By: Bobby E. Mills, PhD
Crime is crime, regardless of race, class, creed or color, but law enforcement should be color-blind when apprehending law breakers. The application of law and order should be universally enforced, regardless of skin-tone and socio-economic statuses. Of course, we must acknowledge that historically there have been enforcement discrepancies in applying the law toward all American citizens. We also know that Police profiling does exist! Hence, sometimes it seems as though Lady Justice is peeping from under her blind-fold, and the scales of justice appear to be unbalanced, but that’s no excuse for law-breaking. HISD is primarily a minority school district. Question: why aren’t minority children being properly instructed (educated)? Does the answer lie in the desire of some HISD officials to steal resources rather than utilize resources to educate children? An important facet of educational development is citizenship development that is how to live with each another in a multi-cultural society; where your rights end, and the other person’s rights begin. Example is the best teacher, and stealing is not a good example. The primary goal of any ISD is: (a) teaching and learning (self-development), (b) career/occupational path development and (c) and civic responsibility. In order to maximize the development of these goals an ISD needs: (a) excellent first-class administrators, (b) excellent well-prepared teachers, (c) dedicated support personnel (d) quality state of the art facilities, and instructional materials.
The recent scandalous contractual monetary behaviors by a Board of Trustee, and four former HISD employees publicly revealed in federal indictments suggest that these individuals should have been indicted quick and in a hurry, because of contract price overcharging and kick-back schemes. An indictment is only an indictment, not a guilty or innocent verdict. Only the Court System can render a just verdict. Leadership in any organization or any elected public position is about moral accountability and fiduciary responsibilities and duties. Too many Black elected leaders violate their moral oath of responsibility to their continuants. In the Black community when confronted with violating the law most Blacks play the race card as a defense mechanism: I’m Black and that’s why I am singled out, because Whites do it to. There is no honor in criminality or among the ungodly. “The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.” (Proverbs 14: 11). Individuals should never defend or imitate lawbreakers regardless of race, color or creed: obey the law. Historically, the education of minority children in HISD has been at the mercy of the majority population. As population demographics have changed over time HISD is now under minority administrative control. Interestingly, and sadly nothing significantly and qualitatively has changed. What started out as a prejudicial and judgmental educational system continues in that same dysfunctional mode even with minority control.
The system works for the system, not children. Therefore, it should not surprise anyone that minority student performance levels in HISD have not improved even with the historic administrative shift to minority control. However, and sadly, corruption and stealing remains front and center. Unfortunately, we have a classic ungodly example of the ole saying: “the more things change, the more they remain the same.” Houstonians know this: God has pure eyes He sees all, and knows all, therefore: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For if he soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” (Galatians 6: 7-8). Amen.
