Page 2 The Skanner August 15, 2018
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Challenging People to Shape
a Better Future Now
Get Real About Graduation for Black and Brown Students
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2017
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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?
