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Schools

Faith leaders asked to fight achievement gap

By WAVENEY ANN MOORE
Published November 19, 2006

School Board member Mary Brown seemed to resort to military terms when she described an almost year-old effort to bridge the black student achievement gap in Pinellas County schools.

The mobilization, which involves the school district, St. Petersburg and several social service agencies, began in January with monthly meetings at City Hall.

At a breakfast meeting Wednesday, members of the group invited the faith community to become part of the effort.

Brown, newly re-elected to the School Board, addressed the gathering, as did St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker and several others involved in what is being called "St. Petersburg Promise: Saving Our Youth for Future Leadership."

"The community has a job to do," said Brown, as she asked for assistance from religious leaders.

Gail Eggeman, manager of schools and grants for St. Petersburg, said Brown was behind the idea for the monthly meetings that began earlier this year.

In its discussions, the group decided that because the faith community "has a huge influence on parents and children," it was important to ask its leaders to become a partner in the education effort, Eggeman said.

The core group consists of the city, Pinellas County schools, the Juvenile Welfare Board, the Boys & Girls Clubs, Family Resources and the Suncoast Center, she said.

Speaking to those gathered at Hospice South on Wednesday morning, Baker said he realizes that the faith community is already doing a lot.

But, he said, "there's a limit to what the government can do. It's got to be a partnership."

Baker, who is chairman of the National League of Cities' public school task force, said more than 1,000 people in St. Petersburg have become mentors to students.

His Mayor's Mentors & More program offers Doorways scholarships to low-income children, and his office recruits corporate partners for St. Petersburg schools.

Superintendent Clayton Wilcox and Pinellas County Commissioner Ken Welch also asked for the faith community's help to reach parents and their children.

Wilcox said a number of students are in jeopardy of losing their prepaid college scholarships because they are failing to maintain their grades. Welch said many young men don't have male role models to teach them how to behave.

"We all have to do more," he said.

Gay Lancaster, executive director of the Juvenile Welfare Board, said she wanted pastors to know that the agency can provide the resources they need to help families.

The school district can do the same, said Doretha Jackson, supervisor of family and community relations for Pinellas County schools.

"Mary Brown's passion is that we have got to empower families, because they are the first teachers of children and the consistent teachers of the children," she said. "We've got to give them tools, and many of our families don't have the tools."

Jackson said the district will conduct workshops for congregations addressing tutoring, mentoring and parenting.

"We cannot lose another generation," she said. "We are truly our brothers' keepers. Education is truly the equalizer. ... It's time for us to make a difference, all of us, together."

[Last modified November 19, 2006, 08:46:20]