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NATIONAL MILLION FATHER MARCH ASK DADS TO TAKE KIDS TO SCHOOL P4

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SPORTS

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BRIEFS

BRIEFS

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M.C. HAMMER

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Georgia Congressman John Lewis is speaking out against U.S. support of the war on Libya. He hopes to encourage other members of the Congressional Black Caucus to take a similar stand. As a frontline veteran of the Civil Rights Movement, Lewis knows all about conflict. “I hate war,” Lewis said. “I think war is evil.”

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ENTERTAINMENT

‘APPRENTICE’

CONGRESSWOMAN Sued by aide

John Lewisopposes war

Booker T. Caldwellremembered

The late Booker T. Caldwell was a fi xture in the Houston business community. Mr. Caldwell, who recently passed, operated a successful tailoring shop in Fifth Ward and Third Ward, and was known for his work ethic and talent. His clients came from all walks of life, and included celebrities and entertainers.

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Winner wears many hatsRandal Pinkett

PAT REINECKEnamed new Madison football coach

Fighting for...

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mentors minority businesses

North Forest ISD

2ontheweb

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Should America give funding for the Libya war?

Marian Edelman

News & OpinionThe State of America’s Children

Automotive highlightGMC SIERRA CREW CAB SLE PICKUP

Question of the Week

In The Book CornerFatal Invention:

How Science, Politics and Big Business Re-Create Race

in the 21st Centuryby Dorothy Roberts,

Esq. “Race is an invented political system, not a

natural biological division. The Human Genome Project

has confi rmed that the human species cannot be

divided into genetically distinguishable races.

The Cartoon of the week

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Schools suspected of cheating on exams

By ASWAD WALKERDefender

The Houston Independent School District has reportedly discovered evidence that teachers at Lockhart and Cornelius elementary schools helped students cheat on state exams.

In addition, teachers at Tin-sley and Scott elementary schools are suspected of offering question-able assistance to students during testing.

Students from Lockhart and Cornelius are said to have informed administrators that teachers alerted them to wrong answers on state exams. As of yet, no names of teachers or students have been released from either campus.

Still, investigators surmise from an analysis of test booklets from Cornelius that erasures changing wrong responses to right ones were suspicious.

HISD investigators have found no incidents of blatant cheating at Scott or Tinsley. However, the probes, which center on the past two years, did raise questions about the actions of teachers

during testing at those schools. The timing of the release of infor-

mation from HISD’s own probe coin-cides with the completion of an investi-gation by the Texas Education Agency into potential cheating at HISD schools this year. Fourteen HISD schools, cur-rently unnamed, have been targeted for

investigation into possible wrong-doings.

Terry Grier, super-intendent of HISD, has called for third-party investigations into all alleged testing irregu-larities and vowed to terminate teachers found guilty of cheat-

ing. Grier added that the district is consider-

ing placing monitors in all classrooms during testing.

“This is an issue of ethics, plain and simple,” said Grier. “Just because you can earn a bonus for students doing well is no reason to cheat. We’ve made it very clear that we will not tolerate cheating here, and if people get caught that they are going to get terminated and reported to TEA.”

Based on a review of HISD’s own investigation, a TEA spokesperson said the agency found no unusual pattern of cheating in HISD. However, Texas

was at the center of a cheating scandal several years ago, and recent investiga-tions in other major U.S. cities such as Atlanta and Washington, D.C., have renewed questions about high-stakes exams that can cost teachers their jobs.

Since 2007, HISD has distributed performance bonuses based on students’ scores on standardized tests. In some cases, these bonuses have been as high as $10,000.

Lorraine Thomas, a local education reform advocate, believes an over-emphasis on state tests has created a climate that invites abuse by teachers.

“Reports of potential cheating by teachers don’t shock me when so much for the teacher’s career and for the student’s future is riding on test scores,” said Thomas. “Teaching to the test instead of teaching critical, abstract, and creative thinking skills are damaging the educational product in HISD. With alle-gations of teacher cheating, it seems also to be eroding institutional integrity.”

Robert Schaeffer of the anti-testing National Center for Fair & Open Testing concurred with Thomas.

“How many wake-up calls have they had?” asked Schaeffer of HISD. “When people’s careers, income and self-images depend on boosting test scores, some will fi nd ways to boost scores by any means necessary.”

localbriefsJolanda Jones ethics case sent to district attorneyThe city’s Office of Inspector Gen-eral has asked the Harris County District Attorney to review allega-tions that Councilwoman Jolanda Jones used city resources to sup-port her private law practice. Last month, the OIG released a report concerning findings that Jones used employee time and city equipment for her firm. Jones in turn filed an ethics complaint against City Attorney David Feldman with the state bar alleging misconduct in his handling of the case. A review panel that includes Mayor Annise Parker has been meeting to decide if the City Council should vote on censure or impeachment of Jones.

Former congressional aide suing Sheila Jackson Lee A former aide to Houston Rep. Sheila Jackson fi led a lawsuit alleging that Lee treated her in a humiliating manner and refused to accommodate her visual impairment. The lawsuit seeks “back and front pay” and punitive damages. Mona Floyd, former legislative director and chief counsel, says that the way Lee treated her was “unlawful discrimina-tion” and led her to resign her position. Floyd suff ers from monocular vision, which causes eye fatigue and reduces reading speed. She claims Lee told her, “I don’t care anything about your disability.” Lee’s o∞ ce said it considers internal personnel matters confi dential, and “fully embraces and fully practices equal employment opportunities for all.”

Residents want homeless to stop sleeping on sidewalksResidents of East Downtown have petitioned the city to bar people from sleeping or sitting on sidewalks. Resi-dents say the homeless, mentally ill and addicts have besieged the area, and have been seen relieving themselves and having sex in public. Some City Council members said banning sidewalk sleeping would alleviate a symptom of homelessness without treating the prob-lem. “… If you shift them from here, you’re shifting them to somewhere else,” said District D Councilwoman Wanda Adams. “We’re pushing, but what exactly are we doing to help?” District I Councilman James Rodriguez, who represents the neighborhood, said he supports the petition, but is not against the homeless.

Offi cer seen punching handcuff ed suspectBy ASWAD WALKER

Defender

A Houston Police Department offi cer was caught on tape recently by Channel 13 ABC News’ SkyEye HD punching a handcuffed 16-year old boy suspected of robbery.

Family members of the youth as well as other community members are incensed and speaking out against the actions of the offi cer who has been identifi ed as Angela Horton, a four-year veteran on the force.

“That’s sad. That’s pitiful,” said Mary Pointer, aunt of the suspect, after watching foot-age of the incident. “I just don’t think he was supposed to be getting hit, and he had handcuffs on.”

The teen was one of three suspected armed robbers of the SK Food Store on Cavalcade.

Pointer admitted that the suspect “was wrong for that,” said he knew it.

Channel 13 was over the scene right after the foot chase between the suspects and offi cers ended. Though two of the three suspects got away and are still at large, the teen who was apprehended was videotaped being handcuffed and led away by one offi cer. Shortly thereafter Horton could be seen walking toward the sus-pect and throwing a punch at his face.

“He didn’t do nothing to her,” said the teen’s sister, Keziah Kibble. “So why would she hit him for nothing?”

Houston Police Chief Charles McClel-land said that supervisors quickly launched an

internal affairs investigation and Horton was relieved of duty.

“That means that her duties are suspend-ed,” said McClelland. “She will not be coming to work. She will be at home. She still will be receiving pay.”

The fact that Horton is still receiving a pay-check did not sit well with the suspect’s family.

“She’s still being paid,” said Pointer. “She might as well be working. I hope justice [is] done.”

According to McClelland offi cers make about 110,000 arrests a year and receive about 1,200 excessive force complaints annually, or a little more than 1 percent.

Though excessive force complaints are relatively rare, the video of the handcuffed teen

Continued on Page 5

4national

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DEFENDER | WEEK OF JULY 21 | 2011 defendernetwork.com

VOLUME 80 • NUMBER • 38JULY 21 - 27, 2011

PublisherSonceria Messiah-JilesEditorVon JilesAssociate EditorsReshonda BillingsleyMarilyn Marshall Art DirectorTony Fernandez-Davila

ColumnistYvette ChargoisSport EditorsMax EdisonDarrell K. ArdisonContributing WriterAswad WalkerWebmasterCorneleon Block

The Defender newspaper is published by the Houston Defender Inc. Company (713-663-6996.. The Defender audited By Certifi ed Audited Circulation. (CAC). For subscription, send $60-1 year to: Defender, P.O. Box 8005, Houston TX 77288. Payment must accompany subscription request. All material covered by 2011 copyright. (No material herein may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher).

Congressman John LewisLawmaker opposes Libya war funding

Dads asked to take kids to school

Sharpton might be in line to host his own show on MSNBCRev. Al Sharpton, one of the nation’s more colorful fi gures, could be a permanent fi xture on MSNBC. Sharpton has been fi lling in for talk show host and political commentator Cenk Uygur, and his ratings showed an increase in viewership. The cable network is considering replacing Uygur with Sharpton at 6 p.m. to raise its profi le. Sharpton has also guest hosted “The Ed Show” numerous times. MSNBC, along with other networks, drew fi re for its absence of on-air diversity. NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous re-cently criticized the industry for the lack of African Americans anchoring in prime time.

African Americans are no longer the majority in D.C.Washington, D.C., has long been called Chocolate City because of its Black majority. That’s no longer the case, as the city’s Black population slipped below 50 percent sometime in February. Demo-graphic experts theorize that with the economy fl agging and government jobs drying up, many African Americans have struggled fi nancially and left for the suburbs. Meanwhile, whites have moved back into the city. “You can’t help but look around and see the face of the community chang-ing before your eyes,” author Tom Sherwood told the New York Times.

Study shows Black men get better healthcare in prisonResearch results set to be published in the Annals of Epidemiology show that Black men are half as likely to die in prison than if they are free. The study’s authors say that those who are incarcerated have a longer life span because of better access to healthcare, protection from deadly violence, and freedom from drugs and alcohol. The study ex-amined 100,000 men between the ages of 20 and 79 jailed in North Carolina prisons. Sixty percent were African American. Inside prison, the death rate for Blacks and whites was the same. Outside of prison, Black males were far more likely to die than whites.

By ERIC TURE MUHAMMAD Special to the NNPA from The Final Call

ATLANTA – “There is noth-ing more powerful than protest, there is nothing more powerful than getting out there, making noise and making protest heard,” said Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) in response to the protestors who gathered recently in front of the his 5th con-gressional headquarters.

The news conference turned demonstration was organized by the World African Diaspora Union and included former congress-woman and presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney.

The protestors’ demand was simple – encourage Congressional Black Caucus members to take a united stand against U.S. support of NATO in its war on Libya and President Muammar Gadhafi .

Lewis acknowledged the demonstrators and insisted they come inside his offi ce for a frank discussion of the issues and their demands.

“I appreciate your coming by.

People must speak up. We have an obligation as people to speak up and speak out. We have an obliga-tion to get in the way. I detest war. I hate war. I think war is evil. It’s bloody, it’s messy and it destroys the hopes, the dreams and aspira-tions of people,” said Lewis.

Lewis, a veteran of the Civil Rights Movement, mentioned President Barack Obama.

“The president understands my opposition to war,” Lewis said. “I have said it more than once in his presence. I have said it on the fl oor that I am not voting for another dime, another penny for the De-fense Department. I don’t vote for appropriation bills anymore. I just vote no. I voted against the rule to even bring the vote up.”

Lewis pledged to continue efforts to infl uence fellow CBC members, and criti-cized the high cost of war.

“It’s billions of dollars that we can use to create jobs, fi x our infrastruc-ture, feed people, clothe people, educate all of

our children and show them how to protect their environment,” he said. “We could save Medicare and Medicaid. They want to cut WIC, all of these human needs programs but they don’t want to cut the Pen-tagon.”

By AFRO STAFF

For the seventh year, men around the country will be asked to lead their children back to school this fall during the Million Father March.

The nationwide movement encourages Black men to drop students off on their fi rst day of school and guard school doors to symbolize their support and protectiveness of all children earning their education.

Studies show that parental participation, especially among fathers, is linked to higher at-tendance, graduation rates and test scores.

Led by the Black Star Proj-

ect, a Chicago-based social justice group dedicated to eliminating the achievement gap among Blacks and Latinos, an estimated 800,000 men in 600 cities across the country reportedly participated in the Million Father March last year.

In Chicago, tens of thousands of men have been involved in the effort and helped increase fi rst day attendance by 3 percent.

Overall, coordinators expect 1 million men in 700 cities to partici-pate this year, and to set the stage

for year-long involvement in children’s educational, spiritual and emotional endeavors.

“A father who actively par-ticipates in the educational and social development life of a child is invaluable and irreplaceable,” the Black Star Project’s Web site states. “While there is no magic bullet to solving all of the prob-lems that we face in education, getting fathers involved is a large step in the right direction.”

5defendernetwork.com | WEEK OF JULY 21 | 2011 | DEFENDER

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Notice of Public Hearing Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris

County, TX (METRO)

Notice is hereby given that the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, TX (METRO) will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, July 26, 2011, at Noon to receive public comment about the proposed discontinuation of Route 500 to be effective Sunday, August 21, 2011. Other minor changes to the following routes will be presented for informational purposes, including minor re-alignments or extensions on Routes 46, 78, 170, and 313; additional trips or trip adjustments on Routes 217, 228, 244, 246, and 247; and running time adjustments on Routes 73 and 257. The public meeting will be held in the METRO Board Room on the 2nd floor at 1900 Main Street in Houston, TX (served by METRO Routes 3, 9, 11, 15, 24, 30, 35, 44, 52, 56, 60, 66, 70, 77, 78, 79, 88, 102, 108, 137, 249, and METRORail). The meeting will also be streamed live on www.ridemetro.org.

Copies of proposed timetables and maps will be available Monday, July 18, 2011, for public review online at www.ridemetro.org, or at METRO’s Office, 1900 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002 from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM weekdays, and at our three METRO Outreach offices located in Las Palmas Shopping Center at 6215 Harrisburg (served by Route 50), in Palm Center at 5330 Griggs, Suite A104 (served by Routes 5, 77), and at 2613 Fulton (served by Routes 15, 78).

How to Comment about the Service ChangeYou may attend the public meeting or write to us at METRO, ATTN: August 2011 Service Change, 1900 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002. You may also fax your comments to (713) 652-7956 with a subject line referencing the August 2011

Service Change or visit METRO’s website at www.ridemetro.org to make comments. You may also telephone METRO’s Customer Service line at (713) 635-4000 with your comments.

Comments should be received by METRO no later than the date and time of the Public Meeting.

Help for People with DisabilitiesFor individuals with disabilities, assistive services or copies of public documents in an alternate format can be provided. Please call (713) 750-4271 or (713) 635-6993 (for persons with a hearing impairment) a minimum of 5 working days prior to the public meeting.

Language InterpretationAny person who requires language interpretation or special communication accommodations is encouraged to contact METRO Community Outreach at (713) 739-4018 or via email at na01@ridemetro.org. Every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate your needs.

1. This Public Hearing conforms to requirements described in the Federal Transit Administration’s Circular 9030.1D, published May 1, 2010, page IV-13.

2. METRO does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to, or in treatment or employment in, its services, programs, and activities.

3. METRO is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of its transit services on the basis of race, color, or national origin, as protected by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

RSVP: www.railmeansbusiness.com/rsvpor call 713-739-6075 or 713-652-8007 railmeansbusiness.com

To find out about upcoming opportunities for contractors large and small, please join us for this event. Opportunities are available in the area of vertical construction and include: electrical, concrete & asphalt, excavation, fencing, glass & steel fabrication, traffic control and other areas. Construction staff will be on hand to answer questions. Continental breakfast will be served.

Friday, July 29, 7:30 a.m. - noon• Small business networking opportunity throughout the event

Houston Community College3100 Main St.2nd Floor

Houston Rapid Transit, a joint venture, is building light-rail lines in the Houston area.

being punched has understandably struck a nerve with Houston residents, activists and city leaders.

“We know that police offi cers are human, and they get angry, but come on now,” said Deloyd Parker of SHAPE Community Center, who called the offi cer’s behavior excessive and out of line.

“We can’t continue to let this happen over and over again because, you know, people are tired of going down to City Council and complaining and nothing is done,” Parker said, alluding to incidents like the videotape that surfaced a few months ago of a group of

HPD offi cers beating a 15-year-old robbery suspect.

“You know the video speaks for itself,” said City Councilmember Jolanda Jones. “The young man was clearly compliant and walk-ing, and she just came out of nowhere. I’m just thankful to KTRK for having the video, because videos are what they are.”

She said such behavior is unacceptable. “I ask the union, police offi cers, to stand

with me and Houstonians to weed this kind of behavior out. Because it gives a black eye to HPD and there are good, decent offi cers out there,” said Jones.

Offi cer seen... Continued from page 5

6 DEFENDER | WEEK OF JULY 21 | 2011 defendernetwork.com

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Fighting for North Forest ISD

By RESHONDA TATE BILLINGSLEYDefender

For years, the North Forest Independent School District has struggled with academic decline, fi nancial shortfalls and an em-battled administration. Despite that, some political and community leaders say the district doesn’t deserve to close because the move would be detrimental to the North Forest community.

“When you close a district like that, you cripple the communi-ty’s ability to grow,” said Houston City Councilman Jarvis Johnson.

Johnson is among the lawmakers and residents rallying together to come up with a plan, while district offi cials work overtime to keep North Forest open.

TEA’s diffi cult decisionNorth Forest ISD is nestled inside a mostly

residential, predominantly Black and economically depressed area just outside Loop 610. Problems have been mounting for years and enrollment has dropped 40 percent from 12,500 students a decade ago.

On July 12, 2011, the Texas Education Agency ordered North Forest to close, effective July 2012. The order comes after yet another academically unaccept-able school rating – the third year in a row.

The high school has been rated academically un-acceptable for the past six years. In addition, the district is set to earn a substandard fi nancial accountability rating for the fourth consecutive year, the TEA said.

Last year, only 31 percent of ninth graders passed the TAKS test. Of the 8,000 public high schools in Tex-as, North Forest High School is the worst-performing school.

“We think it’s time to close North Forest and give somebody else a chance to educate these kids because this district has consistently failed the kids,” TEA spokeswoman Debbie Ratcliffe said.

Agency offi cials said the school district’s ac-creditation status will be non accredited-revoked for the 2011-2012 year.

“While it saddens me to take this action, given the expectations of state law and my concern for the long-term education of students served by North Forest ISD, I am compelled to move forward with this process,” Commissioner of Education Robert Scott wrote in a letter to North Forest.

The Houston Independent School District will annex North Forest ISD and take over its 7,500 students.

“We will step up and deliver for these children,” HISD Superintendent Dr. Terry Grier said. “All children deserve a quality education, regardless of where they happen to live.”

HISD says it did not advocate for this proposal, but it is ready to welcome North Forest ISD’s students if the state’s order becomes

reality. “We know it’s going to be a challenge. We believe there should

be an effective teacher in every classroom and an effective leader in every school. We are realizing the positive results from those beliefs and we are looking forward to sharing our academic achievement with every student, teacher, and community member joining Team HISD,” HISD Board President Paula Harris said in the statement.

A fair rating?TEA is basing its order on its upcoming school ratings, set to

be released Aug. 1. Acting Superintendent Edna Forte contended

the ratings are skewed because TEA had control of the district for the past two years. Since North Forest regained control, the district’s newly elected board has trimmed its workforce and cut $4.6 million to balance its budget, she said.

“As we go into the 2011-2012 year, North Forest Independent School District is fi nancially solvent,” Forte said. “Accountability is always a year deferred. Make an informed decision.”

North Forest offi cials said that the district fell to academically unacceptable not because of student test scores, which have been on the rise, but because of its high school completion rate. Albert Cole-man, the president of the North Forest school board, said the district

is improving.“We acknowledge the troubled past of the district and the

many challenges we face to get back on solid footing,” Coleman said in a statement. “We will not come out of this overnight. How-ever, we will come out of this with the North Forest Independent School District intact and able to provide the quality education our students deserve.”

Councilmember Johnson says both sides need to shoulder the blame for some of the issues in the district.

“TEA has to take responsibility for rash decisions,” he said. “They didn’t give the board the opportunity to get itself reestab-

lished. And the board has fi red too many superinten-dents and needs to get out of personality and get into what is right of academic success of children. They can’t keep pointing fi ngers at someone else.”

State Rep. Harold Dutton, whose district includes North Forest, said the TEA deserves blame for the district’s poor performance because its appointees mon-itored or ran the district regularly since March 2007. The district fi rst drew state intervention in the 1980s.

“Maybe we ought to close TEA,” said Dutton.

The battle is not overNorth Forest ISD can still operate for the upcom-

ing school year, and it is being given the option to appeal the state’s decision. Forte says the district is in the process of fi ling that appeal now. It’s a move, com-munity members support as hundreds gathered recently at a meeting at Forest Brook Middle School.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee called the emergency meeting to discuss options with the com-munity.

“Many people don’t realize the TEA has been in charge of this district for the past two years,” Lee said. “You can’t hold a new board accountable when the law says you have at least two years to become account-able.

“It strikes me as the highest level of hypocrisy and racism to close the North Forest Independent School District, when the administrative leadership of

the Texas Education Agency was compliant with the Governor of the State of Texas in agreeing to cut $4 billion in education funds for Texas schools and compliant in the taking of $3 billion of stimulus funds from Texas school children and using it selfi shly for the state’s rainy day fund when it was not needed.”

Lee says she also takes issue with the fact that TEA acted without informing community leaders.

“For this notice to come out, without any consultation with the federal representative that represents that school district and without any public discussions with the surrounding community, whether there was agreement or disagreement with this action, is an absolute

Excerpts from TEA letter to North ForestTexas Education Agency Commissioner of Education Robert Scott wrote a letter to the North Forest ISD about the closing of the district in 2012. The four-page letter includes 18 pages of background material. Following are excerpts:

…The Texas Education Agency (TEA or agency) has determined that, when it releases ratings on August 1, 2011, both the North Forest ISD and North Forest High School will be rated Academically Unacceptable (AU), the district for the third consecutive year and the high school for the sixth consecutive year…These consecutive ratings, coming after the performance history discussed below, will require me to assign North Forest ISD a 2011-2012 accreditation status of Not Accredited-Revoked and to close the district eff ective July 1, 2012. This order will annex North Forest ISD to Houston ISD…eff ective July 1, 2012. The order will notify you of the proce-dures available to the district to appeal its ratings and to appeal the order of annexation. While it saddens me to take this action, given the expectations of state law and my concern for the long-term education of the students served by North Forest ISD, I am compelled to move forward with this process. I am commit-ted to an eff ective transition, and I will make agency staff available to support the two districts as questions or issues may arise. It is my sincere desire that the agency, the district, and the community work together in a cooperative and productive manner to address the needs of the district’s students.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee

State Rep. Harold Dutton Houston City Councilman Jarvis Johnson

Texas Education Agency Commissioner Robert Scott

HISD Supt. Terry Grier HISD School Board Chair Paula Harris

defendernetwork.com • Serving the Houston area for over 80 years

7

North Forest ISD TimelineFor nearly three decades, the North Forest Independent School District has con-

sistently come under fi re for problems such as poor academic performance, fi nancial shortfalls, frequent leadership changes, accreditation threats and allegations of misman-agement and impropriety.

August 2006 - TEA announces eight of the district’s 11 schools are academically unac-ceptable. March 2007 - School board fi res superintendent James Simpson. TEA sends in a conservator to oversee the district’s fi nances. March 2008 - Independent auditor declares NFISD almost bankrupt; district imple-ments $16 million budget reduction plan. June 2008 - A 17-page TEA investigative report documents infl ated attendance fi g-ures, lack of internal controls, possible wrongful spending in special education programs and other problems. October 2008 - TEA removes the seven school board members and appoints three-person board of managers and a new superintendent, Dr. Adrain Johnson. April 2009 – Local TV investigation reveals special education spending problems.November 2010 - The TEA removes its board and returns control of the district to locally elected trustees. March 2011 - The board votes to put Supt. Johnson on paid administrative leave. July 12, 2011 - TEA orders closure of NFISD in July 2012, orders its annexation by the HISD. July 17, 2011 – NFISD announces plans to appeal order

Source: Defender News Files

abuse of power. The community deserves to be engaged in this discussion. Parents, teachers, students, community leaders, the ministerial community, and local elected offi cials should have been informed beyond this after-hours, Friday night notice.”

Lee is urging parents and community leaders to use “all legal action” to prevent the school district from being shut down and adds that she plans to appeal to Gov. Rick Perry to overturn the order. If that doesn’t work, she says she’ll take the fi ght to Washington.

“I will ask the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education to immediately engage their civil rights sections on this matter. These children can learn, and they should have quality education in this district because they deserve it,” she said.

Excerpts from TEA letter to North ForestTexas Education Agency Commissioner of Education Robert Scott wrote a letter to the North Forest ISD about the closing of the district in 2012. The four-page letter includes 18 pages of background material. Following are excerpts:

…The Texas Education Agency (TEA or agency) has determined that, when it releases ratings on August 1, 2011, both the North Forest ISD and North Forest High School will be rated Academically Unacceptable (AU), the district for the third consecutive year and the high school for the sixth consecutive year…These consecutive ratings, coming after the performance history discussed below, will require me to assign North Forest ISD a 2011-2012 accreditation status of Not Accredited-Revoked and to close the district eff ective July 1, 2012. This order will annex North Forest ISD to Houston ISD…eff ective July 1, 2012. The order will notify you of the proce-dures available to the district to appeal its ratings and to appeal the order of annexation. While it saddens me to take this action, given the expectations of state law and my concern for the long-term education of the students served by North Forest ISD, I am compelled to move forward with this process. I am commit-ted to an eff ective transition, and I will make agency staff available to support the two districts as questions or issues may arise. It is my sincere desire that the agency, the district, and the community work together in a cooperative and productive manner to address the needs of the district’s students.

Area residents have their opinions on the North Forest ISD.

Ivory Mayhorn, the president of the North Forest Neighborhood Association, says they have no inten-tion of letting the district close without a fi ght.

“It’s like ripping the heart out of this community,” he said.

“For this area to continue to thrive and to make it better, we have to make sure our children are edu-cated and there are jobs for people in the community,” added resident Jerry Davis.

But others, such as parent Lavetta Ford, say it’s time.

“With the district’s long track record of problems, I don’t see how anyone can make the case to keep the district open. They’ve been given chance after chance, and there’s never any improvement.”

For Councilmember Jarvis Johnson, who represents the area, the closure could spell a bigger issue since North Forest has a lot of land that could be developed.

“I want to be able to go to a developer and assure them that this is a viable community. The fi rst thing people look at when they’re looking at somewhere to move, is schools. We have to fi nd a way to create better development that will move new residents in, which will increase the tax base, which will make community more stable.

“It’s a trickle-down e� ect. When you bring in business, you bring in jobs. If people are working, they’re less likely to get pregnant, involved in criminal activity. It’s a full plan that the city needs to be working on.”

—ReShonda Tate Billingsley

A community perspective on North Forest

8 DEFENDER | WEEK OF JULY 21 | 2011

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Mathew Knowles denies taking money from Beyoncé, says they get along Mathew Knowles says recent allegations that he stole money from his superstar daughter Beyoncé are false. He insists that they have an amicable relationship, even though she let him go as her manager two months ago. Knowles alleges that individuals close to Beyoncé have tried to destroy his reputa-tion. He says her label, Columbia Records, Live Nation and her husband Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, have made “negative com-ments about me.” Knowles told the Associated Press that, “We absolutely have not taken any money from Beyoncé, and all dollars will be accounted for.” He added that they get along fi ne. “The relationship with Beyoncé is extremely ami-cable. I want to make that clear. Where there’s concern is the people that she’s doing business with,” he said. “I’m challeng-ing all of these folks on integrity, professional integrity.”

Emmy Awards pit actors Idris Elba and Laurence Fishburne against each other Laurence Fishburne and Idris Elba have both been nomi-nated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie category by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which recently announced its nominees for the Emmy Awards this fall. Elba was nominated for his role in the miniseries “Luther” and Fishburne for his lead role in “Thur-good.” Elba received a second nod in the Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Lenny in “The Big C.” Actress Taraji P. Henson was nominated for best lead actress in a miniseries or movie for her role in “Taken From Me: The Tiff any Rubin Story.” Other nominees included Andre Braugher for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Owen in “Men of a Certain Age.”

MC Hammer serving as mentor to minority businesses; has sound advice Stanley Burrell, better known as MC Hammer, is taking part in a new, hands-on mentoring program for minority-led start-up businesses. As part of the New Media Entrepreneur-ship accelerator program in SiliconValley, Hammer will be advising seven MWBEs from across the country. His role includes paying regular visits to the entrepreneurs and keep-ing an eye on their progress. Hammer himself has become somewhat of a web mogul, and is involved in several Internet projects. In 2010, he started a company to manage, market, promote, and brand-build for martial arts fi ghters. He also launched an apparel line called Alchemist Clothing. Ham-mer already has advice for the business owners: “You don’t have to invent the wheel, but you might want to be the com-pany that invents the rims,” he told The Wall Street Journal.

Randal Pinkett‘Apprentice’ winner wears many hats

By KAM WILLIAMSDefender

Randal Pinkett has established himself as an entrepreneur, speaker, author and scholar. He is the founder, chairman and CEO of his fifth ven-

ture, BCT Partners, a multimillion-dollar consulting firm headquartered in Newark, NJ. He is also a partner in Chicago-based Blackwell-BCT Consulting Services, which specializes in management consult-ing and information technology solutions for the government and Fortune 500 corporations.

Pinkett has received numerous honors, including the National Urban League’s Business Excellence Award. He has been featured on such programs as “The Today Show,” “Live with Regis and Kelly,” “Nightline” and “Larry King Live.”

A Rhodes Scholar, Pinkett holds five degrees including: a B.S. in electrical en-gineering from Rutgers University, where he was captain of the men’s track and field team; a M.S. in computer science from the University of Oxford in England, and a M.S. in electrical engineering, MBA and Ph.D. from MIT.

Most notably, he’s still the only African-American-winner of Donald

Trump’s reality-TV show, “The Appren-tice.” He won the title in 2005.

Born in Philadelphia and reared in New Jersey, Pinkett is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and attends First Baptist Church in Somerset, NJ, where he resides. He and his wife, Zahara, are the parents of their daughter, Amira.

Here, he talks about his latest book, “Black Faces in White Places: 10 Game-Changing Strategies to Achieve Success and Find Greatness.”

KW: I really enjoyed “Black Faces in White Places.” Why did you write the book?

RP: The book is a reflection both of my own experiences and of those of many other African-Americans, particularly folks who have progressed in their careers. Although I was born in Philadelphia, I was raised in East Windsor, NJ, a predominant-ly-white suburb where we were among a handful of Black families.

That trajectory has continued in my careers in college, grad school and as an entrepreneur in corporate America where I have found myself one of a few, if not the only, person of color. Anyone who has been in those types of environments knows that it gives rise to a unique set of chal-lenges characteristic of the struggles that America faces as it relates to leveling the playing field for everyone.

KW: What was the best business deci-sion you ever made, and what was the worst?”

RP: My best decision was to not go into business alone, but to find strength in numbers with three other classmates of mine at Rutgers University. I can say, un-equivocally, were it not for that friendship and that brotherhood we wouldn’t be where

Continued on Page 10

9defendernetwork.com | WEEK OF JULY 21 | 2011 | DEFENDER

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we were today. Curiously, my worst business decision was prematurely allowing others into the partnership who hadn’t proven themselves to be worthy, and then later having to figure out how to escort them out the door.

KW: How would you say win-ning on “The Apprentice” has impacted your life?

RP: It has created a platform for me as an author and as a speaker that would’ve been more difficult to ac-complish otherwise. Business wise, it has enabled me to get access to decision-makers more easily, be-cause they’re already familiar with me from the show.

KW: What did you think of Donald Trump’s aborted Presiden-tial campaign, and his making such a big thing about Obama’s birth certificate?

RP: I spoke to Donald about a week or two before he bowed out of the race. I reached out to him to bring to his attention that the way in which he was couching his attacks on the President was alienating and offending not just African-Amer-icans, but Americans in general. It was my sense that there weren’t many people, if any, in his inner circle who were challenging him in that regard. So, I raised the issue to let him know that I was personally offended by some of the things he’d been saying, and that he needed to learn how to relate to all Americans if he seriously aspired to be Presi-dent.

KW: Didn’t he recently invoke your name when he was being la-beled a racist?

RP: Yes, he said, “How can I be a racist, when I hired Randal?” That was another reason why I called him. I said, “Donald, you’ve got to be kidding. There have been 11 Sea-sons of “The Apprentice” and I’m still the only person of color ever to emerge victorious.”

KW: What key quality do you believe all successful people share?

RP: Persistence! Without ques-tion. I believe that the race is won by he who endureth. If you desire to be successful, and you work at it long and hard enough, you will almost in-evitably get there. Those who throw in the towel too quickly or too easily will never find success.

KW: How do you want to be remembered?

RP: As a man who was blessed and a blessing to others.

Randall Pinkett... Continued from page 8

11defendernetwork.com | WEEK OF JULY 21 | 2011 | DEFENDER

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Sale merchandise may not be available at all stores and is not available at RxPress Pharmacies and Pharmacy only locations. Sale prices may also be limited to your local newspaper distribution. Rain checks are not available at stores that do not carry the advertised item. Sale prices offered for the dates listed on the front page unless otherwise specified in the ad or on the coupon. Right reserved to limit all quantities on all items. Coupons must be presented at time of purchase. Regular prices quoted may vary by store. Items may not be exactly as pictured. Availability at Walgreens.com may differ. *Items advertised with Register Rewards or rebates are subject to conditions and limits established by the mfr. See coupon or rebate form for details. Call 1-800-WALGREENS (1-800-925-4733) toll-free or visit www.walgreens.com/findastore for the location nearest you. While supplies last. ©WALGREEN CO., 2011, all rights reserved.

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Remembering Booker T. CaldwellServices were recently held for

Booker T. Caldwell, a well-known Houston entrepreneur and the father of Kirbyjon Caldwell, pastor of Wind-sor Village United Methodist Church.

He passed away on July 14 at the age of 88.

Mr. Caldwell was the owner of the Slack Rack and Caldwell Tailors for 45 years, and designed clothes for numerous celebrities and entertainers.

He was born in 1923 in Neches, Texas. As a teenager, he sold suits through a mail-order tailoring com-pany for a commission.

After serving in the Army during World War II, he attended what was then Prairie View A&M College, where he met future wife, Jean Hines. After graduation, he taught sewing, and eventually established a tailor-

ing shop in Fifth Ward and later Third Ward. His celeb-rity clients included James Brown, Johnnie Taylor and B.B. King.

Friends and family remember Caldwell as a well-dressed business-man of integrity.

Attorney Jerry Bonney grew up in Fifth Ward where his father owned a grocery and liquor store around the corner from Caldwell’s store. As a child, Bonney often ran into Mr. Caldwell’s store for a glass of water or helped him unload clothes as he stocked his shelves.

“Mr. Caldwell’s shop was across from the Deluxe Theater. My dad introduced me to Mr. Caldwell. Back then, Lyons Avenue was booming and Mr. Caldwell was right there with the rest of them. My father died when I was 10 years old. I didn’t have a father figure in my house after his death,” said Bonney. “I admired Mr. Caldwell because he had integrity. I have never heard him say anything negative about another person. I remember all the entertainers that use to come in and out of his store. That was my real first experience with entertainers.”

Today, Bonney attributes his self-employment of 35 years and his legal practice in entertainment and sports to Caldwell’s influence.

Caldwell’s niece Linda Brown, a local businesswoman, remembers his humor.

“My Uncle Booker was a cha-meleon because oftentimes ‘what you saw, was not what you would get’! Growing up, I would see this tall, stately, always immaculately dressed man, even when he was casual on the

golf course, with a quiet demeanor, who could have you laughing when you least expected it! He had such a dry, unassuming wit about him and he could drop it on you at a mo-ment’s notice,” stated Brown.

“I will remember his caring, nurturing nature not only with his family and others but also with his stray animals and especially his garden that he cared for and loved so

much. I will truly miss Uncle Booker but I will always carry his spirit in my heart and smile often about the precious moments we shared.”

Another family friend Dar-ryal Williams said, “He was a sharp dresser, a family man, a great father figure, a shrewd businessman and a great pillar in the community. One of the things I remember was he took me to see B.B. King and I asked

him about our tickets. He said to me ‘we don’t need a ticket, my face is our ticket.’ And we got in,” said Williams.

“Another time I wanted to buy some alligator shoes and I didn’t have enough to pay for them. So he told me to take the shoes with me, sign the book and make payments on them.”

In 1999, Mr. Caldwell received

the Heritage Award from the Hous-ton Citizens Chamber of Commerce for his lifetime achievement in business. He served on the board of Corinthian Village and was a faithful member of Windsor Village.

In addition to his wife and son, he is survived by a daughter, Doro-thea C. Pickens; sister, Gwendolyn Morrison; five grandchildren and a great granddaughter.

Caldwell

12 DEFENDER | WEEK OF JULY 21 | 2011 defendernetwork.com

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Reinecke succeeds Seals as Madison football coachHISD announced that former Madison assistant head coach Pat Reinecke has been tabbed as the successor for the recently retired Marlin head coach Ray Seals. Reinecke, a hometown product, had served under the legendary Seals as assistant head coach for 10 years. “I’m still so overwhelmed,” Reinecke said. “Everything I have been working towards throughout my career has finally come true. I worked my butt off, and I feel like I like I picked a great coach to learn from.” Reinecke has the skill set necessary to take the Madison Marlins to the next level,” said HISD Athletic Director Marmion Dambrino. “He is truly dedicated to the program and student athletes at Madison High School.” A highly decorated assistant coach, Reinecke has been named HISD Assistant Coach of the Year four times, including this year, and in 2006 he was rec-ognized as Man of the Year by the Houston Coaches Association.

Rockets complete coaching staff with new assistantsHouston Rockets head coach Kevin McHale has hired two-time NCAA National Coach of the Year Kelvin Sampson as lead assistant coach, as well as John-Blair “J.B.” Bickerstaff, Chris Finch and Brett Gunning as assistant coaches to his staff. “Kelvin Sampson has an established track record as a very successful college and NBA coach and will be a valuable addition to my staff,” McHale said. “I have known J.B. Bickerstaff since our days together in Minnesota, and he has developed into one of the league’s best young coaches. I had an opportunity to work with Chris Finch for a few weeks leading up to the draft and I am very impressed with his success in the D-League and internationally. Brett Gunning has been here for the past three seasons in a player development role, but he has a very good feel for our players and the system we plan to implement.”

Texans host annual luncheon to kick off regular seasonThe Texans will host the eighth annual Texans Team Luncheon presented by Amegy Bank of Texas, to kick off the regular season on Tuesday, Aug. 30 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Westin Galleria, located at 5060 West Alabama. The luncheon, benefit-ing the Houston Texans Foundation “Champions for Youth,” is the only event that brings all Texans players and coaches together to interact with fans. A Texans celebrity will sit at every table during the luncheon. Unique, autographed merchandise will also be available at the silent auction table. Members of the Texans, including head coach Gary Kubiak, will address the crowd and give a preview of what fans can expect in the 2011 season. General Manager Rick Smith, Houston Texans Ambassa-dors, Houston Texans cheerleaders and TORO will also appear at the luncheon.

Astros second halfNo place to go but up

In Major League Baseball, the All-Star game generally symbolizes the halfway- point in the season.

During the All-Star break, franchise management teams normally take a good look at where their respective teams are in the standings and contemplate whether they’re a contender or pretender for the playoffs.

For the local squad, that meeting for team management should have lasted about five minutes. You see the one thing the Astros have won at the half-mark of the 2011 season, is the right to be called the worst team (30-62) in the entire MLB!

At their current rate the team is on pace to lose 100 games and finish with one of their worst records in team his-tory. They are in last place in the NL Central Division, an amazing 30 games under .500.

As the Astros begin the second half of the season, man-ager Brad Mills talks about the problems that affected his team during the first half of the season.

“I know it’s halfway through the season, but we’re still finding out a lot of things about ourselves, what we can and can’t do and so forth,” Mills explained. “We’ve gone through some key injuries like a lot of clubs have, but the key injuries to our catchers have

been tough. “The guys that are filling in have

done an admirable job, but at the same time, any time you take those captains off the field, sometimes that’s kind of tough.”

Injuries and inexperience in key areas have been a lethal combination.

“When we left spring training we thought our starting pitching and our defense was going to be pretty strong,” Mills continued. “Well, our defense

hasn’t been really in the first half what we had hoped, but the last couple weeks we made some adjustments, and they’ve really done a real good job, our defense has. I think our bullpen is really developing because they’re so young.”

Despite the record to date, first

baseman Brett Wallace believes the young team is gaining valuable experi-ence, which is a plus.

“If you look at our lineup and ros-ter, there’s a lot of similar guys we had last year, and I think one of the biggest things is a lot of us have been getting experience early this year and there’s always going to be some bumps in the road,” Wallace said.

“I think we’ve all gained a lot of experience, and you start to see it now

in close games, different things we’ve learned and how we’ve matured.”

With the second half of the season in its infancy, G.M. Ed Wade still believes the best is yet to come for his young Astros.

“We’re capable of playing good baseball, and it revolves around starting pitching, as it always does,” Wade said. “But it’s also limiting the mistakes on the field on both sides of the ball and putting innings together, and that means getting guys on and moving them over and getting a run on the board.”

Mills remains optimistic and feels the team’s strong work ethic will help them reverse their fortunes.

“No one has ever said any-thing about this ballclub not work-ing or getting done what they need

to do,” he said. “We stay positive with it and

keep working toward what we need to get done. These guys are men, and if they’re not, they’re guys that are developing into men. We keep focusing on the positive and do things to get that wheel moving.”

By MAX EDISONDefender

First baseman Brett Wallace leads a talented, but inexperienced core of talent.

Astros skipper Brad Mills struggles to reverse the team’s fortunes.