Just Sayin’…Kudos to PPS board

That is what I’m hearing from new PPS Superintendent Anthony Hamlet. He has been successful wherever he has been and even though some of the media are saying he has not been as successful as he says he has been in the eyes of the people who he worked with, they apparently felt very highly of him, otherwise he would not have been recommended to the PPS in the first place. For example the Superintendent he worked for in Florida—I haven’t seen any place where he spoke out against the hiring of Hamlet as PPS Superintendent, or any of the other people Hamlet worked with. All we heard about was a resume and how Hamlet’s figures weren’t right. I ask in relation to who and what?
I’ve had a lot of people come to me with great resumes that couldn’t write, or were terrible journalists. I say that to say this.
Let the man do his job. Let’s see what he can do. We can judge him year by year. If he’s not successful the first year he’s out of here and all the critics can say, “I told you so.” But if he’s successful, the students will become the big winners.
I think it’s time for all the critics, including A+ Schools, to bury the hatchet and work together for the betterment of the student.
The priorities should be improvement in reading, math, science, and most importantly JOB READINESS. Let me say that again, Job Readiness. Yes…I capitalized it. It probably should be in all caps. Science is nice, Math, Reading and all those academics are great, but if you can’t find and hold a job what good is any of it? And that is what we must be able to convey to our kids.
If they are going to put food on their table, clothes on their backs and a roof over their heads they must have a job, because they will never move out of their parents’ houses, or at least be able to help their parents financially foot the bills if they don’t have a decent paying job. They will never be able to support a wife or husband and children if they don’t have a job. Do you get my point? Just sayin’.
And where should you be prepared for a job? Not in college or trade school, but in grade school, middle school, and high school. When a student comes out of high school they should have some idea of what they want to do with the rest of their lives but most of us didn’t and the same is true of our children and grandchildren.
Schools have been so busy teaching classes that they haven’t taken time to teach their students the big picture. How reading will lead to a good paying job. How learning math will lead to a good paying job. Some of the other things that will help that student land and keep a job, such as manners, and how they conduct themselves. Making straight A’s means little if you treat everyone else with disrespect.
Hamlet gives me the impression that he is very aware of the big picture and how to get our students there, both Black and White, but especially our Black boys who need it desperately.
I understand where all the people who opposed the hiring of Hamlet are coming from. They think that with all the controversy he will not be able to do his job, thus not really getting anything accomplished which will hurt the students, setting them back even further. I say no need to worry.
With the school board behind the Superintendent, and what appears to be most of the parents and community, if he puts forth strong programs they will be supported which will help these programs be successful.
It’s now time to put all our disagreements behind us and join hands and work together for the betterment of our students and the betterment of the Black people throughout Pittsburgh. Let us show the country, that Black people can work together with a Black man as its head.
(Ulish Carter is the managing editor of the New Pittsburgh Courier.)
 
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