Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 15, 2018)
Page 2 The Skanner August 15, 2018 ® Challenging People to Shape a Better Future Now Get Real About Graduation for Black and Brown Students Bernie Foster Founder/Publisher O Bobbie Dore Foster Executive Editor Jerry Foster Advertising Manager Christen McCurdy News Editor Patricia Irvin Graphic Designer Monica J. Foster Seattle Office Coordinator Susan Fried Photographer 2017 MERIT AWARD WINNER The Skanner Newspaper, es- tablished in October 1975, is a weekly publication, published every Wednesday by IMM Publi- cations Inc. 415 N. Killingsworth St. P.O. Box 5455 Portland, OR 97228 Telephone (503) 285-5555 Fax: (503) 285-2900 info@theskanner.com www.TheSkanner.com The Skanner is a member of the National Newspaper Pub lishers Association and West Coast Black Pub lishers Association. All photos submitted become the property of The Skanner. We are not re spon sible for lost or damaged photos either solicited or unsolicited. ©2018 The Skanner. All rights re served. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission prohibited. Local News Pacific NW News World News Opinions Jobs, Bids Entertainment Community Calendar ! • L i ke u s on F ebo m me • nts TheSkannerNews o k • learn • co in y o u r c o m m u n y toda ac it NEXT WEEK: BACK TO SCHOOL y • Opinion nt • lo c a l n e w s • eve Check out: TheSkannerReport.com Your One-Stop Hub for Community Newspapers Throughout the U.S. ur nation’s graduation rate is at an all-time high. The national fig- ure shows 84 percent of young people, overall, gradu- ating from high school within four years after first entering the 9th grade, a trend that has been on a consistent upswing since the 2010-2011 school year. Still, despite much prog- ress with that indicator, major gaps still exist. And there is great concern that the graduation rate hype not only masks those gaps, but distracts us from what must be our ultimate goal: ensur- ing all students earn a high school diploma and are col- lege and career ready. Even as overall graduation rates improve, Black and His- panic students continue to lag behind that curve. Gradu- ation rates for African Amer- ican students are 76.4 per- centage points—8 percentage points behind the national av- erage — and Latino students are at 79.3 percent. Native American students fare even worse at just 72 percent grad- uation. Meanwhile, White and Asian students are any- where from four to six points higher than the national aver- age. None of us can reasonably expect the closure of inequal- ity gaps, if we’re simply satis- fied with overall graduation Nate Davis CEO and Board of Dir. Chair, K12 Inc. rates while resigned to stub- born achievement gaps. Yet, it seems as if we’re in a phase whereby these disparities are being treated as normal—“the way it is”—as opposed to ad- dressing a larger parity prob- lem. We have to ask ourselves: are we having a responsible “ ceed the national average, and in two states – Minnesota and New York—the gap is more than 20 percentage points.” The persistent normalcy of lower achievement among certain disadvantaged stu- dent populations is deeply troubling. Closing those gaps should be as important—if not more—than simply rais- ing overall graduation rates. At the same time, gradu- ation rates can be used to unfairly malign schools that are serving underprivileged youth and, in fact, helping at-risk students earn a high school diploma. Alternative The persistent normalcy of lower achievement among certain dis- advantaged student populations is deeply troubling and responsive conversation about high school gradua- tion? The most recent “Building a Grad Nation” report from America’s Promise Alliance says that, “Twenty-three states have Black-White graduation rate gaps larger than the national average, including five states—Wis- consin, Nevada, Minnesota, New York, and Ohio — where the gap is more than 20 per- centage points…Twenty-four states have Hispanic/White graduation rate gaps that ex- schools are singled out for having four-year cohort grad- uation rates that are generally lower than the national aver- age, but left out of the conver- sation is how these schools are intentionally designed to serve credit-deficient trans- fer students and former drop- outs at risk of never earning a diploma at all. Measuring how well schools are graduating students is im- portant, but it should be done right, and must not create disincentives for schools to serve credit-deficient stu- dents or dropouts looking for a second chance. After all, what is more important for these students: graduating or graduating “on-time”? It’s why graduation rate calcula- tions should be reformed al- together so schools are held accountable for students’ an- nual progress toward gradua- tion every year, not just in the fourth year of high school. Sadly, the drive to meet on-time graduation has led to recent cases of manipu- lation and fraud, which, of course, is wrong, but it also misses the primary purpos- es of high school altogether: preparing students for high- er education, careers, and the workforce. The linkage between these goals—gradu- ation and college and career readiness — is crucial for broader national competi- tiveness. Graduating students is meaningless if they are not prepared. The number of high school students heading into reme- dial courses in their first year of college are staggering, and the gaps between varying de- mographics are even more troubling. Nearly 60 percent of African American stu- dents are forced to enroll in non-credit remedial classes in college. Read the rest of this commentary at TheSkanner.com Enough with the Racism in the Rooftop Solar Industry T here has always been bigotry in this country. In 2018, thanks to the leaders of the civil rights movement who risked their lives fighting for equality and justice, things are much im- proved. But these days some racists in this country are feeling encouraged to express their ugly views in public or discriminate against people of color. Recently, Vivint Solar — one of the largest sellers of solar panels in this country — was sued in California by a Black employee who alleges that his superiors likened him to a monkey; used a racial epi- thet against him; and that his coworkers used cardboard boxes to build a fort around their desks that was marked as “White only.” The com- plainant’s lawyer provided pictures of this absurd and ab- horrent cardboard façade to the media and The Sacramen- to Bee published the photo. David Bywater, the top exec- utive at Vivint Solar, told the media that he was “deeply dis- turbed” by these allegations. “I want to firmly state that Vivint Solar has a zero-toler- ance policy for racial discrim- ination and harassment in the workplace,” Bywater said. “Our company is built on the strength of diversity.” This is precisely what a CEO Julianne Malveaux NNPA Columnist is supposed to say, but a per- son of conscience would back their words up with action. A deeper dive into Vivint’s practices makes me question Bywater’s sincerity. In March, Hector Balderas, the Attorney General of New Mexico filed a against Vivint Solar, accusing them of fraud, racketeering, and unfair business practices. Balde- ras says the company, which sells rooftop solar panels em- ployed “high-pressure sales techniques and procedures designed to mislead consum- ers” and lock their custom- ers into contracts lasting 20 years, with rates that increase “by over 72 percent,” as the agreement matures. Also, according to the Bal- deras’ office: “The complaint also charges Vivint with fil- ing improper notices in con- sumer real estate records that operate to cloud titles, in some cases, making it difficult for New Mexico consumers to sell their homes.” There is also some evidence that con- sumers of color and low-in- come consumers are targeted for these pressure tactics. I’ve been interested in the solar industry, because it is an expanding industry that in- creasingly provides new op- portunities. However, there also seems to be additional opportunities to exploit con- “ His cowork- ers used card- board boxes to build a fort around their desks that was marked as ‘White only’ sumers, especially minori- ty consumers. I’ve written about my concerns about the ways the industry targets less sophisticated consumers, echoing concerns raised by several members of Congress in a letter to the Consumer Fi- nancial Protection Bureau in early 2017. In response to my concerns, the Solar Energy Industry Association (SEIA) used a consultant to harass me and my staff. I received and accepted an apology from the CEO of SEIA. I hoped they were sincere in their stated concerns about consumer protection and also about di- versity in their industry. But Vivint Solar, with its “White only” fort, is a mem- ber of SEIA. The allegations of racial discrimination and harassment involving Vivint Solar seem inconsistent with SEIA’s stated values. What must they do? I have some ideas: First, SEIA should ask Vivint Solar to leave their trade association. If SEIA wants to represent rooftop solar makers that respect consumers and employees, then Vivint Solar needs to go. If SEIA doesn’t take action against Vivint Solar, there is no accountability, which only further erodes trust with mi- nority communities. Further, SEIA should back up their statement, that CEO Abby Hopper has established diversity of solar’s workforce and customer base as among her top three priorities. SEIA should also work to increase awareness about their “Di- versity Best Practices Guide” by funding and hosting con- sumer education seminars around the country to better inform consumers, especially minority consumers, about their rights when it comes to the rooftop solar industry. Silence is complicity. It is time for good people to stand up against racism. SEIA: What say you?
