Below is an editorial posted in the Courant.com by Bob Englehart. The post being controversially racist in nature, the response (which was written on behalf of the Epsilon Omicron Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.) is a compilation of ideas from 3 Sorors from the chapter. These ideas were put together as part of my internship. Shortly after Englehart's post was written, it was taken down from The Courant's website, however it was already seen and responded to by those who frequent the site. It was also responded to by the New Haven Independent. Below is the excerpt:
On February 8th cartoonist Bob Englehart wrote a Blog – a commentary on Gov. Malloy’s education reform. The response, racist in nature, prompted executives at The Courant to immediately pull the Blog. Below is his original Blog and following that is the full response from the President of the Hartford Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Krista Hardie.
By Bob Englehart
9:11 a.m. EST, February 8, 2012
I support much of what Gov. Malloy is trying to do with his education package. Unfortunately, he's also doing what governments have done for generations to no effect. He's throwing money at inner city schools and hoping for change. And we know where the money's coming from. My God, we're already running a deficit of $144.5 million and we're in Moody's doghouse to boot.
Inner-city poor and minority-filled schools aren't going to change until we can somehow change the pervasive core of the problem: dysfunctional inner-city poor minority families.
Sure, we hear of an occasional winner come out of the ghetto. Movie stars, athletes, business people, we know their stories, but they are the very rare exception. For the most part, losers raise losers. Somehow we've got to get to these families and teach them how to respect education. Till then, nothing will change.
Response to Bob Englehart’s blog post from the President of the Hartford Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Krista Hardie:
I’m not sure where Mr. Englehart found the bulk of his information but his opinion of Gov. Malloy’s education reform is disturbing.
The “pervasive core of the problem” is not inner-city poor families.
It is quite normal to come from an “inner-city poor” or minority family that values and respects education and sets high standards for and supports its children: in other words, families that establish a spiritual, educational and social foundation for their children. “These people” as you describe them, are our scientists, educators, CEO’s, artists, politicians, engineers, spiritual leaders, counselors, business people, even journalists. Mr. Englehart’s experience and his intellect are obviously limited.
The most recent SDE statistics show 59.9% of low-income students graduate from Connecticut high schools in four years. Certainly there is room for improvement, but surely these students, who represent a majority of low-income students, are not "losers." To the contrary, they are winners.
Mr. Englehart, a self-professed college dropout, is not an expert in sociology and thus should refrain from making statements that characterize an entire segment of society as “losers.”
I represent the Hartford Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. an International service organization and the oldest Greek- lettered organization established by African-American college-educated women. Alpha Kappa Alpha is comprised of a nucleus of 260,000 members from all over the world.
We are not alone when it comes to accomplishments.
Although stardom has evaded scores of people of color in the urban areas of Connecticut, there are thousands of successful men and women of color who are not exceptions, but the norm. Mr. Englehart, you exhibit the bias that exists in so many organizations that don’t have equitable representation of people of color within their ranks or leadership. Mr. Englehart, it seems like we have to get you to “respect education” and all people, regardless of socio-economic status. “Till then, nothing will change.”
