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issues surrounding education, politics, or community activism in Rochester, NY, has heard the name Howard Eagle. Eagle has earned a checkered reputation, mostly for his tactics. Anybody who knows me, and who worked closely with me will tell you Howard believes in collective leadership Eagle, who is known for his serious demeanor does have a playful side.

Among the protestors was community activist Howard Eagle, who seized the opportunity to express his concerns However, the situation quickly spiraled out of control when Howard Eagle refused to adhere to the designated The group is “working toward ensuring that adults will unlearn racist attitudes, belief systems, and Eagle demanded that Peluso reinstate him and the others to the R.E.A.L Team. The incident sparked a heated exchange between Eagle and the board president, Cynthia Elliott.

Minority Reporter published a piece on charter schools on February 26, 2024 by education unions supporter, Dr. Shawgi Tell, professor of education at Nazareth University. Until recently, I had somehow missed Dr. Shawgi Tell's February 26 op ed about charter schools, which is steeped in cunning denial. He begins by repeating his familiar rhetoric regarding the fact that, in New York State, charter schools are legally public schools - somehow represents an "unwarranted claim." It's a fact, period. His education-union-supporting rhetoric is so contorted, convoluted, and conflated that it's almost ridiculous to dignify it with a response. Yet, in my humble, but unequivocally-staunch and informed view - it's always important to defend urban school parents' (in particular) rights to educational choices for their children - the latter of whom have been failed enmass within decrepit, traditional public schools for centuries-before the first charter school ever existed. Tell attempts to make an illegitimate 'point' that "charter schools are operated by unelected private persons'' --- as if those who operate traditional public schools are 'elected.' A clear and important distinction to make here is that elected school boards, such as the RCSD Board of Education in particular, which is clearly among the most dysfunctional in the State and nation - do NOT "operate" schools. They oversee schools - just like charter school boards do in the case of charter schools. As it relates to the RCSD, as well as predominantly Black, urban school districts throughout this thoroughly racist, white-supremacist-based nation-state - districts are "operated" by administrative bureaucrats, who in many, if not most cases, are predominantly white suburbanites, and are definitely NOT elected. The professor also tries to advance the silly argument that charter schools so-called "lie in the private sector [because they] "embrace consumerism, individualism, competition, and the survival-of-the-fittest ethos" - as if decrepit, traditional public schools don't do the exact same thing. They do! He's correct about one thing, e.g., "under U.S. law, [and in this particular case, under New York State law] something does not become public just because it is called public 50 times a day." Instead, it becomes public because government officials pass Legislation, which makes it LEGALLY PUBLIC, which is true for ALL charter schools in New York State --- period ( see here and here). Amazingly, Tell argues that "charter schools are not political subdivisions of the state." REALLY??? So, in New York State (as opposed to "Kentucky" or other places that he mentioned), charter schools were brought into existence by State Legislation; they operate in accordance with the rules and regulations spelled out in the same Legislation, and they can be, and sometimes are shut down in accordance with the terms and conditions contained in the same Legislation. Yet, they are NOT "political subdivisions of the state?" Really??? Do tell (no pun intended). How does that work? Of all the numerous wild ideas in the professor's article, the following is the one that really throws me for a loop, e.g., he claims "charter schools have little in common with [traditional] public schools." REALLY??? Well, well, well. That's very telling. WHAT THEY HAVE IN COMMON MORE SO THAN ANYTHING ELSE IS OUR CHILDREN (NOT DR. TELL'S), BUT OURS!!! AND IN BOTH CASES OVERALL (TRADITIONAL AND CHARTERS - IN THE MAIN), ARE DOING A PISS-POOR JOB. Yet who is the professor, or anyone for that matter, to tell mainly Black parents that they should NOT have choices relative to where they want to send their children to school? The following quote is completely bogus for at least several reasons: "Privatizers and their political representatives pass laws that say charter schools are public so that they can justify siphoning billions of dollars a year from mostly urban public schools that enroll many poor and low-income minority kids." WHAT???  First of all, with regard to "passing laws" - there is no lobby group anywhere in the State of New York that's more powerful relative to influencing Legislation than the overwhelmingly white, largely racist, especially regarding top leadership - New York State United Teachers Union, and their locals, and national affiliate American Federation of Teachers (see here and here). No one  "siphons [off more] billions a year from mostly urban public schools that enroll many poor and low-income [so-called] minority [children -- not] kids" --- than largely unproductive teachers' unions, the overwhelming majority of whom are white suburbanites who suck resources out of poor Black communities at the speed of light, for decades, if not centuries (see here  - there’s a feature that allows you to listen to the article at the last link. Click on the link. When the article comes up, to listen, click on this symbol ⧁ right above the title). As it relates to the Dr. Tell's charge regarding "fueling the school-to-prison pipeline" - traditional public schools were "suspending and expelling Black students at very high rates, thereby fueling the school-to-prison pipeline" for at least 100 years before the first charter school was ever established. With regard to academic performance, in general, we already know that both charter schools and traditional public schools are failing huge numbers of OUR children - period. We also know that the RCSD (for example) is one of, if not the worse performing school district in all of New York State, and clearly one of the worse in the nation --- with Buffalo, Syracuse, Yonkers, Utica, and New York City not far behind, which is the reality that gave rise to public charter schools in the first place (see here and here). And clearly, if there is "widespread fraud, waste, and corruption in the charter school sector" - they don't have anything on the RCSD in that particular regard (see here and here and here). The bottom line is that when people like Dr. Tell continuously and exclusively engage in narrow charter vs. traditional public school debates and arguments - it only reinforces that they are not really concerned about OUR children (since both entities are failing huge numbers). Instead, the focus is on their own narrow, self-serving, political agendas, and often their own economic well being. Otherwise, they would be calling for a serious education MOVEMENT on the part of everyone in the field - period. To them, OUR children are like political footballs (see here).

This type of challenge will sometimes stop white racists in their tracks and actually move them toward white conservatives are intentionally interpreting her latest work to mean that white liberals are the “real most dangerous thing in the entire Western Hemisphere,” and of course the ‘wolf’ is not far behind. — Howard Eagle is a longtime educator and local anti-racism advocate, known for his campaigns for the Rochester Eagle taught social studies in the RCSD for 23 years, before retiring in 2010, and is now an adjunct

the latter of which is often utilized as a buffer to deflect and/or avoid seriously dealing with the real noted that “It is long past time for our county to challenge the status quo and take committed steps toward the racist “status quo [has been, and/or is being] challenged and the committed steps being taken toward ~Howard Eagle is a longtime educator and local anti-racism advocate, known for his campaigns for the Eagle taught social studies in the RCSD for 23 years, before retiring in 2010, and is now an adjunct

Al Sharpton delivered a sermon intertwining race, politics and religion Sunday morning at Howard University Before the activist minister took the stage, many student leaders such as Nia Naylor, president of the Howard His speech, she said, really touched her and resonated with her journey here at Howard. Sometimes Jules feels like a grasshopper at Howard, but Sharpton’s message reassured her that she, too “It's so many ’giants’ that come out of Howard.

According to the article at the first reference link below, New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) has published a report that advocates "giving children the skills they need to thrive as adults." There's no doubt about the need to do that. However, as it relates to the specifics of NYSUT's proposals, it is so very, very important for parents and community members, especially and particularly those "segments of our population [that] are [so-called] predictably doing worse [apparently, solely] because of their life experiences," (which is a bunch of super-hyper-rhetorical-malarkey,to put it mildly) --- to pay very close attention! See additional elaboration below. Indeed, the unionists are correct regarding the importance of giving children the skills they need to thrive as adults. However, those skills MUST necessarily begin with literacy (reading, writing, articulation, and computation skills) at levels that make it crystal clear that students are thoroughly competent to function successfully in the information-age. Again, I emphasize that this must be the beginning—because literacy represents the foundation of all learning. Rochester Teachers Association president, Adam Urbanski's claim (via the associated video) that: "Some segments of our population are predictably doing worse because of their life experiences" --- must be categorically rejected on its face. And speaking of "face," it is vitally important for us to put faces on the so-called "segments of our population" that he's referring to, e.g., mainly poor Black children. Urbanski's language is the language that the arch conservative, former President George W. Bush referred to via a kow-towing speech at the NAACP Convention in 2000 as, “the soft bigotry of low expectations,” which of course is potentially grounded in individual and institutional racism. Urbanski is all but saying that, due solely to poor Black children's "life experiences" we should not expect them to achieve at or above the levels of their more well-to-do peers. Otherwise, how could he possibly be making statements about so-called "predictability." He's definitely alluding to the fundamentally-flawed, and potentially racist idea that their "life experiences" are deterministic, and of course he makes no mention of other critical, influential factors, such as, for example, quality, culture, commitment, experience, race of educators, especially building-level administrators and teachers in particular, as well as factors such as continuous development of intervention and support-strategies, or the lack thereof. Of course "education should extend beyond the confines of teaching to the test," but so what? That's not news to any competent, committed educator who is worth his or her weight. So, what's the point? What's new about that ancient assertion? Again, "refocusing on education that will give children the skills they need to thrive as adults" is a good thing. However, we must clearly identify the specific skills that the unionists are referring to, which (also again), must begin with foundational-literacy-skills. There is no other legitimate, logical starting point. With regard to the 64 "members of the NYSUT Task Force" I'm going to respectfully request that Dr. Urbanski provide demographics relative to race; gender; specific teaching experience, including locations; age; relationships with the primary-learning-communities, e.g., the communities that the majority of their students come from and return to daily. Relative to the possibility of developing effective solutions, such factors are absolutely critical. As it relates to what "employers are asking for'', the very first thing they want to know is whether or not prospective employees are able to competently complete a job application, and secondly can they articulate (competently) why they believe they are an appropriate candidate, and/or the best candidate for a particular job or position? Yes, indeed, "show me what you can do". For example, show me that you can fill out a job application, and that you can articulate why I should hire you. If you can't do that, then all the rest doesn't matter, does it? It is true that: "Evidence of [mastery of] knowledge is the ability to apply knowledge to something pragmatic, and useful in everyday life," which includes, (for example), the ability of professional instructors to effectively impart knowledge regarding their area(s) of expertise, and/or facilitate conditions by which such knowledge is successfully imparted to others. This is the art and science of that which so many refer to rhetorically as effective pedagogy, the art and science of effective instruction (as measured by what students can demonstrate they know and/or can do). It is important to be clear about the fact that demonstrating what one knows is sometimes embodied solely within articulation, which is not to be confused with what the unionists mentioned as simply "what [one has] memorized." Instead, I am referring to crystal-clear articulation/explanation of useful, and frequently complex information (based on a broad and deep knowledge base), which allows one to help others understand via analytical critique, as opposed to merely repeating information without analysis or full comprehension. For example, as it relates to memorization and regurgitation, we might teach students that there are three basic forms of racism (individual, institutional, and structural), which students are able to retain via long-term memory, and regurgitate at will. However, that would not necessarily, nor automatically mean that they are able to discuss and/or explain the existence, nature, essence, functioning of the three major forms. We would necessarily have to teach them a lot more, in order for them to be able to articulate/ explain (for example), that the three forms are man-made, historical concepts that are thoroughly bound up together, completely intertwined, and totally inseparable from one another, e.g., there can be no continued institutional, and/or structural racism without continued individual racists --- by the millions; and these concepts have been, and are still being strategically utilized in the process of establishing, perpetuating, reinforcing, and maintaining white supremacy within U.S, society. Thus, a major point is, with regard to the idea above about employers asking folks to "show me what you can do" --- that is NOT always about manual-tasks, but many also want people to SHOW THEM WHAT THEY CAN DO WITH THEIR BRAINS. For example, the type of positions that Adam Urbanski and the 64 members of the NYSUT Task Force hold represents an outstanding sample regarding the latter-referenced expectation. Also, why does the emphasis seem to be solely on what employers want? What about those students who do not plan to work for others, but instead are intent on developing their own jobs, as well as perhaps jobs for others? Shouldn't there be mechanisms built into the system that attempts to identify, encourage, and nurture such independent and innovative thinking and plans? Again, those who are directly responsible, involved and/or associated with the "segments of our population [which, according to Adam Urbanski] are predictably doing worse [apparently, solely] because of their life experiences" --- must carefully and thoroughly interrogate the idea of so-called "allowing students to show graduation readiness in different ways." If such so-called "readiness" does not include development of literacy skills, as outlined above, at the same level or higher as the levels that Adam Urbanski and the 64 members of the NYSUT Task Force would expect and accept for their own children and grandchildren --- then such so-called "readiness"-b.s. must be categorically and vehemently rejected --- period! I have absolutely no idea; no reference point for understanding what Urbanski and company mean regarding so-called "leveling the playing field." However, again, parents and communities whose children are suffering the most (dropping out; flunking out; dying out, at earlier and earlier ages, more so than any other children), must necessarily interrogate (thoroughly) each and every idea that NYSUT has put forth in their new proposals, some of which reminds me of hocus-pocus "reform" from the 1980's and 90's (see the second reference link below). A main reason for strict, thorough interrogation is spelled out at the third reference link below, which is not unique to Rochester, but exists within each and every predominantly Black, urban school district in New York State, as well as throughout this thoroughly racist, white-supremacist-based nation-state (in every direction --- North, East, South, and West), which is why WE KNOW THAT IT IS NOT JUST ONE GREAT BIG COINCIDENCE --- NOR IS IT A FLUKE OF NATURE. Instead, it is the cumulative result of race-based, manipulation and engineering via past and ongoing policies, practices, procedures, rules, regulations, and laws that guide and govern the racist public education system --- period. References https://cnycentral.com/news/local/more-teaching-less-testing-new-york-state-united-teachers-calls-for-change https://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/23/nyregion/big-raises-agreed-on-for-rochester-teachers.html https://13wham.com/news/local/assessments-find-more-than-40-of-rcsd-k-8-students-3-levels-behind-in-reading-math https://heymrswinkler.com/2021/02/19/george-w-bush-and-the-soft-bigotry-of-low-expectations/

the Enterprise in Star Trek, LeVar Burton is an Emmy award-winning actor who was keynote speaker at Howard LeVar Burton speaks to Howard University Class of 2025. and actors Louis Gossett, and Cicely Tyson groomed him in Roots, Burton offered many lessons to the Howard We need Eagles and not just peacocks. Peacocks look good but they can't fly.

In his commencement address to Howard University’s (HU) Class of 2023, President Joe Biden sparked excitement Biden-Harris administration’s budget proposal that year also included more than $1 billion allocated toward “Coming to Howard University allowed me to find me. I found my voice and passion. At Howard, differences are valued and respected,” she continued.

interesting political twist is that there are Democratic Party operatives who have also begun to play the REAL THE REAL, OBJECTIVELY, THOROUGHLY, QUANTIFIABLE ANSWER TO THE IDIOTIC QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT THE

600-900-students-are-ideal-size-for-learning/ https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/school-size/ ~ Howard Eagle is a longtime educator and local anti-racism advocate, known for his campaigns for the Rochester Eagle taught social studies in the RCSD for 23 years, before retiring in 2010, and taught as an adjunct

Howard Eagle