PLEASE SEND COMMENTS TO horaciolewis18@gmail.com
Our society has since graduated to AK-47s and other assault type weapons best left in the hands of law enforcement and military personnel.If we are to curtail the type of wanton evil visited more recently on Sandy Hook Elementary School, we may begin by making it at least as difficult to own a firearm as it is to obtain a secure driver’s license coupled with more rigorous background checks for buyers with penal and psychiatric histories. Discontinue the use of names/images of perpetrators of these types of massacres in the media and elsewhere. Eliminate so-called “reality shows,” since like mass murderers, there seems to be a desire for notoriety or some distorted type of fame. And finally, minimize entertainment and reports which glorify gratuitous violence and in our community... Horacio Lewis Tuesday, July 16, 2013
The Zimmerman Murder Trial
At the end of the day, when all is said and done, when all the rhetoric, noise and distraction have settled, George Zimmerman profiled, hunted down, shot and killed Trayvon Martin, and justified it by saying: “It was God’s plan.” His guilt was evident from the moment he left his vehicle with a loaded weapon to follow an unharmed Mr. Martin on foot with murder on his mind. I trust our justice system will seek fairness for Trayvon Martin and send a strong message to all who would commit bias-motivated crimes and those who cowardly use a merciful God as an excuse to do heinous things.
Horacio Lewis 7/11/13 2:59 pm est
Puppets and Puppeteers
Puppets and the Puppeteers (Is it me or is it you who lives in a pretend world?)Men and women were sent to Congress under the guise of doing the people’s business. They were all dressed up with ties and suits; the ladies in stylish dresses and pantsuits. As they arrived at their designated offices, they sat at their desks, opened their lunch boxes and saw the following note: “You will now take directions only from Grover Norquist, Fox News, Rush Limbaugh and the Tea Party, for we are the ones who paid for your trip. You are in a make-believe world where the people’s wishes are irrelevant and the other side just lost the elections. You are not allowed to use your own minds, if any, under any circumstances; and your main objective will be to prevent the other side from getting anything done, especially if what they try to do will make the country work for everyone. Moreover, the ‘president’ is not a real American, and furthermore, he is Black! Hence, what he says doesn’t count. You will halt government progress by cutting all programs, especially if they pertain to helping the needy and the deserving; but don’t touch the rich or any legal loopholes designed to get them richer. Take this message to its ultimate conclusion and make government smaller to the point where your jobs are eliminated, no longer needed, and therefore, those who are really there for the people who elected them, will have an opportunity to do great things for this country, for after all, your absence will automatically shrink the government, saving much needed dollars which can be directed to help the least of us, promote economic growth and pay off our debts. Mission accomplished.” 3/16/13 by Horacio Lewis 4:25 pm est
We Should Respect Our Commander-in-Chief
Those citizens and other conservative groups who are treating President Barack Obama with outrageous disrespect due to the color of his skin, and that is exactly the reason, should pause for a moment and remember how we as Americans should view our Commander in Chief; and consider the future when perhaps a white Republican may win the White House. I venture to think that if Mr. Romney had won, we would be having a more respectful conversation about the serious and important issues impacting our nation. As an American citizen by choice, I am embarrassed and pained by the depth of hatred toward our president. 1/16/13 Horacio Lewis 9:13 am est
Mitt Romney, Master Chameleon
Master chameleon Mitt Romney is at it again with his turn-around praise for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Or maybe he is just trying to keep up with President Obama’s brilliant handling of Sandy’s wrath. Working with FEMA, Governor Chris Christie and others, our President has demonstrated empathy and leadership where it counts, regardless of partisanship, petty campaign issues and camera angles, while Governor Romney was relegated to irrelevancy, wallowing in constantly changing make-believe realities. When I proudly cast my vote on Tuesday, Nov. 6 as an unaffiliated voter, I will be voting for those with character, documented ethics and trustworthiness consistent with U.S. and global past, present and future state of affairs. 11/2/12 by Horacio D. Lewis 3:35 pm est
Sandy Hook Last Friday, our Almighty God welcomed back 20 little angels and seven not so little angels to heaven. The Devil greeted one of his own. We pray for them all including the demonic predator that cowardly preyed on the helpless innocent children. While at the end of the day, God loves us all; I do not believe He is pleased with the forced return of His children by way of gun violence or similar abuse. As a young child, settling disagreements with words (and sometimes with fists) seemed to work for me instead, reward/publicize acts of kindness, fairness and justifiable redress behaviors. Also, we need to structurally reinforce existing schools and build better schools that can withstand forced entries and contain safe/panic rooms and bullet proof windows. Moreover, all teachers, staff, including security personnel, and students should be trained in methods to protect themselves when acts of violence are present in their school or place of employment. Indeed, our most precious resources—our children—ought to be protected at least as well as we protect our President!Let us pray for all victims of violence/abuse and prayerfully stand up against the evil in people who kill, and employ the criminal justice and mental health systems as appropriate. We can minimally act immediately by picking random days and standing outside of selected schools with placards announcing: “We Stand against Violence.”I often wonder why perpetrators of violence don’t pick on people their own size with equivalent protective armaments. And I ask: is there some correlation between hurricane Sandy and the selection of the school attacked? 10/12 by Horacio D. Lewis 3:31 pm est
Dear Editor,Thank you for your delightful and defining piece on race (May 2011 issue). As a young Panamanian, I would often look to Ebony as an uplifting respite from what I saw as the proliferation of white supremacy depicted in local and international media. I got the feeling that Ebony, while doing a tremendous job of profiling the positive accomplishments of Blacks, was a bit apologetic given the context of a predominantly white U.S. society which cared little about the important contributions of African-Americans. With your discussion on Mixed-Race America, I am convinced that you have matured as a fearless leader of the Black voice. Your well articulated article demonstrates that you understand the identity issues confronting Black folks in the world, including Latin American Blacks who are often mixed. Please note that Halle Berry (interviewed in your earlier cover story which prompted your piece) had no choice but to employ the one-drop rule defense in speaking to a Black magazine/audience, for only in a more diverse environment would she be comfortable enough to elaborate on the racial/ethnic history of her bi-racial daughter Nahla, with less condemnation and guilt. In fact, Nahla would be viewed as “white,” hands down, in much of Latin America—no explanation necessary, no questions asked given her light complexion, straight hair texture and Caucasian features.Indeed, Black folks have helped to stifle the discussion (and have been complicit) on race bias by forcing mixed-race individuals to cower and use this white-concocted one-drop (black blood, African ancestry=black) explanation.
Being a Black Latin American immigrant and now a U.S. citizen, I have had to grapple with this issue for decades in the United States of America. I believe the “other” designation was provided on forms and documents because of people like me—I was incredulously classified as White at a U.S university when I first came to this country!?—the admissions application had only two racial categories then: Caucasian/White and Negro, I crossed-out Negro and wrote-in Black, the English translation for Negro, at a time when Black was used pejoratively. Go figure. Now with all the designations available on forms, I am apt to check-off as many as ten categories, including Latino, non-white Hispanic, West Indian, multicultural and European; despite my subjection to the “n” word, among others designed to assure me of how I am actually viewed in a racist society.I enjoyed reading this well overdue article on the real dynamics of race in America, an issue that continues to matter as long as we remain ignorant of the silent Mixed-Race majority in the U.S., a group, including my grown children, which helped to propel Barack Obama to the presidency. 6/20/11 Horacio D. Lewis, PhD, ThD 11:31 am est
Christina School District's Race to the Top Issue
I ask the Christina School District, et al, to stop bickering over the dynamics of its Race to the Top “transformation model” (NJ, 4/24/11) and find a way to resolve the procedural issues for the benefit of our children. The millions of dollars at stake can do much to improve the education of students in the, so called, “Partnership Zone.” Maybe the process should be redone with all the agreed upon pieces in place to assure a fair resolution the next time around. Politics and “who’s on first” aside, let us all behave like adults even while disagreeing on the particulars, for it is the future of Delaware education that is on the line. I too have consternation with some aspects of "Race to the Top," however, this is not the time to look a gift horse in the mouth. Horacio D. Lewis, PhD, ThD 4/25/11 9:59 pm est
STICKS AND STONES...
Sticks and stones may break your bones but words will always hurt you. Has a person who often uses words as my defense weapon of choice when doing battle, I can report to you that I prefer to be physically harmed than be perennially damaged by hurtful words; particularly when I let my guard down around family, friends and people I generally trust, people I expect to have-my-back, support me and be verbally gentler. Indeed, harsh words are more painful when spoken by people who are close to you and are supposed to “feel your pain.” Unlike the temporary wound inflicted by a stick or stone, painful words have the tendency to live with you forever eventually growing into your entire personality and outlook-- a negative self-fulfilling effect. Damaging words tend to arrange themselves as tapes in your head which play over and over again, resulting at times in psychosis or even violence. To fight against this, one must respond immediately to injurious words and not let them take root in your brain, making you live to regret the lost opportunity to have retaliated back then-and-there, to lessen the long-lasting detrimental impact of verbal abuse. Horacio D. Lewis, PhD, ThD 9/26/10 4:36 pm est
Deputy Superintendent for Teaching and Learning?!
The Christina School District just hired a Deputy Superintendent for teaching and learning???!!! Shouldn’t the entire district administration be responsible for this? What in the hell are the other administrators doing? I think we have again been hoodwinked by the district’s recent referendum. I’m glad I didn’t support this farce.
Horacio D. Lewis (retired DOE administrator, professor, teacher and unsuccessful candidate for the Christina School board) 6/10/10 12:47 pm est
Latinos and Pediatric Pedophile Dr. Earl Bradley
I have been told that Attorney General Beau Biden’s office has sent out inquiry letters written in Spanish to the Latino community who may have received “medical” services from Pediatric Pedophile Dr. Earl Bradley. If true and it’s a good start, some of us would be interested in learning what else Delaware officials may have done to allay the fear of authority, and encourage non-English proficient potential victims to come forward with their complaints. Has there been a coordinated effort to send bilingual personnel (e.g. Social Workers) into the Latino community? Has there been counsel sought from the National Council of La Raza? It would help to understand that as a result of cultural differences/practices and perhaps compounded by immigration status, Latinos would be less apt to approach State officials even if they have been victimized. Horacio D. Lewis, PhD, ThD 3/20/10
Former Chairman of the Governor’s Council on Child Protective Services, Former Chairman of the Governor’s Council on Hispanic Affairs, Former Chairman of the Delaware Advisory Commission to the US Commission on Civil Rights and Former Chairman of the Latino Task Force 1:26 pm edt Thursday, March 18, 2010The Widespread Firing of TeachersTwo major personal laws governed my behavior during my 10+ year tenure teaching in four Delaware public high schools: 1. Treat students with utmost respect/courtesy and 2. Follow through with sanctions without engagement, when a disciplinary instruction/command is given. The first part is easy if you are generally a polite person who believes in the sanctity of human beings and their capacity to learn and improve their lot. The second part takes more time and patience. For example (during an interaction with a disruptive student at the beginning of class): Teacher--“You need to sit in your assigned seat.” Student—“Why? Johnny is not sitting in his.” Teacher—“Right now I am talking to you and I am asking you to sit in your assigned seat!” If a student continues to argue or ignore commands, then the teacher needs to act with a disciplinary measure which may include extracting the student from the classroom, with administrative assistance, to minimize further class delay/distraction. That said, with the recent widespread firing of teachers because of “budget constraints,” I trust school superintendents, et al., are also considering the expulsion/firing of disruptive students and redundant administrators in order to keep public school education alive with effective teachers. Horacio D. Lewis, PhD, ThD 3/18/103:13 pm edt
A New Political Party
I hereby propose yet another political party to address the real needs of our American people; neither Democratic nor Republican or even Independent. In fact, not even a Tea, Coffee or milk and cookies party. I am thinking of a Fairness Party! Or rather, a non-party built on fairness; one that would answer simple questions having to do with applied US constitutional issues and what’s in the best interest of the people; and would support informed candidates who can thoughtfully articulate and justify their fair approach to solving our American dilemma. The time has come to truly help our country and our people, and to discontinue support for established political parties. The needs of people come before party needs. Let us endorse/elect individuals with the correct ideas for resolving our issues as a people and country even if we have to draft them. Horacio D. Lewis, PhD, ThD 3/16/1012:17 pm est
Communicate More Truthfully
One of the things that irks me the most with our public political discourse is the dearth of verbal transparency when criticizing the other side. I say, let us enhance communication and credibility, and attract more discerning listeners by first owning up to our own known misdeeds. (“He who is without sin…”) Horacio D. Lewis, PhD, ThD 3/5/107:46 pm est
More on Baybeesgate
I have already called for a U.S. Department of Justice investigation of the ”Baybeesgate” pediatric rape case (Blog, 1/10/10). Today’s Grand Jury indictment of Dr. Earl B. Bradley (“…471 counts of rape and abuse,” The News Journal) makes this request all the more urgent; particularly when it appears that a few intimidated victims (including Latinos) are not coming forward to tell their stories, some are revising their earlier comments, and others have given up on a system that failed them when the story was uncovered over ten years ago. For Delawareans, this is a clear example of: Justice delayed is justice denied. 2/23/1011:44 am est
"Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way"
While I did not participate in your recent poll (NYT, 2/12/10), I strongly agree with the majority responding “not favorable” to its “opinion of the Republican Party.” Indeed, I have noticed a rightist campaign, fueled by a tint of prejudice, to distort, disengage and destroy when it comes to issues supported by the President of the United States. Consistent with Thomas Paine’s dictum: “Lead follow or get out of the way,” it would be very helpful to see a mass resignation of those who would rather not move forward, or even participate in the discussion, for the benefit of our great country. To regain favor, Republicans need to reverse the prevailing public perception of their bullying, mediocrity, disingenuousness and negativity. Better yet, Congress, in general, could use more open minded individuals, divested of party affiliations, whose sole concern is the welfare of the American people! 2/12/1010:48 pm est
Radiation Pellets Procedure
Thank you for perhaps the first in-depth look at the disaster that is the Brachytherapy procedure (NYT, Sunday, 6/21/09). My brother Sgt. Clarence E. Lewis, an army veteran, underwent such a procedure over ten years ago in a V.A. hospital in Texas. He has since been riddled with pain and incapable of using the bathroom. He ended up disabled with a colostomy, and diapers. One doctor called the aftermath a nuclear disaster. He now lives in Old Soldiers Home, Washington, DC.I wrote in the 1990's about his experience in our local News Journal newspapers (Wilmington, DE) and was attacked by local hospital doctors and a newspaper editor, who had successfully undergone the procedure, for “misinforming the community and raising fear.” Should you do a follow-up story on this most challenging prostate cancer approach, please do not forget my brother who has not even received an apology for this terrible mistake. Who knows how many other veterans have been used as a guinea pig! 6/21/09 12:45 pm est
Youth Service
It is not surprising that the major findings of the “Assessing the Long-Term Effects of Youth Service: The Puzzling Case of Teach for America” study (NY Times, Jan. 4, 2010) were “burnout,” “exhaustion” and “disillusionment” among those choosing to serve, and that only 31% of the program’s 17,000 alumni continued in the teaching profession. This five-year study should serve as a wake-up call to policymakers and those who have no idea of the extreme stress involved in a career plagued with up to 15-hour work days, persistent classroom disciplinary issues, little, if any, parental/community assistance and obtrusive administrative meddling; not to mention insulting wages. Unless our education system is radically changed, particularly at the middle and high school levels, our society will continue to lose the type of expertise, creativity and dedication required for successful teaching and learning. 1/4/10 12:37 am est
US Dept. of Justice Action Required to Prosecute "BayBeesgate"
I continue to believe that an investigation by the US Dept. of Justice is required to prosecute and put to rest any cover-up of wrong-doing by Delaware officials in the outrageous Bradley BayBeesgate case (1/10/10 letter herein). The appointment of Law School Dean Linda Ammons by Governor Jack Markell to review and make recommendations regarding systemic failures is a step in the right direction as we seek impartial and responsible adjudication. Horacio D. Lewis, PhD, ThD 1/15/10 8:46 am est
Haiti's Toussaint L’Ouverture
...started the recovery in Haiti in 1791; let us continue that effort by creating a safe haven for earthquake surviving Haitians in a specific geographical area in the United States or in South America. History has shown that Haiti has, regrettably, not progressed much in the last 200+ years hence; a relocated Haiti, not unlike Liberia or Jonestown (for different reasons), may be in order at this desperate time since the cost of rebuilding and saving lives is prohibitive. In the end, the U.S. may have to take possession of Haiti, if we so choose, like we did with Puerto Rico. 1/14/107:27 pm est Wednesday, January 13, 2010Will the Real Harold Ford Stand Up! Harold E. Ford Jr. seems to be a real chameleon, a Republican wannabe, with uncommitted, changeable positions to suit his environment. He had Tennesseans fooled. Will his hat trick work in New York? Your article (NY Times Jan. 13) reads like a fairy tale. Does he even believe he is Black or will he change his position on that as well! This man cannot be trusted to lead anyone! New Yorkers would be better off without him. 1/13/10 11:05 am est
Let’s Re-examine our Education System By Horacio D. Lewis, PhD
Now that Delaware has won $100 million for its well written and coordinated Federal “Race to the Top” school reform application, I ask: can we now deliver what works for our kids and stop the nationally inspired widespread dismissal and exodus of those who teach them? To do so, we must thoughtfully look at our education system and make significant corrections in the wake of questionable desegregation achievements and misplaced priorities. Four major principles governed my behavior during 10+ year tenure teaching in four Delaware public high schools and 20 years as a State Education Administrator: 1. Care about students, for most students don’t really care what you know until they know that you care. 2. Treat students with utmost respect/courtesy, dignity and fairness. 3. Coach/guide students responsibly using first-rate real-world mastered information, and
4. Follow through with sanctions without engagement, when a disciplinary instruction/command is disobeyed. The first three are easy if you are generally a polite person who believes in equity, the sanctity of human beings and their capacity to learn and improve their lot. The fourth takes more time and patience. For example (during an interaction with a moderately disruptive student at the beginning of class): Teacher--“You need to sit in your assigned seat so that we may begin class.” Student--“Why?, Johnny is not sitting in his seat.” Teacher--“Right now I am talking to you and I am asking you to sit in your assigned seat!” “Thank you.” If a student continues to argue or ignore commands as class begins, then the teacher needs to act with a penalty which may include extracting the student from the classroom, with administrative assistance (accessed by classroom phone), if necessary, to minimize further class delay/distraction. Here the teacher does not take the bait and engage in a discussion regarding Johnny’s behavior. This “why are you picking on me” ploy is often used by disruptive students in order to get the class off-track as they take control—the education of all is held hostage for several minutes in this scenario, and the teacher almost always ends up losing. Johnny’s behavior as well as the deportment of the often 30 or more students in the class would be addressed, if required, following this incident; one issue at a time. Indeed, I handled such situations by inviting offending students to step outside to “my office” (the school hallway) for a brief reprimand which oftentimes was enough to redirect the behavior.
The teacher would also follow-up, at the end of the day, with a phone call or letter to the parent/s or guardian/s with an invitation for a face to face meeting if needed, depending on gravity of offense and other student infractions; all this, in the midst of correcting up to 180 test papers, preparing lesson plans/exams, making copies of student exercises and completing the dreaded content standards curriculum mapping and Delaware Performance Appraisal System (DPAS II) teacher evaluation forms. A teacher’s plate is very full even on a good day. Because of this and other reasons, several teachers have left the profession; some for jobs paying half their teaching salaries! And while some dismissals are legitimate, many teachers have been unfairly fired by a system which conspires against them, driven by unruly students and incompetent administrators.I attended elementary and high schools, and completed most of my undergraduate work in the Republic of Panamá where we were assigned to specific learning tracks since it was clear to educators that not every student would or could become a neuroscientist. How many of these do we need anyway?
Hence, some students were placed (often by choice) in vocational education courses depending on their abilities, achievement levels, commitment, behavior and interests. I was in the other group (Bachillerato en Ciencias) destined to continue academic courses which later enabled me to earn several college degrees in Panamá and the United States. Perhaps that’s why I am not as proficient as many of my former classmates who did quite well building houses, fixing air conditioning/plumbing/computer systems, and making more money than I. That could well be because I did not become a neuroscientist. Moreover, students in my day attended either a morning or evening shift schedule which helped to save on construction and related school costs.We need as many students in the vocational tracks as we do in the academic tracks in order to function as a society. Everyone can still be all that they want to be, but only if they are fully prepared and can, in fact, do the required work. Let us stop pretending that all students are equipped to do everything offered in our school curriculum.
Some will always be more capable than others in specific areas. We should not continue to set students up for failure having them believe they can perform as well as those with different abilities, interests, discipline, training and work-ethic, without developing and demonstrating adequate effort and sacrifice and skill. Indeed, Schools should stop basing success only on test scores which are determined by academic proficiency! I once had a high ranking student who presented his senior thesis on a futuristic house he would build using green energy. It was a great presentation with good research and cool technology. But guess what? He forgot to build bathrooms in this wonderful environmentally friendly house—great academic student with little vocational education skills; outhouse anyone? As we discuss how to spend US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s billions to improve schools, we may want to take another look at our education system. Let us train and retain good teachers, train and retain a smaller number of non-meddling administrators, and re-distribute students based on interests, promise and actual evaluation results.
In essence, students who are not suited for traditional high school should be assigned to a trade/technical school or could be moved directly to college. Others, with the help of parents, et al., should be paired with a master trainer/worker as an apprentice for a specified job not requiring a high school diploma per se, or sent to Boot Camp. A GED or related studies could be completed during this training period if desired. The school in these instances would integrate alternate placements as a measure of success. This discussion does not use the word “tracking” in the traditional discriminatory sense of yesteryear when students were stereotypically segregated, often by race or ethnicity, in less rigorous classes. Further, the concept of fairness as presented herein, promotes diversity and non-prejudicial behavior in the entire instructional fabric consistent with my desegregation efforts when I worked for the Delaware Department of Education (previously Department of Public Instruction).If the United States Department of Education funding is to be used wisely, we should understand that every student is not college material (or at least not yet); we need to prepare students for other needed trades; and schools ought to be configured in completely different ways where all participants are learners, and well-behaved students are guided to accomplish specific goals. That is, instead of the current widespread firing of teachers, we need to keep public school education alive by eliminating top heavy organizations and developing new ones where teachers are paid a decent salary in keeping with their skill levels and effectiveness.
Clearly, if we are serious about frugality and accountability in education, rather than dismissing teachers who are the very engines of rubber-meets-the-road classrooms, we should start by downsizing or completely dismantling the Delaware Department of Education and district offices where there is not only a disconnect with teaching/classroom reality but a lack of educational innovation and a prevalence of idleness, a pervasive search for “administrivia” and semblance of busyness. Likewise, boards of education need to stop wasting the people’s money on out-of-state consulting groups (e.g. Christina’s recent $350,000 spree), faddish & punitive high stakes tests that don’t prove much (e.g. DSTP), meaningless non-transparent meetings and ineffective professional development programs. And for heaven’s sake, let us stop the déjà vu 5 year recycling of instructional practices! Remember Back to Basics, Madeline Hunter (“anticipatory set”), No Child Left Behind, Cooperative Learning, Multiple Intelligences, Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), Multicultural Education, Differentiated Instruction, Power of Positive Students (POPS), Invitational Schooling, New Directions, Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, Vision 2015...?
Will we ever stick with a few good programs?Finally, if students are not in class to learn and achieve at high levels, there should be an exit door after an initial trial/adjustment period. For at the end of the day, students must realize that it is they, with adequate guidance, who need to make the required life changes which will decide their present and future. The blame game should actually stop with the student! They can even attempt to renegotiate assigned tracks by proving that they have the ability to do the required work and display the proper behavior required for success. Pedagogical environments are fully functional when teachers are motivated, well paid, knowledgeable, treated with professional respect and disruptive behaviors are minimal. Some of this discussion and practice is already in place in some form (e.g. Sussex County Technical School, Delaware Military Academy, The Charter School of Wilmington, Delaware School for the Deaf, The Moyer Academy, St. Andrew’s School…); it is time to make it commonplace.(Dr. Horacio D. Lewis, a Jefferson Award for Public Service recipient, is an Adjunct Associate Professor of Spanish & Education at Delaware State University, President of the Fairness Institute and Humanities Scholar with the Delaware Humanities Forum. He was an Education Associate and Program Director at the Delaware Department of Public Instruction/Department of Education for 20 years prior to teaching high school. He also taught at over 10 universities throughout the country including Indiana University (IN) and Brown Universities (RI). Contact: horaciolewis18@gmail.com
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