Diversity vs. Equality: Why One can not be Substituted for the Other
Pastor/minister, Dr. Lamont A. Francies, also Counselor for Antioch Unified School District currently at Black Diamond Middle School Campus, is the subject of community out cry this week as word of his “Antioch Unified School District 8th Grade African American Promotion Ceremony” began to spread on blogs and social media.
Starting with a Column by Barbara Zivica in the online version of the Antioch Herald entitled “Watchdog – Black only graduation ceremony in Antioch violates Supreme Court decision” published Sunday, May 31st, 2015 at 12:43 am. http://antiochherald.com/2015/05/p16546/ Barbara Zivica provides as support for her piece a photo image of a flyer for the event and of an Email containing it.
The email was from an ASUD email address and addressed to other ASUD email addresses and included the text of the flyer as well as contact Information for Dr. Francies at his AUSD email and phone number.
The flyer, clearly stating that it was an “Antioch Unified School District 8th Grade African-American Promotion Ceremony” also, like the email, includes Dr. Francies as the contact at his AUSD email and phone number.
A subsequent article in the Antioch Herald by John Crowder entitled “African-American 8th grade promotion ceremony in Antioch raises concerns, organizer explains” on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2015 at 5:33 pm http://antiochherald.com/2015/06/p16568/, related information from interviews and comments from various ASUD officials and Dr. Francies, indicating that the event was not intentionally sanctioned as an official ASUD sponsored event. Some even defending the event as appropriate but not as an AUSD sponsored event. It was also noted that similar Promotion Celebration events have been held at Holy Rosary church.
In another Article on East County Today entitled “AUSD Explains “African American Promotion Ceremony” Flier” on June 6th https://eastcountytoday.net/ausd-explains-african-american-…/ , more comments as well as questions and answers from various AUSD officials were presented.
The article includes an Editorial comment which expresses the opinion that the event was not endorsed or sponsored by AUSD and the district does not want to take any responsibility for it.
In further research I found an Article in the Contra Costa Times archive from 2/4/2014 by Trine Gallegos entitled “Antioch Middle School Honors MLK and its top Students, Too”, http:// www.contracostatimes.com/…/school-bell-antioch-middle-schoo… , in which were excerpts of an interview with Dr. Francies about an Antioch Middle School event honoring MLK combined with an “African-American Honor RollBanquet”.
Quoted in the article, Dr. Francies, repeated several times, the benefits to the community. He is sometimes referring to it as community and occasionally as African-American Community as if they are synonymous.
It is my opinion that pastor/minister, Dr. Lamont A. Francies, who is also a counselor at Black Diamond Middle school, and as such a part of the school administrative staff for the school district, is the root of the controversy.
I believe that this man is violating the trust of the community, by promoting his social and religious beliefs on the students under his and others responsibility. I believe that in his capacity as an educator, he is there to serve all students by furthering their education and achievements, regardless of their ethnicity or religious beliefs.
I fear that the school district has been hijacked for one individual’s personal social and religious agendas.
The AUSD needs to take responsibility for the actions of its staff and deal with the problem by not only clarifying policy but acting on breaches of policy with expedience and authority. Dr. Francies should be fired from his position in order to bring the trust lost from all of the community back into the equation.
Lately, we hear the phrase “Celebrate Diversity” quite often, and I support the idea that we should celebrate the differences in us that makes us individuals. It is a very important cultural and heritage based concept. But we as a community are trying to make the Celebration of Diversity the evidence of Equality. Diversity and Equality by their standard definition are complete opposite concepts.
Dr. King was a very inspirational speaker and very significant catalyst to the creation of Civil Rights Act. His one speech, that I think is most often quoted is the “I Have Dream” speech. In that speech he lays out what is his definition of equality. It was not treated “Different”. It was not treated “Better”. It was not “Reparation”. It was “Equality”. Equal treatment for all. I truly believe he is looking down on us now and shaking his head at what we as a community have done with his dream.
We are failing our community, children and future generations, by claiming diversity defines and demonstrates equality instead of doing the right thing inclusively by them. Civil Rights are about all of the things that we share equally and not about trying to compensate for current or historical inequities. Neither is it about Celebrating Diversity and emphasizing the individual or the group.
It is about sharing and celebrating in Equality, all of things that we have or should have in common. One Nation created Equal.
Submitted by Doug Knowles
15 comments
Big deal…… just fix it and move on Antioch has bigger problems. Start with the mayor and work your way down
Yes, he should be fired. However, this will never ever happen because the NAACP and ACLU own the Antioch Unified School District.
In addition, this event could have easily happened with no community outrage if the procedures had been followed and it been called a graduation party or year end party, year end celebration etc.
The pastor and the AUSD would have been better off not having a ceremony at all instead of showing favoritism towards one ethnic group at the expense of others.
And I do agree with Julio about the AUSD. The AUSD is so corrupt that its impossible to get a teacher fired unless they commit an egregious act.
This article, and others like it, represents a lynch mob mentality.
Really Willie, would like to hear you counter it with your own thoughts. Please submit to [email protected]
In order to take an article seriously one should know something about the author. So who is this Doug Knowles that anyone should care what his opinion is? To find the actions of one so egregious they make an indictment which would cause one to be fired must means he thinks he knows all the facts or that what he thinks supersedes all other thoughts and opinions of others. So who is he that it makes these kind of headlines?
Instead of putting down Mr. Knowles… why not either correct him or educate him as well as our audience, including ECT!
It’s a letter to the editor.
Ms. Gregg, I am a parent that has had children in the AUSD school system since 2001 through present and have been witness to the best and the worst moments in the last 14 years. If I can find out this information in public records without even doing a freedom of information request, one could only begin to imagine what such a request would also find.
Please fill free to contact me and I can introduce myself further. I suspect you won’t do so since in light of your wisdom as an administrator and educator of our children, you probably don’t think someone not of the staff could actually have an opinion that means anything.
I can share. With you that when I and my children made the honor role it was with a 4.0 and was not the African American Honor roll standard of 2.2, that others keep aledging.
God forbid any of these kids makes it to someplace they might be able to express their own true opinion because they are educated to the same standard as everyone else.
Our schools and their staff are held to standard by state and federal law in addition to district policy. If I were to comment publicly like you have clearly speaking as an AUSD administratior and are representing AUSD with those same comments. I would be more careful, and suggest you set a better examples for our kids.
Many people stand back and form their opinions through experience and observation. If you have something that disproves the referenced information that I have cited, please by all means share. I am interested and listen to what you have to say sincerely and openly and would expect the same in return.
Mr Knowles, thank you for your response. I’m not overly concerned with my very short inquiry of who you to be. And I placed who I am and what position I hold because I don’t hide behind my words, for good or bad.
I would offer to you, that before you placed the indictment you might also have considered an invitation to sit with the one you wish to fire and find out what may or may not have led up to the situation. Knowing Dr Lamont well, I’m confident he would have spoken with you to help you understand the intent behind the celebration.
I appreciate that you are an involved and caring parent who obviously has guided your children well in their educational career. Bravo to you and yours. As you most likely know, some don’t have those same opportunities. This is why intent behind actions is so important to know.
I was there at the celebration participating because I also attend with the church and have for my entire residency in Antioch, that Dr Lamont preaches at. Having said that, I know him well and I know his intent. I also know that as an employee in Antioch and a resident in Antioch that there is work to be done with regards to understanding of cultural differences and similarities as well as social inequities.
Personally I would invite a conversation with you. Since you are better at finding sources than I, I will assume you know how to find me as implied in your response. I invite the conversation NOT to be adversarial or controversial, but to begin a dialogue about how you from your perspective would handle a similar situation…out of which might come the “better example for our kids”. One in which we search for solutions that look to forgive and grow rather than beat down and die. Should one of your children find themselves in this situation, would you demand they be fired?
Opinions are easily given Mr Knowles, and if my short response offended you earlier then I offer my sincere apology. Of course you would have to know me to believe whether it to be sincere or not. But this is exactly why I posted when I had to that point been silent. Perhaps we both have something in our opinions that we grow and learn from. And find solutions as well.
I’m easily found on Facebook, just to save you time. I bid you peace.
I’ve been following this too. I happen to agree with Mr. Knowles. Sorry Ms. Gregg but no matter how you spin it you just can’t put lipstick on a pig. You are exactly what is wrong with this picture.
Sooooo glad my child didn’t have to attend your school. I would not tolerate this EVER.
It’s a disgrace and frankly makes me sick.
Thanks Mr. Knowles for your honesty. Too be some people can’t handle it. If you ask me it’s the root of the problem.
Now Ms. Gregg you have at least two opinions to ruffle your feathers.
Mr. Knowles, my son attends Black Diamond Middle School. The staff there puts on an African American Honor Roll ceremony. My son who is mixed race (half black) and on the honor roll was not sure if he was allowed to attend. I contacted the school and discovered that there is no award ceremony for students of other races. This was upsetting to me and divides our family. I teach my children that all people are to be treated equally regardless of race. What BDMS is doing here is ruining that trait that I am trying to instill. I have received numerous voice messages for black only student events. I complained to the Principal (who is black) and she said black students are more likely to not succeed and that is why they are holding special events. I guarantee that there are students in every race that need help and encouragement in school. This segregation makes for a setting similar to what you would find in incarceration. I complained to the AUSD and was told they would be in contact with me. I did not hear back so I called again and they said they referred the matter back to the Principal. AUSD stated the Principal would call me within the next 24 hours to follow up. I never heard back. I have further information if you are interested. I just want the school to help every kid that needs help regardless of race. This is what African Americans have been calling for for a long time and then to see African Americans turn around and do it to another race is very sad.
Wow….!!!!! This was a celebration of accomplishment for kids who are traditionally disadvantaged..This entire community should be celebrating in their success, instead of vilifying and accusing the event to be divisive and racist..!!! The info did not exclude anyone..It was a celebration of the African American youth graduating…Wouldn’t it have been a spectacular show of both student and community support if White, Latino, Asian, African American, Indian, Native Americans, etc had showed up for this celebration..??? Ok, so some time and paper and email space was used to promote the event..Then, sit down the offender, and offer in house disciplinary action and move on…This is exactly what happens when so called adults get involved..!!!! People are quick to point out and bad mouth the black youth for all the wrong they do, where is the applauding for when they do good..??? What about the Catholic Church mentioned who also has a celebration of their graduating youth..? Or the respective colleges who do the same..? Instead of uniting this City, this is dividing it..!!! And Antioch has bigger problems than a graduation celebration being held at a church..!!!
The point of the argument here is the flier states it is for one race it does not state “All 8th Grade Student Promotion Ceremony” or just “8th Grade Promotion Ceremony” . It clearly states African American. (Not to mention AUSD can only promote) You as a Principal should know Ms. Gregg this statement and this statement alone is racist and unfair to all other students and promotes racism. For that alone it causes a problem. Nothing else needs to be said.
We don’t care what this guy does on his own time at his church but he is using the school to get innocent children involved in his religious beliefs. Let the parents make the decision on what church the kids attend without a counselor inviting them.
I’m aware of what the flyer said. I’m aware that flyer was not supposed to go out. I’m aware that the District handled the matter with its personnel as most companies do, confidentially. Just as I hope your employer would do for you. I’m aware that the flyer was sent out to the one school by mistake.
I’m aware that this is the 3rd year this type of celebration has been held and no one spoke a word about it previous to this year and only because of the error in the invite being mailed out. I’m aware that there was no intention to use District funds to have the event because I happen to attend the congregation where it was held and we took care of it. (Other than what has previously been noted and handled as personnel matters within the District.
I’m aware that at no time was anyone’s personal religious belief demanded by any of the clergy that were there to indoctrinate children for that sake. I’m aware of it because I was there. AND i was present to witness the well over 350 attendees spilling out into the parking lot who apparently didn’t feel their children were having religious beliefs placed upon them. In fact, we celebrated, culturally speaking, to contemporary and old school music with song and dance and other such things that are part of the African American culture.
I’m aware that many people of all walks of life attended, and enjoyed themselves. We applauded the accomplishments of the young people who came, and their parents for all they had done. We encouraged them to stay focused on their education, to maintain their integrity despite adversity and to form goals and meet them. We watched children see role models address them with importance.
It was about as uplifting as you could imagine. However, I may now surprise you a bit with my last statement. That being that I believe that perhaps since it seemed to trigger such emotionalism on either side of the discussion, that perhaps this is the time for there to be an open invitation to sit with those willing to open their hearts and minds to come to a best solution for all of our children and the guardians alike. Perhaps the responses that happened can be the catalyst for change that looks at how an event more culturally diverse could perhaps be formed to enlighten us all to our talents, skills and beliefs that move to unite us so that we indeed SHOW our children how free people solve their differences while embracing their differences as well.
To that end, I would put out into the ether an invite to begin that process so that we let kindness, gentleness, self-control, and love be our only guide. We have an entire generation counting on us.
Peace.
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