'Pull 'Em Up' Campaign Collects Belts For Young People

A few weeks ago, while frequenting the classy establishment that is the Red Lobster, I sat by the lobster tank awaiting my shrimp platter.

Enter stage left -   

A man my age, Black, under thirty, with pants on the ground. Well, they were slightly above the ground but not by much. My mom, the elderly Black people in the lobby, and I gave him 'the look.'


One of the elderly patrons told him to pull up his pants and cover his drawers.

He apologized and I went off for my Cheddar Bay Biscuits. 

Not to sound like an old twenty-something but times have changed. I know it was Red Lobster but when I was growing up, we knew better than to expose our underpants in public. And if that even happened, a parent, grandparent, or stranger would remind us and demand that we get it together. (I even had a teacher who would make the boys wear hot pink string in lieu of belts if they wore their pants below their waists. It worked.)  

Unfortunately, the grandparents who grew up during the 30s and 40s won't be there to tell Millennials to "pull 'em up." 

What's going to happen then?

Cut to -

The Take Charge Foundation's 'Pull 'Em Up' campaign seeks to encourage young men to pull up their pants and take pride in their appearance. Based in Prince George's County, Maryland, it is holding a month-long belt drive with a goal of collecting 500 by November so that it can pass them out to high school students in the county schools.

Executive Director Jerrod Mustaf says, "We're trying to change the culture, step by step. The first step is to get the attention of young people and their parents. We're not going to accept or tolerate young men with their pants sagging. It's disrespectful, and they're not going to be hired for any jobs. We want to modify the culture of young people who believe it's cool to wear sagging pants."  

But this program is more than just a belt donation project.

The Foundation serves young people adjudicated through the Prince George's County court system. Most youth in the program are between age 14 and 18. It offers mentoring, life-skills, job readiness, parenting enhancement, crisis intervention, and gang prevention classes. 

Legislators in some states have taken efforts to criminalize sagging pants, including those in Alabama, Indiana, Florida, and Tennessee. Penalties that range from fines and jail time up to 6 months are on the books.  And yes, they have enforced these policies.

A little ridiculous if you ask us. We're sure these legislators have no better things to do except to legislate low-slung pants. Programs like 'Pull 'Em Up' actually seek to teach and reform instead of criminalize. Maybe this is asking too much of legislators who are elected by being "tough on crime" but we expect better. 

More here.

Race-Based Academic Goals - Seriously, Florida?

Florida's State Board of Education recently approved its strategic plan, which seeks to increase grade level achievement in K-12 students. 

Sounds like a good goal.

Spokesperson for the Florida Department of Education said the plan makes "realistic and attainable" expectations and does not lower them. "There is an achievement gap and we're working really hard to close that. Of course we want every student to be successful. But we do have to take into account their starting point."

Translation: the Board created different goals for different races. 

By 2018, the board seeks to dramatically improve math and reading scores.  

Reading goals are 82% proficiency for American Indians, 90% for Asians, 74% for Blacks, 81% for Latinos, 88% for whites, 72% for economically disadvantaged students, 72% for English language learners, and 78% for students with disabilities.  

Math goals are 81% for American Indians, 92% for Asians, 74% for Blacks, 80% for Latinos, 86% for white students, 78% for economically disadvantaged students, and 72% for students with disabilities.  

And, as expected, there have been many objections to the plan. 

Patrick Franklin, president of the Urban League of Palm Beach County, said, "All children should be held to high standards and for them to say that for African-Americans the goal is below other students is unacceptable."

Donna Korn, a member of the Broward School Board, said "All of our students face the same careers and if we allow them to have different levels of success, then they will falter." 

Former Governor Jeb Bush rejected this type of plan, arguing it would send the wrong message to Black and Latino students and instill that they were not as capable as other students.   

Incoming Florida House Democratic leader Perry Thurston said, "An appropriate vision should focus on improving student performances across the board instead of based on race and ethnicity. It is inappropriate to suggest, as the Board of Education has implied, that one race is academically inferior to another."

SBW agrees. This is a shame.

Will employers take these new standards into consideration? Under these standards, the Board of Education is perfectly fine with few Black and Latino students being able to pass tests, graduate high school and go on to college or trade school. And what about the Asian and American Indian students who need help but the group overall meets these goals? Will they get extra assistance? Probably not.  

Maybe the Board seeks to funnel these kids into low paying jobs right away.

We know it might be harder to create a system that seeks to make improvements across the board but it's possible. Why not seek to have all students reading and doing math at or above grade level? Sure it's difficult but what's the point of having a Board of Education if it does not seek to educate students? All students.  

More here.

Anonymous Phone Calls Seek to Intimidate Voters in Virginia and Florida

The Virginia State Board of Elections reports, "some Virginia voters, particularly older Virginians, are receiving phone calls from unidentified individuals informing voters that they can vote over the phone. This information is false." Election Protection of Florida has found similar tactics to be taking place, particularly targeting Blacks and Spanish-speakers.

Let's hope people don't fall for such trickery and cahoots this November. More here. 

Walking While Black: Justice For Trayvon Martin

Prior to a few weeks ago, I thought it was an obvious fact that you don't need a semi-automatic weapon to do neighborhood watch in a gated community.

However, George Zimmerman, a volunteer neighborhood watch captain in Florida, seemed to think otherwise.

On February 26th, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was walking home from a store.

Zimmerman spotted the teen and called 911.  He told the dispatcher that Trayvon looked like a burglar and a drug user, that he must have been up to no good.  In actuality, the teen carried only a bag of Skittles and some iced tea.  

The 911 operator told Zimmerman not to pursue the boy but Zimmerman refused and approached Trayvon.  [You can hear Zimmerman's 911 call to police as well as the neighbors' call to 911 after the murder here.  On the tapes, you can clearly hear a boy screaming for 'HELP'.] 

Zimmerman shot Trayvon in the chest. 

Since January 2011, Zimmerman has called 911 46 times.  He has called in open garage doors and 'suspicious characters' who were walking too slowly.  [Can you say 'vigilante'?]  He has also been convicted of assaulting a police officer.  Trayvon had no criminal record. 

Trayvon's English teacher described him as "an A and B student who majored in cheerfulness." 

His only crime was minding his own business and looking 'suspicious' to a wannabe law man with a semi-automatic weapon.

Under Florida's exceptionally broad 'Stand Your Ground' law, a person, such as Zimmerman, is excused from such a crime if he felt threatened.  Zimmerman reported to the police that Martin jumped up and attacked him from behind.  The police did not make any arrests and Police Chief Bill Lee said that there was no probable cause.  "We have not done anything but conduct a fair and complete investigation," Lee said.

Finally, after pressure from community members and others around the country, the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division and the FBI are investigating.

Let us hope Trayvon's killer will be brought to justice.  

  

Read more here.