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By DONNA WINCHESTER, Times Staff WriterA citizen's group has asked members of a district monitoring panel to discuss black student issues.
A citizens group that monitors the progress of African-American schoolchildren has initiated a conversation with a group charged with a similar task.
The Concerned Organizations for Quality Education for Black Students has asked several members of Pinellas schools' District Monitoring and Advisory Committee to attend its September meeting scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Enoch Davis Center, 1111 18th Ave. S.
DMAC was formed in 1999 when a federal court judge agreed that Pinellas had achieved "unitary status" by treating blacks and whites alike in the areas of facilities and resources, transportation and administrative staff assignment. The committee is charged with monitoring and advising the School Board on several factors such as black student assignment, the quality of black children's education and their opportunities for extracurricular activities.
COQEBS has asked several present and former DMAC members to speak about their role with the committee and whether they think the district is in compliance with the court order.
Their opinions "could put a different face on the court order as viewed by the School Board," according to the COQEBS meeting agenda.
The group also will discuss a meeting with Enrique Escarraz, the attorney for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in the Pinellas desegregation case.
Co-chairman Vyrle Davis will give a report on the group's speakers bureau training and COQEBS attendance at the Aug. 2 School Board meeting. Retired educator Robert Safransky will update attendees on his continuing conversations with Pinellas County Schools Police concerning the incidence of African-American student arrests and discipline.
An optional $4 breakfast precedes the meeting at 9 a.m. Call COQEBS co-chairman Watson Haynes, 823-1885, ext. 222, for information.