p class=”MsoPlainText”>U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Tom Joyner, the nationally syndicated radio personality, toured a Howard University public charter school in Washington, D.C. Thursday, part of Joyner’s ongoing efforts to support education in urban areas and fund black colleges across the country. Last year, Joyner announced a new $1.1 million grant with the National Education Association to increase the number of fully certified teachers in minority and hard-to-staff schools across the country. The grant has helped fund historically black colleges and universities, as well as the Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science, the first public charter middle school in Washington , D.C. to be established by a university. In a private meeting20before touring the charter school, Duncan, the former school superintendent in Chicago , praised Joyner for “staying the course,†saying many times people don’t follow through on commitments to philanthropic projects. “Thank you for what you’re doing,†Duncan told Joyner.
The meeting was attended by Duncan, Joyner, Thomas Joyner , president of The Tom Joyner Foundation; Howard University President Sidney A. Ribeau; Dr. Alvin Thornton, its interim provost and chief academic officer, and Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick, dean of the School of Education. In the meeting, Duncan agreed with Ribeau, Joyner and Fenwick, saying more African-American male teachers should be recruited to teach in public schools, especially schools that have a large black student population. During their visit, Joyner and Duncan met teachers and students of the Howard University Middle School of Mathematics and Science.
Highlights of the school include an academic model designed to prepare middle school students for college and careers in math, science, and engineering; a highly qualified instructional staff with ongoing professional development; an extended school day and school year; small class sizes with a low student to teacher ratio; advanced technology designed specifically for middle school students, and active parent and community involvement in support of high student achievement. “We are thrilled that one of Secretary Duncan’s first campus vis its is to Howard and our middle school of math and science,†Ribeau said. “We engaged Secretary Duncan about our research and model programs, and we certainly look forward to more dialogue as the University continues to address the tough challenges facing the nation and the world.†After the tour, standing on the Howard University campus, Duncan said HBCUs “have a huge role to play†in the educational development of black students. “It’s tough to get a job out here these days,†Duncan said, adding that HBCUs provide “the unique ability to nurture and offer support†to black students. The secretary of education added that HBCUs are extremely relevant for black students and professors and are “as important now as in the past.†The students at the Howard University Public Charter Middle School of Mathematics and Science, Duncan said, “are on track to do special things,†and described what he witnessed Thursday in the classrooms as “phenomenal.†Meanwhile, while walking across Howard University ’s campus, Joyner told BlackAmericaWeb.com that he appreciated Duncan ’s passion for HBCUs and public school education after learning about Duncan ’s success in the Chicago school system, the nation’s third-largest school district.
Duncan, a graduate of Harvard, first became friends with President Barack Obama on the basketball court. According to The New York Times , Duncan “earned a solid reputation for confronting pressing issues in public education, like how to raise teacher quality, how to transform weak schools and when to shutter those that are irredeemably failing.†Joyner said he called Duncan days ago and invited him on the tour of Howard University and Duncan accepted. Duncan , Joyner said, appears to be a person who follows through on his pledges.
“I’m very impressed,†Joyner said. The Tom Joyner Foundation-National Education Association Teacher Licensure Scholarship Program brought six new historically black colleges and universities on board as part of the program’s expansion: Howard; Alabama A&M University in Normal, Alabama; LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Tennessee; Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena, Miss.; Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Va., and Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas. In addition, the scholarship program will continue on the campuses of four HBCUs: Cheyney University in Cheyney , Pa. ; Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta , Ga. ; Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis , Mo. , and Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte , N.C. As Joyner ended his visit at Howard University Thursday, a black student spotted him and shouted at Joyner from across the yard. “Hey, Tom Joyner,” the young man vowed, “I’m going to be somebody! “You are somebody!†Joyner hollered back.
