Strengthening Black Male Achievement: Time to Tell The Truth

Online, October 31, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Last week, the National Council on Educating Black Children (NCEBC), convened a live audience and streamed a nationwide broadcast of a "best practices" symposium slated to be the first in a series that:
•tells the truth about historical and cultural misgivings on the "achievement gap",
•respects various perspectives of the true indicators impacting academic performance, and
•identifies solutions by which the common barriers (not necessarily associated with race) may be overcome.

"Focus on Doing What Works"
- Dr. Ivory Toldson, NCEBC National Board Member

In partnership with Pearson Education and ScholarCentric, NCEBC provided participants an opportunity to hear invigorating and thought-provoking dialogue from Dr. Rod Paige, former US Department of Education Secretary (keynote speaker), Dr. Ivory Toldson of Howard University, Dr. Eugene Sanders, CEO of American Consulting Services, LLC, Mr. Antwan Wilson Asst. Superintendent of Post Secondary Readiness in Denver Public Schools, and Mr. Marcus Robinson, CEO of EdPower, LLC. Moderated by Dr. Toldson, featured panelists spoke candidly about their experiences in various levels of education administration, shared positive examples of existing programs designed and implemented for the benefit of young black males, who are indeed, aiming to survive and struggling to thrive in today's schools, and took questions from audience members looking for concrete "ready to implement" advice on increasing outcomes for their students.

The symposium was held for a closed audience at the Pike Performing Arts Center in Indianapolis, IN on Friday, October 21, 2011. Opening remarks were provided Dr. Claude Mayberry, NCEBC National Board President who later shared that: "NCEBC is grateful for the open minds and the collective effort that allowed today's session to be a successful launch to our best practices series. As participants leave the room and turn the web channel this afternoon, we hope that the NCEBC Call to Action is clear and that the urgency for our collective conscience to be galvanized into proactive advocacy is pressing. Our children and their academic and civic outcomes must be given priority and due investment of our time, talent, and treasures. The National Council on Educating Black Children is a resource for all who are ready and willing to take responsibility for the future that is being crafted for and by our young black males."

Courtesy of our sponsors, the symposium recording is available in its entirety via the NCEBC web site. You may follow this link to watch the session or visit ncebc.org for more information.