A voucher or tax-credit to attend private schools would  further harm efforts to improve our public school system, by taking away needed state funding that could be used instead to improve school offerings, equipment and facilities. For example, single-gender and other choice programs in Richland districts 1 and 2 are quite successful.

Although the intent of a voucher/tax-credit system is to give parents an opportunity to send their child to a better-performing school, the net effect would be minimal at best. The poorest of our citizens still would not be able to afford giving their child a private-school education.

Our public school system can educate all children. In the 2008 edition of “The State of Black South Carolina: An Acton Agenda for the Future,” we documented, through empirical data, that underperforming students can meet standards when teachers are trained in culturally competent teaching techniques.

Taxpayer money would be best used for the greater good–improving and supporting the public school system that is available to all S.C. residents.

We expect the South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS) to protect our children. Without community support, it is practically impossible for this agency to totally protect our children. We must all work together in protecting our children. Community involvement is a must in reducing child abuse and fatalities.

For example, Neighborhood Watch programs have reduced community crime. Neighborhood Watch programs have been recognized as one of the most effective means of reducing crime in a community. We need to launch Neighborhood Child Watch programs in communities to protect our children from dangers such as abuse by parents and others. In every community, there is someone who knows what’s going on. The community, along with the SCDSS protective services, must work more effectively in protecting our children–our future.

We need a state-wide campaign to engage our neighborhoods in protecting our children by reporting abuse and neglect to the appropriate authorities. We as a community must move from the side line to the front line in protecting our future–our children.

The leadership of the federal government is essential to fixing the economy. Equally important is having a positive attitude about our economic future rather than internalizing the negatives. It’s the naysayer’s job to articulate despair and doom. I am reminded of the power of positive thinking that I experienced very early in my career. Rather than using negative energy to complain about challenges, I was taught the importance of refocusing one’s energy in developing solutions. The good news is that by refocusing on the positive, the window of opportunity will open for you.

Norman Vincent Peale said “Expect the best and get it” in his best-selling self-help book The Power of Positive Thinking. Dr Peale said: “Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure. The way you think about a fact may defeat you before you ever do anything about it. You are overcome by the fact because you think you are.”

In creating this sustainable attitude of positive thinking, you must surround yourself with a network of positive people. A recently released 20-year study by Harvard social scientist Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler, a political scientist at the University of California at San Diego, revealed how contagious happiness can be if your friend is happy and your friend’s friend is happy. In essence, your happiness depends on your social network.

Most of us have experienced the positive impact of being around happy and positive people. We also have experienced the adverse impact of negative energy from unhappy and negative people, who in many cases have become professional complainers and whiners. If you aren’t careful in avoiding these people, they will steal your joy and contaminate you with their spirit of negativism, causing you to lose your spiritual compass. Without a spiritual compass of hope (a positive belief that you can overcome obstacles), you will be unable to navigate through the challenges of life’s uncertainties. Remember, positive thinking along with protecting your space from negative energy will help you to overcome challenges and see opportunities.

Yet, there are many families who are stuck in a culture of low expectations. This lack of vision manifests itself as poor academic achievement, disruptive behavior, and gang violence. Often in our communities, public policy provides more funds for prison construction than education. We must work together to subdue and correct those views and policies that rob us of our future and chip away at our promise.

At the Columbia Urban League, our approach to renewing our community is three fold – just as our theme suggests. Our programs advocate moral principles, such as hard work and skills building, to help participants see the possibilities and understand the effort it will take to change their circumstances. For those who do realize their potential and are committed, the Urban League provides them the means for claiming their share of the pie. We assist with scholarships, internships and mentorship. Then as each participant achieves his or her goals, it creates a synergy for personal and communal excellence.

Regardless of each of our social and economic backgrounds, we – as a community – must do all we can to push and encourage each other to see it, claim it, and achieve it. We at the Columbia Urban League strive for this every day. Please join us in making our community a better place.

 Many parents are shocked when things go wrong. They know they are good parents. They believe they have given their children love and support to be successful. Their plea is universal: “What could I have done differently?” 

These parents all want successful outcomes for their children, and they are constantly seeking ways to become better parents. Over the years, I have discussed this issue with hundreds of parents. We talked about the tried-and-proven approaches to parenting. But the perfect answer was always elusive. 

Well, help may be available now — through science. According to U.S. News & World Report (“Good Parents, Bad Results,” June 23), researchers have come up with an evidence-based approach to parenting. The article lists eight common mistakes of parenting: 

Failing to set limits. Rule-setting works best if it’s done well in advance of conflict, according to Robert Hendren, a professor of psychiatry at the Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopment Disorders Institute at the University of California-Davis and president of the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 

Being too protective. Robert Brooks, a clinical psychologist in Needham, Mass., and co-author of Raising Resilient Children, says “many well-meaning parents jump in too quickly.” Parents need to give children time to work through their challenges in order to develop resiliency. 

Repeated nagging, yelling and lecturing. Lynn Clark, a professor emeritus of psychology at Western Kentucky University and author of SOS Help for Parents, says, “There is an abundance of research that indicates that children tune out repeated commands.” Also, “the child imitates that behavior, and you get sassy talk.” 

Too much praise. Carol Dweck, a psychologist at Stanford University, says, “Fifth graders who were praised for being intelligent, rather than making a good effort, actually made less of an effort on tests and had a harder time dealing with failure.” 

Punishing too harshly. Rex Forehand and other researchers have spent many hours observing the use of time-out as a disciplinary strategy to determine exactly what makes it effective. Their key finding: Discipline works best when it’s immediate, mild and brief, because it’s then associated with the transgression and doesn’t breed more anger and resentment. A time-out should last for just a few minutes, usually one minute for each year of age of the child. 

Telling children how to feel. Myrna Shure, a developmental psychologist at Drexel University and author of Raising a Thinking Child, says, “Children need to think about how their own feelings will be affected by what they do. That is what will inhibit a child from hurting others, either physically or emotionally.” 

Putting grades ahead of creativity. Stanley Greenspan, a child psychiatrist in Chevy Chase, Md., says: “We like kids to learn rules, and we want them to learn facts. We’re impressed when they can read early or identify their shapes. It’s much harder for us to inspire them to come up with a creative idea.” Also, children who think creatively are more likely to rebound if their first idea doesn’t work. 

Forgetting to have fun. Parents should not forget the importance of laughter and having fun together as a family. 

In addition to these evidence-based best practices, parents I’ve talked to have repeatedly highlighted one other essential approach to effective parenting: prayer. Many gave testimonies on how prayer helped them to overcome parenting challenges. 

Also, please know that parenting is a work in process, so stay encouraged. 

The Southwest Educational Development Laboratory, an education research center, describes the achievement gap as:

-the difference between a child’s parental and his/her actual achievement
-the acceptance of mediocrity in expectations, values, and people
-the unacceptable difference in  achievement and academic resources

For years, South Carolina has struggled with closing the achievement gap. Since 1988, the Columbia Urban League has relentlessly brought this problem to the conscience ofSouth Carolinians by providing pertinent data and scholarly analysis of this problem in its publication, The State of Black South Carolina: An Action Agenda for the Future. In the 1988-1989 edition of this publication, the late Dr. Ed Hayes, USC professor of Education discussed the achievement gap in rural South Carolina. He concludes that the quality of rural education and economic growth will continue to lag behind the state’s urban areas until better approaches are developed in attracting and directing resources to this area. Also, in the 2008 edition, twenty years later, Stephen Morrison, author and attorney, concluded that our children are failing because South Carolina has systematically denied adequate public schools to the poorest, mostly rural, predominantly African-American communities.

In the 2008 edition of The State of Black America, we also discussed the importance of culturally competent training of educators in closing the achievement gap. Furthermore, in the 2008 edition of The State of Black South Carolina, Dr. Gloria Boutte, a USC professor of Education, discussed culturally relevant pedagogy in closing the achievement gap of African-American students. Culturally relevant pedagogy is the concept of incorporating the students’ cultural background–their cultural, social, educational, political, and economic realities–into how the students are taught. She profiled four case studies to demonstrate how culturally relevant pedagogy as a public school choice can close the achievement gap of disadvantaged students.

All of the authors who have written chapters on education have called for bold public policy initiatives to invest adequate resources to enhance the quality of education for minority students who are locked in a system of minimally adequate education.

Additionally, we believe public school choice as recommended by Dr. Jim Rex, South Carolina’s State Superintendent of Education, will be a significant step in closing the achievement gap. Public school choice is not a new concept; it allows for more educational options that are best suited to the student’s needs.

For over 40 years, magnet schools have been recognized as public school choice. These schools began in the late 1960s as a way of increasing diversity. However, over the past twenty years, magnet schools have been generally recognized to promote academic excellence over the regular public school system because of greater academic choices (opportunities) in meeting diverse learning styles and interests.

Public school choice is a logical approach to providing quality education for children with different interests and learning styles. “Learning style” is generally defined as the manner in which a learner receives and processes information. From research and practical experience, we know that children learn differently.

A number of South Carolina school districts already offer parents educational options for their children, frequently within the walls of existing schools. Single-gender programs are an increasingly popular choice for parents in the elementary and middle school grades, and it’s likely that the number of Montessori programs will also increase over the next few years. Schools now offer programs that focus on math and science, the performing arts, and technology. One Columbia middle school offers parents four separate curriculum options, allowing them to select an educational program that suits their children’s individual strengths and needs.

Under Dr. Rex’s proposal, each school district in South Carolina would either create a menu of instructional options or expand its existing menu. He believes that over time, as parents pick and choose what works for their own children, consumer demand will drive changes in what public schools offer to their customers. Business leaders should be especially supportive of this idea because they know that in today’s economy, success depends on your ability to make your customers happy.

The General Assembly has yet to approve legislation backed by Dr. Rex and lawmakers from both parties that would require public schools to offer parents a broader menu of choices. Without a state-level push and state-level support, public school choice would be in danger of becoming yet another “equity issue,” with parents in affluent districts having more options than parents in high-poverty districts. We encourage the General Assembly to provide equity in funding for ALL school districts, which will allow them to make public school choices.

When it comes to learning, one size doesn’t fit all. Public school choice can offer opportunities for all students to connect with learning, thereby reducing the achievement gap.

I was introduced to this best qualified phrase years ago in discussions related to promoting diversity and equal opportunity in the workforce. Many employers adopted best qualified as a standard of ensuring objectivity and reducing bias in the hiring decision making process. The best qualified term is interpreted as hiring the most competent person who meets all qualifications.

In a meeting with several executives, from the same organization, the issue of diversity among upper management staff was the topic of discussion. One of the executives was commended for achieving diversity; the other two executives were questioned about their lack of diversity. Their response, “We hire the best qualified applicant.” By the way, this was also the response of the executive who was commended for achieving diversity.

The question is how one executive using the best qualified approach was able to achieve diversity and the other two executives were unable to reach this goal. While discussing this issue, it was obvious that the executives who were unable to achieve diversity were uncomfortable with hiring people outside of their comfort zones (i.e. culture differences and ethnicity which kept some applicants from making their best qualified list). Someone explained to me that these executives’ approach to best qualified, is People Like Us (PLU).

It is hard to achieve diversity by staying in one’s comfort zone. We live in a diverse society and it is imperative that while using the best qualified approach, we relate it to our community and market environment. If we have this commitment, we can achieve a diverse and inclusive workforce with the best qualified employees.

From my childhood, I learned that an apology is a sincere, heart-felt act of seeking forgiveness when you have intentionally or unintentionally offended someone. Although apologizing may seem a simple act of correcting a wrong; in today’s society, it has become anything but simple. As a matter of fact, a REAL apology is disappearing like its kindred virtues, good manners and respect for others. Instead, it has transformed into an art of hypocrisy, an offensive practice that widens the chasm even more between the insulted person and their offender. For many, an apology has become another spin for rationalizing mistakes and poor judgment.

Why has an apology become so complex and difficult? I believe, in part, this is due to inflated egos filled with self-centered pride and the unwillingness of people to take responsibility.

Also, there is the issue of perceived infallibility– the notion that the admission of a mistake will be perceived as a weakness. This infallibility is driven by one’s ego. We saw this attitude in former President Richard M. Nixon, who adamantly refused to take any responsibility for Watergate–the break-in of the democratic headquarters authorized by the Nixon Administration. If President Nixon had offered a good, old-fashioned sincere apology, his fate, in all probability, would have been different.

Recently, the public acknowledgement of an apology by a British tabloid to the parents of Madeline McCann, the missing four-year old who disappeared during a family vacation in

Portugal nearly a year ago, made a mockery of the act of apologizing. The parents, Kate and Gerry McCann were repeatedly accused of murdering Madeline in the British Daily Express. The headlines of Wednesday, March 20, 2008, splashed across the front page read: “Kate and Gerry McCann: Sorry.” It further acknowledged that they had no evidence whatsoever to support their accusation. Please note this apology was the direct result of a legal settlement initiated by the McCann.

Yes, the apology is becoming a disappearing virtue fastly transforming into an art of hypocrisy. It is clear that the integrity of the traditional apology has been compromised and it is the responsibility of people with good will to save it from becoming extinct.

This news may be somewhat discouraging to those in the job market, as well as those seeking promotions and advancement.  How do you respond to the challenges of a sluggish job market?  St. John Baptist church, located in Columbia, South Carolina, in celebration of its 100th Anniversary hosted its first community empowerment workshop entitled, “Using Christian Principles for Career Development and Planning.”  As a member of this church and one who believes in the power of prayer and applying biblical scripture to life, I found this workshop to be relevant and informative for those seeking to change their employment status.

One of the biblical principles emphasized during the workshop is being true to thyself, which simply means in laymen’s terms that you must be willing to do an assessment of both your strengths and weaknesses; taking this initial step will jump start your efforts in developing attainable career goals that lead to personal success.  Too many job seekers fail to find traction in their career search because of their failure to be truthful about whom they are in terms of what assets they really bring to a job. Such an assessment will provide a realistic road map in connecting with career opportunities.  One’s failure to perform such an assessment will lead to missteps and frustration.

After completing the assessment process, your faith must be shifted into high gear.  Those of us who believe in this process and are willing to put our faith into practice will reap the benefits. Next, you must know that the Bible teaches, whatever is good, we must ask–yet, you do not have because you do not ask. Many persons are hoping for a breakthrough without clearly understanding this biblical principal. If you do not ask God for what you desire in your career interest and do the same in the job market, your efforts may be done in vain. 

Additionally, the workshop offered insight about the importance of workplace ethics and morals. You should treat others with respect; in biblical terms, you must treat others as you would like to be treated.  You should refrain from gossiping and berating others in the workplace. Many of us are challenged with applying this principle, because the nature of man is to engage in such behavior for various reasons. When you learn to live out this principle, you will experience rewarding relationships and you are truly on a path the leads to spiritual growth and more career opportunities.

In a tight job market that may appear bleak on the surface, you must be willing to first seek deeper understanding of how to apply God’s principles in your career search and life.  These principles are critical in providing a more competitive edge for those who embrace faith and commit themselves to hard work.

“Hate crime is the violence of intolerance and bigotry, intended to hurt and intimidate someone because of their race, ethnicity, national origin, religious, sexual orientation, or disability. The purveyors of hate use explosives, arson, weapons, vandalism, physical violence, and verbal threats of violence to instill fear in their victims, leaving them vulnerable to more attacks and feeling alienated, helpless, suspicious and fearful. Others may become frustrated and angry if they believe the local government and other groups in the community will not protect them. When perpetrators of hate are not prosecuted as criminals and their acts not publicly condemned, their crimes can weaken even those communities with the healthiest race relations. Of all crimes, hate crimes are most likely to create or exacerbate tensions, which can trigger larger community-wide racial conflict, civil disturbances, and even riots.”

Unfortunately, hate crimes are not new in this country. Many groups such as Asians, African-Americans, Hispanics, Jews, Native Americans, women, gays, lesbians, and others have been victims of these crimes. With the recent rise in hate crimes and the adverse impact on community and race relations, it is understandable why only 20% of African Americans feel that racial progress has not improved compared to five years ago, according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center. In fact, according to this study, dating back to the 1980′s, African-Americans are more pessimistic about racial progress.

What is troubling is the recent rise in hate crimes that are being committed by young people. What message are we sending young people for them to feel so comfortable in displaying hate symbols such as nooses? As a society, we must have strong laws and appropriate punishment for the perpetrators of hate crimes against humanity. Importantly, we as adults must become examples for young people in promoting racial tolerance and respect for others.