By Patricia Morris
Judge Ivan Lemelle signed a court order in January 2010 that will govern how Administrative Staff is to be hired in the TPSS. This court order is numbered 866, and can be found on the Eyes Now Wide Open Website. The information in this court order is abundantly and absolutely clear.
While there is an effort underway to try again to thwart the efforts of the NAACP and its President, this act will be as unproductive as other efforts made in the past. The court order is clear in that if a white person is more qualified than a black applicant, the white applicant is to be hired with a letter stating the reason the black was not hired. In the issue surrounding the Transportaion Director's position, several people were asked to apply by the administration, while the most qualified black individuals who applied were disqualified for frivilous reasons. Now that a selection has been recommended for Tuesday night's school board meeting, we agree, this should be challanged as to the accuracy in qualifications of who has been chosen for this position. As an organization, we want to see the best qualified person given the job, as the court order mandates should be.
The political rhetoric allegedly being put out by the superintendent and board member Al Link should not be believed. The old political game of "bait and switch" no longer will work. For both to say they cannot hire a white into this position because of the NAACP, and the Deseg Case is low, even for them and their fully knowing there is an order in place governing such and what it says in its entirety. Obviously, they have not read with clarity what Judge Lemelle's court order said. Instead of inciteing the public into thinking and believing something that is wrong, they need to be truthful and direct the people to read the court orders for themselves. Instead of attempting to cause dissention, why not admit you have wronged this school system, and work to settle this, or step down and resign.
Before wrongful assumptions are made, read Court Order 866 - Magnet Tax Denied, under the DESEG DOCUMENTS on the Homepage of the Eyes Now Wide Open Website for yourselves, because of the attempts now being made to blame individuals who are truly not to blame. For more than 50 years, this school system has not complied with one iota of a Court Order that has been issued, that is, unless they are forced to do so. Again, had we all sat down initially, as opposed to much of the political rhetoric done in making people believe the NAACP, an organization that began with the assistance of white people, and is currently 101 years old, is as some would say, "the kiss of death" is ludicrous. Instead of evoking fear in the mindset of white people, and yes some black people that being associated with this organization or its president is a bad thing is low as well. Contrary to popular belief, many positions are now in place because of the NAACP. If this is fearful for the school system administration, and some on the board, then it is what it is, and you need to fully comply with the orders of the court, and stop the attempts to circumvent federal court orders. Compliance with court orders and transparency is the buzz phrase now.
The superintendent and some on the board have been caught with their hands in the proverbial cookie jar, and the crumbs from said cookies are all over their mouths. How long will we allow the attempts of some who want things to remain as they have always been over the years continue to be so.
We say, NOT LONG.