Message to Our Sons - Focus Point

In light of George Zimmerman’s acquittal in the killing of Trayvon Martin, and after her own 17-year-old son—on his way to his father’s house—was stopped by a police officer, Jones-DeWeever questioned what we can do to protect our children. Her answer: Arm young African-Americans with the difficult truth of why they may be viewed with undeserved and potentially lethal suspicion simply because of the color of their skin. This, she says, at least provides them with a contextual framework to help them understand why their mere presence may be met with hostile and irrational reactions.

In Self Defense - Focus Point

In the wake of the George Zimmerman verdict, Jones-DeWeever wonders whether self-defense has become the new refuge for “Whites Only,” or at least “Whites Mostly.” A 2012 PBS Frontline study getting increased attention after the Zimmerman verdict shows that whites who kill blacks are far more likely to be found not guilty after claiming self-defense than are blacks who kill whites. In this commentary, Jones-DeWeever explores the implications of those findings.

Smart Money

Philanthropists have been playing an increasing role in education reform and helping under-resourced schools, most recently and notably among them Steve Jobs’ widow, Laurene. A founder of an all-boys charter school set to open in Fall 2014 asks Education Matters contributor Dr. Pedro Noguera what role philanthropists can play in supporting charter schools.

Bridging the Gender Gap - Education Matters

Trends are showing that boys have been steadily falling behind girls in educational placement over the past several years. One possible factor, say educators, is that the social and emotional “soft” skills that girls acquire at home often give them an edge in school. Now many schools are looking for ways to improve the learning environment to help eliminate the gender gap. A mother of two boys asks Education Matters contributor Dr. Pedro Noguera to address the gap in educational achievement that she’s been observing at her children’s school.

Getting to the Common Core of the Matter - Education Matters

Common core standards have been adopted by 44 states across the county to help expose all children to a rigorous curriculum, regardless of the jurisdiction they live in. But questions remain about its implementation. With students and teachers still confused about the new standards, a fourth-grade math and science teacher asks Education Matters contributor Dr. Pedro Noguera how common core standards will make our children more competitive, and whether there are universal guidelines to teaching the new curriculum.

Addressing America’s Dropout Problem - Education Matters

Despite growing attention and concern about our nation’s excessively high dropout rate, the problem continues to exact a heavy shadow on America’s future. What is not so clear is why the remedies that the education community and policymakers have pursued to address the problem have been so inadequate. Dr. Pedro Noguera, Peter L. Agnew Professor of Education at New York University, author, and Education Matters contributor, examines the reasons these policies have failed, the false assumptions about students and schools that have blocked progress, and what must happen to turn things around.

Colorism - My Mic is Hot

Bill Dukes’ documentary Dark Girls, which recently aired on a cable network, raised the issue of colorism in America—an issue that Dyson came face-to-face with when a older black women at a convention “complimented” him on his light complexion. In this commentary, Dyson addresses the historic biases with regard to lighter and darker complexioned blacks, and how best to move past the pathology of color bias.

Prison Disparities - My Mic is Hot

Whenever a media outlet features a segment about the disparate paths that Dyson and his brother Everett took—one a university professor and nationally recognized commentator and the other serving a life sentence in prison—he inevitably receives an e-mail from another black person saying that he shares that experience. In this commentary, Dyson explores the reasons behind the disparity in prison sentencing between black and white men for the same crimes, and why it’s time to speak out against it.

What’s Past is Present - Focus Point

When the Supreme Court struck down Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, the majority did so with an eye toward the past and a distinctly blurred view of the present, says Jones-DeWeever. As she explains in this commentary, we don’t need to scour history books for instances of voting rights infringements when in the most recent presidential election long lines and proliferating voter ID laws threatened ballot access.

Beyond Paula Deen - Focus Point

Though much of America has become distracted by the Paula Deen case, we still have a significant problem when it comes to speaking openly and honestly about the issue of race. Racism, says Jones-DeWeever, is bigger than the use of ugly words, deadlier than the loss of a sponsor, and more tragic than a few days of embarrassment endured by a millionaire. Here, she raises a few examples of why we shouldn’t be too enthralled with caricatures of racism while ignoring its everyday occurrence.

Understanding SCOTUS Decision on Voting Rights - Focus Point

The U.S. Supreme Court recently handed down a decision that essentially eliminated Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. The provision meant that jurisdictions with a history of discrimination had to show the Department of Justice or federal courts that any proposed changes to voting in the state had no discriminatory purpose or effect. Jones-DeWeever speaks with Jon Greenbaum, chief counsel and senior deputy director of the Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, to find out what the decision means for voters in affected states.

SCOTUS Decision on Affirmative Action - Focus Point

In its recent hearing of Fisher v. University of Texas, the U.S. Supreme Court remanded the case back to the Fifth Circuit for further consideration. In doing so, however, the court preserved its precedent in Grutter v. Bollinger, which recognized the constitutionality of admissions policies that consider race among other factors. Jones-DeWeever speaks with Jon Greenbaum, chief counsel and senior deputy director of the Lawyer’s Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, to learn more about the implications of the decision.

Don’t Mess with Texas (Women)- Focus Point

The saying goes, “don’t mess with Texas,” but Jones-DeWeever says, “Don’t mess with the women of Texas.” When the male-dominated Texas legislature was poised to pass a bill that would have essentially shut down each of the state’s remaining clinics offering access to abortion, the women of Texas, specifically State Senator Wendy Davis, had enough. With a filibuster that thwarted passage of the bill, Davis inspired women across the country in a fight that, Jones-DeWeever predicts, is just beginning.