Greenwood, Mississippi

          Last Saturday, Ben Guest took the MTC interns and Andre Wang (our fellow intern at the Mississippi Innocence Project) on an Emmett Till inspired tour of the Delta. Our first stop was in Sumner, Mississippi, to see the court house where Roy Bryant and J.W. Milam were acquitted. Sumner was not unlike most failing Delta towns, businesses were boarded up and buildings had been left to crumble. But right in the middle of the town square, buttressed by a Confederate statue, was the infamous court house where one of the twentieth century’s greatest miscarriages of justice took place. However, another important act ought to be remembered: Mose Wright’s improbably courageous decision to publicly accuse a white man of murder in court, something that many say a black man had never done before in Mississippi.

Courthouse in Sumner, MS

            In addition to the courthouse we also traveled to Money, Mississippi, where we saw Bryant’s Grocery and Meat Market, the location of Mose Wright’s home, and the location of his church and graveyard where Emmett was originally to be buried. The store was a mere shell of its former self, yet still haunting. A little over fifty years ago a black boy had wolf whistled at a white woman right where I was standing. His punishment: kidnapping, torture, and murder. Things I never would have had to fear had I done the same exact thing. From there, we drove down Dark Fear Road, passing the former location of the Wrights' home and stopping at the remains of Mose Wright’s Church of God in Christ. It was there that Mose Wright spent the night after testifying against Emmett’s murderers, narrowly missing what might have been his own untimely end. The church was modest, a single room with a small graveyard adjacent. Mose Wright was clearly not a wealthy preacher, but I surmise his unshakeable faith ran deeper than such frivolous determinations of a man’s character.





Mose Wright's Church

Bryant's Grocery and Meat Market

            We also visited the Shurden Plantation, where Emmett was taken by his captors to be tortured and killed. Surprisingly, the barn was still standing and clearly in use not far from the home of the obviously wealthy plantation owners. I guess I had assumed that due to either public pressure or common sense, something of that nature (on private property) might have been torn down to prevent people from doing exactly what we were doing: trespassing and regretting our country’s history of inequality and injustice. Apparently, the owners do not feel the same way. After this, we traveled to the location where Emmett’s body was found in the Tallahatchie River, bound to a cotton gin fan by barbed wire. Again, much like the Bryant’s store, this spot could have passed for any other river bank. But, knowing that Emmett, and surely others, were deposited (that word doesn’t even do justice to what happened) in that river made its current serenely ominous.

Tallahatchie River, location where Till's body was found

            After seeing the famous locations related to the Emmett Till murder, we visited the home of Alzea Brewer. Mrs. Brewer, a Mississippi native, is among the many locals who have spent their entire lives fighting for equality and deserves tremendous credit for their efforts; so too does her husband who fought to register black voters and was among the first to attempt to register to vote since the days of Reconstruction. Speaking with Mrs. Brewer and her eldest daughter Mary, I was reminded of the constant relevance of our past. They candidly spoke about fear, mistrust, and unfinished progress. Yet, their poise and thoughtfulness were indicative of the strength with which they have and continue to carry themselves, refusing to let the indiscretions of others undermine their own integrity.

            After our visit with Mrs. Brewer we made a brief blues excursion to see one of Robert Johnson's gravestones in Greenwood, Mississippi. We then concluded our trip with a stop at the Crystal Grille in Greenwood for some delicious Delta fare before riding back to Oxford. However, I should note, that I have never seen greater wealth disparity within such a small area than in Greenwood. Driving through town, we saw wealthy mansions only to keep driving and see horribly inhospitable homes not even half a mile away. Granted, this is not singular to Greenwood, but the contrast was particularly startling and indicated the willingness of some to look past the misfortune of others.

Barebecue Blues (Oxford)

Do you know what I need?

Heading down South

To Faulkner’s land

I’m marching on South

To the rebel land

Arrive in time to hear the news

Y’all know what I need?

Going down South

Working for the teacher man

Riding on South

Past the Volunteer man

Everybody’s got the barbecue blues

Who knows what I need?

Got an empty feeling

There’s nothing around

Got an empty feeling

Ain’t none to be found

Lord I’ve got the barbecue blues

Y’all know what I need!

A rack of ribs

And some corn bread please

Don’t need no bibs

But extra tea please

I’m saying goodbye to the barbecue blues

Weeks Six and Seven

          It has been two weeks since I did an MTC internship round-up so there is much that I could talk about but there are two meetings especially of note. On June 29 we met with Scott Barretta, a blues expert. With Mr. Barretta, we discussed the legend of Robert Johnson, evolution of blues music, relationship of blues music with the civil rights movement, and revival of blues consumerism. I found Robert Johnson particularly interesting. Dead by the age of 27 under widely disputed circumstances, Robert Johnson was a talented musician who received little fanfare while alive but has since exploded into a blues phenomenon. His legend and musical recognition continues to grow despite (rather probably because of) the fact that only two verified pictures of him exist, his cause of death and gravesite are unknown, and few recordings exist. Most interesting, is the famous “crossroads” myth. Supposedly, his prodigious talent can be attributed to a deal he made with the devil at a crossroads in which he gave up his soul. I had previously thought that the devil had gone down to Georgia, as explained by The Charlie Daniels Band, but apparently he had time to stop in the Delta as well. Meeting with Mr. Barretta was a treat as I have little ability to recognize the finer points of music. Additionally, prior to my time in Mississippi I hardly grasped the true connection between blues music and the black experience in the Delta. Blues music tells the musicians story, but the history of blues music places those stories within a context, fraught with suffering, faith, and talent.  

            This past Wednesday, we met with Tucker Carrington, director of the Mississippi Innocence Project. The Innocence Project fights to obtain justice for wrongfully convicted individuals, exposing blatant negligence within Mississippi’s criminal justice system. In speaking with we focused on two cases. The cases involved Kennedy Brewer and Levon Brooks, both of whom had been wrongfully convicted of kidnapping, rape, and murder within a span of a couple years in the same town. In each case, the guilty party was exonerated and a confession from a third party was elicited, linking the same person to both crimes. Also in each case, an medical examiner and bite-mark specialist had been employed by the district attorney to testify in the prosecutions favor. The medical examiner, as has been widely publicized yet disregarded by Mississippi officials, has and continues to perform well over four times the recommended number of autopsies each year, has been found to produce fraudulent results and has insufficient credentials. The bite-mark specialist, who has even less formal training and appears to simply benefit from his friendship with the medical examiner. Both Brooks and Brewer were convicted, more or less simply because they were in town at the time. The supposed bite-marks were not even bite-marks, refuting any possible matches. With the help of the Innocence Project and newly developed DNA analysis, both were eventually freed, but only after their lives were shattered by false convictions. Worst of all, they are not alone. Irresponsible investigating, lackluster defense litigation, poverty, twisted testimony, and government indifference plague our justice systems. Surely not every verdict is accurate, not every perpetrator can be caught, and not every lawyer is Atticus Finch, but simple laziness and blatant negligence is an attack upon the fundamental right to a just and fair trial.

            On a lighter note, the interns had this past weekend off and I returned home to Bethesda, Maryland. While there I watched the Fourth of July fireworks on the National Mall, spent time with family and friends, and had the pleasure of watching Washington’s 126 million dollar man strike out against the Pirates.

Oxford School Board Meeting

          On June 27, 2011, the MTC interns attended a regular meeting of the Board of Trustees of Oxford School District at Oxford High School. Now, prior to attending this meeting, my experience of school boards and their many procedures was very limited. In fact, that experience was almost entirely derived from scenes in the movies Hoosiers, Field of Dreams and Footloose. As far as I knew a school board meeting consisted of irate parents, powerfully self-invested students, and either Gene Hackman or Kevin Bacon. At the Oxford meeting I did observe unsatisfied parents, but neither basketball nor dancing was discussed, no books were banned, and no one was dubbed a “fascist cow.” But despite this lack of Hollywood fanaticism, the meeting itself was absolutely fascinating and clearly highlighted the structural limitations of school systems and frustrations of those involved.

            To describe the scene, I will say this: there were fewer than forty people in the entire room, board members accompanied by the district superintendent sat in front, a podium for speaking was placed to the side of them, a man was filming an the entire process, and the lecture hall had swivel chairs worthy of a defunct Roy Rogers restaurant. After I got over the travesty that was the swivel chairs, I was given the meeting’s agenda and things got under way.

            Two things caught my attention during the meeting: the rigidity of the procedural process and dysfunctional public participation. Clearly, for the sake of transparency and consistency certain regulations are needed to ensure that meetings are on point and legitimate. But, when time is precious, spending ten minutes determining the date and length of a board retreat (I timed it on my watch) seems wholly avoidable and irresponsible. To be fair, I do not blame this on the board members themselves. Rather, this is a minor grievance against the larger inefficiency of the systematic procedures which must be followed. Why the board cannot have such frivolous discussions behind closed doors baffles me. Which leads me to my next point: more back and forth should be allowed between the board and audience. For, even if they discuss every single detail and have complete transparency what is the purpose if public reaction is stifled, or disallowed? I know this invites meetings to become marathon disagreements but ideally a reasonable middle ground can be found. During the meeting, a disgruntled mother shared a complaint regarding test scores for minorities and disabled students. Her intentions were commendable but her delivery was abrasive and personal in nature so she was quickly silenced. From my perspective, it appeared that the board was simply being self-defensive and refusing to grant her a pulpit out of self-preservation. I say this because they were not allowed, or maybe unwilling, to address her complaints. I would have liked very much to hear their opinions.

            Two days after the meeting the interns met with Marian Barksdale, a member of the school board. We had met with Mrs. Barksdale a month before and knew her to be genuinely concerned and dedicated to improving the education of all students. Speaking with her I grew to understand how frustrating it must be to sit before the public unable to fully educate them concerning the board’s efforts. Clearly, there is much that the board does, and is trying desperately to do, which goes unseen. Being a board member must feel like a full time job and I wonder how far good intentions can go in a system crippled by budgetary limitations, wealth disparity, and self-interest.

Week Five

           Much has happened in the first five weeks of my MTC internship. However, when I reflect upon my time here and all that I have seen, one theme appears throughout: the failures of our education system (and their origins) must be confronted honestly and by those most qualified. It does not take much research to realize that many decisions which define our school systems are made by the wrong people. Additionally, those most capable of making positive contributions far too often flee the challenge. Our failing education system was born of personal interests and will surely die by them too. You can’t clean up a mess without getting dirty. This is not to say that all involved with education are unqualified and do not have our best interests at heart or that we should forcefully siphon talented individuals from other critical professions, but those calling for changes must be willing to be involved. That is the true value of programs like the Mississippi Teacher Corps and organizations like the Southern Education Foundation. Rather than shirk their duties to others and opt for corporate benefits, they place themselves in the middle of things.

            It was with this in mind that I read an article in yesterday’s Washington Post. The article, written by Bill Turque, was about Bill Kerlina, a former Washington D.C. principal who recently quit his job (link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/young-dc-principal-quits-and-tells-why/2011/06/19/AGfcP6kH_story.html). Kerlina had been the principal of Phoebe Hearst Elementary, located in Northwest Washington, since 2009. The school was not struggling nor in a poor neighborhood. Yet, without having previously aired his complaints, Kerlina quit his job and left the field of education in an unusually public manner. When asked why he was leaving his position, Kerlina cited the overall ineptitude rampant throughout the school system, stress, and ineffective methods of assessing school success.

            It is not unreasonable for someone to decide that teaching, or running a school, is not for them. In fact, one might even commend those who recognize they are unhappy, ineffective, or both, and move onto other things. But, as the article indicates, Kerlina was not an unsuccessful educator and simply grew fed up and disinterested. Oh, and what new field did he pursue: the gourmet cupcake business. Kerlina now runs his own cupcake business called Cooks ‘n Cakes. Really Bill, cupcakes? The last thing the D.C. area needs is more cupcakes. His willingness to speak up and call attention to the systematic inadequacies of the D.C. public schools is admirable but his desire to slink off into the world of self-centered confectionary profit is simply embarrassing. So too is the Post’s willingness to paint him as the martyr unwillingly forced from his field of dreams.

            I have remarked before on this blog about the interwoven existence of race, education, poverty, and other defining aspects of our daily lives. The more time I spend here in Oxford, and specifically working for MTC, the more I begin to recognize this. Simultaneously, I am becoming more aware that as more of us leave the heavy lifting for others, we are only hurting ourselves. This post is not even about Bill Kerlina, it is about our willingness to give up and take care of ourselves. This logic is severely flawed, as our education system is increasingly defining our collective future and intimately impacting our personal lives. It is for that reason that the highlights of this internship have been the people. For they have traveled to the area of greatest need, unafraid to fail and resilient against structural limitations, but determined to help.

Week Four

This past weekend the interns ventured to Memphis, Tennessee and the National Civil Rights Museum. Built into the Lorraine Motel, the museum is a powerful tribute to the past, and continuing, civil rights movement, dominated by the life and death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The museum contained three parts: a tribute to the entire civil rights movement in American history, a tribute to Dr. King, and a confrontation with and discussion of his death. This was all preceded by a short film featuring Rev. Samuel "Billy" Kyles, the man standing next to Dr. King just before the assassination.

           In the film, Kyles grapples with his role as the "witness," coming to the conclusion that his presence was necessary (by God's will) to preserve Dr. King's story and ensure the continuing fight for his dream. The film is well-done, addressing both the significance and causes of Dr. King's death while also considering the legacy. 

Room 306 





          

          Of the museum's many features, the one I found most interesting, and exciting, was the glimpse into Dr. King's personal life. Basic historical representations and national celebrations reconstruct him into an infallible man immune to the struggles of everyday life. But that is misleading. If we are to bestow perfection on anyone, Dr. King is as deserving as any, but I would argue that that does his accomplishments an injustice. For, Dr. King was vulnerable to the same emotions and guilty of personal vices just as we all are, yet was still able to overcome the constant death threats, periodic depression and crushing pressure. This constant struggle, which wore on him constantly, is reflected in many of his speeches, none more so than the famous mountaintop speech the night before he died. This devotion and unfailing determination, as much as anything, is indicative of how far we have come, and have yet to go. In his book April 4, 1968: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Death and How it Changed America, Georgetown Sociology Professor Michael Eric Dyson confronts this issue, saying: “Whites want him clawless; blacks want him flawless” (pg. 56). In both cases, we forget the struggle that allowed his successes. We forget that before dying an icon, he was just a man swimming against the current. This mistake is serious, for our amnesia limits our ability to muster similar efforts today, as we assume that it takes a saint to initiate change.

Beale Street

         

         While in Memphis, we also stopped by the Blues City Cafe, Gus' Fried Chicken, and spent a couple hours on Beale Street enjoying the live music and upbeat atmosphere. However, despite the prodigious dining options and awesome music, our trip was dominated by the National Civil Rights Museum. For, even though they kicked us out at closing, we remained there the rest of the day.



Dr. Boyd

       

This past week the interns met with Dr. Richard Boyd, Mississippi's first appointed state superintendent of education. In speaking with Dr. Boyd, the massive overhaul needed to improve public education, not just in Mississippi, was quite apparent. For, as Dr. Boyd pointed out, school reforms have all been focused on the inside of the schoolhouse, a small portion of the student’s life. Reform, whatever form it may be in, needs to address the forces which enter the classroom at the heels of students, none more powerful than poverty.

          In a 2009 NAEP study, Mississippi ranked dead last and third from last in family income and parent education. Mississippi also ranked third from last and dead last in 4th grade reading proficiency and 8th grade math proficiency. That is no coincidence. Students coming from poverty, especially when lacking sufficient pre-kindergarten education (which is almost always), are absent more, learn less, and are far more likely to drop out, go to jail, and have unhealthy, unhappy lives. This is not disputed. But, as Steven Reinberg pointed out in his recent HealthDay article posted June 9th, 2011, "there is a gap between what we know and what we fund." Bill Gates et al. can pour as much money into new educational methods as they want, but until the larger issues are addressed, the problems will persist. For, as Dr. Boyd explained, it doesn't simply take a village, it is about the village itself that we must be concerned.
           
            The increasing chasm between those who receive a quality education and those who do not is quickly redefining our country’s global standing. Dr. Boyd shared with us a recent study of the twenty four member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The countries were ranked on the material well-being, educational well-being, and health well-being of their children. Out of twenty-four countries, the United States finished second to last. The only country worse than us was Slovakia. Our students are poor, poorly educated, and extremely unhealthy. The United States has the largest poverty class of any industrialized nation and it is quickly growing. If measures are not taken to address this issue, which is not limited to matters of education, the soon-to-be majority minority population will be relegated to an uneducated lower class with few prospects for escape. This path is not nationally beneficial, economically, politically, socially, or morally and those who claim to be real patriots ought to be concerned. This divergence of opportunity will increasingly define what it means to be an American: rich or (for the vast majority) poor. When the original GI Bill was signed, it was hailed as a landmark achievement. Education was truly believed to be the great equalizer. Not it has become the great separator, knocking people down rather than helping them up.