►
Description
No description was provided for this meeting.
If this is YOUR meeting, an easy way to fix this is to add a description to your video, wherever mtngs.io found it (probably YouTube).
A
Ricky
burgess,
and
we
welcome
you
back
to
black
pittsburgh
matters.
Black
pittsburgh
matters
is
a
series
of
virtual
town
hall
meetings,
affirming
a
city-wide
agenda
that
black
pittsburgh
does
indeed
matter.
Black
pittsburgh
matters
mean
that
black
lives
matter.
We
must
protect
the
health
and
safety
of
black
people.
It
means
that
black
communities
matter,
we
must
rebuild
black
communities
and
it
means
that
black
wealth
matters.
We
must
focus
on
increasing
black
employment
and
entrepreneurial.
B
The
black
community
has
been
disproportionately
affected
by
concurrent
crisis,
the
ecobook
19
pandemic
and
its
economic
crisis,
and
then
race
relations,
which
is
a
public
health
crisis.
Normally
in
times
of
crisis
and
great
change,
we'll
be
coming
to
you
as
the
black
elected
officials
of
pittsburgh
and
having
meetings
across
the
city
with
our
constituents,
partners
and
allies.
Since
we
cannot
do
so
safely
in
the
current
pandemic.
We're
now
using
this
media
and
platform
to
come
to
you
in
the
ways
we
can
to
talk
about
what
we're
doing,
discuss
policy
and
legislation
concerning
black
pittsburgh.
B
These
meetings
will
be
available
via
facebook
youtube
and
the
city's
cable
channel.
You
can
contact
or
ask
questions
via
the
black
pittsburgh,
marriage,
facebook,
page
or
email
us
at
black
pgh
matters.
That's
black
pth
matters
at
gmail.com
and
of
course
you
can
message
us
through
our
live
feed
right
now.
Today's
town
hall
meeting
is
educational
emergency.
A
Before
covid,
there
was
already
an
existing
racial
achievement
gap
in
pittsburgh,
public
schools
recently
councilman
burgess
and
I
introduced
a
resolution
declaring
a
state
of
emergency
in
pittsburgh.
In
addressing
the
achievement
gap,
the
achievement
gap
for
african
american
students
is
dramatic
and
concerning
using
pps
as
an
example
for
english.
At
the
third
grade
level,
only
38.5
percent
of
african-american
students
were
proficient
can
compare.
Excuse
me
to
75.7
percent
of
white
students
in
fifth
grade
english.
It's
only
31.4
percent
of
african-american
students
compared
to
74.2
of
white
students
in
eighth
grade
english.
A
Unfortunately,
in
many
respects
it
gets
worse
for
math
in
math.
In
third
grade,
32.7
percent
of
african
students
were
proficient
compared
to
63.1
percent
of
white
students
in
fifth
grade
14.8
percent
of
african-american
students
compared
to
52.7
of
white
students
and
in
eighth
grade
only
9.3
percent
of
african
american
students
were
proficient
in
math.
Compared
to
twenty
eight
point,
eight
percent
of
white
students.
B
And
kovic
has
only
exasperated
the
existing
problems
and
remote
learning
has
been
especially
hard
on
black
students.
Disproportionately
black
students
have
essential
workers,
parents
who
may
be
unable
to
provide
educational
support
at
home.
Black
people
have
disproportionately
been
affected
by
the
pandemic.
Health-Wise
and
black
students
have
had
a
particularly
difficult
time
adjusting
to
online
learning.
There's
a
number
of
students
who
are
simply
just
not
logging
in
and
and
daniel
talk
a
little
bit
about
your
experience
with
distance
learning.
Having
you
know,
two
school-age
kids
in
the
public
schools.
A
It's
been
challenging
for
me,
the
most
challenging
aspect
is,
and
I
differ,
and
I
openly
recognize
that
I
differ
from
many
other
parents,
because
I'm
blessed
right.
Both
me
and
my
wife
are
working
from
home,
and
so,
although
it's
tough
for
us
as
I
sit
on
council
meetings
and
for
the
most
part
she's
in
her
meetings
all
day,
we
still
have
some
level
of
flexibility
to
get
up
make
sure
our
students
are
actually
paying
attention,
make
sure
they're
getting
their
work
done.
But
even
for
us
it's
a
challenge.
A
At
times
our
teachers
will
text
me
and
remind
me:
elijah
hasn't
turned
in
two
of
his
math
assignments:
work
right
because
after
a
certain
point,
they're
still
at
home
and
so
they're
not
taking
it
as
seriously,
but
the
other
challenge,
at
least
in
my
opinion,
is
it
hasn't
been
challenging
enough
at
all.
In
many
respects,
it
took
a
very
long
time
to
get
our
students
back
up
and
running
when
we
initially
shut
down.
A
Once
we
got
back
up
and
running,
our
students
are
not
doing
the
same,
allow
same
amount
of
work
that
they
would
be
doing
if
they
were
actually
in
person
or
even
in
person
just
half
the
time,
they're
not
nearly
doing
that
much
work.
I
look
at
my
son's
math
book.
Normally
he
would
be
close
to
halfway
through
his
second
math
book
this
year.
A
Right
now
they
haven't
finished
the
first
math
book
yet,
and
so,
when
you
think
about
it,
knowing
that
both
my
children
lost
some
of
their
education
from
their
let's
see,
first
and
third
grade
class
that
they
were
in
when
we
shut
down,
they've
now
lost
some
of
their
learning
from
their
second
and
fourth
grade
classes,
having
them
being
caught
up
to
now
go
into.
What's
that
third
and
fifth
grade
is
challenging,
and
so
there
needs
to
be
a
lot
of
intense,
intense
work.
A
And
again
I
say
that
I'm
actually
blessed
because
many
parents
have
had
to
choose.
Do
I
go
to
work
and
let
my
child
stay
home
by
themselves.
Do
I
not
go
to
work
because
I
want
to
focus
on
my
child's
education
and
many
parents
that
are
able
to
are
actually
pulling
their
children
out
of
school?
It's
interesting
reverend!
A
If
you
look
at
it
right
now.
The
city
of
pittsburgh
is
about
an
average
of
somewhere
around
25
percent,
maybe
african-american
students,
but
we're
closer
to
about
75
percent
of
the
school
board
district
population,
which
just
speaks
to
the
ability
of
those
that
can
being
able
to
pull
those
their
kids
out
the
system
and
even
this
past
monday.
I
listened.
A
I
chimed
in
to
the
school
board
meeting
and
there
were
over
a
hundred
speakers
speaking
about
the
need
to
open
schools
back
up
how
their
children
were
depressed,
how
their
children
weren't
learning
they
shared
pictures
of
children
just
falling
asleep
during
zoom
meetings
or,
as
my
kids
do,
laying
upside
down
on
the
couch.
So
it's
been
a
challenge
for
all
of
us.
One
of
my.
B
Fears
my
real
fears
and
that's
what
made
us
in
part
take
up.
This
issue
is
that
you
have
african-american
kids
that
are
already
two
three
grade
levels
behind
in
terms
of
academic
achievement
and
now
they've
lost
somewhere
close
to
two
more
years
because
of
the
pandemic
you're
going
to
have
kids,
you
know
who
are
going
to
maybe
never
catch
up
and
if
they
never
catch
up,
you
know
that's
going
to
be
lead
to
high
crime,
teenage
pregnancy.
B
B
We
have
james
fogerty,
executive,
director
of
a
plus
schools,
wanda,
wilson,
equity
advisory
panelist
for
pittsburgh,
public
schools
and
chair
of
the
advocates
for
african
american
students
chase
patterson,
ceo
of
the
urban
academy,
and
amber
thompson
representative
for
black
women,
for
better
education
and
principal
consultant
for
leaders
of
change.
Welcome
all
to
this
evening's
town
hall.
A
You
were
one
of
the
early
advocates.
Is
the
term
that
I'll
use
that
went
to
the
school
district?
To
my
recollection
and
said:
hey,
look,
you
are
not
doing
enough
to
educate
black
and
brown
children.
What
is
happening
is
deplorable
and
part
of
the
reason
I've
come
to
understand.
That
is
because
part
of
what
sparked
myself
and
rev
introducing
the
resolution
we
did
is.
A
We
knew
it
was
bad
right,
but
I
didn't
know
how
bad
it
was
until
I
read
the
pa
human
comma
commission's
report
that
came
out
at
the
end
of
last
year.
They
documented
that,
since
the
lawsuit
that
you
all
found
since
having
to
have
oversight
that,
essentially
nothing
has
changed
and
nothing
has
gotten
better
and
in
some
respects
our
children
have
slid
backwards.
C
Thank
you.
The
advocates
for
african-american
students
were
organized
back
in
the
1980s
by
the
late,
dr
barbara
sizemore.
At
that
time
she
was
a
professor
at
africana
studies
and
she
would
get
the
district
data
and
explain
to
parents.
Look,
you
know
your
kids
are
not
doing
well,
some
schools
are
doing
well,
but
your
school
is
not
doing
well,
so
the
advocates
were
organized
as
a
family.
As
a
parent
group
and
we
met
periodically,
we
spoke
to
the
board
on
several
occasions,
tried
to
address
the
disparities,
but
the
board
never
responded.
C
C
It
took
2006
before
we
got
an
actual
consent,
consent,
consent,
decree
and
conciliation,
so
that
was
in
2006.
We
had
a
five-year
agreement.
There
was
no
substantial
progress.
We
entered
another
two-year
agreement,
no
substantial
progress
went
into
another
five-year
agreement
and
we're
at
the
end
of
that
five-year
agreement.
Now
that
ended
in
august
2020,
we
are
now
working
with
the
commission,
based
on
their
2020
report,
to
have
another
revised
memorandum
of
understanding
for
another
five
years
to
try
to
do
something
with
the
disparities.
B
D
No,
I
mean
I
I
I
guess
the
the
issue
is:
if
we
don't
look
at
the
problem
or
define
it
well
and
define
it
honestly,
then
we're
never
going
to
be
able
to
solve
it.
Miss
henderson-
and
the
advocates
have
been
at
this
since
the
80s,
the
the
the
basic
premise
of
what
they,
what
they
brought
in
terms
of
their
suit
in
the
90s,
still
holds
right.
D
Black
students
are
less
likely
only
18
percent
of
black
students
in
grades
k-8
are
identified
as
gifted,
yet
they
are
over
50
of
the
population
of
our
school
system.
If
you
look
at
the
distribution
of
students
identified
as
gifted
you
know,
it's
in
lower,
you
know:
lower
socioeconomic
status
students
don't
usually
get
in
right.
So
we
have
this.
We
have
a
system
that
then,
and
then
the
benefits
of
that
accrue
over
time
right.
It's
like
doing
sit-ups
or
eating
your
vegetables
right.
D
If
you
get
into
gifted
young
you're
able
to
then
access
other
like
higher
level
courses
like
aps
and
others,
and
the
district's
made
some
progress
on
that.
I
mean
thanks
to
the
efforts
of
advocates,
like
ms
henderson
and
others,
but
the
reality
is
the
progress
has
been
too
slow
and
we
need
to
we.
It
continues
to
be
an
emergency
for
our
children.
D
So
the
belief
gap
that
we
have
in
our
schools
is
real
and
I
think
you
know
teachers
of
conscious,
ed
administrators.
Others
have
all
looked
at
this
and
said
this
isn't
working
now.
The
question
is:
how
do
we
fix
it?
And
you
know
I
will
leave
that
to
some
of
my
colleagues
here
for
some
answers.
I've
got
some
thoughts
too,
but
if
we
don't
call
this
an
emergency,
I
don't
know
what
an
emergency
is
right.
A
Really
so
part
of
what
we've
said
is
that
covert
19
has
exasperated
this
problem
and
I
believe
that's
true
and
I
think
everyone
has
to
openly
acknowledge
it
miss
thompson.
I
don't
remember
exactly
when
you
wrote
it,
but
I
do
remember
reading
a
public
source
article.
I
believe
you
published
some
time
back
where
in
it
you
spoke
about.
You
can
give
this
specifics.
A
E
E
We
never
really
received
my
daughter's
iep
because
she's
a
she
has
a
idd
diagnosis
and
epilepsy
diagnosis,
so
we
never
received
curriculum
under
her
iep
from
the
march
to
the
end
of
the
year,
and
she
was
part
of
summer
school,
which
was
the
same
issue.
She
didn't
receive
her
iep
curriculum
until
august
or
september
whenever
the
school
year
started.
E
I
think,
there's
a
lot
of
data
correlations
that
we
haven't
acknowledged
in
this
conversation
as
the
percentage
of
students
that
are
part
of
pittsburgh
public
that
are
black
students,
how
many
of
those
children
have
ieps
or
have
504
plan
50?
What
are
a
501
plants?
How
many
thank
you
504,
how
many
students,
how
many
black
students
aren't
being
supported
in
those
plans
and
how
many
students
are
being
geared
towards
ieps
versus
gifted
plans
or
even
fully
included
and
outside
of
emotional
support
or
alternative
regional
rooms?
E
So
so,
I
think,
there's
still
like
james
saying.
We
need
to
define
it
a
little
bit
better,
but
also
we
need
to
openly
engage
our
community
partners,
our
parents
and
community
members
about
how
to
fix
this,
because
I
think
there's
a
lot
of
resources
that
are
untapped
outside
of
the
school
district
that
we
could
utilize
as
well.
B
I've
spent
a
portion
of
my
life,
you
know
running
after
school
programs,
even
though
I
teach
in
college
a
portion
of
my
students
or
high
school
students
who
are
taking
college
classes
every
semester.
I
have
a
group
of
high
school
students.
I
I've
been
involved
in
education
for
probably
half
of
my
in
terms
of
high
school
and
grade
school
education.
Half
of
my
educational
life
has
been
spent
on
that,
of
course,
the
other
half's
been
in
higher
education.
B
One
of
the
reasons
we
asked
for
chase
to
come
on
is
we
believe
this
problem
is
not
it's
not
specific
to
anyone.
I
I
want
to
say
this
from
the
beginning.
I
don't
think
this
is
a
public
school
problem.
I
don't
think
this
is
a
city
council
problem.
I
don't
think
this
is
a
black
community
problem.
I
think
this
is
a
pittsburgh
problem
and
the
only
way
we're
going
to
solve
this
problem
is
for
all
of
us
to
come
together.
B
Make
us
the
priority
and
work
together
to
get
these
kids
to
be
able
to
read,
write,
do
math
and
speak
well
and
so
chase
you've
devoted
a
lot
of
thought
to
this.
I'm
interested,
you
know,
you're
real
thoughtful
about
this.
What
do
you
think?
What
what
are
the?
What
are
the
factors?
Why
aren't
our
kids
doing
better
across
the
board
academically
in
all
of
our
schools?
B
F
F
As
I
read
the
september
1965
annual
report
of
the
pittsburgh
public
school
district
that
talked
about
segregation
de
facto
segregation
and
desegregation
and
how
all
of
that
still
exists.
You
know
councilman
level.
You
talked
about
how
how
far
behind
some
of
our
students
are,
and
that's
reality
well
in
1965
in
1965,
students
were
reading
four
black
students,
four
and
a
half
to
five
years
behind
their
counterparts.
In
majority
white
schools
in
1965.
F
So
the
only
conversation
that
we
can
really
have
about
this
is
how
to
blow
it
up.
That's
the
real!
That's
the
only
real
conversation
we
can
have.
We
cannot
blame
hamlet
in
his
administration.
We
cannot
blame
the
nine
people
on
the
pittsburgh
public
school
board,
because
this
is
a
problem
that
has
perpetuated
for
centuries
in
this
city
and
has
negatively
impacted
black
children
and
their
families.
My
mother
was
in
high
school
in
19
in
middle
school,
in
1965.
F
There
were
73
000
students
in
the
pittsburgh
public
schools.
Then
there
are
23
000.
Now,
there's
more
money,
less
students.
What's
the
problem.
Racism
is
the
problem.
Systemic
racism
is
the
problem,
so
I'm
done
for
now.
I
imagine
you've
got
another
question
or
two
for
me,
but
I'll.
Let
you
go
from
here.
A
A
This
system
was
not
built
to
educate
black
kids
and
until
you
allow
the
school
to
have
the
freedom
to
do
what's
necessary
to
educate
black
children
you're
going
to
have
a
problem
on
your
hands,
no
matter
what
I
had
a
family
member
who
I
was
complaining
to
about
when
I
was
talking
about
what
was
happening
in
pps
a
family
member
told
me,
you
need
to
go
white.
I
said
what
you
talking
about.
You
said
you
go,
do
what
the
white
people
do?
A
A
Which
to
the
best
of
my
understanding,
has
been
open
since
the
school
year
started
back
up,
and
I
don't
know
part
of
my
ignorance.
I
don't
know
if
that's
what
model
of
hybrid,
for
I
don't
know,
but
from
my
understanding
you
have
a
school
that
is
doing
better
for
black
children
than
most
so
talk
to
me
a
little
bit
about.
In
your
opinion,
what
needs
done
when
you
say
blow
it
up
so
that
we
can
really
educate
these
kids?
A
F
F
F
F
I
cannot
control
their
ability
to
create
a
safe
quiet
space
for
their
student
to
learn,
so
we
gave
our
family
option,
families
options
and
they
elected
about
50
50
down
the
middle
half
came
back,
half
state
state
remote
and
that's
that's
fantastic,
because
we've
been
able
to
deliver
top
caliber
learning
experiences
from
the
beginning
of
the
school
year.
Let
me
go
back
in
history
in
1932,
in
the
peak
of
the
great
depression,
the
pittsburgh
public
school
district
was
at
a
crossroads.
Do
we
stay
open
or
do
we
do?
F
We
continue
to
deliver
instruction
or
not
and
they
went
to
their
teachers,
and
they
said
what
do
you
all
want
to
do?
We
don't
have
money
in
1932
teachers
decided
to
give
ten
percent
of
their
salaries
back
to
the
school
district,
so
that
there
would
be
no
disruption
in
the
learning
of
those
students.
F
F
F
That's
teachers
who
care
who
are
committed
and
who,
if
they
believe
they
are
essential,
are
going
to
put
their
lives
on
the
line
to
deliver
their
service,
the
same
way
police
officers
and
firemen
do,
and
restaurant
workers
and
grocery
store
workers
and
baggers
and
stalkers,
but
teachers.
The
developers
of
the
great
society
are
at
home
teaching
virtually.
Can
you
imagine
stocking
a
grocery
store
virtually?
How
would
that
work.
B
James,
I
want
you
to
come
in
you're
you're,
our
resident
expert
on
all
things:
public
schools,
right
you're.
This
is
what
you
do.
24
7!
You
look
at
malls
across
the
country.
What's
missing,
what
are
we
missing?
You
know
and
be
let
be,
let's
be
honest
tonight.
What
you
know
case
has
been
extraordinarily
transparent
and
so
kind
of
help
us.
What
do
you
think
we're
missing.
D
I
mean
I
think,
from
from
my
perspective.
There
is
this
idea
around:
how
do
we
staff
and
support
schools
differently
if
we're
doing
it
wrong
right?
I'll
give
you
an
example
in
the
state
of
massachusetts
when
a
school
is
failing
or
a
district
is
failing,
there
is,
and
we
don't
really
have
this
here.
We
only
have
it
for
financial
reasons,
but
academically.
If
it's
happening,
the
state
department
of
education
comes
in
the
collective
bargaining
agreement
is
put
aside,
and
teachers
and
staff
in
that
district
have
to
work
with
the
person
overseeing
and
they've.
D
Seen
tremendous
progress
right
now.
Massachusetts
does
some
things
differently.
They
they
support
their
state
department
of
education
with
more
dollars.
That
state
department
of
education
has
more
expertise
and
can
come
in
and
do
some
things
differently,
but
they
have
the
power
they're
empowered
at
their
state
department
of
education
to
adjust.
D
You
know
current
policy
and
that's
policy,
both
state
policy
and
local
policy.
If
it's
not
serving
the
interest
of
children,
that's
something
that
should
be
looked
into
for
the
state
of
pennsylvania.
I
think
the
other
thing
that's
clear
to
me
is:
I
mean
one
of
the
things
that
and
amber
spoke
to
this
earlier.
Is
we
have
in
this
city
a
remarkable
opportunity?
D
You
know
not
not
to
not
to
not
to
like
make
short
of
it,
but
you
know
our
students.
We
spend
over
twenty
seven
thousand
dollars
per
pupil
in
pittsburgh,
public
schools,
our
student
teacher
ratio,
is
11
to
one
average.
You
know
the
average
for
the
for
the
country.
Sixteen
thousand
dollars
per
pupil
average
for
the
country
is
16
to
1,
and
the
median
teacher
salary
is
over
90
000
in
our
district,
all
good
facts,
right,
all
good
things
that
you
would
say
right
when
others
are
saying
teachers
aren't
paid
enough.
Our
schools
are
too
crowded.
D
We
do.
We
can't
have
more
resources
per
child
than
mount
lebanon.
We
do
right,
and
so
those
dollars
are
there.
Now
to
the
point
that
councilman
lavelle
made
around
supplementing
and
additional
opportunities
that
come
from
families,
we
know
that
economic
power
can
buy.
You
tutors
can
buy
you
those
those
resources
that
give
you
opportunity
and
access
to
learning
and
and
background
education
and
knowledge
that
helps
you
read
that
helps
you
do
better,
and
so
we've
got
to
start
thinking,
and
this
is
what
we've
been
trying
to
do
with
a
plus.
D
D
We
also
believe
there
needs
to
be
some
systemic
change
at
the
state
so
that
we
can
allow
for
real,
substantive
change
right,
whether
it's
leveraging
models
for
massachusetts
or
indianapolis,
where
they've
done
some
things
with
the
mind,
trust
or
denver,
where
they've
done
a
whole
set
of
things
around
requests
for
proposals
for
new
schools
right.
So
if
a
school
is
failing
in
the
city
of
denver
teachers
in
that
school
or
a
charter
organization
can
apply
to
take
over
that
school
right
and
they
can
apply
to
say,
here's
how
it's
going
to
be
different.
D
The
other
thing
is
one
of
the
one
of
the
things
that
I
continue
to
believe
is
we're
gonna
have
to
work
on
improving,
while
we're
also
working
on
wholesale
change
right,
like
you're
gonna
have
to
start
with
who
you've
got
and
start
where
we
are
and
get
better
right
and
and
doing
that
means
having
a
real
frank
conversation
about
what
it
means
to
get
better
and
what
it
means
to
take
what
we
know
from
research
and
apply
it
to
learning.
That's
not
those
aren't
easy
conversations
to
have,
but
I
do
think
there
are.
D
There
are
a
panoply
of
things
we
could
be
doing.
That
would
serve
black
children
in
pittsburgh,
much
better
than
they're
being
served
now,
and
we
know
it
right,
I
mean
that's
the
thing.
That's
the
other
thing
we
know
kappa
and
montessori,
which
are
predominantly
white.
Schools
are
getting
more
per
pupil
than
faison
than
lincoln
are
predominantly
black
schools.
D
We
know
this
right
like
it's,
not
it's
not
so,
even
in
a
rich
district,
we
know
there
are
differences
in
how
spending
is
happening.
My
children
are
montessori
children
right.
I
live
three
blocks
away.
We
send
our
kids
there,
but
it's
almost
like
a
private
school
education,
because
we've
got
so
many,
so
many
good
resources
right,
and
so
when
you
see
that-
and
you
see,
schools
struggling
without
and
part
of
that
is
also
just
we
haven't
managed
through
change
right
chase
talks
about.
We
were
73
000
pupils.
D
You
know
50
years
ago
we're
21
000,
now
chase
21,
if
you
even
with
pre-k
and
like
that's,
but
we
have
58
school
buildings.
When
you
look
at
other
districts
of
our
size,
no
one
has
met
as
many
buildings.
No
one
has
as
many
buildings.
So
I'm
not
I'm
not
saying
I
know
which
ones
to
close.
I'm
not
saying
that
closing
makes
sense,
but,
like
we
better,
have
a
conversation
about
how
resources
are
distributed
to
thinly,
because
that's
why
we
don't
have
programs
in
certain
schools,
because
you.
A
D
You
can't
you,
you
have
to
have
a
critical
mass
of
students,
so
you
can
have
a
critical
mass
of
teachers
to
be
able
to
make
this
work.
So
I
think
those
there's
like
fundamental
conversations
that
need
to
happen
at
the
state
level
federal
level,
but
also
locally
and
and
they're
going
to
require
us
really
restructuring
and
rethinking
the
school
system.
F
F
F
In
black
neighborhoods,
like
like
we,
we,
this
conversation
cannot
happen.
I
mean
you
all,
have
already
declared
racism
of
public
health
crisis
this
this
you're
right
because
that's
what's
happening,
this
is
it
it's
happened
since
1833
people,
like
I,
don't
know
how
else
to
express
the
fact
that
black
children
have
been
disenfranchised
in
pittsburgh
and
across
the
nation,
I'm
just
speaking
about
pittsburgh
right
now
in
the
public
school
system,
since
1833.
F
E
I
mean,
if
we're
going,
to
talk
about
managing
change,
though
both
reverend
burgess
and
chase,
both
you
know,
alluded
to
responsibilities,
not
on
the
city,
not
on
the
school
board,
not
on
hamlet.
These
things
aren't
playing,
but
we
can't
manage
change
if
we
don't
actually
have
a
structure
of
accountability.
E
The
difference
between
massachusetts,
colorado
and
friendship
is
white
people
all
of
our
elected
officials,
all
of
our
school
board,
members
all
of
hamlet
and
everyone
else
below
is
accountable
to
white
folks
and
not
black
people.
That
is
where
it
starts.
We
can't
do
anything
if
we
don't
identify
who
is
responsible
and
then
hold
those
people
accountable,
but
whenever
we
have
conversations
about
these,
aren't
the
the
folks
that
we're
talking
about
these
aren't
the
people
that
we
want
to.
We
want
to
highlight.
E
We
want
to
talk
about
it
ambiguously
versus,
like
directly
a
frank
conversation
also
comes
down
to
who
is
accountable,
who
is
responsible,
who's
who
owns
this
and
who
do
they
own
it
towards
and
in
the
city
of
pittsburgh
racism?
That's,
that
is
where,
where
it
starts,
there
is
no
accountability
across
the
board.
There's
accountability,
white
people
in
massachusetts.
There's
a
kind
of
white
people
in
colorado.
That's
why
those
folks
can
get
those
things.
E
There
is
no
accountability
in
the
state
region,
local
level,
to
black
people
at
any
anywhere
in
in
our
city
council
and
our
county
council
and
our
school
board.
Any
major
voting
body
does
not
care
about
black
people.
So
until
we
can
have
that
conversation,
I
don't
think
that
we
can
blow
anything
up
and
I'm
I'm
not
speaking
from
black
women
for
a
better
education,
but
I
absolutely
do
not
believe
in
reforming
the
the
school
district.
E
I
definitely
think
we
should
start
from
somewhere
scratch,
but
we
can't
do
that
till
we
say:
okay,
we're
going
to
start
here,
who's
responsible
for
this
who's
owning
this.
Now,
who
are
you
accountable
to
that's
what
reform?
That's?
What
transformation
looks
like,
and
we
can't
do
that
until
we've
identified
those
things.
B
Okay,
in
a
minute,
I
will
say
that
you
know
one
of
the
reasons
I'm
I've
been
around.
I've
been
pastoring
in
homewood
for
30.
I
think
37
years
now,
and
so
I've
been
through
a
lot
and
it
was
born
and
raised
a
block
from
the
church.
So
I've
been
through
a
lot
of
the
transition,
and
so
I
was
around
when
we
in
around
1984
five
changed
to
buy
district
elections,
so
that
at
least
councilman
level-
and
I
are
directly
accountable
to
black
people.
B
B
My
election
is
due
to
black,
have
fought
to
the
best
of
my
ability
to
provide
resources,
housing
and
now
I've
always
been
concerned
with
education.
But
now
I'm
about
to
move
in
this
area,
which
is
not
our
our
natural
area
of
engagement
right,
because
there's
a
separate
board
and
a
separate
administration,
the
things
are
just
so
bad.
I
can't,
and
I've
been
someone
who's
been
involved.
Almost
all
my
life
with
teaching
kids.
I
just
can't
I
have
to
get
involved
one
day
I
want
to.
B
I
guess
one
of
the
things
I
want
to
ask
you
is
how
frustrating
you
you've
been
at
this
longer
than
any
of
us
at
the
table.
You
know
you
start
off
with
your
kids
and
now
your
grandkids,
and
this
and
chase
is
right.
It's
like
groundhog
day
every
day,
every
year
new
faces
same
problem.
How
how
how
do
you
keep
your
spirit,
your
fighting
spirit
up?
What
tell
me.
C
G
C
Public
schools
all
over
the
nation
were
not
based
for
black
kids
at
all,
and
every
kind
of
advance
that
we've
had
is
from
community
members
and
parents
fight
it
and
for
years
everything
has
been
school
reform.
School
reform,
school
reform
and
school
reform
is
just
big
business
everybody's
making
money
on
school
reform.
But
if
you
don't
deal
with
the
source,
which
is
racism,
white
supremacist,
racism,
you're
not
going
to
get
any
changes.
C
So
now,
instead
of
dealing
with
school
reform,
we
have
to
try
to
undo
the
systematic
racism
that's
been
in
in
this
country
for
400
years
to
get
some
progress
and
we
have
to
hold
those
people
accountable-
black
white,
blue,
green.
If
they
are
superintendent
board
member
administrative
cabinet
union
city
officials,
state
officials,
everybody
has
to
be
accountable,
parents
and
community
have
to
be
accountable.
So
some
of
the
things
we're
trying
to
do
from
the
equity
advisory
panel
has
been
we've
been
pushing
this
for
years.
C
They
need
to
develop
an
anti-racism
course,
because
we
know
this
racism,
black
and
white,
and
if
you
don't
deal
with
the
issue
of
racism,
you're
not
going
to
get
any
progress,
they
need
to
redo
their
curriculum.
Black
years
are
not
seen
anywhere
in
their
curriculum.
So
why
are
they
logging
on?
So
they
have
to
do
that.
We
also
asked
for
a
a
partnership
with
the
association
of
black
psychologists.
C
This
humongous
problem
with
trauma
for
orchids,
especially
kids
and
covet,
is
now
making
it
worse,
so
we're
trying
to
get
them
to
partner
with
some
afrocentric
providers,
to
reach
african
kids
and
to
teach
the
staff
how
to
intervene
and
teach
kids
better.
So
it's
it's
not
one
thing.
It's
a
multi-faceted
thing
and
you
have
to
hit
it's
like
a
big
elephant.
C
You
got
to
get
him
from
the
toes
and
nose
the
trunk
and
everything
else,
but
everyone
has
to
be
on
board
and
everyone
has
to
be
accountable,
and
you
know
you
get
a
lot
of
flack
because
you
get
flack
from
black
people.
You
get
flak
from
white
people
and
the
union
has
to
be
accountable.
How
in
the
world
can
they
say,
they're
not
coming
back
to
school
until
all
teachers
are
vaccinated
and
suppose
teachers
don't
want
to
be
investigated
and
what
does
that
do
for
the
kids?
C
Are
they
going
to
say
next,
kids
can't
come
back
to
school
unless
they're
fascinated
who's
going
to
fascinate
all
their
kids.
So
how
are
the
teachers
allowed
to
run
the
district
because
we,
as
the
community,
allow
them
to
do
so
and
if
we
don't
continue
to
stand
up
and
fight
this,
this
it's
just
going
to
get
worse.
So
I've
been
fighting
and
a
lot
of
I
think
now
that
it's
become
an
emergency.
C
It's
been
going
on
for
decades,
but
now
with
social
media
and
we
have
more
groups
getting
involved
is
becoming
more
open.
You
see
it
on
social
media,
you
see
it
in
the
newspaper.
You
can't
run
from
it
anymore
before
they
can
run
from
it.
But
now
it's
up
in
your
face
and
you
got
to
deal
with
it.
That's
right.
A
A
Having
these
conversations
and
from
your
perspective-
and
this
is
from
anyone's
perspective
as
an
example,
I
chose
to
chin
my
children
to
pps
because
I
said
if
they
can
get
into
one
or
two
schools
I'ma
go
into
the
system,
because
I
understand
the
system-
and
I
know
the
principal
at
these
one
or
two
schools.
I
know
that
they
will
be
looked
after.
I
know
they
will
receive
a
quality
education
and
I'm
comfortable
there.
I
wasn't
comfortable
in
my
home
schools.
A
C
The
superintendent
is
ceo,
he
is
the
head
honcho,
he
has
the
ultimate
responsibility.
He
answers
to
the
board,
so
the
board
members
need
to
know
what
the
superintendent
is
doing
and
if
the
data
that's
has
been
put
out
is
a
direct
reflection
on
the
board
and
the
superintendent
they
will
have
to
be
accountable.
They
can't
sit
there
and
act
like
they
don't
know.
That's
one
of
the
big
problems
we
have
with
the
equity
advisory
panel
board.
Members
said:
well,
we
didn't
notice,
oh,
but
we
didn't
notice.
So
we
started
copying
them
on
everything
we
did.
C
A
C
We
are
the
equity
advisory
panel,
but
the
the
school
board
district
doesn't
know
when
we
have
our
equity
via
three
panel
meetings.
We
determine
the
agenda,
we
don't
work
for
the
district,
we're
independent.
We
have
our
agenda,
we
invite
who
we
need
to
invite
for
specific
topics.
We
invite
board
members,
so
they
know
what's
going
on
with
equity,
since
we
now
have
this
equity
plan
they're
supposed
to
be
implemented.
C
C
B
D
Look
I
mean,
I
think
this
is
part
of
the
system
problem
right.
The
unit
of
change
in
the
system
is
actually
the
school
right
like.
If
you
look
at
the
principle,
I
mean
to
the
point
that
councilman
lavelle
just
made
the
principal
has
a
significant
amount
of
power
to
determine
how
a
school
runs
right.
So
if
I
look
at
certain
schools,
some
that
are
neighborhoods,
some
that
are
not-
and
I
see
the
growth
that's
possible
with
children
that
are
coming
from
all
over
the
world.
D
In
some
cases,
that's
possible
with
black
children
in
this
district
and
and
they're
doing
well
in
certain
schools.
I
I'm
what
I've
started
to
believe
and
it's
not
to
say
that
I
think
miss
henderson's
right
on
right,
but
I
think
part
of
the
problem
is.
We
have
a
system
of
governance
that
has
off-year
elections
where
it
takes
only
about
25,
000
people,
out
of
a
city
of
300
000,
to
elect
a
school
board
right,
and
you
can
look
back,
I
mean
don't
don't
take
my
word
for
it.
D
Go
look
at
the
election
results
and
see
how
many
people
vote
in
those
school
board
elections
and
what's
the
win
margin.
You're
looking
at
two
between
two
and
three
thousand
people
are
voting
for
the
winners
of
these
school
board
elections.
Each
time,
there's
nine
members,
that's
27
000
at
the
max
right,
so
it
the
reality
is
we've
got
a
system
that
is
set
up
where
you
know
the
real
change
can
happen
from
a
leader
in
a
building
right.
D
The
wallace
foundation
just
put
out
a
synthesis
of
research
on
the
impact
of
high
quality
leaders
in
a
building
and
the
just
the
way
that
they
can
set
up
a
school
for
success,
or
failure
tells
me
that
we
need
to
do
something,
and
this
is
where
I
think,
there's
a
hopeful
chance
right
like
to
the
point
of
like
yes,
there's
there's
huge
problems,
but
there's
also
a
way
to
make
things
better.
We
can
look
at
what
the
best
principles
in
this
district
are
doing
and
making
sure
those
lessons
are
shared.
D
D
When
I
think
of
community
schools,
I
don't
think
of
we're
going
to
provide
all
kinds
of
things
for
families,
because
oh
poor,
poor
families
need
that
no
community
schools
about
communities
actually
owning
their
schools
and
having
a
relationship
I
mean
amber,
talked
about
this
being
in
relationship
with
families
and
community
organizations
because
we're
here
to
help
right,
and
so
I
think
for
me-
and
this
is
a
shift
in
my
thinking-
I
think,
a
plus
schools
for
our
entire
existence.
We've
been
really
focused
on
the
board
and
the
school
and
the
superintendent.
D
Last
couple
years,
we've
been
thinking
really
a
lot
about.
How
do
we
support
leaders
in
buildings
with
both
the
existing
resources
that
exist
in
our
community,
but
also
with
best
practice
research,
and
how
do
we
raise
up
those
who
are
doing
things
right
with
their
teams?
Is
it
perfect?
Is
it
going
to
be
fast?
That's
a
problem
right.
This
approach
isn't
fast
enough.
It's
we
have
an
urgent
need
for
great
schools
and
quality
education
for
kids
right
now.
D
This
approach,
one
of
the
one
of
the
challenges
I'm
having
is
it
takes
time
it
takes
time
to
build
trust
with
teachers
with
leaders
takes
time
for
them
to
get
to
know
the
community.
Well,
so
I
think
from
the
leadership
from
the
from
the
top
standpoint,
the
the
thing
that
could
most
change
quickly,
the
the
trajectory
of
our
of
our
district
would
be
the
empowerment,
support
and
training
of
principles,
and
that's
not
saying
they
aren't
trying.
They
are
right.
D
I'm
not
trying
to
hear
I'm
not
here
to
denigrate
the
efforts,
but,
and
I'm
glad
dr
lamar
is
an
assistant
soup
with
our
elementary
students,
because
I
believe
she's
done
great
work
at
dilworth,
so
her
best
practices
should
be
shared,
but
we've
got.
We've
got
work
to
do,
and
I
think
this
is
where
city
council
this
is
where
city
council
being
involved
in
this
conversation
where
our
business
community
be
involved
in
this
conversation,
community
organizations
cbcs.
D
This
is
where
they
actually
can
play
a
role,
because
you
can
wrap
your
arms
around
a
school
right
like
wrapping.
Your
arms
around
a
district
can
be,
can
seem
really
abstract.
We
can
wrap
our
arms
around
and
there's
only
58
of
them
right.
Like
that's
doable
considering
we
have
92
neighborhoods,
hundreds
of
community
organizations
that
exist
within
our
city.
So
that's
my
hopeful.
My
hopeful
take
on
what
is
clearly
an
emergency
that
we
need
to
deal
with.
A
So
I
want
to
go
to
micah
smith,
who
has
been
monitoring
questions
online
and
allow
her
to
ask
some,
but
prior
to
doing
that,
I
have
a
quick,
quick
question
for
chase.
I
think
I
know
the
answer,
but
I'm
not
100
certain
are
teachers
in
the
charter.
Schools.
Are
they
part
of
the
union?
No,
I
didn't
think
so.
F
F
F
Have
been
blocked
out
of
this
system,
man,
like
I
keep
going
back.
I
don't
you
know,
I
don't
know
what
else
to
say.
It's
just
crazy.
This
is
crazy
and
most
black
people
are
forced
to
deal
with
it
by
law.
You
got
to
send
your
kids
to
school
by
law,
so
when
your
school
system
is
up,
where
else
do
you
send
them?
B
They
don't
play
for
them.
Their
teachers
are
universe
that
charter
school
has
unionized
teachers
that
are
environmental
charter
schools.
They
have
they're
unionized.
In
fact,
they
are
part
of
the
pennsylvania
federation
of
teachers.
I
think
they
have
a
separate
representation,
but
they
are
unionized.
The
the
environmental
charter
school
teachers
are
part
of
the
teachers
union.
G
F
B
G
D
I
can
answer
miss
henderson,
you
can,
I
mean
I
know
you're
looking
at
some
of
this
data
too,
but
part
of
the
problem
that
we
have
right
now
is
that
we
haven't
been
given
data
up-to-date
data
on
where
students
are
right.
So
this
week
the
state
department
of
education,
the
us
department
of
education,
has
put
forward
a
plan
to
do
assessments
in
the
fall,
we're
supportive
of
it
in
in
the
sense
that
one
assessments
will
happen.
So
we
can
get
a
sense
of
on
a
disaggregated
basis
where
students
are.
D
This
is
in
line
with
national
civil
rights
and
immigration
rights
groups
like
ed
trust,
like
the
urban
league,
who
have
also
called
for
for
some
assessments
to
happen.
They're
not
going
to
have
any
stakes,
but
they
will
at
least
provide
a
data
set
for
us
to
be
able
to
understand.
What's
happened.
We
also
think
it
provides
pressure
on
this
district
and
others
across
the
commonwealth
to
provide
summer
school
right.
D
So,
if
you're
going
to
provide,
if
you're
going
to
test
in
the
in
the
fall,
then
to
have
a
valid
test
you
would
like
to
have,
you
would
want
to
have
school
happening
in
the
summer.
I
will
say:
look
I
mean
I
think,
to
be
fair
to
our
teachers
who
aren't
represented
here.
I
just
I
will
say
this.
80
of
teachers
in
an
aft
poll
said
they
would
want
to
be
back
in
school
right.
D
So
this
is
the
this
is
the
union
the
national
union's
own
poll
said
80
want
to
be
back
in
school,
64
of
aft
represented
teachers
are
already
teaching
in
some
form
or
other
in
person
or
full-time
in-person
or
hybrid.
So
I
mean,
while
we
do
have
some
significant
issues
around
making
sure
student
teachers
are
back
safe.
There
is
a
that's
why
I
just
want
to
be.
I
want
to
like
at
least
be
fair
on
that
front.
Now,
on
the
on
the
issue
of
like
why
do
teachers
run
schools?
D
I
mean
honestly,
I
mean
this.
These
are
public
documents
but
hard
to
read.
There's
a
200
page,
collective
bargaining
agreement,
which
tells
you
what
the
rules
are
around
the
workforce
in
the
district
in
in
the
city,
schools
right
and
the
union
has
the
right
and
under
the
under
the
labor
laws,
to
negotiate
to
get
whatever
work
rules
they
think
are
necessary
for
a
safe
and
an
orderly
workplace
right,
and
I
think
part
of
the
issue
in
that
is
the
way
that
that
happens
is
all
behind
closed
doors.
D
D
But
I
do
think
when
we're
talking
about
children,
especially
black
and
brown
children
in
this
district,
that
we
have
to
have
an
open
and
honest
conversation
about
how
those
work
rules
like
continuously
and
consistently
sometimes
like
accrue
to
the
benefit
of
white
families
over
black
families
and
that
and
that
we
know
and
so
like.
Let's
have
people
of
good
conscience
and
good
faith
come
together
and
say
this
isn't
working.
What
can
we
do
to
change
it.
A
Just
real
quick
to
your
point
of
assessments,
it's
my
personal
opinion
that,
if
they're
serious
about
assessing
these
children
and
in
any
way
getting
them
remotely
up
to
speed,
the
assessment
should
occur
immediately
when
the
normal
school
year
was
shut
down.
So
they
could
then
roll
over
into
summer
learning.
So
they
can
get
some
serious,
intense
in-person
instruction
to
hopefully
get
those
kids
even
remotely
half
the
way
caught
up
to
enter
into
their
next
grade.
But
that's
my
opinion.
I.
D
I
guess
I'm
just
I
don't.
I
think
teachers
and
and
staff
are
just
as
capable
of
doing
the
sort
of
interim
assessments
that
are
necessary
because
the
summative
assessments
that
happen
in
the
pssas
they're
not
ever
really
used
by
teachers
to
give
information
they're
supposed
to
be
used
to
provide
policy
direction
and
help
us
move
towards
equity
right
like
they
don't
get
them
ever
in
time
for
them
to
be
used.
D
I
think
that's
another
conversation
that
should
be
happening
right
now
is:
what's
the
state
assessment,
how
can
we
align
status
assessment
with
teacher
needs
so
that
they
actually
can
use
the
information
and
parents
can
use
the
information
to
advocate
for
what
their
families
need
right
now,
there's
a
disconnect
there
and
we
need
that's
a
better.
I
mean
that's
a
good
cover.
I
think
I
agree
with
you
councilman
that
we
should
be
having
these
tests
now,
but
the
reality
is
we
need
time.
D
F
F
So
we
say
our
students
are
underperforming
by
this
many
years,
but
that's
based
on
assessments
that
we
know
are
racist,
so
they're,
probably
it's
probably
already
baked
in
that
black
children
should
be
performing
beneath
that
right.
So,
let's
just
get
rid
of
the
assessment
stuff
and
just
ask
like
how
are
your
kids
performing?
F
What
is
your
internal
data
saying
in
any
school
that
doesn't
have
internal
data
is
failing
their
children
and
failing
their
families,
because
that
data
should
drive
how
you
deliver
instruction
for
those
students
independently
and
collectively
right.
So
I
I
I
I
find
myself
always
perplexing.
You
know
we're
going
to
take
the
pssas
we're
ready
for
it.
We
do
well
in
comparison,
but
the
reality
is
it's
a
racist
exam.
C
G
Disconnecting
this
back
to
the
comments,
mr
patterson
we've
gotten
several
that
have
said
that
we
should
look
towards
urban
academy
for
this
model
and
they've
there's
been
a
lot
of
agreement
with
what
you've
said
and
something
that
they
asked
was.
How
do
we
fit
charter
school
schools
into
the
system
because
they
perform
well,
but
the
pft
doesn't
like
how
they're
funded,
but
they
have,
they
have
different
outcomes
for
black
children
is
what
has
been
repeated
multiple
times
in
the
comments.
Do
you
have
thoughts
about
that.
F
F
It
is.
We
have
oversight
from
the
pittsburgh
public
school
district,
although
we
have
an
independent
board.
If
the
pittsburgh
public
school
district
decided
to
come
in
tomorrow
and
shut
the
urban
academy
down,
they
could.
What
I
want
to
say
about
the
urban
academy
that
I
do
not
believe
is
an
independent
characteristic
is
that
we
are
bold
in
how
we
demonstrate
love
care
and
compassion
for
our
students,
because
we
don't
believe
that
the
the
numbers
that
white
supremacist
society
dictate
the
determination
of
how
successful
our
children
are
really
matter.
We
don't
believe
it.
F
We
do
it
because
we
have
to
because
we're
part
of
this
system,
but
I
believe
fundamentally
fundamentally,
that
most
of
the
pittsburgh
public
schools
are
led
by
people
who
want
to
lean
forward
in
love,
care
and
compassion
for
their
students,
but
the
system
has
disrupted
that
love
care
and
compassion.
I
believe
the
same
thing
about
most
of
the
teachers,
and
so
what's
happened
is,
and
the
question
was
asked
earlier,
like
what's
the
solution
here,
the
solution
is
government.
F
That's
that's.
The
solution.
Government
is
the
solution.
Malcolm
x
said
it
white
folks
and
black
folks.
We're
not
really
the
problem
government
perpetuates
this
divide
between
us
government
has
allowed
homewood
brushton
the
hill
district
manchester
and
its
surrounding
communities
and
in
other
black
communities
to
be
depressed
and
oppressed,
and
reap
government
has
allowed
that,
and
so,
as
a
result,
when
you
look
at
in
1965
those
communities
that
I
just
named
were
the
same
communities.
B
Wanted
to
just
say,
I'm
gonna
do
a
little
bit
of
editorial.
I
can't
help
myself.
I
because
I've
been
on
council
so
long
that
people
now
you
know
I'm
in
my
with
my
13th
year
on
council,
something
like
that.
A
lot
of
young
people,
especially
young
people,
only
know
me
from
council.
They
don't
really
know
me
from
church
or
what
they
don't
know
is
that
I've
spent
probably
15
years
as
an
educational
consultant
working
with
kids.
B
So
I
was
the
director
of
education
at
the
county
jail
provided
the
education
for
high
school
inmates
at
jail.
I
was
the
after
school
provider
for
all
the
homeless
schools.
I've
ran
after
school
programs
and
over
over
15
public
schools
over
the
scores
of
about
a
15-year
career
in
education.
Besides
being
a
a
certified
high
school
teacher
myself
and
I've,
I
spent
my
I
spent
a
lot
of
times
in
schools
right
and
with
kids.
B
I
don't
talk
about
it
as
much,
but
I
have
I've
committed
my
life
to
kids
learning
and
have
gotten
a
lot
of
kids
to
my
college
classes,
of
course,
in
graduate
schools
and
have,
of
course,
four
kids
of
myself.
All
doing
have
done
well
academically
and
there's
something.
I
really
believe.
I
believe
this
down
to
my
toes,
and
I
want
to
say
this,
because
I
want
to
make
this
clear:
every
kid
can
achieve
every
single
kid
black
brown,
white,
yellow
every
kid
can
achieve.
The
kids
are
not
failing.
We
are
failing
these
kids.
B
These
kids
have
the
capacity
to
be
to
do
anything
they
want
to
academically.
We
just
have
to
provide
a
way.
That's
number
one:
two.
We
have
to
have
high
expectations
for
these
children.
One
of
the
things
is,
I
had
a
few
children
that
were
educationally
challenged
and
I
believe
this
I
have
nieces
and
nephews
they're
educationally
challenged.
I
never
tell
them
that
I
have
high
expectations
for
their
academic
success,
even
if
they
don't
know
it,
I
don't
tell
them
about
their
shortcomings.
B
This
issue
does
not
get
the
credence
it
deserves,
because
it's
black
children
and
black
mothers
right.
It's
easy
to
ignore
that
population.
If
you
love
these
kids
and
these
families
and
really
focus
on
them,
we
can
get
them.
We
can
get
these
kids
learning
out
of
high
school
in
the
college
in
the
trade
schools
in
the
military
into
higher
educational
opportunities
that
every
single
kid
can
achieve.
If
we
are
committed
to
it,
I
just
have
to
say
that
all
right
mike,
I'm
sorry,
that's
my
my.
F
Editorializing
for
tonight
and
micah,
if
I
may
rev,
I
think
you
backed
the
car
into
the
garage
which
didn't
acknowledge
the
fact
that
there's
some
expectations
that
need
to
be
placed
on
the
adults
and
and
the
the
teachers
need
to
to
deliver
high
quality.
The
administrators
need
to
deliver
high
quality.
The
members
of
boards,
whether
it's
charter
school
boards
or
the
traditional
pittsburgh
public
school
board,
need
to
deliver
high
quality.
C
And
high
expectations
and
loving
old
kids
is
nothing
is
that
has
not
been
the
status
quo
for
pps
and
public
schools
in
general
because
they
were
not
for
black
kids.
So
we
have
to
change
the
mindset
and
undo
the
myth
that
only
white
kids
can
excel
and
not
blackheads
all
kids
can't
excel.
But
you
have
to
put
that
in
you
have
to
make
that
a
mandate.
C
You
have
to
believe
and
work
hard
to
make
sure
that
all
kids
can
excel
and
you
have
to
eliminate
that
racial
inferiority
superiority,
complex,
that's,
embedded
in
educational
systems
in
pittsburgh
and
other
systems,
including
in
the
city
and
there's
some
entities
in
the
city
that
you
probably
need
to
look
at.
Also
because
there's
some
disparities
in
some
city:
components
that
are
affecting
kids
in
school,
like
housing,
public
housing,
affordable
housing.
C
A
G
G
How
can
you
advocate
at
the
state
level
and
what
powers
does
the
board
have
itself
what
what
direction
is
the
best
way
to
advocate,
and
what
can
government
do
now?
What
is
the
current
vision
towards
towards
what
perhaps
you
the
councilman
are
doing
now
with
the
state
of
emergency
and
the
legislation
you
have
coming
up
and
the
meetings
that
you're
conducting.
D
Bro
I
want
to
give
to
you
on
the
on
the
governance
and
sort
of
how
your
what
you
all
are
doing.
If,
if
that's
okay,
because
I
mean-
I
think
you
said
it
earlier-
sort
of
around
sort
of
who
runs
the
city,
schools
and
and
what,
if,
but
I'm
happy
to
join
in,
like
jump
in
on,
you
know
the
what
what
we
know
in
terms
of
how
we've
trained
folks
around
the
school
board,
but
amber,
do
you
have
thoughts
there.
E
I
just
want
to
say:
follow
black
women
for
better
education
on
facebook,
because
we've
been
sharing
all
these
answers
over
the
last
several
months,
especially
trying
to
get
folks
to
be
empowered
and
start
advocating
at
a
local
level
regional
state
level,
we've
been
trying
to
pull
our
local
elected
officials
in
on
it.
This
goes
the
way
up
to
our
controllers,
and
we
have
we
have
influence.
We
have
leverage
that
we
all
need
to
to
go
with
so
yeah
I'll
pass
that
back
to
you,
james.
D
It's
all
good,
I
I
mean
one
of
the
things
I
want
to
say
like
this
isn't
maybe
related,
but
like
as
white
folk.
We
got
a
lot
of
work
to
do
around
what
culturally
responsive
education
is
and
means
for
us,
as
as
people
right
like
it.
It
shouldn't
be
the
fact
that
I
had
to
go
to
georgetown
and
take
african-american
history
courses
and
find
out
about
our
actual
history.
D
D
I
mean
I'm
lest
to
have
gone
to
an
institution
that
is
running
its
own
truth
and
reconciliation
process.
Right
now
you
know
the
university.
I
went
to
benefited
from
the
enslavement
of
black
people
and
is
now
making
reparations
for
that
by
providing
free
college
education
for
every
single
descendant
that
they
can
find
of
those
that
were
sold
into
bondage
in
the
deep
south
to
pay
a
debt,
so
that
georgetown
could
continue
to
exist.
D
If
we
don't
do,
we
don't
have
a
larger
conversation
about
truth
and
reconciliation
that
acknowledges
our
racist
history
and
current
existence.
Then
it
is
hard
for
people
who
look
like
me
to
understand
the
systemic
issues
that
we've
been
talking
about
tonight.
So
I
say
that,
as
someone
who
understands
that
I
I
am,
I
am
of
a
racist
society
and
I
have
like
I
was
born
into
racism.
Whether
I
wanted
to
be
or
not
the
book
cast
by
isabel
wilkerson
explains
this
well,
I
recommend
all
read
it.
D
We
have
work
to
do
white
brothers
and
sisters
around
this
issue,
because
it's
our
issues
that
are
pushing
black
and
brown
families
out
of
economic
and
educational
opportunity,
and
there
is
plenty
of
resources
to
go
around
for
all
of
us
and
we're
better
off
when
our
entire
community
is
engaged
in
the
prosperity
than
just
a
few
of
us.
So
I
yeah-
I
just
didn't-
want
this
to
go
without
saying,
like
knowing
our
history
means
knowing
black
history,
we
shouldn't
just
know
it
on
in
february.
D
C
One
of
the
things
we
realize
with
the
advocates
in
the
eaps
a
lot
of
our
parents-
not
all,
but
a
lot
of
our
parents
now
have
had
problems
with
pps.
So
even
though
their
kids
are
in
school,
many
do
not
want
to
come
back
to
school
to
resurface
those
old
wounds.
So
it's
very
difficult
getting
parents
to
come
unless
you
have
someone
that's
connected
to
the
community.
C
Unfortunately,
our
pps
is
really
not
connected
to
the
community,
although
they
have
a
parent
engagement
department,
it's
not
really
connected.
So
that's
part
of
the
one
of
the
issues
and
one
of
the
things
the
equity
advisory
panel
is
demanding
again
and
we're
going
to
push
it.
This
time
is
a
mandatory
african-american
history
course.
You
know
all
kids
should
have
that
it
was
done
in
philadelphia
10
years
ago.
Why
is
chris
work
so
hard
in
getting
that
done
because
everyone
needs
it?
C
You
know
it
needs
to
be
something
mandated
for
all
kids,
so
we
can
eliminate
some
of
these
problems
going
forward
and
also
parents
to
try
to
come
and
community
to
attend
the
public
hearings
and
the
washington
legislative
meetings.
The
board
member
board
meetings
and
and
contact
your
representatives
and
I'm
glad
now
to
see
black
women
for
better
education,
they're
coming
out
with
a
new
slate.
So
now
there's
some
competition
for
people
running
for
board.
So
you
have
to
make
everybody
accountable.
E
And-
and
I
want
to
add
in
regards
to
our
elected
officials
as
well,
because
as
a
parent
who's
been
advocating
for
my
child
and
as
many
children
as
I
can,
the
public
hearings
for
the
school
board
are
bs,
let's
be
real,
they
I
have
complained
to
exhaustion
without
a
single
response,
and
not
only
from
hamlet
but
from
the
school
board
members
and
my
my
local
representative,
so
our
other
elected
officials
need
to
take
their
platforms
like
this.
This
is
what
I've
been
we're
working
for
with
our
state.
E
Reps
is
taking
your
resources
and
adding
another
feedback
loop.
We
don't
have
any
feedback
loops
in
any
part
of
the
city.
So
when
you
give
criticism
or
feedback,
everyone
takes
it
personally,
that's
because
you've
blocked
out
every
type
of
voice
or
silence
any
type
of
feedback.
In
regards
to
your
work,
our
other
elected
officials
could
add,
add
their
own
avenues
and
give
platforms
like
this
to
say:
here's
something
we're
going
to
take
back
to
we're
going
to
take
from
our
constituents
to
our
other
elected
officials.
E
They
can
also
share
their
resources
with
school
board
members,
because
this
is
a
volunteer
position.
Let's
be
real
when
we
talk
about
governance,
that
means
that
the
school
board,
the
way
that
it
govern,
is
also
not
acceptable
as
well.
They
are
under
resourced
and
black
women
for
better
education
is
going
to
support
all
of
our
school
board.
Members
that
do
get
elected
to
start
changing
this
pattern
of
just
having
folks
going
in
there
trying
to
be
afforded
on
their
own.
E
Also,
you
know
not
only
our
city
council
members,
but
our
state
representatives,
I
think,
collectively,
working
with
our
school
board
members.
Instead
of
separating
it,
there's
a
there's,
an
opportunity
to
share
resources
across
the
board
to
strengthen
all
local
levels
of
our
government.
So
those
are
things
that
I
think
as
constituents,
we
should
be
pressuring
our
elected
officials
to
do-
and
that's
whenever
I
say,
hold
these
folks
accountable
and
they're
accountable
to
black
people.
This
this,
a
pattern
of
not
creating
a
pathway
to
communicate
regarding
your
performance
is
everywhere
in
this
city.
E
When
we
open
that
pathway,
we
see
how
displeased
how
under-resourced
or
how
unsupported
black
folks
are
really
in
this
city.
So
if
you
all
come
together
and
put
your
resources
together,
I
think
we
could
have
some
kind
of
collective
action
and
it
has
to
be
holistic.
It
can't
just
be
the
school
board
right.
The
city
has
to
have
to
address
their
racism,
as
in
as
a
crisis
and
gender
equity
report
to
support
what's
happening
in
the
school
board,
the
city,
the
county
council,
the
county,
has
to
address
their
economic
development
plan.
C
I
do
want
to
commend
the
pittsburgh
black
elected
officials
when
the
equity
advisory
panel
was
trying
to
work
with
the
human
relations
commission,
who
is
responsible
for
monitoring
the
district
and
they
did
not
respond
either.
So
we
had
to
get
our
public
politicians
in
pennsylvania
involved
and
because
of
them
we
finally
got
some
response
from
the
human
relations
commission,
but
you
have
to
have
power
to
attack
those
people
who
think
they
have
power,
because
otherwise,
if
they're
not
held
accountable,
they
won't
do
anything.
C
F
And
those
those
were
opening
dooring
statements.
This
is
my
closing
statement
and
I'll
read
it
from
page
46
of
the
september
1965
a
report
of
the
pittsburgh
public
schools
district.
As
long
as
there
are
marked
deficiencies
in
the
educational
achievement
of
children
in
schools
in
our
deprived
neighborhoods,
those
children
must
have
a
larger
share
of
the
limited
tax
dollars.
F
F
A
A
All
our
conversations
to
the
table
is
exactly
what
we
were
attempting
to
do,
but
it
was
our
belief
that
we
first
must
openly
and
publicly
acknowledge
the
problem
in
order
to
then
allow
for
that
table
to
actually
be
created,
and
so
we
hopefully
will
have
all
of
you
all
participating
it
and
moving
forward.
We
want
to
have
a
series
of
public
conversations.
A
We
want
to
have
a
series
of
public
meetings.
We
want
to
bring
the
pft
to
the
table.
We
want
to
bring
our
superintendent
to
the
table.
We
want
to
create
that
form
to
figure
out
how
we
collectively,
because
I
do
believe
this
is
a
collective
problem
at
this
point
that
we
have
to
solve.
It
can't
just
be
the
school
district
because
they
just
can't
do
it,
so
we
all
must
collectively
must
figure
out
our
lane
and
how
we
address
it
in
the
manner
in
which
you
lay
that
out
is
what
we
are
attempting
to
do.
A
So
I
just
wanted
to
re
re
assure
you
that
that
is
our
goals
and
objectives
with
that
being
said,
we
are
out
of
time
for
today.
First
and
foremost,
thank
you
all
for
coming
and
participating
each
single.
One
of
you
is
welcome
to
come
back.
We
want
to
do
a
couple
more
of
these,
where
we
do
invite
pittsburgh
federation.
We
want
to
invite
some
teachers.
We
want
to
have
an
open
and
honest
conversation,
and
you
all
are
always
welcome
to
come
back
to
this
forum
any
day
that
you
wish.
So
with
that.
A
I
want
to
thank
james
fogerty,
the
executive
director
of
a
plus
schools,
ms
wanda
henderson
equity
advisory,
panelist
for
pittsburgh,
public
schools
and
chair
of
the
advocates
for
african
american
students.
Mr
chase
patterson,
ceo
of
the
urban
academy
and
miss
amber
thompson
representative
for
black
women,
for
better
education
and
principal
consultant
for
leaders
of
change
and
I'll
just
say
in
order
for
us
to
make
a
significant
investment
in
the
black
community
is
imperative
that
we
work
collectively
together,
as
we've
all
attempted
to
do
this
evening.
A
B
I
want
to
thank
all
of
you
also
for
watching
and
participating
in
this
town
hall
meeting.
Remember
you
can
watch
this
show
on
facebook,
the
city's
youtube
channel
or
the
city's
cable
channel.
A
new
meeting
occurs
every
wednesday
by
working
together,
united
purpose.
We
can
transform
our
city
strengthen
it
for
all
of
israel,
its
residents.