An Update on the Kelley Williams-Bolar Case: She Meets with Jackson and Sharpton

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

I figured that I would share an update to the case of Kelley Williams-Bolar, the mother of two who was given jail time for sending her kids to a school outside of their home district.  This week, Williams-Bolar met with both Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev.  Al Sharpton about her case, appearing with me and her attorney on Rev. Jackson's show this past week.  Rev. Sharpton and I are planning a rally for Kelley in Ohio soon, but the rally is not focused on just one person.  Instead, the focal point is on the educational system in its entirety and why there are millions of moms across America being forced to break the law in order to help their children get access to a quality education.

I heard about Kelley's case through one of my Facebook friends.  Her case had been in court for years with no resolution, and not enough people had heard about what this woman was going through.  I wrote about Kelley's case in a few venues and called national media contacts, hoping that this important issue could be brought forth for public discussion.  I am not in the business of doing individual crusades when it comes to the criminal justice system, since I don't have the resources to help with every case that comes across my email inbox.  I get several cases in my email every single day, and while I wish I could help everyone, it's impossible without significant amounts of funding (I still have my day job, so I'm certainly not in this game for the money).  I chose to grab Kelley's case because it has clear national implications about a failed public school system that continues to destroy the futures of our children on a regular basis.  In fact, I dare say that if the only person who is helped in all this is Kelley Williams-Bolar, then we have failed ourselves, our children and our country.

Click to read.

DJ Henry Shooting: Family Files $120 Lawsuit Against the Police

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

The shooting of Pace University football player DJ Henry has set off a great deal of controversy in the town of Pleasantville, New York, where Henry was shot outside a nightclub. According to police, Henry drove his car toward one of the officers, who claims that he had to fire on the athlete in order to save his own life. Accounts of what happened that night are varying, and DJ's family has filed a $120 million lawsuit against the Pleasantville Police Department over the incident. Attorney Charles Oglegree from Harvard University is representing the family of Brandon Cox, a friend of Henry's who was also shot that night.

The incident began on the night of October 17, when police were called to investigate a disturbance outside a bar in the suburb of Thornwood, which is located right near the Pace University campus.

 

Click to read.

Dr. Boyce and George Kilpatrick Discuss Developments in the Case Against Kelley Williams-Bolar

Note from Dr. Boyce:  Before listening to my interview with George Kilpatrick about the Kelley Williams-Bolar case, I had two questions:

1) Would her kids have been allowed in that school if they’d been two 6’5”, 220-lb basketball players?  I’m sure they would have made an exception.

2) Its interesting that the judge wanted to send her to jail for her crime, but there are Wall Street execs who got less time for stealing millions.

The interview is here if you want to listen.

Study Exposes Painkiller Abuse Among Former NFL Players

by Dr. Boyce Watkins – The Athlete Liberation Academic Reform Movement (ALARM)

According to a new study in a scientific journal, retired NFL players misuse opioid pain medication at a rate that is four times greater than the general public. The study goes on to connect the abuse to the number of pain killers athletes take during their playing days in the NFL. The results were published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, a peer-reviewed academic journal.
The study was conducted by scholars at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. It is also the first study conducted on pain killer misuse by former players. Linda Cottler, a professor of Epidemiology in the school's Department of Psychiatry led the study and it was also commissioned by ESPN.

 

Click to read.

Dr. Boyce Watkins: Flava Flav, Fried Chicken and Liquor – Hmmm, Interesting

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

Last year, at the "Measuring the Movement" forum, hosted by Rev. Al Sharpton and the National Action Network, I had a chance to sit next to Chuck D from Public Enemy. I found Chuck to be as impressive, interesting and intelligent as he is on television. He also didn't give off the mind-numbing, stomach-turning, arrogant celebrity vibe that I see all too much. I was thoroughly impressed.
While I feel that I have some understanding of Chuck D, I simply cannot say the same for Flava Flav. Flava almost seems to come out of a different time, place, and perhaps even another planet, from the rest of us. He would have been great in the 1920s, when black performers could make a fortune by embracing ignorant stereotypes and engaging in ridiculous behavior. Flava seems to relish his role as the cultural clown, reminding all of us of exactly what Dr. Martin Luther King did NOT want our children to become.

Click to read.

Spoof: A White Girl to Be Tried as a Black Man

Funny: Court Rules White Girl to be Tried as 300 LB Black Man

Ted Williams: “The Man with the Golden Voice” Keeps on Messing Up

Click here to watch Ted Williams, “The Man with the Golden Voice” as he continues to struggle with addiction.

Kelly Williams-Bolar: Should This Mother Be Sent to Jail for Sending Kids to Wrong School District?

 

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

An Ohio mother of two was sentenced to 10 days in jail and placed on three years probation after sending her kids to a school district in which they did not live.  Kelly Williams-Bolar was sentenced by Judge Patricia Cosgrove on Tuesday and will begin serving her sentence immediately.

The jury deliberated for seven hours and the courtroom was packed as the sentence was handed down.  She was convicted on two counts of tampering with court records after registering her two girls as living with their father when they actually lived with her.  The family lived in the housing projects in Akron, Ohio, and the father’s address was in nearby Copley Township.

Additionally, Williams-Bolar’s father, Edward L. Williams, was charged with a fourth-degree felony of grand theft, in which he and his daughter are charged with defrauding the school system for two years of educational services for their girls.  The court determined that sending their children to the wrong school was worth $30,500 in tuition. 

 

Click to read.

Dr. Boyce Watkins Spotlight: Fathers Have Rights To Their Children Too

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

One of the most difficult, stunning and defining experiences of my entire life was when I went through the child support system. My daughter was born when I was an 18-year old freshman in college, and although I didn't want her mother to leave me for another man, I still knew that I had a responsibility when it came to taking care of my kids. So, I did what I was supposed to do, signed the papers where necessary and paid tens of thousands of dollars in child support over the next 18 years, even when it emptied out my bank account.

What surprised the heck out of me was that while the courts were always quick to threaten me with jail time if I'd chosen not to pay my child support, they showed almost no concern regarding whether or not I had the right to see my daughter. There was also no accountability regarding where my money was going and if those funds were being used to manage the needs of my child. I found myself increasingly frustrated by both my experience and also the broader perception of all black male non-custodial parents as dead beat dads. The truth is that while there are far too many dead beats, there are also fathers who've been victimized by parental alienation or an overzealous mother who feels that she can dictate every dimension of the father/child relationship. The mere implication that black males love their children any less than other people is a clear and stereotypical insult to our humanity.

Click to read.

Condoleeza Rice Asked on CNN: “Why Are You Not Married?”

by Alexis Stodghill, AOL Black Voices

Condoleezza Rice, the first black woman to become a U.S. Secretary of State, was interviewed recently on the newly minted CNN show, 'Piers Morgan Tonight,' to be asked of all things: Why are you not married? That question no successful African American female can escape. The single, black (semi-successful) woman that I am couldn't help but shrink in insecurity as this ubiquitous puzzler was posed even to one of the most prominent black women alive. Why the embarrassment?
Yes, such questions make for great ratings. It's a question Piers Morgan might have asked any single V.I.P. Watching a woman who used to wield massive diplomatic and military power talk of cooking fried chicken was a hoot. But despite the innocence of the utterance, for black women everywhere that question is the articulation of aGreek tragedy-style family curse: An unsolvable source of suffering for black women that just keeps getting passed down. Piers may not have known that, but refering to it even obliquely is enough to make one's heart hurt.

 

click to read.

Martin Luther King and the Dangers of Hero Worship

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

When I was a little boy, my mother used to make me put on a suit and recite the "I have a dream" speech in her bedroom. She even had me wear a burnt cross necklace around my neck to emulate Dr. King. It was an uncomfortable process for me, but I'm sure my parents got a kick out of it. Either way, the first stamp on my brain had been made and it stayed with me for life.

As I got older and studied the life of Dr. King, I quickly realized that his life was very different from my own. He accomplished far more at an early age than I did. He had far more respect than I did. He was a better student than I was. How could I ever match up to that?

But it was OK that I couldn't match Dr. King, primarily because it had been confirmed to me in one celebration after another that I couldn't be anything like that man even if I'd wanted to be. He was superhuman, and I was not. So, rather than having the confidence to continue his legacy, I figured that I would just sit back and enjoy the celebration like everyone else. Why try to match up with perfection?

 

Click to read.

Boyce Watkins - MLK’s Adultery: Does It Change His Legacy?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

Every year on the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., there are some people who raise questions about Dr. King's sex life. They openly ask if the legendary pastor and civil rights leader ever deceived his wife, and some have even gone as far as referring to him as a "sexual degenerate". Conversations about King's alleged adultery tend to be built on three interesting and ultimately incorrect, assumptions: 1) That Dr. King's legacy is somehow impacted by his infidelity, 2) that he is less likely than other men to cheat on his wife, and 3) that it is somehow sacrilegious to discuss his flaws in public.

First and foremost, the idea that King's memory as a great American patriot is tarnished by his infidelity is both illogical and problematic. A great man is not defined by his weaknesses, but by his strengths. Regardless of what Dr. King may have done during the course of his marriage, those actions are almost completely disconnected from the manner through which he inspired billions with his courage and led people of color to the life we share today. It is our fault, not his, that Dr. King has been placed on a pedestal so high that we've forgotten that he was human.

Nearly every single week, I am asked to comment on the financial implications of a celebrity divorce. In nearly every single case, adultery is cited as one of the reasons for the break-up. Dr. and Mrs. King were, in many ways, just another celebrity couple. With Dr. King hitting the road most days out of the year, he sacrificed time to the world that he much rather would have spent with his wife (I've always felt that neither Dr. King, nor Malcolm X, should have ever gotten married, since it put their wives and children in danger). Mix this with the fact that women were likely throwing themselves at King on a regular basis, and you've got the recipe for scandal.

 

click to read.

ESPN Panel on the State of the Black Athlete: How Did They Do?

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

I was sitting in front of my TV set flipping through one channel after another, and I found something that both intrigued and concerned me: An ESPN special about the image of the black athlete. I was curious to see what they had to say about black athletes, especially males, since that's something I think about nearly every single day of my life.

The panel consisted of Jalen Rose, John Calipari, Randy Shannon, Spike Lee, Robin Roberts and others. I was hopeful that the panelists would not succumb to the temptation of taking the paternalistic viewpoint that black male athletes are somehow destined to be ignorant and need to be told what to do. For example, unlike any other sport, men's basketball and football are the only ones in which there are age limits before the athlete can become a professional. The reasons for these regulations are driven primarily by the argument that the men are too young to go out and support their families by doing what they do for the NCAA without being compensated.

 

Click to read.

Julianne Malveaux: A Tragedy and My Apology

by Dr. Julianne Malveaux, President – Bennett College

 

My cellphone pinged on Saturday to say I had a message. I was in the middle of lunch and chose to ignore it. When I picked it up a couple of hours later, I felt the same sickness that millions did, learning that Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Gifford was shot in an assassination attempt. Television news bubbled over with the news, with fact, spin, and interpretation. Would all 435 members of Congress need ramped up security? Was hate speech the basis of this shooting? I even saw Neil Boortz, the peripatetic Atlanta lawyer and talk show host suggest that President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama had been guilty of some of the same hate speech that the right has been accused of. Please.

The talk about hate speech, however, is important and I'm going to own my part of it, and apologize. A bazillion years ago (actually in 1992) I made a wisecrack about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Anyone who knows me would see it as a wisecrack, but those who don't saw it as hate speech. Here's the background. Thomas said he would live to be 120 to stay on the court to frustrate liberals. I replied that the average black man had a life expectancy of about 65, and that if his wife fed him lots of butter and eggs (if her recent call to Anita Hill is any indication she isn't cooking much these days), ingredients for high cholesterol and heart trouble, he'd die an early death. Conservatives called it a death wish. Death by breakfast, I responded, still in jest. As if someone were standing over Thomas with an Uzi forcing him to eat that butter and eggs. The wisecrack has to be taken even less seriously if Justice Thomas' purported commitment to physical fitness and working out is taken into consideration.

 

Click to read.

Dr. Boyce Watkins Spotlight: Meet the Rev. Jesse Jackson

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

I've always had a special admiration and appreciate for Rev. Jesse Jackson. While most of us know Rev. Jackson as a public figure and prominent Civil Rights leader, most of us don't know about the difficulties he's endured while fighting for African Americans over the past 40 years. There were days when money was tight and death threats were at his front door, but he continued to push on.

In fact, there was a time when Rev. Jackson was listed as one of the top three human beings on earth most likely to be assassinated. This was right after the murder of Dr. King, so you can imagine the pressure one would face from loved ones to give up the struggle and instead aim for self-preservation. But that wasn't what he did, as he persevered and stood strong for his community. So, love him or hate him, you must admire anyone who is so consistent in his role as a public servant, for I assure you, the job is not easy by any stretch and the sacrifice is tremendous.

 

Click to read.

Delta Sigma Theta Has Big Money on Founders Day

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action

I never joined a fraternity during college. My sister and brother pledged, but I was too broke to afford the expense of joining any organization other than the "Broke Negroes of America" club. Also, I was concerned that spending six weeks being mistreated, awakened in the middle of the night and yelled at would cause two unfortunate outcomes: 1) My GPA would drop, and 2) I'd end up going to jail for issuing a couple of beat downs.

But even though I chose not to pledge during college, I gained a degree of respect for many of those who decided to do so. Quite a few members of the African American community are proud of the black greek tradition and find it to be one of the cornerstones of cultural, economic and political power within our society. While the college students get a bad rap for using their greek identity as an excuse to wear matching clothes and have more parties, there are more mature members who see their involvement as an avenue for political and social engagement.
Black America is in consistent need of organizations designed to pursue our collective purpose. Our community lacks the economic and political infrastructure necessary to lift us from the bottom of America's racial caste system. Delta Sigma Theta is part of that tradition, as are other African American sororities and fraternities.

click to read.

Obama Tucson Speech Captivates the Nation

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

President Barack Obama has done it again. Like Michael Jordan in the Eastern Conference Finals with 10 seconds left on the clock, the president sank the speech that would help to shape his presidency for much of 2011. Utilizing his opportunity to address the nation after the unfortunate shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, the Obama speech in Tucson was reflective of the decency that allows our president to transcend the pettiness of his adversaries. He stood his ground without fighting his enemies, and reminded the country that "we can all do better."
The president encouraged those listening to communicate "in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds." The Obama speech also conceded that there is no way to know who was responsible for the shooting that killed six and injured 13 others. But he did say that our nation's polarized political conversation can be handled in a way that is respectful and productive.

Click to read.

Tavis Smiley and Company go to DC to Hold Obama Accountable

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

Yesterday, I rushed through the snow to do an interview with NPR's "Talk of the Nation" to discuss President Barack Obama's agenda for 2011 and the issues that matter most to black people. At the top of my brain was the old adage, "It's the economy stupid." So, fitting with my role as a Finance Professor, I led the interview off with financial topics, because it is my opinion that the country can benefit from more audible voices that work to portray the depth of black economic suffering.

I also noticed that someone I don't always agree with, Tavis Smiley, said something similar. In a recent interview with NewsOne.com, Smiley went deep on the fact that black economic problems have been rarely addressed by our elected officials and that our community may need to find ways to amplify its voice. Georgetown University Professor Michael Eric Dyson even went as far as giving President Barack Obama a C- on how he deals with black issues. All of this has been interesting to watch, particularly in light of how President Obama's rise to power has created a peculiar divide within pre-existing African American "leadership." The infamous on-air brawl between Rev. Al Sharpton and Tavis Smiley is a perfect case-in-point.

 

Click to read.

BET Co-Founder Sheila Johnson Has Some Nasty Words for Oprah Winfrey

 

Sheila Johnson, co-founder of BET, had a few concerns about Oprah Winfrey’s net OWN network, citing the network’s lack of racial diversity.  On NPR’s “Tell Me More,” Johnson had this to say:

 

"The only advice that I say, let's open up your circle a little bit more. You know, we love the Dr. Phils. We love the Suze Ormans. Let's open up. There are other people. And there's also African-American experts out there that I think she should start bringing on her show that can reach even a wider audience."

At that point, host Michel Martin mentioned that the network’s whiteness might be confusing to some.  Johnson then said this:

"No. Yes," replied Johnson. "And I think she really should do that and not be afraid to do it. There's really a lot of great experts out there that really know the businesses at hand. And I'd like to see her open up her circle to do that."

My friends Mark Anthony Neal and Khalil Muhammad: Two of the Leading Black Intellectuals in the World

 Black scholars Mark Anthony Neal and Khalil Muhammad talk about black history, black politics and more

From CNN: Is College Athletics a Sweatshop?

from CNN.com

On Monday night, with millions of fans watching every play, Auburn will take on Oregon for the national championship of college football.

If you're viewing at home, you may notice the same thing you can observe each season at every massive college football stadium or glistening big-time college basketball arena:

Everyone working in the place is being paid: the hot dog vendors, the television broadcasters, the guy peddling game-day programs, the person who manufactured the university-logo jerseys and caps that are for sale at the souvenir stands, the employees changing lightbulbs in the tunnels. ...

Everyone except the people who are most responsible for putting the fans in the seats and in front of the TV screens at home: everyone except the players on the field.

 

Click to read.

Michael Eric Dyson Gives Obama a C- on Black Economic Issues

Did This Cornell Prof Have Ill-Intent When He Referred to Two Students as “Black Bitches”?

Written on the blog Ebonymompolitics

“It has been two months since Cornell University Africana professor Grant Farred called two of his graduate students “Black bitches,” inciting upset among students and faculty of the program over the matter. According to the “Cornell Daily Sun,” Farred invited two female students, who have not been mentioned by name, to join him at a conference on February 5 and 6 at the University or Rochester. Farred’s advisees arrived late to the event. After the panel discussion the professor thanked the grad students for attending the conference. What he said next shocked the women. “When you both walked in, I thought, ‘Who are these Black bitches?’” he told them in a low voice. “  The students were visibly upset when he made the remark and he subsequently apologized. The university has been investigating the matter, but my question is should the professor be fired?

Click to read.

Some are Blaming Palin for the Shooting of Congresswoman Giffords

By Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

When you campaign using rhetoric that mentions weapons, cross-hairs and reloading against your political enemies, some would argue that you risk inciting violence among those who take your words too seriously. That's the criticism being thrust against Sarah Palin and the Right Wing after the recent shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.). Giffords was shot in the face at point blank range, in addition to a child and judge who were killed on the scene. Giffords is in the hospital in critical condition.
Shortly after Giffords' shooting, critics of Sarah Palin pointed out that the Republican had put Giffords on her "target list" of Democrats that she wanted to get rid of during the mid-term elections. She even created a map with cross-hairs on the districts of these politicians, as if they were target practice. Even months before Giffords' shooting, critics said that Palin's rhetoric may cause violence and put the lives of these political leaders in danger.

 

 

Click to read.

Boehner, Birthers, and Anti-Obamaism – The Racism that Runs America

 

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

On the first day of the new Congress, as Republicans led a peculiar and self-righteous reading of the United States Constitution, America was fed a healthy dose of the pomp and comedy that lies in store for us this year. Similar to a house party where out-of-control relatives show up with extra alcohol, Republicans arrived with Tea Partiers, birthers and Fox News drones in tow, all determined to do what they can to create civil war in America.

The greatest and most consistent target of the right wing revolution has been the guy in the White House who has taken something that allegedly belongs to them. The far right would never admit to hating President Obama because he's black, because racial history allows for far more complicated and subtle ways to destroy black people in power. But there is no mistaking that the hatred thrust upon this president is unlike that of any president before him, and his rise to power has awakened the socio-political cockroaches of our country.

The most recent display of political interference occurred when the section of the Constitution was read stating that only a natural born citizen of the US can become president of the United States. At that point, a woman stood up and yelled "except Obama," before being removed from the room. This woman's disrespect of the president is echoed by many throughout the nation who are seeking to find some way to label President Obama as the unqualified and corrupt leader they believe him to be.

 

Click to read.

Inmate Released After Serving 30 Years for Wrongful Conviction

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

Cornelius Dupree was sent to prison in 1979 on charges of rape and robbery. After doing over 30 years in prison, he has finally been set free by the Innocence Project. Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins is also arguing that Dupree "did not commit this crime" and that he should be freed.
If Dupree is freed, he will have served more time in Texas prison than any other innocent person in the history of the state. There are only two others in the country who have served more time and been exonerated, according to the Innocence Project.
"Cornelius Dupree spent the prime of his life behind bars because of mistaken identification that probably would have been avoided if the best practices now used in Dallas had been employed," said Barry Scheck, co-director of the Innocence Project. "Let us never forget that, as in the heartbreaking case of Cornelius Dupree, a staggering 75% of wrongful convictions of people later cleared by DNA evidence resulted from misidentifications."

 

Click to read.

Duchess Harris: The Black Scholar You Need to Know

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University – Scholarship in Action 

The role of Super Woman in Black America can be readily applied to a woman who can balance the relentless pursuit of academic achievement, professional success, and outstanding motherhood, all at the same time. Miriam Harris (a.k.a. Duchess) is a textbook example of what we all want our daughters to become. She is a mother of three, and has both a PhD and a law degree. The Ivy League educated supermom is not only "about her business," she is deeply committed to the business of using her vast intellect to make the world a better place for both women and people of color. In other words, she's not just a Black PhD, she is actually a "Ph-Do." AOL Black Voices was able to catch up with Professor Harris for the Dr. Boyce Watkins Spotlight:
1) What is your name and what do you do for a living?

My name is Duchess Harris and I am an Associate Professor of American Studies at Macalester College.
2) What is your area of expertise and what made you pursue this particular area of study?

 

click to read.