The St. Mary’s County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) continues to pressure the public school system to do something to reduce the achievement gap between white and non-white students. That concern was reiterated at the regular school board meeting on Tuesday.
Local branch President Andrea Bowman and 1st VP Dr. Janice Walthour, a retired principal, spoke about the issue during the board’s public comment section. “The success rate for African-American males continues to be unacceptable,” Dr. Walthour said.
Walthour called for the school system to develop a policy of accountability on the issue with annual reports to the community. She also urged that grant-funded programs that are successful be put into the school budget after the funding runs out.
Bowman emphasized the need for communication between the school system and the community. She suggested that the school board hold meetings elsewhere except at its regular-scheduled venue – the school board room.
Dr. Martirano introduced a new staff person who he said would address the issue. Dr. Nicola Williams has been hired to the new position of Coordinator of Certificated Staffing and Minority Recruitment in the Department of Human Resources. Dr. Williams was a Senior Literacy Associate with the Public Consulting Group in Washington, D.C. She earned both her Bachelor and Master degrees from the University of Virginia and her Doctorate from The University of Michigan. She started Monday.
Dr. Chama Lacey was hired a year ago as the school system’s Diversity and Equity Specialist. Lacey develops a diversity curriculum that is imbued within all subjects. She also has developed a program for all students during their first few days of the start of the school year.
The superintendent promised to work with the community to improve the diversity gap. His accomplishments in that area were touted in a school board press release after he was reappointed to a second six-year term. It said the superintendent “Instituted a comprehensive program for equity, excellence, and diversity that includes a focus on recruitment efforts, professional development, and student learning opportunities geared at closing the achievement gap.”
The NAACP isn’t convinced that enough has been done to date.
The achievement gap was one of the campaign issues raised by Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler in his announcement speech in Leonardtown for the launch of his gubernatorial bid.
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