Black Education Advocates Demand ABC News Presidential Debate Address Crisis in Black Student Achievement

The Freedom Coalition for Charter Schools (FCCS) is demanding that when Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris take the stage for Tuesday's ABC News Presidential Debate, they address the education crisis affecting Black children.

So far this election season, mainstream media and the candidates have spent too much time focusing on issues rather than the massive failures that are taking place in America's classrooms, and no group has been impacted more than African American children.

"We need to focus on the needs of Black children," said Sarah Carpenter, founder and CEO of the Memphis-based Powerful Parent Movement. "Saving democracy is a vital issue, as well as addressing the border, but America cannot be a world leader in the future if our children are not getting a high-quality education."

In 2019, Carpenter's organization collaborated with other Black educators and activists to form FCCS  to advocate for Black children and parental choice, including:

1. Dr. Howard Fuller, Former Superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools; Founder and Director of the Institute for the Transformation of Learning at Marquette University
2. Jalen Rose, former NBA star; Founder & Board President of the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy, Detroit, MI
3. Dr. Steve Perry, educator, author, Founder of Capital Preparatory Schools, FCCS Board Chair
4. Geoffrey Canada, Founder and President of the Harlem Children's Zone
5. Sarah Carpenter – Executive Director of Memphis Lift
6. Dr. Charlene Reid, Co-CEO of Excellence Community Schools, Bronx, NY and Stamford, CT
7. Rev. Al Cockfield- Founder & CEO Lamad Academy Charter, Co-Founder & Board Chair BLACC, FCCS Board Member
8. Emory Edwards, FCCS Board Member, Indianapolis, IN
9. Jeremiah Grace, Executive Director of the Black Latino Asian Charter Coalition (BLACC)
10. Jay Artis-Wright, Executive Director of FCCS
11. Sonya Thomas, Executive Director of Nashville Propel
12. Trenace Dorsey-Hollins, Executive Director of Parent Shield Fort Worth

According to the National College Attainment Network, "In every state, Black students were less likely to demonstrate college and career readiness compared to White students." The 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress reported that only 13% of Black fourth-graders are proficient in reading and 11% in math, reflecting significant declines in post-pandemic performance.

A recent op-ed in the Wall Street Journal highlights that while Democrats focus on student loan debt and increasing teacher pay, they are falling short on K-12 education reform. At the same time, an August article in Politico (discusses how the GOP is losing the academic culture wars).  A survey from FCCS this summer reveals that, in swing states, there is a strong demand among Black and Latino swing state voters for improvements in K-12 education that embrace more options and cultural relevance, which includes school choice and access to courses such as African American studies.

"Allowing the majority-white teachers' union to be the loudest voice on education policy ignores the diverse needs of students of color and perpetuates inequalities we've seen in schools for over 70 years," said FCCS Board Chair and Founder of Capital Prep Academy, Dr. Steve Perry.

This prominent group of Black education advocates are demanding that both parties provide urgent solutions to an education crisis that is predominantly impacting Black students. They are offering their expertise to support policies that will close the opportunity gap by:

• Improving School choice.
• Increasing access to college and career readiness.
• Expanding academic offerings that include cultural studies.
• Expanding the opportunities for African Americans to open and teach in existing public schools.

Optiv’s Annual $40,000 Scholarship for Black, African American Identifying STEM Students Now Open for Applicants

As part of its continued commitment to diversity within the cyber and information security fields, Optiv, the cyber advisory and solutions leader, is accepting applications until January 27, 2023 for its annual $40,000 scholarship for Black, African American identifying STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) students.

Awarded by Optiv’s Black Employee Network, the scholarship is paid out over four years. Previous recipients include AJ McCrory, a freshman studying computer science with an emphasis on software development at James Madison University, and Lauren Harris, a sophomore studying biology and computer science at Princeton University.

Applicants must meet the following qualifications to apply:

Be a graduating high school senior.

Verify acceptance into an eligible degree program in a STEM related field (including but not limited to computer science, electrical engineering, math, etc.).

Minimum cumulative high school GPA is 3.5 on 4.0 scale.

Must maintain a cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 2.8 on 4.0 scale over the course of four years to remain eligible for the scholarship.

Be planning a career in cybersecurity/information security.

Complete the scholarship application, including a one-page essay and two letters of reference.

Identify as Black and/or African American (African, African American, Caribbean, for example) and be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. national or permanent resident.

Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply and learn more about the scholarship program here.

“It’s our belief that our organization is at its best and our clients are better-served when a diverse range of voices has the opportunity to be heard, lead and make an impact,” said Heather Strbiak, Optiv’s chief human resources officer. “We want boardrooms and breakrooms across our industry to more closely represent the population at-large. By dedicating effort and resources to spur that outcome, we’re aiming to close the talent and diversity gap in cybersecurity.”

Optiv’s Black Employee Network (BEN) is entirely employee-driven and part of the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiative.

“The most creative, thought-provoking and successful projects I’ve worked on have been the result of inclusive environments where everyone’s unique ideas were valued and represented,” said Tesfaye Williams, Optiv’s BEN community outreach leader. “This scholarship is our way of ensuring the cybersecurity industry continues to progress and be an attractive career path for people of color seeking to make a difference.”

Optiv honors and embraces the diverse perspectives, ideas, backgrounds and experiences of its people. The company’s approach to DEI is grounded in listening, learning and growing.