Melvin B. Miller
Editor & Publisher

Well-done

A major concern of ambitious parents is to assure that their children excel in school. When the results do not meet the parents’ high standards they often place the blame on teachers and the school system. This happens whether the schools are public or private or whether the school system has to confront the race issue.

Place the problem in an urban public school where the issue of racial diversity is always front-page news, and the mixture truly becomes volatile. To be superintendent of schools in such a situation is to volunteer to work in a state of constant crisis. Now that Tom Payzant has retired and the smoke of controversy has abated, it is much easier to see in reflection how extraordinary a job he has done.

Payzant’s implementation of school reform has made Boston one of the highest performing urban school districts in the country. While the academic achievement of many African American and Latino students is still sub-standard, the changes Payzant initiated will provide a solid foundation for his successor.

Parents and community activists must acknowledge Payzant’s efforts and applaud his achievements. We wish him well as he now becomes a teacher of other school superintendents.

Losing distractions

The concept of “self-help” has never been well received in black America. The classic response to those who implore African Americans to “pick themselves up by the bootstraps” has long been: “How can we do that when we have no boots?” The alternative to self-help has been to assume the status of a victim.

This fit well with the civil rights movement because an appeal for equal rights unavoidably looked to the largesse of those in power. However, the commitment and courage of the civil rights activists who confronted the violent opposition of the bigots gave the “victims” a heroic aura.

But that day is past. There is no longer anything heroic in continuing to be a victim. Nonetheless, too many prominent blacks are still reacting as though the civil rights movement has not been won. They seem not to realize that the game is over, although the field and the stadium must still be cleaned up.

Some spokesmen even get angry when others call on blacks to soldier up and change the quality of their lives themselves. For example, Michael Eric Dyson has verbally attacked Bill Cosby for demanding that blacks do more for themselves. When Cosby was critical of the behavior of some blacks, Dyson apparently wanted the inclusion of some exculpatory language because of the history of racism in America.

It is too late for that, Dr. Dyson. Yes, racial experiences in America have created considerable pain, but to succeed and move forward in this country, blacks must get off the bench and get into the game. We have to be willing to play hurt.

A winning strategy requires that black society must not let losers distract us from winning. With all the projects that demand attention, it is difficult to understand why prominent blacks thought it was important to become involved in the Howard Beach incident. A black man in a white neighborhood at 3 a.m., who reportedly by own admission was there to steal a car, was assaulted with a bat by an irate resident who called him the “N word.” Certainly, a losing strategy is for the leaders to allow the criminal element to determine the black agenda.

The popularity of “The Covenant with Black America” promises to restore the concept of self-help. Prominent blacks have developed a plan which, if followed, will ultimately lead the people to success and equality.