Op-Ed

Here’s How Joe Biden Can Have Black America’s Back: Select an Education Secretary Who Will Challenge Status Quo

Published

5 years ago

November 19, 2020

Kiki

Dr. Margaret Fortune

OPINION

“American educators, this is a great day for you. You will have one of your own in the White House,” said Joe Biden in a victory speech that hit all the right notes.

Black America cheered along as President-elect Biden acknowledged that we stood up for him and he promised he would have our back. We celebrate the election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as President-elect and Vice President-elect, period. But you don’t have to be Ice Cube to temper your enthusiasm with a healthy dose of realism when it comes to politicians making promises to Black folks.

As a Black Democrat and a public charter school leader, I was left wondering, do Mr. Biden’s commitments to African Americans and educators apply to all of us?

Union teachers know President-elect Biden was talking to them because he has said as much. But, Biden has carefully avoided making any positive statements about alternatives to the status quo when it comes to American schools. He recently sat for an interview with Lily Eskelsen Garcia, past president of the National Education Association (NEA), where he co-signed her sentiments calling charter schools a “very misguided” reform.

Black Democratic primary voters overwhelmingly disagree — nearly 90% support expanding access to more public school options, including charter schools. Texts and tweets flew around the country breaking news that after days of waiting with baited breath, Pennsylvania delivered Biden the Electoral College votes to put him over the top to clutch the presidency. But while we celebrate, playing in the background is a voice cautioning, “Let’s be clear for the families and communities we care about, the struggle continues.”

The wake-up call for white progressives in this moment is that Biden’s razor-thin margins of victory in swing states give him a mandate not to lurch to the left, but to compromise and moderate. Nowhere is this more important than in Philadelphia, a city where Black voters broke for Biden and where about one in three public school students attend a charter school.

Mr. Biden should listen to New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker who said, “Stop being dogmatic about public charter schools. We can’t dismiss good ideas because they don’t fit into neat ideological boxes or don’t personally affect some of the louder, more privileged voices in the party.”

Having Black America’s back means Mr. Biden must lead the difficult conversation within the Democratic party to stand up for Black school children and hold his union allies accountable when they stand in the way of needed education reforms.

Regrettably, it appears Biden’s transition team is headed in the wrong direction. Union chiefs Eskelsen Garcia and American Federation of Teachers (AFT) president Randi Weingarten are atop the list to head the U.S. Department of Education. That would be a disaster. Both would likely draw strong opposition from Republicans and centrist Democrats in the Senate on the basis of policy and politics.

Plus, social justice advocates have raised legitimate questions about the NEA and AFT’s historical support for campus cops and their role in enabling the school-to-prison pipeline. At a time when America is ending policing in schools, Weingarten’s AFT represents parole, probation and corrections officers. These issues will surely percolate in the public discourse over Eskelsen Garcia and Weingarten.

There are better choices for U.S. Education Secretary. Geoffrey Canada, founder of the Harlem Children’s Zone is frequently mentioned. Time magazine highlighted his cradle-to-career continuum of high-quality neighborhood schools and support services for disadvantaged children crediting Canada for providing the template for former Pres. Barack Obama’s Promise Neighborhood program.

California Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego), chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus, is the state capitol’s leading voice on education equity. Best known for her mix of social justice and education reform bills, Weber has charged hard to close achievement gaps since her days as president of the San Diego Unified School Board and a professor at San Diego State University. California State Board of Education Pres. Linda Darling Hammond’s role heading education for Biden’s transition team could elevate the profile of Weber as a possible choice.

Civil rights and education reform groups alike point to Dr. Sonya Brookins Santelises, chief of Baltimore City Public Schools as a top pick.

Mr. Biden should choose an Education Secretary who challenges the status quo. Black children need the President to have advisers who look at American schooling through a critical lens and are willing to push the envelope, rather than uphold a system already proven to disadvantage millions of Black children across America.

Dr. Margaret Fortune is the President/CEO of Fortune School, a network of K-12 public charter schools she founded to close the African American achievement gap in her hometown of Sacramento, CA.

Kiki

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Alameda County

Seth Curry Makes Impressive Debut with the Golden State Warriors

Seth looked comfortable in his new uniform, seamlessly fitting into the Warriors’ offensive and defensive system. He finished the night with an impressive 14 points, becoming one of the team’s top scorers for the game. Seth’s points came in a variety of ways – floaters, spot-up three-pointers, mid-range jumpers, and a handful of aggressive drives that kept the Oklahoma City Thunder defense on its heels.

Published

1 day ago

December 4, 2025

Oakland Post

Seth Curry is a point guard on the GSW team.Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

Tuesday night was anything but ordinary for fans in San Francisco as Seth Curry made his highly anticipated debut as a new member of the Golden State Warriors. Seth didn’t disappoint, delivering a performance that not only showcased his scoring ability but also demonstrated his added value to the team.

At 35, the 12-year NBA veteran on Monday signed a contract to play with the Warriors for the rest of the season.

One of the most memorable moments of the evening came before Seth even scored his first points. As he checked into the game, the Chase Center erupted into applause, with fans rising to their feet to give the newest Warrior a standing ovation.

The crowd’s reaction was a testament not only to Seth’s reputation as a sharpshooter but also to the excitement he brings to the Warriors. It was clear that fans quickly embraced Seth as one of their own, eager to see what he could bring to the team’s championship aspirations.

Warriors’ superstar Steph Curry – Seth’s brother – did not play due to an injury. One could only imagine what it would be like if the Curry brothers were on the court together. Magic in the making.

Seth’s debut proved to be a turning point for the Warriors. Not only did he contribute on the scoreboard, but he also brought a sense of confidence and composure to the floor.

While their loss last night, OKC 124 – GSW 112, Seth’s impact was a game-changer and there’s more yet to come. Beyond statistics, it was clear that Seth’s presence elevated the team’s performance, giving the Warriors a new force as they look to make a deep playoff run.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Essay: Intentional Self Care and Community Connections Can Improve Our Wellbeing

At the deepest and also most expansive level of reality, we are all part of the same being, our bodies made from the minerals of the earth, our spirits infused by the spiritual breath that animates the universe. Willingness to move more deeply into fear and pain is the first step toward moving into a larger consciousness. Willingness to move beyond the delusion of our separateness can show us new ways of working and living together.

Published

1 month ago

October 27, 2025

Oakland Post

Lorraine Bonner is a retired physician. She is also a sculptor who works in clay, exploring issues of trust, trustworthiness and exploitation, as well as visions of a better world.

By Dr. Lorraine Bonner, Special to California Black Media Partners

I went to a medical school that was steeped in the principles of classical Western medicine. However, I also learned mindfulness meditation during that time, which opened me to the multifaceted relationship between illnesses and the interconnecting environmental, mental and emotional realities that can impact an individual’s health.

Therefore, when I began to practice medicine, I also pursued training in hypnosis, relaxation techniques, meditation, and guided imagery, to bring a mind-body focus to my work in medical care and prevention.

The people I saw in my practice had a mix of problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and a variety of pain issues. I taught almost everyone relaxation breathing and made some general relaxation tapes. To anyone willing, I offered guided imagery.

“My work embraced an approach to wellness I call “Liberatory Health” — one that not only addresses the treatment and management of disease symptoms but also seeks to dismantle the conditions that make people sick in the first place.”

From my perspective, illness is only the outermost manifestation of our efforts to cope, often fueled by addictions such as sugar, tobacco, or alcohol, shackled by an individualistic cult belief that we have only ourselves to blame for our suffering.

To put these ideas into practical form, I would quote the immortal Mr. Rogers: “Find the helpers.” There are already people in every community working for liberation. Some of them are running for office, others are giving food to those who need it. Some are volunteering in schools, libraries or hospitals. Some are studying liberation movements, or are working in urban or community gardens, or learning to practice restorative and transformative justice, or creating liberation art, music, dance, theater or writing. Some are mentoring high schoolers or apprenticing young people in a trade. There are many places where compassionate humans are finding other humans and working together for a better world.

A more compassionate world is possible, one in which we will all enjoy better health. Creating it will make us healthier, too.

In community, we are strong. Recognizing denial and overcoming the fragmenting effects of spiritual disorder offer us a path to liberation and true health.

Good health and well-being are the collective rights of all people!

About the Author

Dr. Lorraine Bonner is a retired physician. She is also a sculptor who works in clay, exploring issues of trust, trustworthiness and exploitation, as well as visions of a better world.

Oakland Post

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Activism

Opinion: Can Donald Trump Pole Dance?

Given all that is happening, if the presidency was more like pole dancing, you know Trump would be flat on his butt.

Published

3 months ago

September 14, 2025

Oakland Post

iStock.

By Emil Guillermo

The news cycle has been buzzing the last few weeks. Xi, with Putin and Kim, the sweethearts of Trump carousing alone without him? The victims of the pedophile Epstein speaking out publicly in DC.

Then, there’s the release of that salacious letter Donald Trump allegedly wrote to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump said the letter didn’t exist. But it does.

Timing is everything.

Additionally, there are further concerns, such as the Supreme Court removing restrictions on ICE interactions. ICE Agents can stop anyone now. For any reason. And there’s the threat of the U.S. sending the military to fight crime in Chicago. Trump even posted a meme of himself as a character in “Apocalypse Now.”

All that with bad polls and bad economic numbers, and these topics are dominating the news cycle — Trump era chaos.

Given all that is happening, if the presidency was more like pole dancing, you know Trump would be flat on his butt.

The reality is the opposite. He keeps going strong like nothing’s happened. Inexplicably, Trump always seems to defy gravity.

That’s why to reassure myself with reality, I just think of Trump on a pole. Dancing. He was born on Flag Day, after all.

I’ve got pole dancing on my mind because I’m in Canada at the Vancouver Fringe Festival doing my show, “Emil Amok 69, Everything’s Flipped,” about how the current political situation gets very personal.

Get tickets here if you’re near:

I’ve performed at 16 fringe festivals, and I always look for unique performers. This year, in my same venue (the Revue Stage) I found her in a show, “The Pole Shebang.”

Andrea James Lui may look like a typical Asian American at first.

But she’s Asian Canadian, married to an Australian, who now lives down under.

At the Vancouver Fringe, she highlights her special identity.

Pole Dancer

Yes, pole dancing has come to the fringe. Leave your dollar bills at home, this is not that kind of pole dancing.

This is more Cirque Du Soleil-ish- acrobatic stuff, yet it’s hard to deny the sexiness when a woman flawlessly swings from a pole with her legs apart.

The show is more intriguing than it is titillating.

Lui has created a behind-the-scenes look at the “polar” experience.

“She could have been a physicist,” says her big sister Christina, who despite saying that, supports her sister 100 percent.

Lui touches on some of the emotional depth in the poled subculture. But there’s plenty more to mine in the future. “Polar Bare,” the Musical? I’d see it.

Trump on a Pole

So that’s how I’ve come to the polar metaphor.

As Trump flails in the news, I picture him on a pole.

The letter to Epstein is further proof of the character of the man.

Will he stay afloat?

Not if the presidency were more like pole dancing.

You can’t lie on the pole.

That’s one way all of us in the Trump era can get to the truth.

About the Author

Emil Amok is a veteran journalist, commentator, and stage monologist. He has written a weekly column on Asian Americans for more than 30 years.

Contact: www.amok.com