Vol. 5 No. 2 Feb. 1996

Complimentary to churches -/// j c' -/u<< lt /< (D/t/i< /-///////// and community groups pmaritij %j>ortumtu Jlew* African American Pastors Coalition's MLK Day celebration Are you Miss Thomas Ethnic Notes: Muhammad asks Bachelorette '96? The Black "Why are we see page 29 Cowboy, pt.l waiting to exhale?" From The Publisher /, \^' Thurman Jones L.J'X il—^ P*">to by Dtrrick Waiters Coalitiosi tells the 100 - ca1994 Marks story, ES3 1995 Pirogr©ss not TAG As I am sure many of our readers have heard, Dallas is often viewed as not being The continuing controversy Carter Lincoln Pinkston S. Oak Cliff All Schools the most progressive city on the face on the over the Talented and Gifted Kimbal! Madison Roosevelt Tag Magnet planet. In fact, there are those who believe Magnet at Townview seems to be an that we are at least 10-15 years behind issue that refuses to yield to a far other major American cities as it related to more critical one in DISD. As READING the overall lot for African Americans. Minority Opportunity News reviewed in last month's edition, Within the last two weeks, I have again the focus on the TAG matter has received irrefutable proof that Dallas is diminished the level of attention not as far behind the rest of the known that should be given to the more universe as we might have suspected. important concern of the low pass E^ 1994 Last fall, many of us witnessed one of rate on the Texas Assessment of E3 1995 the major events of our modem times, the Academic Skills test (TAAS) for Million Man March. By all visible indica African American students. In the tors (except those used by the U.S. Park long term the TAAS failure rate will Service, which calculated a figure of about have much more severe implica Carter Lincoln Pinkston S. Oak Cliff All Schools 400,000) at least one million men did tions than the furor that currently Kimball Madison Roosevelt Tag Magnet attend this historic event. surrounds TAG. Now what does this have to do with Presently, the U.S, Department Dallas? On January 15 of this year Pilgrim of Education is about to investigate Rest Missionary Baptist Church, the complaints that the TAAS test dis MATHEMATICS African-American Pastors' Coalition con criminates against minority stu vened the second annual Martin Luther dents, who disproportionately rep King, Jr. Celebration. By all accounts, the resent those who fail. The com program was outstanding, and featured a plaint, lodged by the Texas NAACP, number of noteworthy points for our com alleges that the high failure rale and C3 1994 munity First was the series of initiatives subsequent inability of these stu ^1995 announced by this organization of local dents minority students to receive clergy under the leadership the Rev. Zan high school diplomas is discrimi W. Holmes, Jr. Major steps have and will natory and biased. While the Texas continue to be taken by this group to authorities who administer the test advance a number of needed changes in suggest that the test is free of such Carter Lincoln Pinkston S. Oak Cliff All Schools Kimball Madison Roosevelt Tag Magnet Dallas. But this new hallmark for leader bias, no real data is provided that ship in Dallas was not the most telling explains why there is such an obvi analogy to either the March or the state of ous discrepancy in the failure sta Source of lest data: DISD; graphs by Tommy Morgan tistics. The NAACP Black Dallas, Now was the fact that there the leadership of the African American to move on to the far more relevant con action highlights the absurdity of the TAG was a large and very committed group of cerns of why our kids are doing so poor issue on several accounts. First, the TAG community has responded with too lit African Americans who attended the tle, too late. While these leaders. Pastor ly on the TAAS test and show how we function with no yelling or screaming matter should have never become a "com munity" issue. The matter could have and Zan Holmes and the African American intend to either change the test or eliminate arguing. Rather it was a day of reflection, Pastors Coalition and John Wiley Price it all together. As the accompanying chart of looking towards the future needs and should have been resolved internally. In fact, it may have been best addressed and the Warriors, were meeting to dis reveals, our energies would be better desires for our community. Urifortunately, within the executive principal's office as cuss their plan of action, the superinten expended on the dismal pass rates for the similarity to Dallas was not shown by soon as she had any indications that the dent was aimouncing the district's offi minority students, who are heavily con the numbers of rousing messages nor the TAG principal was executing an "end cial policy in response to the TAG matter centrated at schools such as Carter, Lincoln inspirational songs from the Martin run" by sharing her concerns directly with by the reassignment of the two principals. and Kimball. Responsibility and account Luther King, Jr. choir. While clearly on a board members without being solicited However vigorous the objection, the fact ability for this rest with school board par with those of the March, our pastors for this information. The worst case sce is the decision was made that Dr. Watson trustees Yvonne Ewell, Kathryn Gilliam and musicians did not bring the compar nario should have seen it concluded by the was not going back to Townview. In this and Hollis Brashear. The TAG students, if isons between the two events. area superintendent. Only in Dallas could sense, the TAG matter became an employ they stay focused on academics instead of What then do I refer To? Numbers! an issue like this grow to such ridiculous ee issue and therefore out of the realm of politics, have an excellent chance to suc Particularly those reported for the atten proportions so as to involve the number public discussion and intervention. ceed in life. Clearly the majority of stu dees at the celebration, just over a month of civic, governmental and business lead The truth is, the TAG matter, for all dents who fail the TAAS test do not have prior to the King program, the nation had ers it has. intents and purposes, is over. Now is the the same chance for success. It is all of ou r Continued on page 6 A second concern is that, as usual. time for the leadership of our community responsibility to change that. MON (»Kr?irnrgmfo siamB o )-Eg^l S^fereffimMgB ] rrasiw^^^ Acknowledgment Last issue Minority Opportunity News Cover Story published what it thinks is an important, 18-22 Waiting on Justice real-life example of true self-help and Editorials grass-roots economics. 02 TAAS tells the Story, Not TAG - Reaching for the Sky was a story writ ten by Rodney Crump, a contributing Features writer (as stated under his byline), about 09 ..Texas By-Froduct REACH, Inc., based in Meridan, Miss. 14-15 A.A. Pastor's Coalition MON neglected to mention that Mr. 23 ..Remembering Barabara Crump is a regular contributor to the Jordan 27 A Dynamic Duo Jackson Advocate, a fine weekly newspaper 29 Calling all Bachelorettcs! publishing out of Jackson, Miss. 37 Black Businesses Our sincere thanks to Mr. Benjamin M^^^ Special Jealous, editor of the Jackson Advocate, who 06 „.Update: Wiley Baker assisted us in finding an able local jour Criminal Lav/ • Personal Injury 10 MON-thly News Brief nalist to write the story. And of course, 13 ...Ethnic Notes: The Black our thanks to Mr. Crump for his efforts. Cowboy #1 We at MON hope tocontinue, indeed 26 Dales to Remember encourage, this type of collaboration 28 Black Radio among African American publications. 2730 Ster^mons Frwy • Tower West, Suit© 1104 • DaIIo$, Texas 75207 30... Entertainment 33 Fairy Street Mama MON 35 Ask Girlfriend • •"-'^' — " - —• • •- •• -''''• J....... - 36 Franchise Opportimity 38 .....Tradewinds 38 Quest for Success Honorees LETTERS... 40..... Legal Advisor EtmnettTill 42 Store Front Law Having had the opportunity to read Mm 47 Spinning Wheel one of your issues (November 1995), I Columns found the article regarding Emmett Till very 02. Publisher interesting. There were some things that I 05 ...CoJ?nmunity Pulse • - read in the article that I was not aware of, 07 Pen on Fire I. understand that the Minority 31 Spiritual: Ron Shaw Opportunity News is complimentary to Mr. Puford L Kemp Jr)- ;7^g?_g^ ?gg71 34 MON's Library churhces and commimity groups. sHii£ffi_JL 41 Real Estate: Curtis Yates Macedonia Missionary Baptist 11 Recurring Church is a small (congregation 35) black LucTrrmr jfr\n^ ^KA I ,—™-«.—,j— 03, 06....Letters church located in the city of Northern ^j^,. „^_,„...^^™-^,^— HC 12 Proprietary Information Shores, Michigan. Many of the members ^T 16-17 In Th(? News are from the south and are familiar with 24-25 S.W.B. Community_ Calendar some of the issues in your publication, 43-48 Career Opportunities while the few yoimg adult members are not aware. We would be very pleased to receive complimentary issues of your publication to share with our congregation. Should you have any questions, please call me, the church clerk. • Karen U Johnson-Cole Chairman Emeritus Northern Shores, Ml Jim Bochum $ Need some quick cash? $ Publisher Thurman R. Jones N'Word Revisited Managing Editor RIGHT ON, MR. JONES !!! At last, Jason Webster an African American that will publicly Get up to $20® today! Editorial Department denounce the use of the "N-Word!" The (214) 606-3890 "N-Word" is NOT okay..regardless of the Saies/Marketing Department color of the mouth it is uttered from.

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