Salaam: Education key to future

With his background as a law student, professor and college dean, State Rep. and Selma Mayoral candidate Yusef Salaam brings a unique point of view to the discussion of education in Selma.

Salaam, who graduated from what he calls a “Jim Crow” high school in Columbus, Ga., attended, taught and was a dean in several prestigious colleges across he U.S.

“My overall opinion is that education is one of the major keys to the future of this city.

We have a real challenge, but surely the obstacles are not insurmountable,” he said.

The candidate praised some of the innovative work being done in Selma High, CHAT Academy and The School of Discovery, but said there needs to be more creative ideas.

“I think if you look at the administrative techniques of Superintendent (James) Carter and some of the principals, we see that novel programs can be put in place in Selma and Dallas and Dallas County to impact the educational situations for the better,” Salaam said. ‘However the problems are so massive, we need to magnify tenfold the kind of activities that they have been so courageous in implementing.”

The key, he said, is to combine the efforts of the city school system with the Dallas County School System.

“We need to establish a collaborative tie between the county commission, Selma city government, Dallas County school system, Selma city school system, Selma University, Concordia College and Wallace college,” he said. “The purpose of this collaborative linkage is to stimulate a community education institute for Selma and Dallas County.”

The linked institutions would then work together and provide what Salaam calls the development of a strong educational initiative.

“Which will serve as a magnet to attract human capital, knowledge capital and financial capital,” he said. “The novel educational theory for communities that suffer from educational deficit is the community education model.”

Salaam said, according to that model, the problems that face schools cannot be solved between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. He says it suggests that extensive after-school, weekend and summer training.

“In addition to extending the time our young people are in a safe, educational environment, we would seek input of institutions beyond education,” he said, “Faith-based community, civic and social organizations and of course the parents, can link as a secondary, complimentary force to support the traditional educational institutions.”

Salaam said the experts claim that the community model is a new theory, but it’s one that’s very familiar to him.

“In my so-called Jim Crow education, I vividly remember that churches, parents and social organizations played a role in helping make our neighborhood schools strong,” he said. “We need to return to that model within the context of 21st century global reality. As mayor I will aggressively promote open-minded education an extensive community educational model.”

Salaam also said it is important to recognize that some students are not college bound. While he hopes all students are, he knows that’s not realistic.

But, he said, instead of allowing the non-college bound students become drug dealers, the schools should start vocational training in middle school.

“The evidence tends to indicate that only a small percentage will attend college,” Salaam said. “We must add a strong vocational and entrepreneur components to our traditional curriculum.”

Starting as early as the sixth or seventh grade, Salaam feels the schools should offer vocational classes to teach young people skills that can translate to the workplace.

Salaam listed several auto manufacturers, like Honda, Hyundai and Mercedes that would be interested in sponsoring future autoworkers clubs at each of the middle schools and high school.

The clubs would train the students in the elementary principals of car manufacturing.

“Therefore, when the next wave of industrial possibilities come through Selma, we will have a workforce that’s been properly developed,” Salaam said. “Unfortunately many of our young students will end up being master entrepreneurs in the illicit drug distribution market.”

With the right training in middle and high school, Salaam said those energies could be channeled into small-business training that could teach young Selmains the skills to grow up and become legitimate business people.

“(They would become) competent capable business persons, providing employment opportunities for themselves and others,” he said.

One of the keys to the plan is for the mayor to be able to facilitate cooperation between many agencies.

“The mayor is a crucial person and must be able to work together in a non-abrasive manner with others of great decision-making responsibilities,” he said. “The 21st century world in general is under girded by the bedrock principals of collaborative leadership.

Salaam understands that education is the key and is willing to foster strong linkages and ties with all major institutions in this area to transform our current education situation.”

With his background as a law student, professor and college dean, State Rep. and Selma Mayoral candidate Yusef Salaam brings a unique point of view to the discussion of education in Selma.

Salaam, who graduated from what he calls a “Jim Crow” high school in Columbus, Ga., attended, taught and was a dean in several prestigious colleges across he U.S.

“My overall opinion is that education is one of the major keys to the future of this city.

We have a real challenge, but surely the obstacles are not insurmountable,” he said.

The candidate praised some of the innovative work being done in Selma High, CHAT Academy and The School of Discovery, but said there needs to be more creative ideas.

“I think if you look at the administrative techniques of Superintendent (James) Carter and some of the principals, we see that novel programs can be put in place in Selma and Dallas and Dallas County to impact the educational situations for the better,” Salaam said. ‘However the problems are so massive, we need to magnify tenfold the kind of activities that they have been so courageous in implementing.”

The key, he said, is to combine the efforts of the city school system with the Dallas County School System.

“We need to establish a collaborative tie between the county commission, Selma city government, Dallas County school system, Selma city school system, Selma University, Concordia College and Wallace college,” he said. “The purpose of this collaborative linkage is to stimulate a community education institute for Selma and Dallas County.”

The linked institutions would then work together and provide what Salaam calls the development of a strong educational initiative.

“Which will serve as a magnet to attract human capital, knowledge capital and financial capital,” he said. “The novel educational theory for communities that suffer from educational deficit is the community education model.”

Salaam said, according to that model, the problems that face schools cannot be solved between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. He says it suggests that extensive after-school, weekend and summer training.

“In addition to extending the time our young people are in a safe, educational environment, we would seek input of institutions beyond education,” he said, “Faith-based community, civic and social organizations and of course the parents, can link as a secondary, complimentary force to support the traditional educational institutions.”

Salaam said the experts claim that the community model is a new theory, but it’s one that’s very familiar to him.

“In my so-called Jim Crow education, I vividly remember that churches, parents and social organizations played a role in helping make our neighborhood schools strong,” he said. “We need to return to that model within the context of 21st century global reality. As mayor I will aggressively promote open-minded education an extensive community educational model.”

Salaam also said it is important to recognize that some students are not college bound. While he hopes all students are, he knows that’s not realistic.

But, he said, instead of allowing the non-college bound students become drug dealers, the schools should start vocational training in middle school.

“The evidence tends to indicate that only a small percentage will attend college,” Salaam said. “We must add a strong vocational and entrepreneur components to our traditional curriculum.”

Starting as early as the sixth or seventh grade, Salaam feels the schools should offer vocational classes to teach young people skills that can translate to the workplace.

Salaam listed several auto manufacturers, like Honda, Hyundai and Mercedes that would be interested in sponsoring future autoworkers clubs at each of the middle schools and high school.

The clubs would train the students in the elementary principals of car manufacturing.

“Therefore, when the next wave of industrial possibilities come through Selma, we will have a workforce that’s been properly developed,” Salaam said. “Unfortunately many of our young students will end up being master entrepreneurs in the illicit drug distribution market.”

With the right training in middle and high school, Salaam said those energies could be channeled into small-business training that could teach young Selmains the skills to grow up and become legitimate business people.

“(They would become) competent capable business persons, providing employment opportunities for themselves and others,” he said.

One of the keys to the plan is for the mayor to be able to facilitate cooperation between many agencies.

“The mayor is a crucial person and must be able to work together in a non-abrasive manner with others of great decision-making responsibilities,” he said. “The 21st century world in general is under girded by the bedrock principals of collaborative leadership.

Salaam understands that education is the key and is willing to foster strong linkages and ties with all major institutions in this area to transform our current education situation.”

Perkins: Selma schools improving

Things in the Selma City School system aren’t perfect. Like other schools across the state and nation, Selma schools face the daily battle to achieve appropriate funding and keep talented teachers.

But over the last four years of Mayor James Perkins Jr.’s administration there have been a lot of good things happen in the city schools.

Perkins, who graduated from Selma High himself in 1971, doesn’t take the credit but he is happy to share in the successes those achievements bring to Selma.

Maybe the biggest positives of all for Selma are test scores and graduation rate.

“In spite of the remaining challenges, the Selma City School System 2004 Senior Class Graduate Exit Exam performance in reading was 95 percent, language – 95 percent, science – 96 percent, math – 96 percent, and social studies – 98 percent,” he said.

“The graduation rate has ranged between 90 and 95 percent over the past four years.”

Since Perkins took office, the school systems have:

Supported new magnet programs at middle school campuses – CHAT and Genesis, High School Dual Enrollment, and Early High School College Awareness Initiative

Installed new school safety systems and safety lights and provided added patrol for safety at schools

Supported a new television public access channel at CHAT Academy

Envisioned and created citywide tennis program with teams competing at all levels

“Four years ago the city public school system did not have any of (these) programs and services,” Perkins said. “These programs and services received the full support of the office of mayor.”

Perkins added that the he has supported the basics as well as innovative programs.

“Over the past four years, the office of mayor has supported reading, technology, arts and forestry programs at all levels,” he said. “(I have) supported capital improvements on multiple campuses.”

Despite the bad reputation some would hang on the city schools, Perkins says, there are great opportunities in Selma schools.

“Selma City School children are exposed to outstanding technology, arts and culture programs,” Perkins said.

One of the more exciting programs going on in Selma, and probably in any school throughout the southeast is the CHAT TV program. CHAT TV is a public access channel that will be operated by the students at CHAT Academy.

“It will be programmed and operated by the students under the supervision of faculty and staff.

The students will do the camera work, and produce and anchor their shows,” Perkins said. “They will be able to broadcast public meetings and school events like football games and choir concerts.”

It is a program that will familiarize Selma students with the technology and terminology of the broadcast world and give them a chance to experience firsthand the work it takes to put a show on the air.

“As mayor, I approached Charter Communications and asked them to give something back to our community.

They helped,” Perkins said. “I asked the city council to contribute.

They helped.”

As exciting as the CHAT TV program is, Perkins points out that it just one of many in Selma schools.

“When you go into our schools you will see forestry programs, children playing violins and guitars, and lots of powerful new hands on learning techniques,” Perkins said.

For the college bound students, Perkins points a pair of programs that give Selma students a jump to the college world.

“The High School Dual Enrollment and Early High School College Awareness Initiative programs provide our young people the ability to earn college credits, up to an Associates Degree while still in high school,” Perkins said. “Some students actually attend Wallace Community College Selma before graduating from high school. All of these education initiatives have started in the past four years and all of them receive my full support as mayor.”

There are still some obstacles to overcome in the schools.

Perkins says those high test scores and graduation rates have come despite those problems, but more needs to be done.

“Clearly, equity and adequate funding are a statewide problem that has proven to be larger than our ability to solve.

Qualified teachers are becoming harder to find and hire.

The drop out rate is too high,” he said. “We must strengthen our truancy enforcement and we must come up with more ways to include parents in the process of educating our children.”

As a member of the first graduating class of the present day Selma High, in 1971, Perkins said the current system, which is essentially segregated once children reach middle and high school is regrettable.

“We know, first hand, the sacrifices made to achieve integrated schools,” Perkins said of his classmates. ” Our high school class was about 50/50 white/black.

Even though I was not here in 1990 during the school protest, I truly regret the segregated outcome.”

Programs like the Youth In Government and Youth Leadership programs are partially the result of a desire to overcome segregation, allowing public and private school students to interact.

Still Perkins said he must concentrate on the public schools.

“At this point, though it is my desire to provide our children with a culturally diverse education experience, I feel it is best to concentrate on providing the best education possible for the students who attend public schools,” he said. “Even though the system is not perfect, all things considered, we are performing above average and getting better every day.”

‘The man with the right direction’

The Rev. Glenn King’s campaign slogan is “The man with the right direction,” and he believes he is that man, especially when it comes to improving Selma’s schools.

“I’m for everyone to have a quality education, education for all, public and private,” King said. “Without education we might as well be dead.”

King said improving education would improve Selma.

“We must focus on saving public schools, that’s how we build the city back up,” he said.

King has a list of education priorities for the schools that he will implement if elected.

He says there is more federal money out there to help get that job done and he is willing to go and get it.

“What we need is a public school that operates like a private school,” he said. “(We need) competition for public schools making them more accountable. I will begin to improve the quality of education here in Selma.”

King said is incumbent upon local government to make schools accountable.

“I’m for the public programs.

We have a reading problem. We have a mathematics problem,” he said. “I’m for all schools. I want high-quality education.

I will be a mayor for education for black, white and Hispanics.”

King’s number one goal is providing teachers with the development and training to give Selma’s students the best opportunities to learn possible. King would focus on reading instruction for grades K-3 to make sure as many children as possible enjoy the gift of reading.

“I would find assistance for math and science, there is special money available,” he said.

King said he would also assist the schools to make sure they are safe and drug free refuges for the children of Selma to learn.

He also supports after-school learning programs.

King also said he wants to make sure that teachers and parents are working together.

“I want to improve parent community relations,” King said.

Others goals of his administration would include continued pursuit of the best technology and library materials, assisting school leadership with financial aid and making sure teachers have enough supplies.

“A lot of teachers have to bring their own supplies,” he said. “How do you expect to excel when there’s nothing to work with?”

King said another goal would be to stop the dropouts and continuing to improve adult education opportunities as well.

“Under my administration we would have training programs for all adults who want to learn,” he said. “I have a commitment with Focus-Hope training institution.

Students from all over will want to come to Selma to train for high-tech jobs.”

King said improving education would naturally improve Selma’s workforce and make it a more attractive place for business.

“The companies want people that are trained to go to work,” he said. “It’s very important.”

King then read from a list of federal programs that provide billions of dollars for education across the country and wondered if Selma was doing enough to get its share.

“What are the politicians doing?” he asked. “They say we don’t have money, it says so right here. They’re not giving it in the right direction, where it should be going. Are we getting these funds? The funds are there, if you have a leader that is willing to go get them.”

King says education is the key to success, individually and for Selma.

“I’m all for being educated, education is (necessary) to get high-paying jobs,” he said. “We must see that everyone get an education.

There is no sense in bringing jobs here without education.”

Hisel: Learning a battle

Parents and teachers are working hard to provide the best possible education to Selma’s students, but people playing politics get in the way.

That’s mayoral candidate Gene Hisel’s view of the problems facing Selma’s public schools.

“When we have the determination to stand up and say that education for our future leaders is more important than the politics that have crept into our teaching and learning process, we will be on the path to solving many of our educational issues,” Hisel said.

Hisel, a local businessman who owns a pair of Highland Avenue BP Stations, says that many are fighting an uphill battle to educate Selma’s youth.

“A good, well-rounded and useful education is not an easy thing for our children to come by these days,” he said. “Our parents and educational community try hard to bring our young people the very best educational opportunities and vocational training that we can manage to give them under our current circumstances.”

Despite those best efforts, Hisel says, Selma is losing far too many students to other, more dangerous pursuits.

“We have, for some time, had to struggle with a sad fact: Some of our youth begin to drift away from the structured, format king of education with which they are familiar,” he said. “The kind of traditional approach that can prepare them for and lead them toward their future success in the competitive world of adult employment. They chose, instead, to finish out their training ‘on the street.'”

Despite the obstacles, Hisel is quick to add that assigning blame or pointing fingers is going to help move Selma towards a solution.

“We should not waste out time playing the ‘blame game.’ That gets us absolutely nowhere,” he said. “We need to insist that our leaders carefully identify the problem areas and then go to work on them.

We must all help with this important task.”

Hisel has a few important questions he thinks Selma’s citizens should ask themselves when it comes to education:

Is our school system operating in such a way as to promote teachers teaching and students learning?

Is the funding available to maintain a quality educational system?

Is the right atmosphere in place to promote the learning process?

“I think you will answer as many have: Not really,” Hisel said.

Hisel said solving these problems is a complicated piece of business. Hisel suggests that funding is one of the biggest considerations regarding education.

“We should and will take full advantage of all grants and funding available to our schools,” he said.

Another idea Hisel has is possibly consolidating city and county schools. He insisted this step must not be taken lightly.

“This would certainly help us with funding, but our first priority is quality education,” Hisel said. “The problem that may arise is a possible repeat of the school crisis of 1990. If this happened in a consolidated school system it would seriously cripple our faith in our education process.”

Hisel believes this would send more students to area private schools, thereby threatening funding even more to the public school system.

No matter what the solution, Hisel believes the problem must be dealt with at all costs.

“I would much rather see our city run in the red because of funding to our schools than because of special agenda spending,” he said.

Hisel believes that the city of Selma must find someone willing to deal with the problem of education on all levels.

“Apathy is not only contagious, but one of the worst weapons we can use against our children’s education,” he said. “If you can’t – or won’t do the job, move over and let someone else do it. Don’t just go thru the motions and interfere with our education system.”