Notations From the Grid (Mid-Week Edition): How @KingJames Makes a Difference

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LeBron James Is Giving 193 Students a Free Ride to College  

Photo credit: Phil Long/AP

The star athlete is helping students from the I Promise School gain access to quality education so that they have the opportunity to grow and succeed.

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Education in California

I ran across this interesting statistic in page 104 of the most recent edition of OC Family (http://www.ocfamily.com). It reports that "...According to the nonpartisna California Legistlative Analyst's Office (http://lao.ca.gov), the governor's proposed budget provides total K-12 per-pupil funding of $ 11,626 for 2008-2009. This is about $ 300, or 2.6% less than the total per-pupil funding for 2007-2008.

Education Week Magazine (http://www.edweek.org) says California spends about $ 2000 less per student than the national average and ranks 43rd among the states for per-pupil spending-and that's not counting the propsed reducation for next year...".

As I read this, I almost cried for my child and all the children in this state. It is sad that almost 2000 educators may lose their jobs. It is also insulting that the Governor talked about sacrifices and a "rainy day" fund during a recent visit to Orange County. The Governor and the entire leadership of the state did not see the tough times coming. Because of their incompetence, we have to pay the price. Education, just like anything, does start from the home. However, I am worried and frustruated by the absolute disregard for what is important. We have to invest in our future, now. Yet, we are losing that battle for potential short-term gains of the day. When will it end?

What is our Priority?

In today's Orange County Register (http://www.ocregister.com), there was a front page story by Greg Hardesty about the predicament faced by Jesus Becerra, an elementary school teacher. He started as a custodian, went back to school to get his credential. He is one of 276 teachers in the Capistrano Unified District who have received their layoff notice. According to the story, the acronym is "Rif-ed". It is short form for Reduction in Force.

When teachers are not valued, then what can we truly depend on? The irony of this story is this: Mr. Becera told the reporter for the register that if he had not gone to school and stayed a custodian, he would still have a job. It is simply sad!!!

The Cost of the Iraq War

Today's Democracy Now featured an interview with two leading economists (available at http://www.democracynow.org/2008/2/29/
exclusive_the_three_trillion_dollar_war) about the cost of the Iraq War.
According to the report, they say that the cost of the war is around 3 trillion
(THREE TRILLION) dollars. Yet, the Bush Adminstration says otherwise.
Public information available reflects that the cost of the war is "off budget". But, this is staggering and sad!!! As the money is being spent and we're being fed what a friend of mine once called happytalk, the local school district in Orange County, California, has just adopted a tenative budget that cuts 21 million dollars from the budget. What is our priority?

George W. Bush does not have to worry about anything. He's already set. But what about the rest of us who have to be faced with the challenges? When I hear such stories, I am convinced that George W. Bush is probably the worst President this country has ever seen. I can't wait to see the back of him.

A Story of Hope and Inspiration

I could not help but post this message of hope and inspiration. I shared this with my students, simply because it underscores the need to believe in the art of the possible....enjoy!!!

Source: http://www.blackbritain.co.uk/news/details/2618/News/, retrieved 12/13/2007

Miraculous journey from the slums of Kenya ends with university graduation

This may be the end of the first part of my journey, but it certainly isn't the end of the road. In my field work in July this year, I was able to share and set some foundations of how best to work effectively with slum communities.

Sammy Gitau
A former Kenyan slum child who found University of Manchester prospectus leaflets in a dustbin will finally achieve his dream of gaining a Masters degree today.

Sammy Gitau discovered the documents inside a discarded cardboard wallet decorated with the University's name in a well-to-do neighbourhood near his home in Mathare, Nairobi 's oldest slum district. Sammy read references to his country on a page about a course based at the university's renowned 'Institute for Development Policy and Management'.

And after a struggle of epic proportions he'll receive the accolade today. Aged 13, Sammy became his family's breadwinner when his father, who brewed illegal alcohol, was killed in a hammer attack. After he was beaten by angry mobs for thieving he became a drug seller in 1997, hitting rock bottom when he overdosed on cocktail of drugs soon after.

Even after he was accepted on to the course, Sammy was forced to take on the UK immigration service, which after hearing about his limited schooling, refused to believe he was a genuine student. The ruling was overturned seven months later. Drawing on his experiences, Sammy established a community resource centre which lobbies for fresh water and an electricity supply, as well as helping young men to come off drugs and find a job.

A group of wives of local and international officials - including the wife of the head of the Kenyan EU delegation Monica Quince - helped Sammy to convert cargo containers into classrooms from which he could teach skills to disenfranchised youngsters, such as carpentry and computing. And it was another EU official Alex Walford who encouraged Sammy to apply to the university's School of Environment and Development to take the MSc in the 'Management and Implementation of Development Projects'.

He said: "After the drugs put me in a coma, I remember hearing hospital staff telling me I was going to die and when you are dying, you make a deal with God. You just say, get me out of here and will do anything. I will go back and stop children going through the same kind of life as me. This may be the end of the first part of my journey, but it certainly isn't the end of the road. In my field work in July this year, I was able to share and set some foundations of how best to work effectively with slum communities.

"It is the hope and the trust in the eyes of my people that strengthens and ensures me of great success in the future. I have big plans for the centre - I hope to expand the project into other areas of Nairobi. Who knows, it be may a model which can be emulated across Africa. If it wasn't for my amazing experience and support from my friends at Manchester University and constant support from donations around the world, this dream would never have become a reality."

Sammy's University programme director, Dr Pete Mann said: "I found it humbling to teach Sammy - it really is a remarkable achievement. In class, he was reflective, thoughtful and creative - a very successful student. A development project or agency can only benefit from one who has witnessed so much adversity yet brings such intense spirit of endeavour on behalf of others. We have only begun to hear from Sammy Gitau."