Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Dr. Brenda Cassellius must resign in regards to investigation of successful Black charter school

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“Black educations status quo in Minnesota.”

It’s evident that some of our people don’t have our (Blacks) best interest. This is what notoriety and success brings to Black education – an unjust scrutiny of processes. Now if this had been Superintendent Johnson of the Minneapolis Public Schools and she had somehow managed to close the achievement gap in the public schools, she’d be right out the door. That’s why the Minneapolis Public Schools remain at a failing status quo, “They can keep them Negro’s dumb.” It’s just like president Obama, if you’re not going to support Black education in Minnesota or speak up, then drop-down! In reality, someone is pissed off about the “money.”

by Donald W.R. Allen, II -Editor in Chief/The Independent Business News Network

Minneapolis, MN (IBNN/Education and Stupid Politics/August 10, 2012)…This morning (8/10), IBNN NEW spoke with veteran Star Tribune Steve Brandt who told IBNN he was “tipped-off” about a bonding issue involving owners of the charter school and their alleged financial troubles.

The first mistake that Ms. Casselius made was being apart of a panel on June 14, 2012 to talk about the $28 million dollars the Northside Achievement Zone received for early childhood development. The panels at New Salem Baptist Church represented and attempted to sidetrack efforts of planning being made by NAZ for a few community members that don’t represent Black students in education. The commissioner had no business speaking about funding the MDE signed off on in the first place for NAZ. This was a “boogeyman” panel with the intent to place a wedge in the community.

This is what happens to Black professional educators in Minnesota who are successful in teaching Black students. Historically, the need for the MDE to “ask the legislative auditor to review the financial structures” of Harvest Prep and the other schools is nothing more than a race related witch hunt due to the schools success with students of color.

Let me break this down further…

The north Minneapolis charter school is proving “What you do most, is what you do best” by exceeding the state averages in the recent results of the Minnesota reading and math assessment tests. In fact, students from Harvest Prep, which serves African American students – 90 percent from low-income families, also are reversing the overall academic achievement disparity between white students and students of color (Insight News, September 16, 2011).

Specific results include:

 In math, Harvest Prep Academy students are 82 percent proficient, compared with the 56 percent state average. Harvest also outperformed the state white average in math of 68 percent.

In reading, Harvest Prep Academy students are 77 percent proficient compared with the overall state average of 74 percent.

 Harvest Prep outperformed every other Minneapolis school in the district as well as every other metro school district in the state in math including Eden Prairie and Edina.

At each grade level, Harvest Prep outscored the average math scores by a significant amount:

Third grade students were 82 percent proficient compared with the 70 percent average.
Fourth grade students were 90 percent proficient compared with the 67 percent average.
Fifth grade students were 80 percent proficient compared with the 54 percent average.
Sixth grade students were 67 percent proficient compared with the 50 percent average.

The reason that Commissioner Cassellius must resign is because of her lack of focus for Black school children. The big picture story here is the Minneapolis Public Schools and their “generational” failure rate for students of color. Maybe Brenda can pick up the phone and ask the Star Tribune to investigate why the Minneapolis Public Schools is giving thousands of dollars to people that can’t read or write to perform contractual obligations on behalf of education and respect…that ‘s the story.

Another point I’d like to make; whenever Blacks are successful, some White overseers see this as a threat to Minnesota’s foundational school of White Privilege.

Of course a Black charter schools will have some type of financial troubles in Minnesota – take a look at other Black organizations including the Minnesota NAACP, Minneapolis and St. Paul Urban League’s, CCD/KMOJ-FM and a host of small Black businesses that can’t qualify for any state assistance to do any business.

According to the Star Tribune story – the investigation hasn’t even been completed.

My question would be, why is this headline news?

My next statement to the Commissioner is, “If you are being pressured by overseers because of Harvest Prep’s success, then you need to resign immediately.”