America Recovering, but Blacks Take Turn for the Worst
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
University of South Florida Scholar Commons Newspaper collection The Weekly Challenger 2011-04-14 The Weekly Challenger : 2011 : 04 : 14 The Weekly Challenger, et al Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/challenger Recommended Citation The Weekly Challenger, et al, "The Weekly Challenger : 2011 : 04 : 14" (2011). Newspaper collection. 171. https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/challenger/171 This is brought to you for free and open access by the The Weekly Challenger at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Newspaper collection by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Presort Std U.S. Postage PAID Permit #2271 St. Petersburg, FL OPINION IN MEMORIAM SPORTS STATE Gary Flowers on Mayor Marion Barry 2 Douglas “Tim” Jamerson 2 Expect The 2-Car Tandem At Talladega Superspeedway 8 FAMU Alum is Mississippi Teacher Of The Year 9 50¢ We Value Diversity. We Value Education. We Value History. St. Petersburg • Clearwater • Largo • Tarpon Springs • Dunedin • Safety Harbor VOLUME 43 NUMBER 33 APRIL 14 - APRIL 20, 2011 ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA Citizens Concerned America Recovering, About Closing Education Gap But Blacks Take Turn For The Worst BY CHRISTINA DOWNS March jobs report by the US Bureau of Labor. Of those 13.7 WASHINGTON, D.C. - unemployed Americans, 8 (TriceEdneyWire.com) - percent are white and 12 percent Economists say the recession is are Latino, according to the over. Recent national job reports report. In addition, the report illustrate an upward climb to predicts a job loss count of recovery. Yet these accomplish- 500,000 to 800,000 due to a ments have not effectively proposed $61 billion cut in the reached the urban communities of federal budget. color – neither black nor The statistics illustrate a Hispanic. reality that has permeated and This is according to the affected other aspects of National Urban League’s 2011 American life, such as health- State of Black America,” which care, international trade, Goliath Davis Watson Haynes was released last week. To education, housing and trans- combat this painful State of Black portation. They are all a “jobs BY JEANIE BLUE as president of the new Step America in 2011, the NUL has issue,” Morial said. SPECIAL TO THE Up for Students voucher declared a war on unemployment. Boasting its history as a “do- CHALLENGER organization; former state rep- “With overall unemployment tank” the SOBA report – released resentative William “Bill” now at 8.9 percent and 13.7 this year during a town hall ST. PETERSBURG - Heller; Linda Benware, a million people still out of work … meeting at Howard university - Several influential citizens former Pinellas School the recovery has yet to make a presents statistical data about joined with community organ- District administrator who significant visit to communities unemployment. But it also offers izations to help establish more once served as the first of color,” said Marc Morial, solutions in its 12-point plan, charter school seats for principal of the charter school, president and CEO of the “Jobs Rebuild America: Putting students in Pinellas county. St. Petersburg Collegiate High National Urban League. Urban America Back to Work”. Among the members joining School; and Goliath Davis, Since 1987 the NUL has The plan outlines needed ini- together to assist with former City Administrator and published its comprehensive tiatives from state, local and applying for more charter Deputy Mayor for the city of report, “The State of Black federal governments such as school seats were Attorney St. Petersburg. America,” to address what direct job creation and the Guy Burns, Doug Tuthill, “We’re still in the process members, analysts and specialists renewal of the Youth Summer Marc Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League Goliath Davis, Bill Heller and of identifing groups interested see as the major issue affecting Jobs Program. The plan also Linda Benware. in applying to become a urban America for each year. Not promotes the development of a March 31. black Americans “learn a new To provide the reader a charter school,” Davis said. much has changed. Last year it jobs initiative that creates Vice President of AT&T’s trade so that they can be produc- historical perspective, “We’ll probably be able to was “Responding to the Jobs positions in technology and Business Solutions, Xavier tive in the community.” Attorney Burns is the the provide more information in a Crisis”. This year, the issue is broadband, health care, and clean Williams, labeled a more To further discuss the impli- attorney who represented the couple of weeks or more,” he “jobs, jobs, jobs”. energy. universal internet access and cations of the report and brain- plaintiffs in the Crowley added. The report, which is both AT&T and the NUL are broadband job creation as a storm solutions to the issues, the vs. Pinellas County The group, Concerned published in hard copy book form working in cooperation to solution to job training, NUL hosted a panel at the Town Schools District settlement; Organization for Quality for sale and provided for free address the broadband gap in education, and health care. These Hall. Moderated by journalists Doug Tuthill is the former online, illustrates a devastated urban areas. The mobile corpora- initiatives, Williams said, help to Pinellas Teacher’s Union CONCERNED urban America. Black unemploy- tion sponsored the unveiling of promote the “power of communi- AMERICA ment is at 15.5 percent as of the the State of Black America cation,” which can greatly help president and currently serves continued on pg. 4 continued on pg. 9 Education Over Incarceration Part one of a two part series BY JASMIN K. WILLIAMS country accounts for just five rehabilitation have to go hand in 11 neighborhoods. New York will Opinion ...........................2 SPECIAL TO THE NNPA percent of the world’s population hand with deterrence.” spend more than half a billion FROM THE NEW YORK overall. In short, America’s Here are some facts from the dollars — $539 million — to AMSTERDAM NEWS “tough on crime” policies have report: imprison residents from 24 neigh- Community News .......3-6 failed. •In 2009, as the nation’s borhoods. While these inmates WASHINGTON, D.C. - Not surprisingly, most of those economy collapsed into depres- represent a mere 16 percent of the Education over incarceration is the housed in the prison system— sion, funding for K-12 and higher city’s adult population, the state message of a report released by the some 2.3 million—are people of education fell while 33 states put will exhaust nearly half of its $1.1 Family & Parenting .........7 NAACP. The nation’s oldest civil color. Half of all state and federal more money into prisons than they billion budget to incarcerate them. rights organization is challenging prisoners meet the criteria for drug had the previous year. •These high levels of incarcer- America to re-evaluate its abuse or dependency. These •The Pew Center on the States ation have a direct impact on Sports...............................8 spending priorities in the report, inmates would be better served found that five states spent as education performance in these titled “Misplaced Priorities: Under with treatment programs, a more much or more on prisons as they communities; in Los Angeles, 67 Educate, Over Incarcerate,” which successful and economical alter- did on education, and that 28 states percent of the lowest-performing State News ......................9 was introduced at the National native to incarceration. It costs were spending 50 cents on prisons schools are in neighborhoods with Press Club in Washington, D.C. money to sustain the prison for every dollar spent on high incarceration rates. In Texas, The NAACP report calls attention system—lots of it. The NAACP education. the rate is 83 percent while in National News ................9 to the proven fact that excessive says that this money can and must •The cost of just two years of Philadelphia the rate is 66 percent. spending on housing prisoners be better spent. incarceration is staggering; by With these facts on the table, undermines education and public Bronx District Attorney 2010, taxpayers in Texas will the NAACP has called for a down- Church Directory....10, 11 safety. Robert T. Johnson said, “I have spend $175 million on prisoners sizing of the prison system and for This message will be reiterat- always been of the mind that, in sentenced in 2008 from 10 of those funds to be reinvested in ed in a forthcoming billboard the long run, if we want to get a Houston’s 75 neighborhoods, 10 education. Church News ................11 campaign calling out the fact that handle on crime, we must commit percent of the city’s population. one-fourth of the world’s prisons to improving education and job In Pennsylvania, the cost is $290 EDUCATION opportunities. Prevention and million to imprison residents from are located in America, while the continued on pg. 3 How To Reach Us: News: [email protected] • Advertising: [email protected] • Phone: (727) 896-2922 • Fax: (727) 823-2568 2 THE WEEKLYCHALLENGER, THURSDAY, APRIL14, 2011 The Weekly Challenger Newspaper The Weekly Challenger We Value Diversity. We Value Education. We Value History. • A knowledge of history brings a feeling of fellowship that runs through the ages — be it a territory, a village, a district, or a nation. • To live without history is likened to living without a form of memory. • To be without history is to live without roots or a past, with the present having no real foundation, and very little meaning for the future. The Weekly Challenger Office: • To know the events of our past (can help us) to know what future events can be. 2500 Dr.