A Day to Remember

On a day honoring one of our great leaders in the history of this nation, I submitted an op-ed to the Washington Afro-American, the leading paper serving the black community in DC. Here it is:

A Dream Half Completed
By Adam Clampitt, Candidate for DC Council – At Large

As unpopular and lamentable as it is to admit today, skin color still determines the quality of life enjoyed by too many District residents today. Washington, DC remains a city with dual identities. There is the public Washington visited by millions of tourists each year, seen on television throughout the world and taught as the seat of democracy to school children in this country and abroad. Washington, DC, is a city of leaders, talent, wealth, prestige, and monuments. But there is also the Washington that you and I encounter every day -- one of de facto segregation, neglected communities, and underappreciated constituencies with unequal opportunities. There are many reasons for the current condition, but one unfortunate truth is that decades of failed policies, missed opportunities, and management inadequacies have short-changed our neediest citizens.

As we celebrate the birth of an American hero, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we can say only that we have fulfilled half of King’s dream. The racial issues that have plagued the District since its inception persist to this day. King would remind us, free and equal do not go hand-in-hand, and though one was achieved, we must work to assure the fulfillment of the other. New action and leadership are required to overcome these inequalities, lift up the middle class and transform Washington into the world class city it should be. I believe this starts with improvements in public education.

The words of Earl Warren still ring true today, “In these days, it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he is denied the opportunity of an education.” With Blacks 30 percent more likely to drop out of school than their White peers, and more than one third of all DC Public School children expected to drop out, we are in a serious crisis.

I support strongly the reform efforts being led by Mayor Fenty and Chancellor Rhee, but I also believe we must go further than the suggestions of the Master Education Plan. Undoubtedly, we should always encourage the pursuit of a college education, but we must realize this path works for some, not all. We will never combat this exodus effectively until we create an educational environment that works to the benefit of every student and honors each for their potential to succeed. This requires us to acknowledge that not all students need attend college to live fulfilling and productive lives.

Walt Gardner of the Los Angeles Unified School District has made an apt case for the need to reintegrate vocational training into the high school curriculum. As non-college-bound students progress thru the system, college-centric programs of study unnecessarily isolate them and cast their talents aside. As a result, scores of smart, talented students whose career pursuits lie outside of college become frustrated and exit the system. A reintegration of vocational programs of study would result in significantly lower drop-out rates. Moreover, trade unions and businesses should be encouraged to partner with such programs at local schools to provide mentoring roles for these students, better training them to join the workforce. As a former member of Mayor Marion Barry’s Summer Youth Employment program, I know first hand the positive effects that private partnerships with education can bring.

Additionally, we must encourage all parents to be involved in their children’s education. Schooling is only one component in educating our children. A supportive home environment is just as vital to a student’s success. The Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy in Las Vegas, Nevada, has become quite well known for its model of required and observed parental involvement through its “Commitment to Excellence.” Such involvement creates a model for a more involved, more sustainable community. Indeed, as a result of this program one of the country’s worst-performing school districts in Las Vegas’s poorest neighborhood has become one of America’s most vibrant schools and communities.

Creating such engagement in our local communities to provide true equality and opportunity can reverse the effects of neglect and rebuild Washington’s human capital. Our neighborhoods can equal our monuments as Washington’s greatest attractions. New leadership must address the circumstances of economic injustice that make Dr. King’s dream only half fulfilled.