The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club's 'State Board of Education' Endorsement Forum Rigged.

            Yesterday (3-29-2011) at 1640 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC, I attended The Gertrude Stein Democratic Club's 'State Board of Education' Endorsement Forum, and let me just tell you that it was rigged. I’m not Stupid and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the Club was a predominately LGBT club. Nothing against the LGBT community at all. I have family and friend that are part of the LGBT community, but if you are going to play the game, play it fair. Many of the question that were presented to the candidates had them at a lost for word, all candidates but Philip Pannell. Philip seemed to be on his p's and q's, and I congratulate him on him win of the endorsement, but the question they asked seemed to gear towards his platform so of Course he would win, that’s my opinion.

            I am already hip to how the game is played, you make promises and pay a few of the members off and stand behind them and you have the endorsement off the back.  My thing is yes these LGBT children need guidance and protection to, because bullying is a crime to me, but are you Philip Going to treat every child the same no matter their sexual orientation or are you mainly focused on the LGBT community? You fight for equality just make sure you don’t divide, if you catch my drift.  It's about ALL of the young people.

Now to jump beyond myself I have to say this, I have to give you the scoop.  Many of the candidates that seemed realistic to me like Larry Pretlow II, and Sandra Williams, and Tijwana Phillips, and Cardell Shelton (who is hilarious and off the wall but makes since if you listen) were viewed and Kids(Pretlow) or idealistic, or not even serious. Well how did I find this out? Well, I was standing in the hallway over looking votes and over heard on the members of the club say how this guy Summersgill was in there tweeting. What I heard them reading from his tweets sounded so ignorant and sounded like lies, as the members laughed I took it upon me to check this summersgill out. I’m telling you read his tweets from the night, pure ignorance.

Me being a part of Team Pretlow and having respect for the other candidates I had to share it with them. He said Pretlow is Idealistic but not realistic and only think to the limits of his age, "He's a Kid". Saying Sandra Williams said she wants kids to have sex without condoms, and making joke of Cardell Shelton (a black man who has stood front line on battle grounds) saying he got VD in world War II, when he was clearly saying that they need to learn about sex at a young age, because when he was young he had no knowledge about sex, and thinks now that it is best for them to learn about sex and transmitted diseases at a young age. 

Summersgill is an ANC in ward 3 who is to ignorant to have heard the good out of that. I with a passion dislike, no, I hate people that think the way this man does. It’s unnecessary, and it is bullying, which is what we talked about that night. People like him are the main reason why young people do not want to go to school, because believe it or not this generation of young people can read through you like glass. They know what is going on, and to be little people like summersgill did was wrong and disingenuous. People like him are why some commit suicide, and he doesn’t need to hold office in my opinion. Someone tell me what has Summersgill done? 

Now just to leave you all with a thank you for reading and keep Love alive. Stay true to yourself.

“Catered Education, Empowers Youth”

“Catered Education, Empowers Youth”

The youth and young adults of the District of Columbia deserve the best choices and practices of attaining a high quality education. This is why I believe that “Catered Education, Empowers Youth”..............

Education Reform Gets RESHAPED!

First Blog of 2011

What makes the wheels go round on Education Reform?

DaMar A. Jackson
The Scoop DC

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Larry T. Pretlow II gears up to reshape Education Reform, emphasizing that we’ve got it all wrong. In an interview on Wednesday, I sat down with my good friend and business buddy to discuss his take on Education Reform. The conversation was so great that The Scoop DC decided to blog about Pretlow’s statements.

When asked what “Education Reform” is? Pretlow responded:
“Education Reform is an effort to better the quality of education in the District through a refreshed curriculum, outstanding teachers and expensive resources. Rebuilding schools and doing nothing that actually addresses the issues that students face before or after school.

What would make “Education Reform” better? Pretlow quickly uttered:
Here in D.C., Education Reform must include strengthening the quality of life and education for our students not just on but also off school grounds. Current Education Reform mostly only focuses on Public Education and teachers. We need to include Parents and home while also offering incentives to promote good behavior, good attendance and maintaining a 3.0GPA.

Why is Parental/home Involvement key to “Education Reform”, Pretlow stated?
“Increasing Parental/home Involvement ensures students are equipped with the ability to sit in the classroom, obey school and classroom rules, and respect other students, teachers, school personnel and the overall learning environment. This is all essential to teachers being able to properly execute lessons and maintain control of their classrooms. It all begins with home! We cannot reform education without considering what life is like for students beyond school hours. We also cannot require that students past standardized test” nor blame teachers!

It can be conveyed that Pretlow believes that nothing is being done that actually address the lives of student outside of school which plays a major role in their lives inside of school. Education Reform seems to be more of a political trend then a community effort. He also doesn’t support the ways in which teachers were evaluated in D.C. Public Schools.

And, if you ask Ward 8 residents, former DCPS Chancellor Michelle Rhee established education/school reform as a reason to fire veteran and rookie school teachers because she had the power, not as a citywide effort to better the quality of education in the District. Pretlow didn’t say that Education Reform shouldn’t be about the latter, he just feels as if it’s being done wrong.

Pretlow stated: “On my ANC campaign trail in 2010, Parents and Students understood Education Reform as if it was about Rhee giving teachers bad ratings that didn’t have full control of their classroom. So if a teacher with all these educational degrees and years in the system stopped during instruction time to deal with classroom disruptions and uncontrollable students, so others could learn - subsequently you received a bad rating and later lost your job.”

He also stated: “It’s not always the teachers…it about where the students come from and what is being allowed of them elsewhere before they get to school. It’s about the students gaining more than an Education and giving high test scores. They ask what’s in it for them.”

Pretlow added:
“Teachers are armed with the duty of orchestrating the learning process; they cannot make a student learn or behave. A teacher can only influence learning and good behavior, it cannot be forced. Students know they have a choice to obey or disobey the teacher (they learn this at home). It’s going to take further intervention and guidance to deal with those students…a teacher cannot go on with a lesson while students become distracted by other students. Those wanting to learn have the right to sit in class and not be surrounded by foolishness.”

When asked about Mayor Vince Gray and the interim DCPS Chancellor Kaya Henderson, Pretlow replied:

“Gray should’ve gone through the entire system and got rid of anyone and everyone who ever worked under the outgoing administration or had any part in all of the things that Rhee performed, that he as Chairman disagreed or didn’t support. We should’ve been given a fresh start under a new Mayor. Nothing against Fenty, Rhee or Henderson at all, but politically we’re headed the same direction”

Pretlow seems to be going somewhere with his reasoning as to why he would want to “Reshape Education Reform.” He will soon introduce the “Driving Education Incentive” to the Department of Motor Vehicles and the State Board of Education. You’ll be surprised to hear what this includes and how it will help students perform much better in school. It unlikely connects a privilege with necessity in regards to Education Reform.

Lastly, when asked “What makes the wheels go round on Education Reform?” he answered:
“What makes the wheels go round on good Education Reform is, putting politics to the side; considering students and building incentives that empower their pursuit of an Education; promote good behavior and attendance. Keeping quality teachers and effective school leadership on board; increased Parental Involvement and catering to their communities through a curriculum that address how they can be a part of the solution and not the bad statistics.”

In a statement that can be found in some forthcoming lectures from Pretlow on Education Reform he writes:

No matter Public, Charter or Private – if we are not reaching our students at home then there will be no progress to measure on these standardized test; there will be no increase in High School Graduates.

Education Reform will become obsolete. We need increased Parental Involvement in our local schools. We also need to offer students an incentive that empowers them to want their education. No longer can we sale Education on the pitch that ‘it’s so important to have a High School Diploma to get a job”. They see their educated family members out of work.

It can be summarized that Pretlow is not happy with the fact there isn’t enough being said or done through current Education Reform practices to increase Parental involvement and to empower students to get their education. He mentioned that the key question is that students want to know what’s in it for me.

Changing the name of a school, rebuilding a school, establishing standardized test and firing teachers are all practices of Education Reform, but it doesn’t make life any easier for a student beyond school hours nor does it convey the significance of earning a High School Diploma.

Parents need to be empowered to get involved at home and prepare their students to be productive and respectful students in the learning environment, that’s Education Reform!

Visit the official Larry T. Pretlow II site - http://www.larrypretlow2.org/

Alicia Keys is Dead!!!!

Alica Keys and other celebs are dead on World Aids day !!!!!!!!!

I have to say that this is a great idea by Alicia Keys, Justin Timberlake, Kim Kardashian, Lady Gaga, Elijah Wood and Ryan Seacrest…but it’s not working. The celebrities are all staying OFF Twitter and Facebook, YouTube and blogs…anything digital that communicates with fans…until we all donate a collective $1 million to the “Keep a Child Alive” charity which helps children with HIV/AIDS. The campaign launched yesterday, but as of right now, they have only raised $181,000…nowhere near what they want. Of course, us fans are only just starting to feel deprived. Imagine how much more money we’ll donate in another 24 hours or so when we start going into gossip withdrawal!
I keep thinking of Kim Kardashian and her Blackberry, which her sister gets offended about because Kim spends so much time on it, tweeting, facebooking, etc. Who is really going to go into withdrawal here…us or the celebrities? I guess we’ll find out soon!

http://www.current-movie-reviews.com/people/2010/12/02/digital-death-aids-campaign-brings-social-media-withdrawal-to-celebs-but-not-fans/