Record Improvements in Baltimore Graduation and Dropout Rates Reported

The record, three-year gains Baltimore City Public Schools reported in its dropout and graduation rates earlier this month were largely driven by the academic progress of its African American male students, new data show. City Schools’ overall dropout rate is down 56 percent and its graduation rate is up 10 percent in the last three years. According to district analysis, the gains for African American male students during this time outpaced the district rates: Their dropout rate is down 59 percent, and their graduation rate is up 12.4 percent. Local leaders and national education experts are hailing the Baltimore findings as an important exception to what have been troubling national trends for this group of students.

The number of African American male dropouts in City Schools decreased from 1,439 in 2006-07 to 593 in 2009-10. At the same time, the number of African American male graduates increased from 1,537 in 2006-07 to 1,724 in 2009-10. The bottom line: In 2006-07, City Schools had nearly equal numbers of African American male dropouts and graduates; by 2009-10 the district had nearly three times as many graduates as dropouts among African American males.

(Excerpt from Press Release issued by Baltimore City Public Schools (10/20/10))

Martin Luther King, Jr. on the Church

But despite these notable exceptions, I must honestly reiterate that I have been disappointed with the church. I do not say this as one of those negative critics who can always find something wrong with the church. I say this as a minister of the gospel, who loves the church; who was nurtured in its bosom; who has been sustained by its spiritual blessings and who will remain true to it as long as the cord of life shall lengthen.


Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from a Birmingham Jail

Tea Party Report

Recently, the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights (IREHR) released a report which documents specific examples of Tea Party leaders and Tea Party-associated organizations providing platforms for racists, and religious and other bigots.

The report serves as a reminder of the very real and active presence of racism and other forms of discrimination in America's public sphere, and that there are significant threats to moving forward and effecting real change in American life.

Please take a moment to read more from the report:

http://action.naacp.org/TeaPartyReport

Battered by the Storm

Check out the recent study by the Institute for Policy Studies on the the effects of the current economic crisis, "Battered by the Storm: How the Safety Net Is Failing Americans and How to Fix It" at http://www.ips-dc.org/reports/battered-by-the-storm.

A Bold Plan to Combat Poverty

U.S. Census data released today shows the burden of the Great Recession has fallen mostly on those at the bottom. The data reveals that the U.S. in 2009 had the largest number of Americans living in poverty in the 51 years that poverty has been measured, 43.6 million people, and the highest poverty rate, 14.3% since 1998.

Institue for Policy Studies Fellow Karen Dolan, urges policymakers and those concerned about growing poverty to read the recommendations in IPS's report "Battered by the Storm," which warned about these massive increases in poverty and put forth common-sense solutions to alleviate it.

Dolan says, "This new data reveals our nation's inability to respond to the profound needs of a growing number of Americans falling precipitously through a badly tattered safety net. We must act quickly to stop the devastation that will affect generations to come."

To read more, go to the website for the Institue for Policy Studies at http://www.ips-dc.org/

Hope for the City - Pathways to Restoration

This weekend, over 100 church and community leaders and seminarians gathered at the Maritime Institute of Technology in Linthicum, MD for the Baltimore Region's second annual Hope for the City Urban Ministry Convocation. Our focus was on exploring ways to expand capcity in collaboration and partnership in urban ministry, as we seek to restore the proverbial village that is the city. Dr. Robert Franklin, in his latest book "Crisis in the Village", offers that several strategic steps must be employed in order for the village to be renewed and restored. These steps are:
(1) Focused Conversation
(2) Collaborative Leadership
(3) Vision and Planning
(4) Accountability and Action
(5) Sustaining and Fundraising
(6) Documenting and Celebrating Progress.

The Power of Partnership

“How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)

Some of the most significant aspects and opportunities that we share in ministry are found in the ways that we engage in partnership, collaboration, and teamwork.

In ancient Greek literature there is a story that shows the power of working together.

“An aged, dying father called his seven sons around him. He gave each one a stick and told them to break it. Each son easily broke his separate stick. The old father then bound seven sticks together, and gave the bundle to his eldest son and told him to break the bundle. The eldest son could not break it. Then the second son was commanded to try. He could not break it. Nor could any of the rest. “So is it to be of you,” said the father. “Alone you are weak, but together you are strong.”

This is the nature of synergism. It is derived from the Greek word “synergos” meaning “working together.” Synergism means that by joining with others, common objectives can be more easily and effectively accomplished. There is strength in numbers when we multiply our efforts through working with others.