Posted by Media Release

Dear Membership and Community,

On Thursday, January 24, 2008, the NAACP held its monthly general membership meeting.  I want to express my sincere thanks to everyone who attended the meeting given the change of venue and the extremely cold temperatures.  I estimate that almost 100 members were in attendance.  This is an indication of our growth and that you feel that the organization is relevant.  It is exciting that you, the member, are taking ownership of your branch.  I anticipate that attendance will return to 150 to 200 persons as the weather warms.

Education leaders Superintendent Blackwell, Teacher Union president, Tim Kraus, School Board president, Eve Bolton, and School Board vice president, Chris Nelms were all present.  Each speaker commented on the need to receive funding in order to continue the educational gains that the CPS student population has been making in recent years. It was also mentioned that budget cuts will still occur.  If the levy passes, the budget will be reduced by $28 million.  If the levy fails, cuts will be $54 to $55 million.  School Board vice president, Chris Nelms, did an excellent job of personalizing the dilemma we are facing.  He emphasized that many of us are products of Cincinnati Public Schools, or know someone currently receiving education within a Cincinnati Public School.  If you weren’t aware, the CPS student population is 70% African American.  Facing this fact, you have an opportunity on March 4 to be a part of your own self-determination by voting for Issue 10 and being part of the critical block that gets it passed.  We voted down a jail in November 2007; therefore, we can vote up education on March 4, 2008.

Following a question and answer period, it was motioned that the NAACP Cincinnati Branch support the school levy (Issue 10). An amendment to the motion included a request for the school district to agree to be accountable to the NAACP for one to three areas of improvement should the Branch vote to support the March 4 levy.  Superintendent Blackwell agreed to such an amendment which was consistent with her previous comments that she believes that the education system should be held accountable for their work.  The vote was approved overwhelmingly.  I want to let the membership know that the following day, the Superintendent called me about the vote, the amendment, and having a meeting next week to also discuss how to improve failing schools.  I should be able to give the membership an update at the February 21 general meeting on this topic.

Membership, do you see that something is happening?  Do you see that our Branch is becoming more relevant?  The attendance of these leaders clearly states that our Branch is becoming more and more respected and recognized as an important factor in political decisions.  This is good for our organization and most importantly, it’s good for our community.  Those organizations that approach us respectfully and equitably deserve our attention and our consideration regarding their public policies.  Any cynicism you may have of other organizations coming to us is valid, but we need to be open to a new page of building alliances and then following through with our opposition or our support.  That is what will build respect of our association for the advancement of colored people.

The CBC--a round table of chief executive officers--gave $85,000 to the jail campaign last fall to get Issue 27 passed.  If the CBC does not support Issue 10, they are sending a clear message to “lock ‘em up”, but don’t educate them.  Even after a million dollars was raised last November for the campaign to build a jail, we defeated it!  Now’s the time to come right back and tell the business community we do not accept building jails as the answer; we promote education with accountability as the answer. 

Now, we can’t have a discussion about teacher performance without having a discussion about parent performance.  As your president, I told the guests that the NAACP would be looking at adopting a school.  That means that the accountability around the performance of any failing school will include the NAACP’s ability--in partnership with CPS--to increase productive parent involvement in the school and with their child.  We can’t point a finger at CPS and act as if poor parenting is not a factor in some of challenges that exist inside the classrooms of the worst performing schools.  I foresee discipline problems dropping dramatically should our members become active participants as partners inside the school buildings.  Thereby creating an environment where teaching and learning happens more effectively and safely.

ACTION:  From this date, your president will be working with any and all people to get Issue 10 passed.  There is a risk in this endeavor.  If Issue 10 fails, the Cincinnati NAACP will lose some of the political influence it has gained recently.  However, the risk of spending political capital is necessary and crucial to support and protect our children.  You can help by getting an Issue 10 yard sign (when they are available) and putting it in your yard.  Ask your pastor to have Issue 10 be part of the weekly bulletin announcements and during Sunday services.  Start today making positive comments, specifically on the 1230AM black talk radio station, about the need to pass the school levy (Issue 10).  We are in this fight now.  Protecting Issue 10 is now our business.

I am asking you to follow the membership’s, the executive committee’s, and your president’s leadership in supporting Issue 10.  If you truly believe that “it takes a village to raise a child” that is an unselfish perspective that indicates your willingness to sacrifice personally for the greater good of “the village”.

Christopher Smitherman
President of NAACP Cincinnati Branch

Thank you for reading (and printing from) The Cincinnati Beacon.