A Message From The Publisher
By Bobby R. Henry, Sr.
Midterm elections are in full swing. Absentee ballots are arriving in the mail. In a couple weeks Early Voting will start and the tradition of Souls to the Polls will once again drive parishioners to voting sites unless DeSantis has some devilish plans to stop them.
There is so much at stake, and it is the reason why I cannot, you cannot, and WE cannot afford to stay home and sit this one out. There is so much at stake from life to death. If you care about a woman’s right to choose and make health care decisions about her body without government interference, I strongly advise that you show up to the polls and that you are armed with knowledge about the who and what’s on the ballot.
Some politicians have a way of knowing who you are and where you live during election season, but they struggle mightily with their ability to find and engage with the community during the time they are in office.
If you care about the education of your children, my children, your neighbor’s children, I suggest you RUN not walk to the nearest Early Voting site to cast your vote. The most effective way to convince politicians to respond to the needs and wants of their constituents is by demonstrating to them the power of your voice and vote.
Too many politicians/politrickians have forgotten why they are there… to serve the will of the people. Being a politician has evolved into simple employment for some and the ability to garner positional power and use it recklessly for others.
Word to the wise politician: once you are in office, we, the voters expect that you hold your seat until your term is up, unless an act of the Almighty says different. I think we have endured enough of this behavior to see the fallout from it – it has not been good. AWOL is not accepted!
One of the strongest ways to refocus politicians to the humility of serving is to remind them at the ballot box that we are a government for the people, by the people.
For all intents and purposes, I had elected to forgo speaking of Broward schools this week; however, after watching Super Cartwright’s State of the Broward District Address on Monday and receiving numerous comments on her theme of Grace, Respect and Relationships, I am compelled to spend just a little time on that position. It ties in with voting because if there is any Board member up for re-election or politician/ politrickian running for a Board seat who is not ready to call the question on her competence and fitness to run Broward’s school district, they need to be voted out.
If you haven’t at any time in your life been under pressure for your actions of standing up for what’s right for the people, then you haven’t lived bravely and will certainly bow out as a craven coward. Quite frankly, it is almost shameful to hear a person who has stormed through BCPS like a category 5 hurricane stripping worthy people of positions just to displace them through demotions, and now to speak about grace, respect and relationship with a straight face is mind boggling. I do, however, believe in redemption.
Cartwright reminds me of some of the old heads who used to hang out at the park and under the trees and when you might see them doing something wrong, they who would say to us jitterbugs, “Boy, do as I say, not as I do” because it’s hard to see where
Cartwright has exhibited an ounce of grace, respect, or relationships as a model of how she now expects her people to behave.
As I listened to her “address”, it became painfully evident that her understanding of what grace, respect and relationships has no real deep meaning of how to lead an organizational culture where those concepts are the foundation.
Cartwright specifically spoke of grace and described it as giving people the benefit of the doubt because you may not actually know a person or their intentions. I am left to wonder what grace she gave Black district and school administrators who have selflessly put the school district on their backs in some of the most challenging times? I watched in bewilderment. It would have been funny if it were not so ridiculous.
You must first and foremost demonstrate grace, respect and relationships by your actions and recognize that though they are three separate concepts, they are interdependent. Like a three-legged stool you cannot have one without the other two and expect it to stand firmly, capable of holding one up properly.
Cartwright displayed a diagram that beautifully illustrates the interdependence of these three concepts, but she failed miserably at communicating the connection.
Grace is a gift. It is underserved favor.
Cartwright described respect as being earned. While respect should be earned, her characterization of it as being earned conflicts with the concept of grace. Maybe she meant that others must earn her respect and then and only then would she extend them grace. Maybe that is how she interprets the interdependence of these concepts.
The Super is certainly very tone death. She doesn’t quite hear that she is singing off key. She doesn’t listen to the cues around her and will deserve her eventual fate. After time and time again hearing the roaring approval applause in support of her Associate Superintendent, you would think she would have been better informed regarding the decisions she made related to her. You wonder why I do not say her name. I don’t have to. You know who she is. Everyone does.
It is early, but I was also pleasantly surprised to hear the approval applause of the new Central Area Superintendent, Darius Adamson. Keep it up, my Brother. I am lingering in the “amen section”, rooting for your success with central Broward schools.
But, back to voting.
The Westside Gazette spent time reviewing school board candidates and made its endorsements a couple weeks ago for Broward School Board candidates. A questionnaire was provided to all candidates, except the Blind Nine (they would be recommended to stay in their seats) asking about general school issues and specific issues for marginalized students and communities. These candidates were also observed in various candidate forums. A few candidates reached out to thank the Westside Gazette for its openness although they did not receive our endorsement. A few others have reached out to share their disappointment in not receiving the endorsement of the Westside Gazette. For the record, any candidate who failed to respond to the questionnaire was not considered for an endorsement. If responding to our questionnaire was not an important priority for the candidate, it was clear that they did not value our endorsement and they would most likely respond with equal apathy toward their constituents.
For the record the Westside Gazette Endorsements for Broward County Public Schools are Seat 1 Paul Wiggins; Seat 4 Kimberly Coward; Seat 5 Antonio Burgess; Seat 6 No Endorsement Seat 7 Mercydes Morassi; Seat 8 Raymond Adderly.
The Westside Gazette will provide endorsements for House, Senate, Judge and City and County commission races