Newarkers - It is Time to Vote and Its Time to Help - There is No Excuse

 

We have been waiting for this bad dream to be over for four years. Newarkers, we are now less than a week away. We now finally have the opportunity to change our country and defend our black and brown people, our security, and our health.

 

If you have not sat in line and voted early. If you have not mailed in your ballot by today, please MAKE o a plan to vote on election day. There is nothing more IMPORTANT.

 

This incompetent, racist monster who is our President needs to go. His division will lead to our demise.

 

Look, 70 MILLION people have already voted, national polls look strong, swing states look good, and here in New Jersey, it is clear where our loyalties are - but that is simply not enough.

 

Everyone needs to MAKE A PLAN for election day.

 

For those who have voted, we need to make sure your vote counted.

 

We all need to do more, whether it's offering someone a ride to vote, keeping someone company for the hours it may take to vote, or keeping people safe from intimidation.

 

It is our responsibility to vote - but it is also a moral imperative that we also help those who have registered to vote - our family, our neighbors, and those less fortunate to get to the polls next Tuesday.

 

There is no excuse. A short distance away from Newark, we see that Philly - the City of Brotherly Love, a symbol of our county's Democracy - is burning right now. The Freedom bell is not ringing at this moment in our country especially in Philly. This disruption is by design to destroy our democracy.

 

I have been all over the country during this election cycle, From Florida to Alaska - hear me out - Philly is the battleground. Make no mistake.

 

In an election that may be determined by Pennsylvania's outcome, Newarkers should consider helping registered Philly voters get to the polls. Let's get real because we have seen this all before. We know what voter intimidation looks like, and all the signs leading up to election day are there.

 

There is no excuse. If you have friends or family in Philly, check in on them. See if they need any help. We all know where Trump stands. The fewer people in Philly who vote, the more of a chance he could win the state. Even though he is President, he would prefer to suppress the Philly vote than have our democratic rights be fulfilled. And if Trump wins Pennsylvania, we are in trouble.

 

We also know that Trump has his lawyers ready to pounce the day after election day, claiming voter fraud.

 

There is no excuse. Newarkers - we cant lets this happen. This is why even in New Jersey, voting matters. Yes, we know Trump will lose Jersey, but that is not enough of an excuse not to vote. To make sure Trump's lawyers are put into place, we need to run up the score. We need the highest popular vote margin possible - and if we don't do it, if we give Trump the slightest inch, he will take it, run with it, and I assure you this election will be taken from us once again.

 

There is no excuse. Trump has taken action to provoke attacks against our black communities. He has supported acts of aggression at peaceful protest against us as black Americans. He has instituted policies that have hurt us as black men and women. We are more concerned about the future for our children and angry than ever before. And as I mentioned in my last blog, let's never forget the Central Park Five and his disgusting racist actions as a landlord. Taking out full page ads in the most popular New York City Newspapers to attack innocent BLACK MEN.

 

And let's never forget the way this hater has waged war on both the first African American President and now the first African-American woman vice-presidential candidate.

 

Trump created his political career by questioning the birth certificate of our greatest President, and let's be real, it was no coincidence that he did it because he was a black man. He constantly uses his power and influence to question the role of BLACK MEN.

 

Disrespecting our Black leaders has only continued into his presidency, he did it with Brother Lewis, Brother Cummings, and now we see it yet again with Sister Kamala. He repeatedly attacked her when she ran for President. It has continued since being selected as Biden's running mate. He has mispronounced her name, called her a "horrible woman," a "nasty woman," a "madwoman," a "monster," and an "insult to our country."

 

We know the code that Trump is speaking is the code that incites attacks against our community, our people, and our future - and now, my fellow Newarkers, it's time we do something about it.

TRUMP LEFT NEWARK TO OUR OWN DEVICES – LITERALLY!

I am counting the days to Election Day.  Trump (he is not even worthy of being called President) has made me feel disrespected, angry, very angry, scared.

We all have our share of Trump stories, but I wanted to share my personal worst Trump moment, the moment I had it with this guy.

Last Spring, our state and city went into lockdown. We were in shelter and place status. And we heard nothing from the federal government. Trump was a deer in headlights. There was no plan.  He had anticipated nothing. And there was no direction.  It was clear to all of us, Newark was on its own.  A short time later, our schools opened for virtual learning, and it was a complete mess.

As I have talked about before, our kids were left home alone, many did not have the computers to join online classrooms, and far more families did not even have needed wifi technology.

When it came to COVID, Trump left Newark to our own devices - literally.  

As a father – this was my worst, most frustrating Trumpian moment.  I was angry. I was worried. And I could not sleep, which became the reason I eventually started this blog.

Last week I spent time explaining how the change we all seek must be led by us - that we cant really depend on anyone but ourselves.  Trump inaction is a good example of this fact - he has provided us plan, no computers, nothing - all during a time we needed it the most.

But here is a realization I had last week.

I just read this story in TAPinto Newark. I was struck by the investment University Heights Charter School made in providing free laptop computers to each of their students – over 850 students.

And there has been many other public schools that have done the same over the last few months.

This story in NJ Spotlight, highlights the work of the Newark School District, which states, "More than 98% of the district's roughly 37,000 students now have access to a laptop or tablet…That's a marked improvement from March, when nearly 30% of students needed devices for virtual learning after classrooms closed. In order to get students online, the district has given out more than 16,000 new and used laptops since the spring, according to data obtained through a public records request."

Other public schools, such as the KIPP NJ schools and the Uncommon Schools, have also provided computer lab tops for our kids in Newark.

And most of all, look at the great efforts of our Mayor and his team to address the issue. And he was doing this before COVID-19 event hit.

Friends, this is progress! This is creating needed change!  And most of all, this is change Newark created for themselves.

My most frustrating Trump moment, the moment I was at my worst and most vulnerable, eventually became a great moment for Newark.

Newark leaders stepped up. They filled the tremendous void that Trump created. We did not have computers for our kids – so we figured out a way.

This realization gave me pause – and it gave me hope.

If somehow we were able to step up and get our kids what they needed to learn, certainly, we can address the many other issues we must face.

So join me. Please share your worst Trump moment. All of us have a specific Trump incident or event that we will never forget. Feel free to email me directly or post on Facebook.  Perhaps that one Trump moment, that moment when he showed his cards on how truly terrible he is, also became a moment where Newark stepped up.

And while you are thinking about the last four years, let's all make sure we think about voting – making sure each of us has a plan to vote – so we can VOTE Trump out of office.

NEWARKERS – STEP #1 IN OUR FIGHT FOR EDUCATION EQUALITY – FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE SDA.

As I've mentioned before, my daughter attends West Side High School in Newark. A long time ago, the State of New Jersey promised a new school building for West Side students. IT's been over a decade and we're still waiting. This has me up at night.

The SDA stands for the New Jersey School Development Authority. These are a big series of words for something very basic and desperately needed in Newark. The SDA is the government agency that plans and funds our school improvements and builds new school buildings. More specifically, the SDA is a multibillion-dollar state agency created specifically to build schools in cash-strapped districts – like Newark.

And how has the SDA treated all of us in Newark? Not very well.

As Newarkers know, our bricks and mortar public schools are a hot mess. 

Throughout our school district, classroom ceilings leak, the drinking water Is not clean, buildings are crumbling – and some have not been replaced since the Lincoln Administration – that's President Abraham Lincoln for those who were not around during the last civil war.

Unfortunately for our kids in Newark, the only thing more of a hot mess than Newark's school buildings is the actual SDA. Last week, you might have read the news.

A report was filed by the State Commission of Investigations describing how the SDA does its job – and let's keep this quick, the SDA ain't doin a very good job.

The investigation cited "irregular hiring practices," classified Murphy-appointee SDA CEO Lizette Delgado-Polanco as "a woefully inexperienced CEO." It claimed that the top members of Gov. Phil Murphy's staff knew about the SDA issues and did nothing about it. And finally, the report stated the following, "The bottom line is this: the SDA may cease to exist altogether unless the state can restore lost public trust that will enable it to obtain a new round of large-scale public financing." 

So who is shocked by this? 

Probably no one reading this – I mean we do live in the Soprano state, right? 

So what if Murphy hired a bunch of unqualified friends and political supporters to run the SDA? What else is new? This is how New Jersey works!

Well, here is why Newark needs to start caring – 

Murphy's friends ran the SDA into the ground. This billion-dollar department now has no money left to build new schools! Billions of dollars are now gone! 

So hopefully now you are following me – no money means no new school buildings in Newark. 

To realize how Newark is affected by all of this – we need to look no farther than our own West Side.

We have been waiting to improve our high school for years. There is even a shovel ready project designed and proposed already to build a new West Side High School Building.

But wait, if that is the case, why hasn't a new West Side High School been built? Well, now we know – because the SDA is run by a bunch of cronies, who wasted billions of dollars.

Are you following me now, Newark?

Instead of building schools, the SDA and Murphy were too busy hiring friends and family members for jobs they weren't qualified for.

And the result for Newark – even though we were promised a new West Side High School a decade ago – no progress has been made, and my kids certainly won't have the opportunity to attend a new West Side High School.

The SDA scandal is an excellent example for the reasons education inequity continues in Newark.

But here is what keeps me up at night. 

Ideally, the Governor should stop putting his donors and friends ahead of the people who actually voted for him. We were there for him when he ran in the primary almost four years ago, and he should be doing more for Newark.

But really, let's be honest, are we shocked by this?

The answer is – NO.

We can't trust Murphy or anyone we are doing the right thing. The only people we can trust are ourselves.

If we are truly going to create change, we ALL need to know how the SDA and other agencies work.

It's up to us to know more about the SDA, make sure the SDA has the right leadership, and demand that people like Murphy do the right thing for Newark.

Yes, Murphy and our system has to change, but so do we. Until we stop blindly trusting the politicians who only seem to remember us every four years, we will never get anywhere.

Newark needs better schools. 

Our kids are certainly more important than Murphy's political patronage.

But friends, we cant depend on Murphy or anyone else. 

Yes, this SDA investigation is a Murphy mess, and we had nothing to do with it. But until we all stand together, educate ourselves on agencies like the SDA, and demand more from them, we will never see the priorities we dream about get addressed.

SDA is a lesson to all of us - it's up to us, not anyone else.

REAL HEROES SHOW UP EVERYDAY FOR OUR CHILDREN WITH THE SUPERPOWER OF TEACHING!!!

Hearing the stories of first responders in the press, social media, and even in television ads is very moving for me. These stories touch my heart, and I often get emotional thinking about their sacrifice these last few month. These are the people on the front lines of the most difficult situations, risking everything to help all of us.

One of the things that weighs on me personally is whether just giving thanks is enough. The fact is, it's NOT.

Whether we are talking about EMTs, police, doctors, nurses, our country should be doing far more to support, protect, and pay them. However, as so many of us are just trying to make ends meet and our top priority is our kid's health – just saying thank you is an important start.

Like so many parents in Newark, I think it is important that we broaden who we view as first responders – and I don't think anyone will disagree when I suggest that NEWARK TEACHERS deserve our thanks and support as well.

Like our EMTs, police, doctors, and nurses, this new school year has shown so many of us that our teachers are also the real heroes of Newark.

Our teachers are not only teaching our kids, but they are parents as well.

Our teachers are not only teaching our kids, but they have the added burden of remaining safe and mindful of the many risks they face each day.

Most of all, by adapting to distance learning, our teachers have had to start from scratch and reimagine learning for their students, all with very little direction.

I would like us to do more for our teachers than say thank you. And I dream of a moment, hopefully, later in November, where we have leadership that can ensure our teachers are provided with needed safety materials and a plan that brings the support they so desperately need.

But for now, I would like to use this blog not just to say thank you, but to encourage more people to share their feelings.

Below is an open letter I drafted to teachers. It touches on some of the points I have been thinking about a lot lately.

I am not only posting this letter on my blog, but I am sending it to my kids' teachers and posting on social media. Maybe the words will inspire you to do the same. If it is easier, perhaps you can cut and paste parts of it, put it in your own voice, and use it yourself. The truth is that we need to do so much more to help and support our teachers, but maybe this is a good place to start:

Dear Newark Teachers,
Thank you for putting my child's interest above your own. For taking care of him during the day so I can work and pay my bills. Thank you for your dedication, for not leaving Newark behind and remaining a vital part of our community.

Over the last few months, I know that it has not been easy. I understand that the direction you have received from the federal government and the state is continuously changing. In some cases, what you hear from our leaders does not always make sense or is not consistent, but somehow you have preserved and remained focused on  your passion for our kids.

As the point of contact for so many Newark parents, you often had to bare the burden of our frustration, confusion, and the lack of information we have received. Your follow up, understanding, and communication since we first started remote learning has been incredible and has helped so many through such a challenging time.

I have three children in three different grade levels, and I am unsure where we would be about you.

I am saying thank you because you are a hero – and you deserve not only hero's pay, but support. We need to do more in providing our teachers with professional development and technological assistance. I also believe that educators should be given Fridays or some extra time off away from the camera to spend time with their family or get a moment to breathe.

As a parent, I promise to do more, to ensure you are treated like the hero you are, and that includes voting in November,

Thank you for all you do, every day.

Sincerely,
Oscar James, II

Newark, let's be real.

Teachers need more support during this time from all of us.

And just as teachers have been there for us, we need to step up and help as well.

I would be nothing without the support I get from my children's teachers and support staff. Lets all please think about going that extra step. And we can start by saying thank you.

Sorry Roger, the Trump-like Threats and Intimidation Will Not Stop the Voices of Parents

 

Yesterday, I posted my third blog post.

 

In it, I reacted to this story in Chalkbeat – https://newark.chalkbeat.org/2020/9/23/21452648/newark-remote-learning-attendance-spring

 

I found it laughable that Superintendent Leon was reporting in the middle of a global pandemic that Newark school attendance was 99.8%. 

 

I mean come on, really?  99.8%. 

 

Well, guess what?

 

Within four minutes of posting that blog - guess who called screaming at me - Newark Superintendent Roger Leon. 

 

Yup.  No joke.

 

Leon was on fire!  He tried to intimidate me.  He threatened me.  And he even said he was going to sue me!

 

This call went on for 25 minutes - until I respectfully asked to end the call.

 

He got so nuts that about 10 minutes into the call, I could not believe what I was hearing, so I started taping the call.  Yes, I have it on tape, everyone.

 

Let's think about this, Newark.  We are in the middle of a global pandemic.  Parents are struggling.  Teachers are working so hard.  There is work to be done.  Yet, somehow Roger Leon has the time to call me four minutes after I posted my blog to yell at me and threaten me - for 25 mins?

 

Leon is the Superintendent of Newark.  Doesn't he have anything more important to deal with?  I don't get it.

So why am I now sharing this publicly? 

 

Well, first of all when he called me he threatened my freedom of speech with a lawsuit.  Second, tried to intimidate me by associating my words with the ridiculous action of other people.  The bottom line is this, he can't shut down my voice.

I would have welcomed a real, productive conversation with Leon, but that was not his intent in calling me.  Instead, he threw a tirade like an angry 2nd grader. 

 

Trust me, I know firsthand, it does no good for a public official to be so thin skinned. Many of you remember my time in office.

Another thought came to my mind listening to Roger yesterday, what is it about him and suing everyone?

 

Look at the record, he has inserted our school district in a wide variety legal cases, many of which have nothing to do with our kids and have paid for by our tax dollars.

 

My friends at the Newark Housing Authority have shared with many of us around the City that Leon has forced the NHA to budget hundreds of thousands of tax payer dollars for a variety of school building lawsuits and no one really understand what he is even doing.  That's hundreds of thousands of dollars in the taxpayers money! 

 

I am sure those hundreds of thousands of dollars could be used much better, like purchasing computers for Newark's kids.

 

So for speaking my mind, I am now on a long list of people Leon is planning to sue.

 

What is going on here people? Enough of the lawsuits.  Enough of the threats. 

 

Let's keep this real -

 

We have a Superintendent who threaten lawsuits at every turn.

 

He provides us questionable school data in the middle of a pandemic.

 

He bullies people who disagrees with him.

 

He is very thin skinned.

 

And he has ignored the needs and concerns of our most at-risk families during a global pandemic.

 

That sounds a lot like Donald Trump to me.

 

I am just a parent, but here is some advice.  Roger, stop acting like Trump and start acting like a Newarker. 

Focus on our kids - not me.

 

A couple of weeks ago I began this blog with a single purpose.  As a life-long Newarker and as a parent, I did not like seeing what was going on in our city - especially as we confront this global pandemic. 

 

During the last few months, parents in Newark have really lacked information about our school system.  We have questions that are not getting answered.  Our families have being forced to choose between buying food or technology so kids can participate in our public schools.  In some cases, our kids have been home alone all day.  Parents are struggling like never before.  And most of all, our distant learning programs have been very confusing and unorganized for kids.  

 

I love this city and as a Father I have truly been losing sleep over all of this and I know many in my community feel the same.  So I decided to start a blog to share my feelings.

 

No offense to anyone who might be offended, but I am sorry, it has been frustrating to be a parent and having my kid in the Newark Public Schools right now.  Should we not talk about this?  Am I not allowed?  Shouldn't something be done?

One thing I won't be losing sleep over is Roger Leon calling me and yelling at me for 25 minutes.  Just like you Roger I was born here and you know Newarkers don't back down!

 

Roger, please focus less on me and more on just doing your job.

 

Btw, someone remind me to change my cell phone number.