2UrbanGirls is back after a much needed vacation. We continue to receive community feedback about the Compton Unified School District (CUSD). Tomorrow we will publish a submission, from a CUSD teacher close to negotiation proceedings, which was sent to us back in April. Today’s letter comes from a former Compton City Council candidate.
Dear 2Urbangirls,
The negativity that has been festering lately in the city of Compton has not provided any progression for our community. We are in the beginning of September and not much has changed. It is not only frustrating but disappointing to see our local community “activists” and elected officials participate in political mud-slinging, inaccurate reporting of events and blatant posting of negative propaganda that shows a bias on one side of the spectrum instead of addressing issues from the center of it. However, as oppose to working on diplomacy and organizing around how to tackle the persistent issues in our city together, we work in silos that have not produced results. As a matter of fact, this is one of the main reasons among many I ran for Compton City Council, because we need more diplomacy and continuity not only on the dais but in the culture throughout City Hall. If we care about our community and do not want history to repeat itself for the next 20 years in our city and its progress, we have to change our ways together.
I have observed that lately there has been a lot of attention placed on our Compton Unified School District, which is good because I have a deep passion for advancing the future generation of Compton too. However, it appears that people are viewing things from one small lens instead of stepping back and looking at the entire picture. I reflect on how inspired I am by the brilliant, gifted and resilient young scholars we have throughout our 36 schools within the school district. The children are what give me great hope and optimism not only for the city of Compton but for our society as a whole. The recent negative attention the school district has received appears to have been dropped off at the Compton Blue Line station with a highly politicized agenda and the timing is just rather too convenient.
By the way, CUSD has a student population of 91% that are socioeconomically disadvantaged, 33% are English Learners and 1.5% are foster youth. The intersectionality of our kids can go beyond our understanding. The administrators, teachers and staff employees have their hands full with not only the responsibility of educating our young scholars and operating a positive environment to learn in but they have to handle the plight of students who attend a CUSD school. Comparing these demographics with perspective to the environment our students come from and the California Department of Education (CDE) District Performance Overview, our district isn’t sinking contrary to what some may believe. I must emphasize this is based on the performance review a major funder of the CUSD is providing. I am sure that if we were in extremely poor condition as a district, we would be in deep trouble for not complying and meeting the basic standards of the CDE.
Don’t get me wrong, CUSD still has work to do. CUSD must continue to address closing the achievement gap in the district among other things to address as well. We have to organize and be diplomatic in practice— as the community at large, parents, teachers, administrators, employees and school board members. We all have a vested interest in our children’s education and it is only counter-productive to point fingers at one another instead of coming together on the principal of ensuring our Compton students graduate and are successful. That is all that matters.
It begins with understanding our demographics in CUSD though in my opinion. There is a significant foster youth and homeless population of students that CUSD has to continue to address and invest in that many other districts don’t have to at the level Compton does. Our children’s livelihood matters the most to me because if they don’t have a roof over their head, how can we expect them to be ready to learn every day in
the classroom? We cannot. This most importantly directs itself back to the bigger systematic issue not only plaguing the city of Compton but the entire Black and Brown community and that is the School-to-Prison pipeline. I consider it a personal duty to take our children out of this pipeline and this is something CUSD has to combat with as well. Nothing will be solved if we continue to politicized our children in the school district for personal agendas and not actually address the real issues at hand and critique the system not just the individuals. It begins with us as adults to not only be the role models for our kids in the district but the role models for the world on how a socio-economically disadvantaged community can be the rose that grew from concrete.Let’s get to work Compton!
Justin Blakely, (Frm.) Compton City Council Candidate Community Activist
1 Comment
Mr. Blakely,
Why haven’t you voted before running for public office. I’d think that would be obligatory to entering any political race, but I see you wish to remain in our mix here, despite the admission, which I still have problems comprehending. Also the money order thing..random occurrence? I did some research online and it’s a pattern thing that I find a bit troubling. Live a bit longer, son. I’m 65 now and have voted in every election since I was a freshman living on the USC campus in the 70’s…still not sure your were really qualified for public office, though many still differ with my opinion anyway. Your support base also needs to know, spend more time being a community activist and get out in our streets and pick up the trash the homeless leave around here. You must pay dues to be considered even a viable candidate as you may have or may not have learned during your unsuccessful run in District 4 against someone who has years and years of esteemed public service experience, plus having been re-elected to our school board. So what’s your deal, young man of color. I’ve a daughter now in Howard University on full scholarship, so rather than any cuteness, best to have a bit of respect for your elder members of our community, which does not mean old and antiquated, BTW…former Planning Commission member appointed to 7 back to back terms and served honorably for the city where I have lived since 1958, when my parents purchased and paid the mortgage on a home, not random residences that seem sketchy. Feel me? I’m very serious about not running for any office but I see others who are too eager to throw their hats in our ring of poverty alongside prosperity built over decades of raising children into adulthood. You’re a bit snarky during the campaign and at times, quite defensive, reflecting some positive potential should you spend time…aging in a community that’s not for sale at any price. Sorry you had to spend $22K to try to learn a key life lesson. You know God? Never mentioned that, but I did research you via Google then found your dad’s dating profile which wasn’t too comforting. So I see this post on 2 Urban Girls and your name at the end. As if your ego still needs a bit of maturing. Become a resident, purchase a piece of property with $22K and maybe someone may regard you as a real part of the future generation of Compton’s leadership. Calling one a Community Activist…anyone can call themselves what they want others to regard them as being. But even someone like Hub City Dre, did his due diligence and now is a hard working assistant to our newest member of the Compton City Council with her 27 years of public service experience. It’s like applying to work at a bank like Wells Fargo but wanting the position of Branch Manager when you need to start out as a humble teller serving customers daily until you learn the ropes. Compton isn’t for sale at any price, know this…some have tried all sorts of ways to get into our political process…but the best ones paid their dues and some did embarrass the city’s image and didn’t find their moral compass. Even the incumbent told Chico after voting his proposal down with a voting block even the Mayor didn’t know about, “You’re judged by the company you keep”. I got an email from Mayor Brown the night three members didn’t show up to council and lo and behold..they, instead, or one at least, was attending a fundraiser for you, sir. And in the employment world I came from, and still a part of…well paid, BTW for my knowledge and skill in technology, USC Alumi…don’t show up for work one time too many…you get terminated by management. Consider the election loss your notice to shape up or don’t run for office in Compton until you can mature and learn to tell the truth when asked a question. You’re young, ambitious and that’s good so far. A college student body president is not the same as an experience urban elected leader charged with representing the public at large. Lessons in life for the wise…even Rodney Allen Rippy understands that and he got 75 votes for Mayor of a city where he’s not been seen since…longer back story that one. Mr. Hays, on the other hand, skeletons in his closet that some still don’t want mentioned, I found out recently. But I did inform the Honorable Mayor and she didn’t even know of his past misdeeds and forging of checks…one to Motown Records in 1987..long time ago, point taken, but did it a second time while in charge of the city’s YMCA in 1990 so patterns are the things that even a former CIA TED Talk covers when people are not being truthful and one former intelligence expert speaks of in detail in her talk that I enjoyed learning from. You see a pattern, something’s awry…and smoke means call the fire department, unless it smells like BarBeQue smoking…again, wishing you the best, but we’re watching our city for pretense and prevarication when someone unknown comes knocking at the doors of voters. Know this…take care, young lion. Next time, maybe, but not too soon. Get a job, work for decades, get seasoned, maybe, God will allow you victory if you have a good moral compass and total community support. Get out of your circle and be about the whole community. And tell pops, to not put such scandalous things on his dating profile maybe. Makes you look sketchy as heck, bro…image control…politics requires a good family profile to go along with anyone trying to run for office in the future now. Eyewitness News Compton got rid of a problem child who thought she ran things. We the people of the City of Compton did not agree and voters reacted to her bad manners as far as making disgusting comments about Aja Brown, the Mayor. Think on these things and get yourself together a bit more, might invite you back to the table with the grown folks. We have children, have worked for decades here and other places, you’re just out of college. Get a real job, then come back and we’ll consider your applying for the position, young man. Peace and all that other junk we say pretending to be nice and gullible. We are not amused…