Economy

School Board Approves Joseph Severance Package

THE TENNESSEE TRIBUNE — In a 5-3 vote, the Metropolitan Nashville Board of Education decided Tuesday to buy out the contract of Metro Nashville Public Schools Director, Dr. Shawn Joseph. Dr. Adrienne Battle will serve as interim director.

Published

6 years ago

April 16, 2019

Peter White

By Peter White

NASHVILLE, TN — In a 5-3 vote, the Metropolitan Nashville Board of Education decided Tuesday to buy out the contract of Metro Nashville Public Schools Director, Dr. Shawn Joseph. Dr. Adrienne Battle will serve as interim director.

In a statement Joseph said it was his life’s mission to ensure equity and excellence for all children and the he would continue to do so. “I believe much has been accomplished despite the pervasive challenges I encountered when arriving, and I am so proud of the tremendous work of the thousands of teachers and staff members who have helped to move the needle for our children,” Joseph said.

The terms were negotiated between Joseph’s lawyer and Metro Legal director Jon Cooper. Metro will pay Joseph’s attorney’s fees. The board approved the agreement Tuesday night.

The Metro School Board chamber was packed Tuesday with a pro-Joseph crowd. Some parents told the board that the turmoil and fighting has kept their children from getting a good education.

Joseph’s last day will be Friday, April 12, 2019. There were ten parts to the separation agreement, a couple dealing with potential lawsuits. Board Chair Sharon Gentry summarized the buyout agreement that required both parties to refrain from “talking bad” about each other in the future.

“We have obviously reached an impasse,” said Amy Frogge (District 9).

The Metro School Board chamber was packed Tuesday with a pro-Joseph crowd. Some parents told the board that the turmoil and fighting has kept their children from getting a good education.

The board has been sharply split about Joseph’s leadership for months. Vice Chair Christiane Buggs, reflecting on the rift that has pushed Joseph out, said the board has tried to be Joseph’s boss and tell him what to do instead of helping him manage the district and the challenges facing Metro schools.

“Dr. Joseph is ready to go and leave what amounts to hostile working conditions so this a voluntary separation conversation. This is not a firing,” said Will Pinkston (District 7). Board Chair Sharon Gentry agreed.

“We are not terminating him. This is not a blight on his resume. It was, as he stated in his own statement, that it’s gotten to the point where he does not believe that the things that he values are aligning with the district, with the board specifically and it was time for us to part ways,” Gentry said.

Amy Frogge (District 9) then read a statement attacking Joseph and criticized his handling of the school budget, sexual harassment complaints, and blamed him for low morale among teachers and staff. She also criticized the board for an “an epic failure of the board’s oversight capacity with regard to fiscal operations”.

“I don’t personally believe that throwing out any number of allegations or accusations is holding the director accountable. We did not hold the director accountable because we did not do our part. It was our job to review the contracts. It was our job to follow up with Metro Legal if there were issues with contracts,” Buggs said.

School Board Chair Sharon Gentry, Rachel Anne Elrod, District 2, Vice Chair Christiane Buggs (District 5), Will Pinkson (District 7), and Gini Pupo-Walker (District 8) voted for the deal to give Joseph three months severance pay and $261,250 for the final year of a 4-year contract signed in July 2016.

Jill Speering (District 3), Amy Frogge (District 9, Fran Bush (District 6) voted against the deal. They wanted Joseph fired.

Anna Shepherd (District 4), who had also wanted to fire Joseph, did not attend the meeting.

This article originally appeared in The Tennessee Tribune.

Peter White

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Activism

LIVE! — TOWN HALL ON RACISM AND ITS IMPACT — THURS. 11.14.24 5PM PST

Join us for a LIVE Virtual Town Hall on the Impact of Racism hosted by Post News Group Journalist Carla Thomas and featuring Oakland, CA NAACP President Cynthia Adams & other Special Guests.
Thursday, November 14, 2024, 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. PST

Published

1 week ago

November 12, 2024

Oakland Post

Discussion Topics:
• Since the pandemic, what battles have the NAACP fought nationally, and how have they impacted us locally?
• What trends are you seeing concerning Racism? Is it more covert or overt?
• What are the top 5 issues resulting from racism in our communities?
• How do racial and other types of discrimination impact local communities?
• What are the most effective ways our community can combat racism and hate?

Your questions and comments will be shared LIVE with the moderators and viewers during the broadcast.

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Business

With Immigration Reform on the Table, Advocates Put Human Face on Calif’s Migrant Farmworkers

About 99% of the commercially grown crops consumed by people across the United States come from California, according to data compiled by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). Between half and one-third of the farmworkers who help to grow, tend, harvest and package these crops live in the Golden State. That’s about 500,000 to 800,000 workers. Astonishingly, 75% of them are undocumented.

Published

2 weeks ago

November 6, 2024

Oakland Post

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By Edward Henderson

California Black Media

About 99% of the commercially grown crops consumed by people across the United States come from California, according to data compiled by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).

Between half and one-third of the farmworkers who help to grow, tend, harvest and package these crops live in the Golden State. That’s about 500,000 to 800,000 workers.

Astonishingly, 75% of them are undocumented.

“People are very afraid,” said Manuel Ortiz Escámez, a sociologist, audio-visual journalist, and co-founder of Peninsula 360, a news organization based in Redwood City.

“I hold interviews with people who later call and say, ‘Please do not publish anything, because I’m afraid of what could happen,’” he added.

Escámez spoke last month during a news briefing organized by Ethnic Media Services (EMS) that addressed the plight of migrant workers in California, particularly those who live in the United States without legal status.

During an election year when immigration is a polarizing issue with strong opinions on all sides, Escámez says the lives and critical contributions of farmworkers have been reduced to soundbites or barbs in Left vs. Right talking points.

The fervent anti-immigration rhetoric these debates generate can brew hate and motivate hate crimes and hate incidents against migrants, creating an atmosphere of fear and danger among California’s farmworkers, advocates warn.

In these situations, the debate shifts from the virtues of legal vs. illegal immigration to politicians scoring political points by finding a group to blame for the country’s problems.

“Power in politics needs to invent a physically and morally repugnant enemy who wants to take what’s yours because the feeling of emergency creates unity and the need of a savior,” said Escámez. “That’s why migrants have always been the ideal enemy of some U.S. political campaigns … and the data shows that it works.”

No matter where Californians stand on immigration, the contributions migrant farmworkers make to California’s economy and the country’s food supply are undeniable.

In February 2024, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) calculated that immigration will generate a $7 trillion boost to gross domestic product over the next decade. A vast majority of these contributions come from immigrants like California’s farmworkers who perform jobs and endure conditions many Americans choose not to.

“I’m undocumented with a sliver of privilege. I’m still in a precarious position, but millions of people would love to be in my shoes,” said Gustavo Gasca Gomez, immigration outreach specialist and a Stop the Hate coordinator at the Fresno-based Education and Leadership Foundation.

“I can work, and I have social security. But I can’t vote or leave the country and return without express permission. And before I was a DACA recipient in 2012 I was a farmworker right out of high school,” said Gomez. “The work is difficult. It’s hot, dirty and tedious. It makes your mind numb in many ways. But it’s a job that the entire country depends on.”

This resource is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs as part of the Stop the Hate program. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate. 

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Business

Gov. Newsom Issues Executive Order to Tackle Rising Electric Bills

Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued an executive order to help alleviate the financial burden of skyrocketing electric bills on residents. This directive instructs the state’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and Energy Commission to identify strategies to lower electricity costs and prevent rapid increases in the future.

Published

2 weeks ago

November 6, 2024

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Among the key actions proposed, the governor emphasized a closer examination of utility expenditures related to wildfire mitigation, which accounts for about 13% of residential electric bills.

Newsom underscored the state’s commitment to balancing affordability with environmental goals.

“We’re taking action to address rising electricity costs and save consumers money on their bills,” said Newsom. “California is proving that we can address affordability concerns as we continue our world-leading efforts to combat the climate crisis.”

California now has the second-highest electric rates in the country, trailing only Hawaii, with residential bills having surged as much as 110% over the past decade. The largest utilities, including Pacific Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and San Diego Gas & Electric, have seen rate hikes of 20% to 50% in just the last three years, approved by the state’s regulatory bodies.

The executive order also directs the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to explore increasing the California Climate Credit, which provides some relief on energy costs for residents. Additionally, the PUC is urged to pursue federal funding opportunities to further reduce electric expenses.

While consumer advocates welcomed the governor’s focus on lowering costs, concerns were raised regarding potential cuts to essential clean energy programs. CALPIRG, a consumer group, pointed out that the real issue behind high utility bills is wasteful spending by utilities and urged greater accountability.