Advocate! Resist!
By Ronda Watson Barber – Publisher
This struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, and it may be both moral and physical, but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress. – Frederick Douglass.
The fight for respect and unbiased treatment in the purchasing practices will Columbus City Schools is not over. Actually, it is being kicked into overdrive. We have to continue to advocate for our businesses. We have to resist the blatant disrespect from district administrators and demand inclusion.
While the retire/rehire issue of Columbus City School’s Purchasing Directory Dennis Carney, is unclear at OhioMBE’s press deadline, I strongly encourage you to make your voices heard. Email the Superintendent Dan Good at superintendent@columbus.k12.oh.us with your concerns and expectations. It was reported in the Columbus Dispatch recently that Dr. Good is in favor of retaining Carney as purchasing director. Carney has failed to meet the board of education’s mandate of a 20 percent purchasing goal with LEDE certified businesses for more than four years. Is this acceptable to the superintendent?
Challenge and question the incumbents on the School Board who are asking for your powerful vote in October. Ask why the District is unable to meet purchasing goals. Ask what is their remedy to the lack of inclusion is in the purchasing scheme of the district. Ask what they have done to improve the economic opportunities for Black businesses within the district. Don’t accept the answer that they don’t participate in purchasing decisions. They sign legislation for purchases. They actively play a part the purchasing goals. When Stephanie Hightower was board president if legislation didn’t have LEDE inclusion she would send it back and demand that inclusion was included.
I am extremely disappointed in this board and the administration. OhioMBE will continue to hold them accountable for their lack of action in mandating that the LEDE goals are being met. I question whether current board members should retain their elected positions when they are doing NOTHING to support economic development and empowerment for Black businesses. They have had their chance and it appears that they have blown it. Nothing has changed for Black businesses under their tenure. Perhaps new board members who will enforce board policies and demand the inclusion in purchasing are needed.
It cannot continue to be business as usual with Columbus City Schools. Black people supported a permanent tax levy. Ironically, the same privileged white man who feels he is owed a job upon retirement according to The Columbus Dispatch believes the tax dollars brought into the district from its overwhelmingly student of color population and property taxes from Black home owners should not have equal purchasing opportunities within the district. Should we not expect to participate in the purchasing scheme without barriers or biases? Our dollars help fund the district. Should we not benefit from our economic support of the district? Columbus City Schools willingly accepts the tax dollars derived from people of color but is disrespectful and imposes unrealistic obstacles that prevent some businesses from competing for contracting opportunities. If district officials and staff are biased against or afraid of Black people they should not be working in an urban school district.
We must be steadfast in the battle for economic opportunities, particularly from those who receive our tax dollars. Taxation without participation is no longer acceptable.
Just my thoughts….rwb
Published in OhioMBE June 1, 2017
