It is disappointing to see the vitriol that some in the community has hurled at the students of Antioch Unified School District as it relates to “equality and diversity”.
All of our students in the community need to be protected! It was an eye opener during graduation to hear speeches from students that talked about the community’s perception of them as students. “We are good students, we have received a bad rap from the community but we stuck together as students and now we are graduating!” It’s a big deal in the year of 2015 to graduate from High School.
AUSD is not unique in supporting its students of ethnic background. Several Districts in the Bay Area and the Delta support student and families of ethnic background with specific ceremonies that seek to encourage academic engagement.
Did you know that AUSD has a high student dropout rate compared to other surrounding School Districts with similar population numbers?
Yes, there has been incremental progress, and yes, the work must continue so that the dropout rate of our students from high school can improve exponentially.
Research has shown that students who drop out of school commit more crimes in their community and
have a difficult time fitting into society. Many students that attend AUSD go on to college and lead
successful lives but we cannot ignore those students with the greatest needs. We also have a large
population of foster youth, and families that have been impacted by various environmental issues.
AUSD is attempting to close the academic gap for all students and recognize that being innovative in
how we serve students will not be without tension.
I am not sure if the community knows that 70% of our student population is a high need group. We are
mandated as a District to meet the educational needs of these high need students. We are also
mandated to work with community groups that support our high need student population irrespective
of race or creed.
Dr. Fancies is an upstanding Antioch citizen and Pastor that has used his church for the benefit of youth in the Antioch community. I have participated in those activities on many occasions and am aware that Delta Bay Church welcomes anyone to those events.
We need more churches becoming involved to provide social emotional supports for our youth in Antioch because churches have always been instrumental in helping the community understand the value of education and the importance of parental involvement in a child’s developing life.
I will not make excuses for use of the District email for the African American Baccalaureate event that was held because we must be clear in our communication to all stakeholders regarding our policies on the use of email and other District resources. I am sure that this is probably not the first time that District email was used for something that it should not have been.
However, I do believe that we have all learned a valuable lesson!
One of my favorite authors is Leo Buscaglia, he wrote several books on “Love”. Dr. Buscaglia wrote
about his experience in public education and I will share a portion of the story here verbatim:
“I had a very unique experience in my childhood. You can look in the annals because it’s all
recorded. I was born in Los Angeles, and my parents were Italian immigrants. A big family, Mama and
Papa were obviously great lovers! They came from a tiny village at the base of the Italian Swiss Alps
where everyone knew everyone. Everyone knew the names of the dogs, and the village priest came out
and danced in the streets at the fiestas and got as drunk as everybody else. It was the most beautiful
scene in the world and a pleasure to be raised by these people in this old way. But when I was taken, at
five, to a public school, tested by some very official looking person, the next thing I knew, I was in a class
for the mentally retarded! It didn’t matter that I was able to speak Italian and an Italian dialect. I also
spoke French and Spanish—but I didn’t speak English too well and so I was mentally retarded. I believe
the term now is “culturally disadvantaged”. I was put into this class for the mentally retarded, and I
never had a more exciting educational experience in my life! (Buscaglia, 1972)
Of course, I cut the story short and am hoping that the idea of the story is implied. In other words, it’s
easy to “blame” and “label” those that are different from you. Eventually, Dr. Buscaglia was retested as
a child and placed in a regular classroom.
He writes of his disappointment because of the closeness of losing the teacher and feeling bored for the rest of his educational learning. He was traumatized when he was placed out of Special Ed into mainstream classrooms; and he never forgot the struggles he had as a child trying to survive in the public school system. Ironically, many of the experiences he had as a child is shared by many of our students of ethnic background 86 years later! What are the chances?
Today in the year “2015” we continue to serve students that are perceived to be “culturally disadvantaged” because they are English Language Learners and I am sure that our Latina, Filipino, Asian and African population of students can relate to the above story.
As a community we must do everything we can to fight the “systemic” problems that keeps us as human beings from progressing because of all of the “labels” and “acts of misunderstandings” that do not teach our youth that we care about them and the future that lies ahead of them.
My hope is that Dr. Kings “I have a Dream” speech be read in its entirety and the hope that he had for
America will one day fully materialize. The adults must be careful to make sure that the children are not
caught up in their quest to be “right”.
Life is a mirror; we must remember that we are the example that students see on a daily basis. Often, many children’s lives are the mirror that society has become. We cannot distance ourselves from the problems many of our children face. We must take responsibility for their well being and we must model the behaviors that we want them to have.
I am asking the community to “forgive” and move on. AUSD is continuing to grow so that the lives of our students can be engaged and impacted positively. AUSD celebrates all cultures and students are given the opportunity many times throughout the school year at our schools to appreciate all cultures and ethnicities.
We have a long way to go but we are making progress.
Dr. Buscaglia spent his life writing about “Love”. He took a childhood experience and decided to make it
his personal mission to help humanity attain what he felt was the greatest gift given to all of us as
humans. Our children know that evil, hate, injustice, violence, poverty, favoritism, hunger, being cold,
etc exist.
I think it is time that we adults teach them that their lives matter by demonstrating and modeling empathy and respect towards each other. Education is the key to our student’s future and we must use all available resources to improve the outcome of what they learn in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
I hope that as a community we work together to summon the intelligence of all of our children regardless of their race or creed. Our future depends on it!
Submitted by Antioch Unified School District Board Member Debra Vinson
Debra Vinson is serving her first term as School Board Trustee for Antioch Unified School District insistence of the community an parents. Debra has been a member of the Antioch community for some time and her daughter attended Park Middle and graduated from Antioch High School.
Debra has over 11 years of experience working in public schools and has worked in a professional capacity as a Mental Health Clinical Specialist, Trainer and Consultant with students and families from preschool through high school. Currently, Debra works as an independent Business Consultant with nonprofit organizations that serve children and families.
Debra has MA in Counseling Psychology from John F. Kennedy University, BA in Business Administration, and a Technical Degree in Computer Operations. Debra sits on the Family and Children’s Trust Committee and has served on various boards in the Bay Area that serve children and adolescents. Debra was recently nominated and will receive “Diplomate” status with the American Psychotherapy Association where she is a Board Certified Professional Counselor.
Debra has been an active volunteer in the Antioch community, often working in the background with individuals in the community and with different organizations and churches that serve children and families. Debra has been a California State Appointed Advocate, Volunteer in Probation and has worked closely with law enforcement, legal teams including judges, medical professionals, educators, and CBO’s.
As a Board Trustee she wants to give students in Antioch more opportunities to link school to future careers by working with parents, teachers, organizations, community colleges and local businesses to provide experiences linked to career pathways. Her focus will be on students, teachers and families because she cares about our community and is concerned about the future of all children in AUSD.
Debra’s goal is to build a better educational environment that will benefit ALL families/students in AUSD, with a specific focus on low performing students and students with special needs. Debra has proven leadership skills and success in school climate, social emotional and mental health of students, relationship building with faculty and administrators, financial accountability, community building, and problem solving.
Debra hopes to use her expertise, knowledge and skills for the benefit of Antioch School District students, families and district staff.
14 comments
As someone who sent children through the District and graduated years ago, I am confused by what Ms Vinson is even trying to say. And what lesson was learned? People want to knock off the race crap when it comes to students?
Excuse me? Asking the community to forgive and forget? Why, because the AUSD is failing to address the real issues. Ms. Vinson, I voted for you, its time for you to lead, not sweep this under the rug.
Well stated Debra, we must embrace everyone and celebrate everyone. People need to stop acting like this is the 1950’s. Thank you ECT for publishing this
Where’s the info about the “African American” honor roll where you only need a 2.2 gpa? Or the non participation policy with lower than a 2.2 gpa, that is waived for “African Americans”?
I agree 100% with support and help for students that struggle to meet mainstream standards.
However I disagree 100% with tying the programs and procedures to an ethnic group.
I also disagree with having things like honor roll and discipline being handed out differently at all.
If we are an equal society we have to do things equally.
No one is doing these kids any favors by creating substandard requirements for them, making it acceptable and telling them they are not as good as other kids.
Back in my day, there were no ceremony promotion to the next grade level, there was only High School Graduation. Maybe we should go back to the old days and NOT celebrate promotion just to avoid all the chaos that this current society has created.
Church and school are 2 different things. I have a problem with the flier which has been sent out. I have a problem with any church that would do such a thing for the black students who graduated the 8th grade. I hope they also had a special ceremony for every other 8th grader who graduated the 8th grade! Otherwise this church has given us a beautiful example of what segregation is! I will set my own example and I will not be attending this church, who feels free to segregate God’s children. AUSD did not endorse this flier or ceremony for obvious reasons. AUSD have already responded to this situation. Why did Debra Vinson feel the need to give us a sermon about forgive and forget? I am not worried about what they are going to do about it. I do not need a forgive or forget sermon and quotes from her favorite author to know the difference between right and wrong. I am more worried about what is being taught in this church. The flier told us who they are……They forgot Jesus loves the little children, all the little children in the world…….Practicing segregation in church? I thought they were suppose to practice Christianity in church…..embrace the world. Not just Black 8th grade students. Embrace the world. The church made it very clear it was for black 8th grade students. I want to attend a church who welcomes all of the 8th grade class for a special graduation ceremony. I believe this would represent the christian concept the way it should be. The AUSD provides an 8th grade graduation ceremony for all of the 8th grade students. The church does not. Church and school are 2 different institutions. Lets not mix the 2 and lets keep them separate. It was a good lesson to learn what church I will never attend… Jesus loves the little children, all the little children of the world……I am thankful Debra Vinson wrote her personal response to this incident. Now I know who she is. So do you.
Thank you Jean Hoops! Wonderful response. Yes, it is clear who Debra Vison is.
Spoken like a true believer of the “black people are to be pitied and should be treated differently simply because they are black” mentality. And by the way, quoting MLK does not give your statements legitimacy. Most black people have no real idea what Dr. King really stood for because if they did, they would not try to use race as a crutch. That’s a tactic commonly used in the black community to invoke “white guilt”. Unfortunately, it still works because so many are afraid to be labeled a racist simply because they have a different point of view.
When you tell and teach a black child that their success should be treated differently, you set that child up for a life of anger and bitterness because their expectation of how society should respond to them is completely unrealistic. These kind of individuals don’t contribute to society, they become a sucubus that feeds on the hard work of others by expecting a handout instead of a hand up!
Don’t fall what this author and others like them with same educational handicap are selling. Any child will succeed if the have the right support and it ALL begins at home!
Perfectly said Jean Hoops…!!! My sentiments exactly as I am sure it is many others.
Interesting that the author would mention Dr. King. I too would like to see Dr. King’s vision come true.
“I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”-Martin Luther King, Jr.
Unfortunately, that is not what we see with the AUSD. When students are judged by their character and actions as they should be, the district soon starts ignoring the character and actions of certain students and starts making excuses based on the color of their skin. This refusal to teach accountability only hurts the student in the long run because it is not preparing them for the real world. Late for work, act up and disrupt the workplace, cuss out a supervisor, fight with a coworker, not follow the rules and you get fired.
I keep hearing how the district is preparing the students for life in the real world. How is making excuses for poor behavior and not holding one accountable for their actions preparing them for reality. The fact is that by making excuses, they are setting these students up for failure.
For those of you who don’t remember UCBN or United Citizens for Better Neighborhoods Gary Gilbert was our leader. The group was made up of many nationalities who worked together for years to make Antioch a better place. Gary is a very strong activist who just happens to also be out spoken about how the black parents are parenting. Gary is a well respected black parent himself.
Thanks Nancy. It absolutely sickens me to my core when I see or read about nonsense like this. This district employee/pastor should absolutely be disciplined for his actions because he used district letterhead to promote prejudice, bigotry, and reverse racism. If the pastor wanted to hold a promotion celebration for 8th graders who attend his church that’s fine, but you don’t send out a district-wide flier and exclude all other students. And for a school board member to defend his action is irresponsible and indefensible and out of touch with reality.
All there of my children have attended Antioch schools. Both my sons graduated from DV, went on to graduate from college, and both are now proudly serving in the US Army. My daughter was a 8th grader this year and was on the Honor Roll each year of middle school. Would my wife and I have allowed her to attend a promotion ceremony for black students only? Absolutely not.
Hopefully a positive lesson can be learned from all of this. Celebrating the success of all students should be done to forge unity and pride within the community, not divide it along racial lines. Good luck Antioch!
What is the point if this article? Am I supposed to pity and treat black people as if I owe them something?
I’m black and guess what? I owe my success to working hard and not lowering my self expectations.
BTW john F. Kennedy college is the same college our ridiculous and incompetent mayor went to school. They hand out degrees like condiments. Furthermore, their business school is NOT AACSB accredited like California State Universities or UCs. I know people who walked out of Kennedy with double masters and triple bachelors in 5 years. What does that tell you?
You can’t fool them all Debra and Wade.
Antioch is now becoming known as the City to live in for under preforming schools, where the student is in control. This verifies what people are saying about this community, that it is the home of the handout crowd. Displaced Foster Children are filling the schools from all over with the assistance of HUD Housing and the City of Antioch, looking the other way for terrible rental properties and care less landlords, who are not held accountable for their apartments and rental homes. Blight is not a good environment for students and they feel it is the norm. Maybe more new pools and gyms at the high school will help? Low preforming schools, social issues, crime and blight have forced hundreds of good families from this town!
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