Marrow Weary—How Deeply Rooted Racism is in the Fight For Equal Education

A one minute review of the recent events unfolding, as it seems that’s all the time we have left. As of August 30t, 2015, I will no longer be a Local School Council Facilitator, as my medium, and long term goals conflict with this important mission. A decision will not be made concerning any ideation of continuing my educational activities, until August 30^th, 2017.

As I look back on the last 40 years of combined Local and International Public Service to the Community, I see a Community in an historical context of the “disinherited” taking a direct role in which decision making theory becomes reality in our well developed affinity for “distrust” of Centralized Authority. At its essential core “Community Organizing” is vital for “Participatory Democracy” as opposed to the authoritarianism of representative democracy as manifested by the current state of Local, County, State, and Federal Government, with its emerging Global Housing/Real Estate Markets and Partnerships, Human Trafficking [Malaysia, China, Africa], Exploitation, Piracy, Slavery, Educational [the systemic takeover first of the Technocrats, second the Plutocrats], Military, and Criminal – Industrial complexes, along with the recent increases in the amounts of children and families living in poverty, more now, than at any other time.

Thinking of a childhood in the sixties, Lyndon Baines Johnson’s War on Poverty, has now been in the works for 50 years, and with the socioeconomic ills confronting us, ours will continue to be a society where the gap between rich and poor widens, where the major rewards go to the few [who are not to be confused with the best]. All Americans should continue to organize politically, and economically in order to develop self regard, and exert maximum pressure. No man or community can be faulted for that. The Community must continue to argue from a position of strength rather than weakness. Centralized Authority is far more likely to make concessions to power than to justice. Unless we, the people, have lost the guardian of our supposed interest.

“Due to the restructuring of capitalism leading to the financialization superexploitation, overproduction, and undercompensation of cheap labor on a global scale unprecedented as witnessed by the 2007 economic meltdown of Wall Street” [Will 2013]. The Federal [New York Times May 13th, 2015] Government deemed those Corporations “ too big to fail.” At best this all seemed to be some sort of mistake. At worst, this seems to be one of the biggest financial crimes in U.S. history. So the question is, ‘How did the criminals get away with it? ‘Fear of a global meltdown? Corporate America has become the heart of the “representative democratic community voice” as well as its policies.

We see the Conservatively radical and repressive right wing Republicans rule with the authoritarian fist of studiously ignoring the dispossessed, poverty ridden, and crime infested inner cities transforming them into the restructured Global Economic New World Order Village. Cheapening their labor, ravaging its unions, pillaging its pension funds, taking over all of its schools, and leaving in its wake food, and housing deserts for affordable seekers, and leaving smashed the American Dream, if there was ever such a thing. The New American Reality has turned back the Segregation clock to pre-Brown v Board 1954.

The Technocrats, the young inexperienced administrative specialist appointed by the Public Educational System in Chicago as the Corporate community voice as well, have gutted out the entire system by using the power of Neo –Liberal Wall Street Reforms adopting them to an educational environment in a language jargon totally unintelligible to the common educator, parent, student, or other members of the community authority, who have built educational institutional structure dating back to the sixties. The result, more schools closed in 2013 in Chicago than ever before in U.S. history.

Through this hierarchy of knowledge, expertise has been converted into science to give the illusion of an financial crisis. The Chinese definition of crisis is opportunity riding on dangerous wind. Therefore removing all human institutions from this political discussion revolving around science. These reforms have transformed American Public Education from a Public Human Right of Passage into a Privatized Consumable Service! The Plutocrats, the financialized Corporate Power Structure who have the necessary public relationships with Municipalities [who control the Educational System] made possible by the Ronald Reagan Revolution of de – regulation of Corporations in the 1980’s to inherit from the people unlimited access, to a 5.7 Billion dollar budget, which supposedly places children first. I meant profits first, of course!

This access was made possible by the Illinois State Legislature giving control of the schools in Chicago to the Mayor, of which 2015 marks the 20th Anniversary. Now the new Governor is poised to take back control over all the schools in the state of Illinois, once the U.S. Congress reauthorizes the No Child Left Behind Act. This is the next card to be played in the federal reinfusion of resources to fund new policies and approaches to the manufactured crisis of the Educational Industrial Complex deemed also too big to fail. A most damaging manifestation of the backlash against the Civil Rights movement of the sixties. The Plutocrats have devalued the role of government, in much the same way it was during reconstruction America.

The University of Chicago, with no emergency Trauma Center, for which to heal those with life threatening care needs, seemingly fits this definition also of Corporate America becoming the heart of the representative democratic community voice thru its policies, and practices. Its history go as far back as its benefactor John D. Rockefeller, and his syndicate of U.S. and International profiteers from 1887 thru 1907, whose investments of blood money in the Belgium/ African Congo meant the death of 150, 000, 000 Africans, in exchange for its raw materials. Is it any surprise that black life doesn’t matter for the University of Chicago?

The needs for an Elected Representative School Board is picking up support in the Illinois State Legislature, after bonds issued by the Chicago Public Schools have been reduced to “junk status”

Adourthus Mc Dowell is, at present, a Local School Council Facilitator and Community Organizer with an expertise in Nonprofit Organization Management. He has over 8 years of experience in the combined areas of Infant, Child, Adolescent, Pre- Natal, Male and Female Case Management, and Program Compliance Assessment. In the areas of child and adolescent mental health Adourthus worked with the Community Counseling Centers of Chicago, and the Urban Systems of Care Project. Adolescent and Men’s Health, education, and employment services with Marcy Newberry Association, and the Near North Health Service Corporation. With the Near North Health Services Corporation also a member of the Joint Accreditation Commission of Healthcare Organizations [JACHO]. Over eight years of education Training/Community Organizing, and Employment and Training with the Kenwood – Oakland Community Organization. Special populations service with the Salvation Army.

This piece was reprinted by EmpathyEducates with permission or license. We thank the Author, Adourthus Mc Dowell for his kindness, observations and reflection. We are grateful for his voice and work to revitalize a conversation. Participatory Democracy; what is it and how does it benefit our children?