DarkStar Spouts Off

Clarence Thomas

Evidently Clarence Thomas has written a book and the publicity about it is going into full swing. On Sunday he is going to be on 60 Minutes, and on Monday, he is going to be on Rush Limbaugh's radio show for 90 minutes.

I'm going to state this:

1. The Anita Hill mess was a circus show and it's obvious that it affected him. All I have to say about the hearings is that I remind you that there were two other Black women who, after Hill's testimony, gave similar testimony, behind closed doors, to Senators. The testimony has been sealed and for those who remember, I bet the names of these women can't be found.
2. David Brock admitted he lied about Anita Hill in his book.
3. Clarence Thomas lied about the circumstances of his sister being on welfare. His sister was working two jobs and taking care of their sick aunt. His sister lost one of her jobs because she was caring for the sick relative. She then quit the other job because the aunt was getting worse. When the sickness was over, Thomas' sister went back to work. Read this article and here is a quick blurb about it.
   
4. Much is made about Thomas receiving private school education but little is said about his sister being just as studious as Clarence Thomas, but not being given the same opportunity at that education, basically because girls were expected to have domestic roles as adults and education wasn't considered as important for girls than for boys.

Lastly, some number of years ago, on USENET, I caused a firestorm when I wrote that a PR campaign was being waged to enhance Thomas' image. Here is some of what I wrote back then.

When he talks to kids who tour the Supreme Court, those kids are going to tell their parents what happened. Even if you are against his idealogy, how can you tell your kid he's totally wrong when he's encouraging kids to do well and school because that is the key to the future? For white kids, when they tell their parents, it will be another nail to say, "Those bad Blacks don't like success..." blah blah blah, yada yada yada.

When he takes time to talk to Black kids/teens who have drug problems, those who make it through will *ALWAYS* remember his encouraging words.

He talks to Black *COLLEGE STUDENTS* and encourages them to succeed.

Does anyone honestly believe that these efforts, which are heartfelt, won't start to bear fruit in about 5-10 years?

If you are "against" Clarence Thomas, calling him names isn't enough. I said it in 2001 and before, and I'm saying it now.

$5000 Per Baby?

This is an interesting idea "from" Hillary Clinton.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday that every child born in the United States should get a $5,000 "baby bond" from the government to help pay for future costs of college or buying a home.

Clinton, her party's front-runner in the 2008 race, made the suggestion during a forum hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus.

"I like the idea of giving every baby born in America a $5,000 account that will grow over time, so that when that young person turns 18 if they have finished high school they will be able to access it to go to college or maybe they will be able to make that downpayment on their first home," she said.

The New York senator did not offer any estimate of the total cost of such a program or how she would pay for it. Approximately 4 million babies are born each year in the United States.

Would I like $5000 for a child that I have?
Yes
Does the proposal make sense? Isn't there a current belief by many that welfare is "paying to have babies" and as a result, people have more babies? Is this what we want?

Here is the bigger thing to me. This "idea" was first but forth by Charles Murray. He also wrote this idea would be in conjunction with the end of all welfare subsidies and affirmative action.

I'm just saying...

I Told You O'Malley Doesn't Care About Education

O'Malley is now going to freeze Thorton funding.

The freeze on the indexing of Thornton spending reverses a repeated campaign promise that "we will fully fund the entire Thornton Commission plan to improve K-12 education across Maryland."

I told you the SOB doesn't care about education, especially that of Black children.

Yes, I know more funding doesn't equate to better education, but just bear with me for a bit.

More later...

Republican Debate At Morgan

I watched it only because it was "historic." For those who want to know, I haven't watched a Democrat debate yet.

I'm not surprised the crowd didn't boo. After all, all political camps were given tickets as was the RNC. That pretty much guaranteed a genteel crowd.

Huckabee and Tancredo got my attention. I like a lot of what they had to say. Too bad it really is still too early to pay attention.

Comments R Us: Why Partisans Can't Deal With Me

All me to be cocky for a moment, please.

From one of those Booker Rising threads that makes for "good" sharpening of Internet "debate":

---

Chris G: The real problem DS is that you are not a liberal but a left of center progressive.

LOL!!!!

You're wrong, but that's fine. You can't define progressive nor can you define liberal. And then you can't map out the spectrum of my ideals that define me as "left of center progressive."

Here's something to clue you in. I want Republicans to get a good share of the Black vote. If you have paid attention, you should have determined that for the Blacks who want to work politics to "our" advantage, I want "us" to be able to power play either party and to be immune from shift in party in charge change.

My politics all stem from that point. My ideals are based on God, how I was raised, and what I have learned from my mistakes, mistakes of others, and observations [ of life ] over my life span.

I'm about business, so I try hard to cut through the [ political ] "b.s."

---

You see, I consider partisans to be hacks and limited in real thinking. I'm about getting things done, but while politics is good "debate fodder," I don't focus on government to get done what I need to get done, except when I have no choice. Right now, I don't think I have a choice so I advocate for some political solutions to educational issues, but even then it is to make government get out of "our" way so we can do what's best.

Yeah, that's "progressive."

Last Post, EVER, on Michael Vick

Michael Vick is a chronological man who, because of his abilities, has an idea that the rules do not apply to him. Smoking pot while awaiting sentencing, when you know you have to take random tests, is the height of arrogance and stupidity.

Dude deserves the hell reigning down on him.

O'Reilly Is An A**, So What Else Is New?

Bill O'Reilly is an ass. So what else is new?

I "couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia's restaurant and any other restaurant in New York City. I mean, it was exactly the same, even though it's run by blacks, primarily black patronship. It was the same," O'Reilly said on September 19 edition of his nationally syndicated radio program.
...
Later during his conversation with NPR correspondent and Fox News contributor Juan Williams, O'Reilly noted "There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming, 'M-Fer, I want more iced tea.' You know, I mean, everybody was—it was like going into an Italian restaurant in an all-white suburb in the sense of people were sitting there, and they were ordering and having fun. And there wasn't any kind of craziness at all."

His comments don't upset me. This is the same man who used "wetbacks" in a comment about Mexicans crossing the border and told a "joke" about Black teenagers stealing hubcaps when the teenagers couldn't be found at a fund raising event in which they were being honored. Both are pointed out here. I saw the show where he made the "wetbacks" comment. What is most interesting is this:

During the September 19 edition of his nationally syndicated radio program, discussing his recent trip to have dinner with Rev. Al Sharpton

Isn't this more proof of the symbiotic relationship the media has with "race hustlers"? Isn't this even more proof that Sharpton and others are more important to the media than to those who the same media claims these people "lead"?

Black men take time to listen to their younger counterparts

Black men take time to listen to their younger counterparts

RALEIGH - In the gymnasium at the Garner Road Family YMCA on Saturday morning, black men urged their younger counterparts to tell them about the obstacles they face.

Organizers said the conversations would give the older men more insight into what young black men are dealing with in today's society -- and what was needed to help them.

"We want to show compassion," said David Prince, a program director for Food and Nutrition Services, part of the N.C. Division of Social Services. "We want them to know that we're here. We want to spend time with them. The goal is we want to prevent them from building up the jails."a

The program is affiliated with the Triangle High Five, a regional consortium with the goal of getting 100 percent of area high school students to graduate. About 40 men sat and listened to nearly 100 boys and young men talk about barriers to success, including low expectations from others and a lack of role models.

One of the organizers is Orage Quarles III, president and publisher of The News & Observer.

The group now will try to address several of the concerns aired by the young men. Some mentors also suggested assuring the young people that the meeting would not be a one-time thing.

"They need to have that contact so they don't feel like the ball's being dropped," said William Stubbs, an administrative intern at Reedy Creek Middle School, where he is a sixth-grade assistant principal.

NFL: Week 3

OK, I saw more games Sunday. This is a GOOD thing.

Eagles -- I guess McNabb got motivation but it was against Detroit, and even if they were 2-0 before the game, it was still Detroit.

Patriots -- Oh. My.

Colts -- Oh. My.

Washington -- That is a tough loss. They are a decent team and are going to win those games, if not now, next year. Campbell is for real.

Ravens -- Last year I wrote that the Ravens defense is suspect. This year, it is there for the world to see. Any quarterback who can run the no huddle offense is going to rip the Ravens a new one. At least it was a win. The offense needs help.

Green Bay -- Farve of old is BACK. Look. Out.

Eye Catching News

This morning, while "D.S. 2.0" was locked in a mortal combat of wills with Mrs. D.S., I read 4 articles that made my jaw drop. First up, privacy issues:

The U.S. government is collecting electronic records on the travel habits of millions of Americans who fly, drive or take cruises abroad, retaining data on the persons with whom they travel or plan to stay, the personal items they carry during their journeys, and even the books that travelers have carried, according to documents obtained by a group of civil liberties advocates and statements by government officials.

The personal travel records are meant to be stored for as long as 15 years, as part of the Department of Homeland Security's effort to assess the security threat posed by all travelers entering the country. Officials say the records, which are analyzed by the department's Automated Targeting System, help border officials distinguish potential terrorists from innocent people entering the country.

Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.

But new details about the information being retained suggest that the government is monitoring the personal habits of travelers more closely than it has previously acknowledged. The details were learned when a group of activists requested copies of official records on their own travel. Those records included a description of a book on marijuana that one of them carried and small flashlights bearing the symbol of a marijuana leaf.

I am forever, it seems, locked in a tug of war between privacy and what the government needs to do to fight terrorist f**** who want to blow us up physically and economically. I mean, what the hell!?!?!?!? The government is keeping track of the books travelers are reading??!?!?!?!?!?!?!? If this were occurring under a Clinton administration, Republicans would be screaming like banshees!But, if people make a few trips and it turns out they were meeting to plot terrorist activities, then the end results would justify the means. See, tug of war.

Next up, politics is dirty

RICHMOND, Sept. 21 -- A Republican state legislator from Fairfax County has launched an attack ad on cable TV against his Democratic opponent that features unidentified, unverified quotes from a blog.

The ad by Del. Timothy D. Hugo points to a new form of negative campaigning in which information for an attack ad is sourced to comments posted on the Internet instead of more authoritative sources such as news reports or public records.

Hugo's ad highlights critical comments about his Democratic opponent, Rex Simmons, that someone with the screen name "Pitin" posted on the Democratic blog Raising Kaine.

Ads that quote from blogs, on which it is often difficult to identify the author, represent a benchmark in increasingly negative political campaigns, several political analysts said.

"This is one of the places where the old way of doing politics and the new way is coming into conflict," said David Weinberger, a research fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law School. "We have developed a blogosphere that is full of lively debate . . . but at the same time we have political marketers who will use anything they can to advance their own cause."

Do I have to say anything about how this WILL be abused?

Next, we have justice being served in one respect, but the rapist is still on the loose:

Prosecutors dropped all charges yesterday against a Baltimore man who had been held in the rape and assault of a 59-year-old Roland Park woman last month, a brutal crime that frightened the normally tranquil North Baltimore community.

Charges of rape, armed robbery and conspiracy against Chaz Ricks, 20, were dismissed yesterday afternoon after prosecutors learned that DNA evidence collected at the crime scene did not match Ricks.

No one else has been charged in the crime.

Last, we have a case of supreme stupidity by the mayor of D.C.

D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty brought a team of law enforcement officials to a news conference yesterday on the street where police fatally shot a 14-year-old youth, hoping to reassure the public that authorities are aggressively pursuing the investigation.

Wrapping up his fourth news conference since the shooting Monday night, Fenty paused to invite three girls in shorts and T-shirts to join him at the lectern -- the sisters of DeOnte Rawlings, who died in the confrontation with two off-duty police officers.

Federal investigators were taken aback as the sisters asked the kinds of questions that threaten to divide the Southeast Washington community, according to senior law enforcement sources. Did police tamper with evidence? Why haven't the officers been indicted? Then reporters began shouting questions at the family members as the mayor's event careened off course.

It was the latest turbulence in Fenty's bid to show command of a sensitive situation. U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Taylor, looking stunned, stepped in and announced that no answers will be provided until the conclusion of a federal investigation. Fenty (D) tried to offer assurances that he will follow up, telling the sisters: "I will make sure you are the first to know."

 

Anyone could see this coming. Unless he is more interested in getting "the community" behind him vs. getting to the heart of what happened, what he did has to be among the top 3 stupid events of all time.

Republican Comments

Frankly, I still think that presidential debates at this point is too early, but since they have started, I'm going to point to some comments by Republicans.

Steele, who heads GOPAC, a political action committee that helps Republican candidates, told WBAL's "Kendel and Bob Show" Saturday that he's been contacted by debate moderator and PBS talk show host Tavis Smiley to help convince candidates to appear in the debate.

"I think it's an important opportunity for Republican candidates to put up or shut up, when ti comes to minority communities in the country,"  Steele said.

And this...

The four candidates leading in most national polls - Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Mitt Romney, and Fred Thompson - have said they have fund-raising or other scheduling conflicts and will not attend the nationally televised forum in Baltimore on Sept. 27. But even some leading Republicans questioned whether the candidates are interested in addressing issues of special concern to African-Americans.

"I think it is a terrible mistake," former House speaker Newt Gingrich said in a telephone interview yesterday. "I did everything I could to convince them it was the right thing to do, [but] we are in this cycle where Republicans don't talk to minority groups," he said. Yet Gingrich added Republicans cannot afford to ignore black voters during the primaries because the GOP will need their support if they hope to win the general election.

And this...

"For Republicans to consistently refuse to engage in front of an African American or Latino audience is an enormous error," said former House speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.), who has not yet ruled out a White House run himself. "I hope they will reverse their decision and change their schedules. I see no excuse -- this thing has been planned for months, these candidates have known about it for months. It's just fundamentally wrong. Any of them who give you that scheduling-conflict answer are disingenuous. That's baloney."

And this...

"We sound like we don't want immigration; we sound like we don't want black people to vote for us," said former congressman Jack Kemp (N.Y.), who was the GOP vice presidential nominee in 1996. "What are we going to do -- meet in a country club in the suburbs one day? If we're going to be competitive with people of color, we've got to ask them for their vote."

That is all.

Drive By Question

I'm busy but I have a question.

How can the "flippers" on shows like "Flip That House" or "Property Ladder" re-do an entire house for $30,000 when it cost me $18,000 to get a bathroom and a "bonus room" put into the basement?

Sports Stuff

[Updated]

• Is McNabb whining when he says more is expected of Black quarterbacks than white quarterbacks?
  Maybe. Maybe not.

  What is true is when quarterbacks aren't playing well, they get blasted and blasted hard. McNabb is not playing well.

  If the criticism is really harsh, and of McNabb it is harsh, one has to do with the fact that Philly has no good receivers and there is nothing McNabb can do about that point.

  But remember... Philly Eagles fans BOOED and threw snowballs at Santa Claus!

• Isiah Thomas sees a difference between a Black man calling a Black woman a b**** and a white man calling a Black woman a b****. Honestly, he may have a slight point because of the race factor, but the fact is, it is still an insult. Of course, a woman calling a woman a b**** is another matter.
  So, Isiah Thomas, to your remarks I say, BITCH PLEASE!!!!!!
• I have yet to see the football games I want to see. But the part of the games that I did see, leads me to think this is going to be a good football year.

I See The Problem...

I see the ideological problem that is occurring with people who back the concept of having citizen patrols in Philadelphia and people who don't back the concept: definition of patrol.

I see it as people in groups walking the neighborhood. Typically, people doing dirt want to do it in the dark, not in the open. So a group of people, especially men, walking around would act as a deterrence, then, for trouble makers. "Conflict resolution" would be needed for an argument, not for a retaliatory attack of gang bangers or drug dealers.

It is the latter two which, I think, is the source of people not backing the idea.

More later, including an anecdote of something I saw going to the MMM.

Put Up or Shut Up

From Michael Steele, the chair of GOPAC:

Former Lt. Governor Michael Steele says Republican presidential candidates should participate in a scheduled presidential debate aimed at African American voters, that is scheduled for September 27 at Morgan State University.

Steele, who heads GOPAC, a political action committee that helps Republican candidates, told WBAL's "Kendel and Bob Show" Saturday that he's been contacted by debate moderator and PBS talk show host Tavis Smiley to help convince candidates to appear in the debate.

And further...

Knowing that former Governor Robert Ehrlich is the Mid-Atlantic chairman for Giuliani, Steele told his former boss on WBAL that,"unfortunately your boy has declined."

Ehrlich laughed and said that he was trying to change Giuliani's mind about the debate.

"I think it's an important opportunity for Republican candidates to put up or shut up, when ti comes to minority communities in the country," Steele said.

Steele notes that African American voters have played a significant role in helping presidential candidates.

He says in 2004, President Bush received 16% of the African-American vote in Ohio, which was seen as a battleground state in 2004.

Steele says he has worked behind the scenes in helping to put on the debate.

Steele says former Republican National Committee Chairman and Pikesville native Ken Mehlman is also working on the debate.

Black Republicans who support the GOP candidates not showing up at that debate, need to stop the excuse making and whining.

Delta Sigma Theta Science and Everyday Experiences (SEE)

Delta Sigma Theta Science and Everyday Experiences (SEE)

In 2002, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and the Delta Research and Educational Foundation (DREF), in partnership with the AAAS Directorate for Education and Human Resources Programs, began developing and implementing the 5-year Science and Everyday Experiences (SEE) Initiative, an informal science education project funded by the National Science Foundation. The SEE Initiative helps parents and caregivers of African American elementary and middle school age children (K-8) develop effective ways to support children's informal science and mathematics learning experiences.

Another partner in this community-based science effort includes Radio One, Inc., a conglomerate of 51 radio stations in urban and African American markets that served as the broadcast medium for the original Delta SEE Connection. The Delta SEE Connection is a series of interviews with African American role models that are contributors in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines.

Citizens Policing Streets

I don't have time so I'll get back to this, but I want to say that I support this effort.

P6, Cobb, and Dr. Spence don't share my thinking on this and so it is. But to them I've asked, what difference is what is being asked for vs. community watch groups?

For those who think this is a militia:

The men who join Johnson's program will not carry weapons or make arrests but will instead emphasize conflict resolution, similar to the Guardian Angels' ground rules.

What about that statement?
More later...

[ Update ]

I was working the day of the MMM, and at the last moment, I decided to attend. I hooped on the Metro and exited at the station. On the way out, two younger Black guys were about to fight or something worse but nothing came out of it because the other brothers around stepped between the two, stepped up, and said that wasn't happening here on this day.

Again, I don't see the problem.

The problem I see is parents/guardians not keeping their children in the house "when the street lights are on." And if they are 18 or older, then the parents/guardians should tell their children that if they are not working or in school or both, they need to get out of the house, ESPECIALLY if they are doing dirt. And we all know that the parents/guardians know or suspect when their children are doing dirt.

I know of a few instances where the siblings have kicked out the "bad seed".

Black pastors join forces to aid community

Black pastors join forces to aid community

Saying they are burying too many young African Americans struck down by violence, some area pastors have launched a campaign to address that and other community problems.

About two dozen pastors have formed the United Black Clergy Association of Seattle to look for solutions to some of the most daunting problems in the black community in areas of employment, economic development and crime.

"Historically, black pastors have been able to give leadership in these areas of our community," Kenneth J. Ransfer Sr., pastor of Greater Mt. Baker Baptist Church and president of the group, said Wednesday.

"We plan to go out into the community, go to the hot spots, and talk to these men and women and love these guns out of their hands."

At a news conference Wednesday, the organization said it is trying to bring to Seattle a national program called Amer-I-Can, a life-management effort founded 20 years ago by NFL Hall-of-Famer Jim Brown to address gang-related violence in inner cities.

Polling Data

Statement: There are more and more people who only have cell telephones in their homes or they only use the land line for an Internet connection.

Question: How is polling affected by this?
Question: Is this being acknowledged or swept under the rug?

NFL: Week 1

Six.
6.
Seis.
7-1.
5+2.
3 x 2.
3 + 3.
Turnovers by the Ravens. Five ALONE by Steve McNair.

It's going to be a long Ravens season.

More later...

A Comment, Again

The job of the military is to shoot, kill, and blow s*** up! So, let them shoot, kill and blow s*** up!

Thank you.

Education, Part III

I have a lot to say about this, but right now, time constraints won't allow it. There are contradictions here, some doing the right thing, some having no clue. And the people "of means" who have no clue need to be hit upside the head with a baseball bat!!!! HTF did they become "of means" if SOMEONE didn't help/push them in education along the way?

Goode sounds a call to action

Goode sounds a call to action

What Wilson Goode is preaching these days is the gospel of mentoring disadvantaged children.

Making a difference "Having a loving adult spend one hour with a child every week for a year can change the direction of a child's life," he told me recently in his Center City office.

Goode is well-cast as the erudite elder statesman. A cropped gray beard has replaced the clean-shaven look he sported during his days as the city's first African American mayor. A large crucifix dangling around his neck testifies to the spiritual obligation that compelled him to earn a Ph.D. in theology at 62.

If you're part of Philadelphia's faith community, you've undoubtedly heard of Amachi, the program Goode helped develop that provides mentoring for children with incarcerated parents.

Since its launch in 2000, Amachi has grown to 273 programs in 48 states. Goode has enlisted mentors from more than 50 congregations in the Philadelphia region alone.

Research shows that kids who lack adult guidance are less likely to be able to read, more likely to grow up in poverty, and way more likely to take up a life of crime.
...
"Before you criticize anybody else, what are you doing?" Goode asked. "You can blame slavery and segregation . . . those are all factors. So what? What's your next step?"

Despite all he has done in a life of service, Goode is still haunted by the 1985 MOVE tragedy. His decision to bomb a West Philadelphia house, which led to the deaths of 11 people, including five children, prompted him to seek redemption.

"I promised God every single day he gives me strength that I'm going to do something positive to help a child," he said. "If every African American can make the same commitment, we can turn this thing around."

More at the link

Lowering Standards, Part II

[Updated 9/8/07 ]

It looks like the other shoe has dropped in the lowering of standards in Maryland. It looks like it is because Black students are performing as well as expected. From what I can tell right now, the schools that didn't do well, if you know the area and the influx of students from people who were moved from the projects into areas in the county, this is not unexpected.

When Maryland's top school officer proposed that the state back away from its tough high school testing program last week, one reason might have been the troubling performance of some suburban schools.

An alarming pattern of failure is surfacing: Minority students, especially African-Americans, are struggling to pass the exams in the suburban classrooms their families had hoped would provide a better education.

"It is a wake-up call to African-Americans in Maryland," said Dunbar Brooks, president of the state school board and former president of the Baltimore County school board. "For many African-Americans, the mere fact that your child attends a suburban school district does not make academic achievement automatic."

And then for Anne Arundel County, this has been a ongoing issue for a few years now and from what I can tell, the concentrations of "lower class" homes and projects, like those in Annapolis where many don't expect projects to be, are a big source.

It's interesting to see the results of Baltimore County Schools when, currently, the graduation rate for Black students is 85% and for white students it is 88%. So, either they are graduating with low averages or there is social promotion going on.

More later...

[ Updated ]

What they show is that in Baltimore County alone, nearly a third of the system's roughly two dozen high schools had pass rates of 60 percent or less. Also, high schools with predominantly African-American populations, such as Randallstown and Woodlawn, had passing rates mostly below 50 percent.

In Randallstown and Woodlawn, there has been a big influx of people from Baltimore but the influx is no longer one of middle class or above parents moving there, but parents who have been moved from demolished projects and/or Section-8 housing. Additionally, Randallstown has the highest concentration of group homes than all other jurisdictions in Maryland. I have friends and relatives in the area, and for about the past 5 years, they have been telling me about the increase in crime and the change in the students attending the schools.

This is from today's column by Greg Kane:

Perhaps a rehash of what these annoying tests exactly are might be in order. Starting with the Class of 2009 -- this school year's unlucky juniors, who must be wondering why they were picked to get the booby prize -- students must pass tests in algebra, biology, English and government to graduate. According to Bill Reinhard, a spokesman for the Maryland State Department of Education, scores of 412 in algebra, 400 in biology, 396 in English and 394 in government are considered proficient. The scoring range for each test is 240 to 650 points.

But students don't have to score at the proficient level to pass. The minimum score for passing the algebra test is 402 points; for biology it's 391 points; for English 386; points and for government 387 points. Those of you who are quick at math will note that all those minimum scores are closer to the 240 points at the bottom of the scale than the 650 at the top.

There is also a way for students to flunk one or more tests and still pass the battery of assessments without having to do a senior project. If their total score is 1,602 -- the sum of the proficient scores for each of the four tests -- they'll get a diploma. And remember, the maximum a student can score on all four tests is 2,600. Students are basically required to score a 62 for tests that are at the ninth- and 10th-grade levels.

Huh? A passing grade of 62. What is it O'Malley has against Grasmick again, exactly? Can this be the same O'Malley who vigorously defended Baltimore school system officials when they lowered the passing grade for city students from 70 to 60?

I mentioned the lowering of a passing grade here.

This really means the Maryland high school diploma is a piece of trash.

Mister Mann's Men

Mister Mann's Men

THEY ARE THE kids who don't make the headlines — the young black men from Philadelphia's inner city who are crack students, not crack dealers; who hang on the campus, not on the corner; who are living the American dream, not the nightmare.

So when Mister Mann Frisby, 32, who has mentored dozens of the young black men for years as father figure, trusted friend, summer track coach, college guidance counselor, employment agency — you name it, Frisby does it — goes to name-brand social service agencies to ask for financial help for his kids, he gets strange looks instead of cash.

"'They never stabbed nobody?'" Frisby exclaims in mock surprise, mimicking the reaction he got at one multi-million dollar social service agency. "'Nobody got a gun charge?'"

Frisby shook his head. "They have money for adjudicated youth," he said. "They have money for thugs trying to turn their lives around. But they don't have money for decent, intelligent young black men who are striving.

"If my mentoring program was for first-time gun offenders or kids in foster care or kids fresh out of Glen Mills, I'd be rolling in money. They want you to service kids who are 'at risk' or in trouble. They see the kids in my program as fine. So they're forgotten."

 

More at the link provided.