Kudos to Senator Jackson

Congratulations to Senator Jackson for possessing the intellectual acumen to realize that school choice is the conduit for real educational reform in the State of South Carolina. Senator Jackson recently, declared " the time has come for school choice in our great state". Senator Jackson, I sincerely applaud you, and may you continue to speak boldly about "real educational reform" in South Carolina for all our citizens. Now, I wonder how many other elected black legislators, will sincerely join Senator Jackson in passing a comprehensive school choice bill next legislative session? Dr. Cecil R. Taliaferro

No Excuses, VOTE

Today is election day, and your opportunity to participate in the greatest democracy in the world. If you do not vote, then do not complain about your government or your elected officials. Many Americans, both black and white, have paid the ultimate sacrifice that we may have this right to participate in this democracy. No excuses, VOTE. Dr. Taliaferro

note: I sincerely thank those individuals who have prayed for my recovery. I am almost fully recovered.

To the dedicated readers of Black Perspectives in SC

I sustained a serious accident to my head and right shoulder while vacationing, whereas imobilizing my right hand and arm. I sincerely apologize for my absence from the Black Perspectives in South Carolina Blog. I am at home recuperating and under doctors care, so please be patient with our blog. In the meanwhile, Black Perspectives will be having from time to time, guest writers during my recovery. Please keep me in your prayers. Sincerely, Dr. Taliaferro

Battle Zones vs. Learning Zones

The recent violent attacks at America’s schools are alarming, since school is a place where children are supposed to be infused with knowledge and not threatened, intimidated or killed. I am very concerned about the state of America’s schools –academically, socially and culturally. Many of our children are dropping out too soon, while others are just afraid to show up due to fear. We encourage our children to attend school while not realizing that we may be sending them into a battle zone. Years ago this type of violence was nearly nonexistent and police patrolling schools was unheard of. Look how far we’ve come, America. I believe school choice will give parents, especially those parents that fear for their children’s welfare at school, more options to either home school, use virtual schools or attend faith based schools.

Mothers, more educational opportunities will empower us. It will give us greater control over how and where we decide to educate our children. We will be able to take our children out of battle zones and put them into learning zones.


Rita Davenport, Guest Writer
A Mom On A Mission

My Children, Your Children

I am a married mom with three beautiful children. Two of my children are in public school and one is in private school. Why is only one child in private school? Because I have found that this is the best environment for this child. I believe the debate about school choice is about just that – each child getting his or her specific needs met in a school environment that works for that child. I know parents that are less fortunate than I am that would love the opportunity to send their children to a different school – public or private. But simply because they live in a certain zip code, they are not able to change schools. Many have wanted to use my address just so that their child can attend a better school. The system is making criminals out of mothers who just want the best for their children. School choice – we need a lot of it – and we need it now. My babies will get a good education, but there are so many that will not. As a mother, this breaks my heart, because I am concerned about the welfare of all children in South Carolina, and not just my own. This is my compassion as a human being, my mission as a mother and my responsibility as a citizen of this state.

Mothers, come with me on this journey to better education in South Carolina. Let’s not be afraid of naysayers that tell us we are wrong. We must stand strong for our children and lead the way for more educational opportunities.

Rita Davenport, Guest Writer
A Mom On A Mission

MOORE DISRESPECTS NAACP!

Democratic candidate for Governor, Tommy Moore, has refused to attend the NAACP conference in Augusta, Georgia. This strategy is either brilliant or very stupid. I find the reasoning for his refusal troubling! Why brilliant? Well….Moore knows that he can’t win with just Democratic votes. He needs a sizeable number of Independent and Republican votes. So, he decides to piss off his “presumed” base, in hopes of “playing” the race card to excite those Whites that have no regard for the venerable organization, the NAACP. Plus, “no show” Tommy Moore needs all the free publicity he can get, (have you seen this guy on TV lately?) Senator Moore’s snub of the NAACP cast him as standing tall as a strong Anglo-Saxon male against the troublesome NAACP. Some Whites, and ironically some Blacks, will view that as a positive and give the Senator a thumps up. (Don’t hold your breath!) However…! He just angered his base! The NAACP may not represent all Black people, but perception is golden. Blacks have been more loyal to the Democratic Party than Robin to Batman. If anything, Moore should have been very accommodating, because he just can’t afford to ignore Black people.

The Republican Governor, Mark Sanford, will be at the NAACP Conference, taking heat, but sharing his ideas and goals on why South Carolina must move forward with lower taxes, more educational choices for poor parents, and reforming government, while Senator Moore will be somewhere trying to prove to some Whites that he disapproves of the NAACP as much as they do. African-Americans should be outraged that Tommy Moore is playing such an insidious game. We should reject this, especially for someone that claims to be a friend of the Black community. But now is the time for Black folks to reject the politics of fear and join the bandwagon of hope and opportunity. Our blind allegiance to the Democratic Party is costing us tremendously. Democrats don’t own the ground on equality and opportunity. Democrats “pit” Blacks against issues that members of the other party support with the hope that Blacks will be scared away. Democrats try to convince Blacks that they should continue to support a system that continues to fail their children. For example, only 6.2% of African-Americans are proficient in Math and only 3.9% are proficient in Science. The aforementioned statistics are criminal! The Governor has a plan. Where is Senator Moore’s plan? Any plan that doesn’t allow low-income parents more options in education is not a plan, but an attempt in maintaining privilege for a few at the expense of the masses.

As a Democrat and as an African-American, I’m tired of the “games” Democrats play with Blacks, especially the race game. There isn’t a candidate that deserves the Black vote if he/she is not willing to speak to Black people. It is my hope that African-Americans cast their vote based on hopes rather than on fear. After all, God and fear do not occupy the same space.

Kwame Jones "K.J."

Guest Writer

The Denial of School Transfers in Berkeley County

The Berkeley County School District is considering delaying the transfer of students from "failing schools" to better performing schools. Why? Because according to the school officials, "they are fearful of a mass exodus of students and the disruption of the system". Under the provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind Law, a parent has the right to transfer their child to a better performing school, if their child's school fails to meet "adequate yearly progress". How dare the Berkeley County School District, have the audacity to deny poor and minority children the right to excercise their "choice options" under the guidelines of a federal law? Once again, this is another example in South Carolina of parents being denied the right to excercise "educational freedom".

How can the state of South Carolina create a system whereas students who are trapped in failing schools, and being denied access to better performing schools achieve their true potential? The answer is simple: Offer tutition assistance to foster greater student participation; by providing financial assistance to families and students for private and parochial K-12 schools and public and private postsecondary institutions, our state can make additional options available to students. These schools and institutions can be an important source of alternative high-quality providers for students in failing schools as defined by the No Child Left Behind Act. If the state of South Carolina used tuition assistance, it would encourage more students to participate in educational options, and ultimately reduce the dropout rate and improve graduation rates.

The Berkeley County School District officials should consider, or better yet, provide high-quality choice options for the students who attend schools identified as "in need of improvement" instead of "delaying transfers". I detest playing the "race card", but I wonder how many of those schools in Berkeley County that are "failing" have high percentages of minority students?

Do the school officials in Berkeley County School District realize that the No Child Left Behind Act, codified the need for high-quality options that require school districts to make options available to students who attend schools identified as "in need of improvement"? This should be the task of the district to provide those options, and increase the supply of higher-performing schools from which families can choose.



Dr. Taliaferro


Note: Black Perspectives will have guest writers during the week of September 24-October 1st.