by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
American basketball superstar and legend LeBron James made news twice this past week. First, Mr. James received public accolades when a school for at-risk youth that he championed and helped to fund was opened in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. That favorable news cycle was quickly followed by one in which Donald Trump took to Twitter to challenge LeBron's intellect. Both stories deserve analysis and comment.
LeBron's "I Promise" school is a component of Akron's public school system that takes children who began their school careers in some of Akron's failing elementary schools and places them in a new and very supportive educational environment. The first year of the program which began last week targets 240 children in grades three and four who are deemed to be "at-risk." Next year the program will expand to include grades two through five, and by 2022 it will encompass grades 1-8.
While the new "I Promise" school will be a part of the public school program, it will contain features associated with the charter and private schools - as well as some features more closely tied to social welfare programs. The school will offer a curriculum crafted by local educators with a focus on hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education with an emphasis on developing problem-solving skills. In addition to funds provided by the school district, major funding will also be provided by the LeBron James Family Foundation and LeBron James himself.
The "I Promise" school for at-risk children will offer:
Citizen Journalist
American basketball superstar and legend LeBron James made news twice this past week. First, Mr. James received public accolades when a school for at-risk youth that he championed and helped to fund was opened in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. That favorable news cycle was quickly followed by one in which Donald Trump took to Twitter to challenge LeBron's intellect. Both stories deserve analysis and comment.
LeBron's "I Promise" school is a component of Akron's public school system that takes children who began their school careers in some of Akron's failing elementary schools and places them in a new and very supportive educational environment. The first year of the program which began last week targets 240 children in grades three and four who are deemed to be "at-risk." Next year the program will expand to include grades two through five, and by 2022 it will encompass grades 1-8.
While the new "I Promise" school will be a part of the public school program, it will contain features associated with the charter and private schools - as well as some features more closely tied to social welfare programs. The school will offer a curriculum crafted by local educators with a focus on hands-on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education with an emphasis on developing problem-solving skills. In addition to funds provided by the school district, major funding will also be provided by the LeBron James Family Foundation and LeBron James himself.
The "I Promise" school for at-risk children will offer:
- Free tuition
- Free uniforms
- Free breakfast, lunch, and snacks
- Free transportation within two miles
- Free bicycle and helmet for each student
- On-site food pantry for families
- GEDs and job placement services for parents
- Guaranteed tuition for all graduates to attend the University of Akron
Not surprisingly, the new program and its major proponent, LeBron James, also have detractors - one of whom lives in the White House.
Since coming to power in January of 2017, Donald Trump's administration has been focused on channeling public money away from public education and to less inclusive educational settings with whiter student populations. Neither Trump nor his Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, attended public schools, and both have worked energetically to defund and marginalize the only opportunity that millions of children have for an education.
Last week LeBron James sat for an interview with sports journalist Don Lemon. During the course of the interview, James described Donald Trump as being a divisive figure. Not surprisingly Trump took offense and began tweeting. This jewel emerged:
But, demeaning minorities is what Trump does - and trying to help the disadvantaged is what LeBron does. LeBron James is a self-made man who is using the profits from his natural abilities and hard work to lift others out of poverty and despair. Donald Trump was born a millionaire and uses his wealth and political power to insure that those born at the bottom of the social and economic ladder stay there.
LeBron James is a philanthropist, and a patriot, and a truly good person. Donald Trump, on the other hand, is not.
Last week LeBron James sat for an interview with sports journalist Don Lemon. During the course of the interview, James described Donald Trump as being a divisive figure. Not surprisingly Trump took offense and began tweeting. This jewel emerged:
"Lebron James was just interviewed by the dumbest man on television, Don Lemon. He made Lebron look smart, which isn’t easy to do. I like Mike!"Trump, who recently described black congresswoman Maxine Waters as "Low IQ Maxine," is thought by many to promote racist stereotypes of people of color and demean their intellectual abilities.
But, demeaning minorities is what Trump does - and trying to help the disadvantaged is what LeBron does. LeBron James is a self-made man who is using the profits from his natural abilities and hard work to lift others out of poverty and despair. Donald Trump was born a millionaire and uses his wealth and political power to insure that those born at the bottom of the social and economic ladder stay there.
LeBron James is a philanthropist, and a patriot, and a truly good person. Donald Trump, on the other hand, is not.
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