By Patricia Morris
The following is a blog posted on the Actionnews Website refuting what is said about the NAACP and its stance with Carmon Moore, et al.
...You are correct about the detachment, and I am happy you opened the door so I can now talk about it and post a section of an email received stating the same thing with the names of the ones in the school system and one other person who is behind your doing what you did. Sometime today, that information may be posted.
We passed a resolution in support of Carmon Moore, because his due process rights is violated, and he always worked with and opened his doors to the NAACP when we needed to go to him on your member's children's behalf. It is what the NAACP does, just as we have done for many members in your churches, who are always asked what did your pastor say or do to help you. Their response always is, "nothing, because they do not know what to do."
Indeed, you fit the category of some who wait until they think recognition is being given, and then step up to the plate thinking "we can work better with the school system than the NAACP and the current president," while over the past nearly 50 years you sat by and saw your member's children mistreated and failing in a failed school system and did absolutely nothing to help them. I cannot begin to tell you the horror stories Nelson Taylor has shared with the NAACP on how you treated him years ago; I expect nothing different, probably more, because I am a woman with the backbone you as ministers should have had years ago, yet did not. When the excerpt of the email is posted, you will see that which I speak of. Gentlemen, I am not for sale, nor is anyone else under my hand and leadership as the local NAACP Branch President. Can I say the same thing for some of you?
To quote a statement made from a former NAACP President, and frequentor of school board meetings at a school board meeting one night to my NAACP Second Vice-President, "Pat will never break a machine like the school board" is ridiculous. We have already done so. This is not bragging, because I do not believe in doing such, but this same president is one of the former presidents I had to drudge through not even being able to speak about the NAACP to pastors who are not FPMA members, simply because this president did nothing except take the organization's money and the organization folded. I also say, don't be a player-hater because what we have done thus far is working when you said it would not.
If you only knew where we are in this deseg case with agencies who are giving their support now. You would be amazed.
Let me restate this to you, again, the court order is clear. It says the most qualified person is to get the job. If that most qualified person is black, they are to be hired; however, if that most qualified person is white, then the white is to be hired. If a white is hired as opposed to a black, and the black is the most qualified, Kolwe is to write a letter to plaintiff's attorney's and the compliance officer and the judge explaining his reasonings for doing so. If an agreement is not reached between parties, the judge will decide when this matter is brought before his bench. The NAACP did not object to this, because it is fair for all concerned. In the case of Carmon Moore, again, he is violated, as well as several others who had the same thing happen to them, one as recently as last year, which Kolwe knew if he reinstated Carmon as Principal of Hammond High School, he would have to reinstate the principal that had the same thing happen as happened to Carmon recently.
The process used to eliminate who Kolwe and a few board members want to eliminate MUST change. The excuses that was planned to be used in Carmon having what happened to him did not work - the NAACP Resolution stopped it, and Link's telling his constituiency that the reason Carmon had happen to him what happened was because of the deseg order, the NAACP and Pat Morris getting mad is a blatant lie. We want what is fair, and fair would have been to allow Carmon Moore's due process rights to come to full fruition, which did not, as is guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, as well as the other principal that Kolwe knew he has been ordered to have an Arbitration Hearing on in January of this year, yet he has not done so, and refuses to do so. That principal is black.
Now let me say this. Last Wednesday as I sat in the school system's personnel committee meeting; three black principals was hired. The deseg officer was asked if she had reviewed all of their (principal applicants who was being hired) information submitted, and if it all was in line with the deseg order to be hired. Higgenbotham replied. "yes sir, all is okay, and I have no objections to these principals being hired." Knowing how it is done in this school system, and wanting to see the most qualified person hired, I decided to check the credentials of those hired myself on the DOE's Website - TeachLouisiana. Well two of the three principals are provisional, which means they have to do more training as an administrator to get a higher degree that will show and prove they are certified to be a principal, and Kolwe knows this, as well as the administrators in the central office. How was that missed?
We sent in one principal - a graduate of both Dillard and Xavier Universities; accredited universities, working as a principal in the New Orleans Recovery School District, and wants to move to the Northshore and work in this school system, who I am told blew the interviewers out of the water, and even explained some things to them they did not know themselves regarding being in administration as a principal.
Since the FPMA asked for but did not get a black principal at Hammond High as was promised as a part of your back door deal to separate from Pat Morris, and a few other things Kolwe and Link want you to do, let me tell you how this will be played out now. The school system hired a total of 12 new black principals and assistant principals, and according to what Kolwe said Attorney Patin has said, it was okay to hire Troxclair at Hammond High, which is what they wanted anyhow, because the school system had hired so many blacks in this position has been hired. As an aside and something for you to look for in the future, watch the little foxes. They are the ones that get you.
Might I suggest something, and coming from a person who has fought for the rights of others since the age of 18, maybe a little earlier in life, go to the table and hold those persons in place to see what has happened will not happen wrong accountable. Otherwise, stop using me as your excuse to allegedly get paid.
We all know how it is done, as do you.
There are no hidden agendas from the perspective of the GTPB NAACP. The following excerpt from an email received will show what is said is true.
I/we fight this type of corruption all of the time, and it must stop. Of course, we want what is best for the students; it cannot be until corruption is cleared and no longer exists.
This excerpt from the email received reminds me of something I am told Link said at a funeral he and I attended. Link was told that the NAACP, Pat Morris, and the Black Pastors are now working together. I am told Link's response was, "Oh no, we are going to break that up." I now ask Link and Kolwe, how much did this break-up allegedly cost you in taxpayer's money? Money that should be spent in the classrooms, as opposed to keeping your hidden agendas in tact.