saw this at the Jefferson Jackson dinner was when Governor Jim Hunt said now is the time we Fight and Win! WHOA! The Place went NUTZ! Bravo Frank, Bravo!
Anthony D. Hall,
Fighting for Truth, Justice, Freedom and the American Way!
It was something
Thanks, Mr Hall!
NCAE Rally at the GA today
This afternoon, May 3rd, at 4pm in front of the General Assembly. I know that there are 300 educators coming from my home in Forsyth County alone. If you can, help them swell their numbers.
Talking to folks, it looks like it's going to be a big one!