In Detroit, Young Black Girls Participate in Fight Club; In New York City, Expanded Success Initiative for Black and Latino Young Men; Susan Taylor Inspires Mentors of Black Boys; See Spook Who Sat By The Door; Chicago's School-to-Prison Pipeline

In Detroit, Young Black Girls Are Featured as Gladiators in 30-Second 'Fight Game'   "School Fight Clubs" are popular with many young Black students across America! Where are the parents, mentors, pastors and community leaders of these children? Click Here to See 30 Second Fight Game!   A girls bangs the head of another girl against the floor for the "30 Second Fight Game" at Ludington Magnet School in Detroit. DETROIT (WJBK) - A teenage girl is battered and beaten inside a Detroit school restroom while other girls watch and record the whole thing. However, this isn't the first time this girl has been assaulted at school. Her family says administrators know about the fighting and chose to look the other way.   School is supposed to be about reading, writing and arithmetic, but inside the walls of Detroit's Ludington Middle School a bathroom has been used as a backdrop for brutal teenage brawls.   It's a game called "30 Seconds," but no one is playing. One eighth grader pummels another while a group of girls stand by egging it on -- taping and timing it.   "This happened during school at eight o'clock in the morning. Where was security, the staff, teachers? You do not notice that 15 of your kids are gone out of a classroom?" said Arletha Newby.   Somehow 13-year-old Jasmine Crawley walked away with only broken glasses and a few scratches. She says she was pressured to fight, restlessly harassed for losing and now bullied for coming forward.   "She has comments on her Facebook leading from this tape of her getting beat up -- 'Snitches get stitches,'" Arletha Newby said.   Jasmine's family learned about what happened after her classmates posted the video on the internet. They immediately went to the school, which they claim brushed it off because Jasmine had done this before.   "Nobody got in trouble, not the people instigating, not the people that were fighting," Arletha Newby told FOX 2.   "It's a two way responsibility here. We're not just pointing the finger because, again, I know my niece is not an angel here. I just want to make sure that the schools are involved and that they're professional and that they're diligent with handling situations like this," said Felisia Newby, Jasmine's aunt.   That's why they filed a formal complaint with Detroit Police. They want DPS to take action, even if it means disciplining Jasmine. Whatever it takes before it's too late and a student gets seriously injured or even killed.   "I think right now we just need to be preemptive with having a solution," Felisia Newby said.   "This is something that's going on in the schools, and this is something that needs to be addressed," said Arletha Newby.   Late this evening we received a statement from a DPS spokeswoman. She said the school does plan to follow up and pursue disciplinary action. In New York City, Expanded Success Initiative Gives Black and Latino Young Men and Boys Encouragement, Support and Skills for Success In School and Life     REQUEST FOR LISTING RELEASE-EXPANDED SUCCESS INITIATIVE     NOTICE OF SOLICITATION - REQUEST FOR LISTING (RFL) Expanded Success Initiative RFL Release Date:  January 27, 2012   Background The Expanded Success Initiative (ESI) is a key part of New York City's Young Men's Initiative and is a partnership among the Department of Education, The Fund for Public Schools (FPS), Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and the Open Society Foundations. ESI sets a higher bar for the long-term educational outcomes of New York's Black and Latino male students, namely by ensuring they graduate from high school prepared for success in college or a career pathway. To achieve this outcome, ESI will provide incoming Black and Latino 9th graders at 40 selected public high schools with programs and supports that increase their readiness and access to college and careers as they progress through high school. The initiative will promote college success through improved school operations in key areas:   ·         ACADEMIC PRACTICES that align to the Common Core Learning Standards and college-ready indicators, and will have demonstrated impact on the academic achievement of Black and Latino young men. These academic practices are connected to youth development and school operations, and build teacher capacity for implementation.   ·         YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PRACTICES for Black and Latino young men that align to indicators of postsecondary resilience and persistence. These practices are connected to academics and school operations, and build staff capacity for implementation.    The Fund for Public Schools seeks organizations with demonstrated experience in producing college and career success outcomes for Black and Latino young men to be listed as approved providers to the 40 selected high schools as part of the Expanded Success Initiative. FPS is an independent 501c3 organization dedicated to improving public education in New York City by facilitating public-private partnerships and securing private investment for critical education reform initiatives.    Applicants seeking approval for listing must have the ability to meet the requirements of the FPS contracting process.  In addition, applicants should have: Proven experience working in a high school setting; Prior success in providing technical assistance services; and Self-reported or externally validated outcome data related to college readiness for Black and Latino young men. Deadline for Applications:                February 28, 2012 Time:                                                   5:00 PM Location:                                            No paper applications will be accepted. You must apply online.    You are invited to participate in an informational webinar to hear more about the RFL's online application and approval process. Attendance on the webinar is optional and most appropriate for Executive Directors and their key staff.     Informational Webinar:                    February 9, 2012 (3:30 PM-4:30 PM)    An RFL Overview & Instructions document can be found on the ESI page of the FPS website which includes a comprehensive explanation of ESI as well as the FPS contracting process and full terms. To access the RFL Overview & Instructions document and a link to the online application, and/or to register for the informational webinar, click here: http://www.nycgrads.org/expandedsuccessinitiative_RFL   All questions concerning the application should be directed to:                 Caroline Gonzalez              Portfolio Director              Fund for Public Schools                                                                 E-mail:  esi@schools.nyc.gov   Please enter "ESI RFL" in the subject line of email inquiries.   The Fund for Public Schools will not respond to phone inquiries regarding this application.   We thank you for your interest in this important work.   JULIA F. BATOR, CEO The Fund for Public Schools www.fundforpublicschools.org  In Minnesota, students learn educational methods and techniques used in Finland, one of the highest performing countries academically in the world   Farmington kids get Finnishing school Finland's teaching methods are catching on, including in Farmington. Photo by Elizabeth Flores, Star Tribune By HERÓN MÁRQUEZ ESTRADA January 21, 2012   Before a math test, students in Anne Shadrick's third-grade class are encouraged to pop a stick of gum into their mouths and chew.   When Shadrick teaches her two dozen students a list of spelling words, she has them jog in place, touch their elbows to their knees or do other calisthenics in between writing the words that she recites to them.   Shadrick said research has shown that body movements, even something as subtle as moving your jaw while chewing gum, improve a child's brain activity and learning.   "They move and practice the words at the same time," said Shadrick, who teaches at Akin Road Elementary in the Farmington School District but who was born, raised and educated in Finland. "The movements are incorporated into the lesson. They are not in addition to the lesson. It's a different way to do something than just pencil and paper."   Different is a good way to describe what Shadrick has been doing at Akin for years. Drawing on her Finnish heritage and education, she incorporates some of the same methodologies that have made her native country the envy of the academic world.   Not only does the Nordic country of 5 million people have a high quality of life (free daycare and college, anyone?). It also has built an education system considered among the best, if not the best, in the world.   Spurred by the publication last year of the book "Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland?" by Pasi Sahlberg, Finnish teaching methods have become the subject of national debate in the United States and the focus of articles in every major publication from the New York Times to the Atlantic magazine.   In Finland, Shadrick said, teachers are respected as much as doctors or lawyers. All teachers have master's degrees, and only the best and the brightest (10 percent of all applicants) are accepted to college to become a teacher. The state pays for the education and degrees.   "The Finnish education system is big on ... teaching kids how to learn," said Ulla Tervo-Desnick, another Finnish native and a teacher in St. Paul who also incorporates Finnish methods in her classroom at Expo Elementary.   "These are not Finnish secrets. They are just good teaching methods."   Teachers in Finland are given a large degree of trust and autonomy. Students spend only four or five hours in school, do a lot of outside play and get little if any homework. Yet they still produce among the highest test scores in the world, equal to those of students from China, South Korea or Singapore.   "It's remarkable how well they do," said Shadrick. "They spend a lot less time teaching and learning, but they learn more and teach more."   More play, less homework   Shadrick said her methods include extra recess or time outside, a lot of arts and crafts for hands-on experiences, and more problem-solving projects to teach critical thinking.   The techniques are at times at odds with U.S. education systems that push standardized tests, accountability, constant progress reports and less physical activity for kids.   Finland does not have standardized tests. Teacher salaries are not tied to performance reviews or student progress. And physical activity is a fact of life in schools.   Tervo-Desnick said Finnish teachers often use one project or problem to teach multiple disciplines. Something as simple as going outside to study a leaf, for example, provides physical activity as well as the chance to study the biology of the leaf, the geometry of its design, the environment in which it grows and the art of creating something with it.   The teachers are quick to point out that cultural, societal and systemic differences mean the Finnish system cannot be completely adopted in this country. But they do believe the best bits and pieces can be used to improve U.S. education.   Tervo-Desnick believes in the Finnish education model so much that she took things a step further, returning to Finland in 1996 to teach for part of the school year so her children could attend classes there.   "We could design projects and curriculum as we wanted," said Tervo-Desnick. "Some teachers, for example, had looms in their classrooms so kids could make things with their hands."   Her daughter Elli enrolled in fourth grade there, learning Finnish and German while also connecting with her mother's native culture. "I loved going to school there," Elli, now enrolled at the University of Minnesota, said via e-mail.   "We were always physically active, walking or biking to school, going on nature walks to collect things," she wrote.   Staying active   Shadrick has her kids stretch constantly, often creating their own calisthenics routines to do during periodic breaks from learning.   "She does other stuff that most teachers don't do," said Mae Lemm, 8, one of Shadrick's students. Shadrick also uses stability balls instead of chairs at times. This year she is using Spooner boards (think curved snowboards or skateboards without wheels), on which kids sit, spin or balance while they read, spell or do math problems.   "It helps you concentrate on your books instead of your friends," said Katelyn Leichnam, another of her students.   Shadrick's methods are catching on at Akin Road. Other teachers are using Spooner boards and there is talk of buying 100 more so every classroom can have four of them.   "There is a ripple effect," said Laura Pierce, the principal at Akin Road Elementary. "It's all about energizing kids and learning. She's educating me." In Chicago, School-to-Prison Pipeline Destroys Future of Young Black Males Black students can be arrested for throwing spitballs or cursing at a teacher.  Twenty percent (20%) of juvenile arrest in Chicago take place on school grounds, with Black males disproportionately arrested.   'Policing Chicago Schools': Report Suggests In-School Officers Put Teens On Road To Prison                                                                                                Photo provided by The Black Star Project By Lizzie Schiffman January 25, 2012    CHICAGO -- As Chicago Public Schools have become increasingly dependent on the police department to control student behavior on school grounds, a disproportionately high number of black juveniles are being thrust into the criminal justice system too early and too easily, according to data from a new report issued Wednesday by the Chicago youth advocacy group Project NIA.   The group analyzed Chicago Police Department arrest data and found that 20 percent of all juvenile arrests in 2010 took place on school grounds. Nearly one-third of those arrests were for simple battery charges -- offenses that in previous years would have been written off as schoolyard skirmishes and punished with suspensions or other penalties doled out by the school.   "I think our main purpose with trying to put the study out is that it's long overdue; the last study focusing on Chicago was released in 2003," said Mariame Kaba, director of Project NIA and co-author of the report. "We think the most important thing is to operationalize how the schools-to-prison pipeline works. There are a lot of ways that happens, one of which is youths being funneled directly into the system by being arrested at schools."   Police presence at schools in Chicago and nationwide has seen a sharp uptick in the last 20 years, according to the report, titled "Policing Chicago Public Schools: A Gateway to the School-to-Prison Pipeline." In Chicago, administrators have become so reliant on in-school police officers that only four of the system's 122 high schools were willing to give up their assigned officers in return for a $25,000 incentive offered this summer by the cash-strapped district.   The vast majority of those affected by the criminalization of in-school behavior in Chicago are black students, who accounted for 74 percent of school-based juvenile arrests in 2010, Project NIA reports. Only 45 percent of the system's students are African American.   The study also turned up geographical biases. Nearly 40 percent of the city's school-based juvenile arrests in 2010 came from five police districts: the 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th and 22nd, all on the city's South and South West sides.   Youth intercepted by the criminal justice system at a young age can find themselves trapped in a cycle of repeat incarcerations. A recently released report by the Illinois Juvenile Justice Commission found major problems with the way the system handles juvenile cases.   The problem of criminalizing student misbehavior isn't limited to Chicago schools. A national study released recently by the Justice Policy Institute, titled "Education Under Arrest," finds the trend is spreading with dangerous results.   "Students are needlessly arrested for offenses as minor as disorderly conduct, which can include swearing at a teacher or throwing spitballs," said Amanda Petteruti, the institute's associate director, in a release that accompanied the report. "[In-school police] lead to discipline applied without the filter of school administrators or policies. This in turn leads to a troubling disruption of the educational process ... the result of which is some students who never become re-connected to school."  107 Cities Are Mentoring Black Young Men and Boys During January and February 2012 Join the Black Male Achievement Movement and encourage strong, positive Black men from around the country and the world to work for Black Male Achievement. Susan Taylor Electrifies Organizers from 100 Cities on Black Male Mentoring Conference Call!!!   If you have had any doubts about the value and importance of responsible fatherhood or mentoring, click here to have them removed!!!   Click Here to learn more about Susan Taylor's National Cares Mentoring Movement.   To become one of the the Servant Leaders in your city planning and directing this effort, please call 773.285.9600. We will provide you with an organizing kit that will help you step-by-step to create, manage or support an outstanding mentoring program in your city.  We will also provide technical assistance and ongoing support. Schools, faith-based organizations, fraternities, Masonic organizations, veterans associations, community-based organizations, affinity organizations, military service personnel, social service agencies, companies and corporations will participate in this effort.  Most mentoring events will occur on January 31, 2012.  The last event will occur on February 29, 2012.  Please see cities that are expected to participate as of January 11, 2012:  Albany, New York Alton, Illinois Atlanta Georgia Aurora, Colorado Baltimore, Maryland Baton Rouge, Louisiana Blandensburg, Maryland Boston, Massachusetts Bowie, Maryland Buffalo, New York Carbondale, Illinois  Chicago, Illinois - South Side Chicago, Illinois - West Side  Chicago, Illinois - South Suburbs Chicago Heights, Illinois Cincinnati, Ohio Colorado Springs, Colorado Columbia, Missouri Columbus, Georgia Dallas, Texas Danbury, Connecticut Danville, Illinois Decatur, Georgia Delray Beach, Florida Detroit, Michigan Denver, Colorado Dolton, Illinois Durham, North Carolina East Chicago, Indiana East Orange, New Jersey Englewood, Colorado Flint, Michigan Flossmoor, Illinois Fort Lauderdale, Florida Fredricksberg, Virginia Gary, Indiana Gilbert, Arizona Griffin, Georgia Hammond, Indiana Hartford, Connecticut Harvey, Illinois Hillside, Illinois Houston, Texas Hyattsville, Maryland Indianapolis, Indiana  Irvington, New Jersey Jackson, Mississippi Kansas City, Missouri Kenesaw, Georgia LaGrange, Georgia Lenoir, North Carolina Lexington, Kentucky Lithonia, Michigan Los Angeles, California Louisville, Kentucky Macon, Georgia Manassas, Virginia Markham, Illinois Matteson, Illinois Mentor, Ohio Milwaukee, Wisconsin Minneapolis, Minnesota Munster, Indiana  Nashville, Tennessee New Orleans, Louisiana New York City, New York - Manhattan New York City, New York - The Bronx New York City, New York - Brooklyn New York City, New York - Queens New York City, New York - Long Island New York City, New York - Harlem Newark, New Jersey Oakland, California Oak Park, Illinois Omaha, Nebraska Palmdale, California Peoria, Illinois  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Phoenix, Arizona Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Richmond, California Richmond, Virginia Riverdale, Illinois San Bernardino, California San Francisco, California Santan Valley, AZ Seattle, Washington Shelbyville, Indiana  Southaven, Mississippi Spotsylvania County, Virginia St. Louis, Missouri St. Paul, Minnesota St. Petersburg, Florida Tampa, Florida Thomasville, Georgia Toledo, Ohio Tougaloo, Mississippi Tshwane, Botswana, Africa  Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territory, Canada Tuscaloosa, Alabama  University Park, Illinois Upper Marboro, Maryland Vicksburg, Mississippi  Washington, D.C. Waukegan, Illinois White Plains, New York Yazoo City, Mississippi     This event was inspired by the life and life principles of Muhammad Ali (Rumble Young Man, Rumble!).  The Black Male Achievement Movement was born in Louisville, Kentucky in September 2011.  Guidance, support and encouragement for this movement is provided by Open Society Foundations' Campaign for Black Male Achievement.  The National CARES Mentoring Movement and Mentoring U.S.A have signed on as national supporters.  For more information, please call 773.285.9600.   Click Here to see the Fathers Incorporated PSA on mentoring.    Click Here to see the Mentoring USA PSA on mentoring. See One of the Top Theatrical Shows in America, "The Jackie Wilson Story" Limited Free Admission for Black Star Members Only  See The Fantastic  Jackie Wilson Story   at Black Ensemble Theater Cultural Center 4450 N. Clark St  Chicago, Illinois Thursday, February 2, 2012 7:00 pm Limited Free Tickets Available for Black Star Members Only! Please call 773.285.9600 for tickets or more information. Kevin Roston, Jr. as Jackie Wilson.   "The Jackie Wilson Story" having been a huge success first opening in 2000 and with a national tour in 2002 which culminated at the famous Apollo Theater in New York, is the perfect production to open this legendary season.  Written & Directed by Jackie Taylor, this promises to be a bigger and better production with a few star studded surprises.   Click Here to see and listen to a sample of what is in store at this fantastic play! The Spook Who Sat By The Door Why do some not want young Black men to see the movie, The Spook Who Sat By The Door?   "Shortly after it opened in theaters, the film vanished altogether - pulled by its distributor, some allege, bowing to pressure from the FBI. The narrative, about disciplined efforts to take down The Man through brain power and armed revolts, was intentionally controversial, and it doesn't take a leap of the imagination to presume the film made those in certain corridors of power nervous enough to "disappear" the movie altogether.   For years it was only available on bootleg video. In 2004, the actor Tim Reid tracked down a remaining negative stored in a vault under a different name ("When they want to lose something, they lose it," Reid told the Tribuneat the time) and released it on DVD. It still remains largely unknown to the general public, an artifact from the blaxploitation era that defies most of the genre's cliches."   Join us with the author of the book Sam Greenlee for the movie The Spook Who Sat By The Door Saturday, February 4, 2012 1:30 pm The Black Star Project 3509 South King Drive Chicago, Illinois   When Fathers Are Their Daughters First Date, Every Other Man After That Must Measure Up! Men and women across America should/can plan and host a Daddy/Daughter Dance for Valentines Day. Call us at 773.285.9600 for an organizing kit to host a Daddy/Daughter Dance in your community or in your city.  Men in Chicago can register now for our February 11, 2012 Daddy/Daughter Dance at The Black Star Project by calling 773.285.9600.