I had breakfast with Reverend Jesse Jackson about two weeks ago. He was in New York City to visit foundations, trying to secure support for the fall launch of a program designed to reverse the dire drop-out rates of African American males from high schools. In fact, one third of all Americans drop out in the course of high school and half graduate without adequate skills for college or a “decent job” according to the Alliance for Excellent Education. Fifty five percent of African American males did not receive diplomas with their cohort, according to the Schott Foundation. Also in New York City, Miami, Detroit and Chicago, 65-75% of black males do not graduate with their class. White males are twice as likely to graduate from high school as black counterparts in New York and Wisconsin (76% and 38% in NY, 84% vs. 38% in Wisconsin).
For global comparisons, the Alliance for Excellent Education says the US ranks 18th for high school graduation rates, 15th in reading rates and 25th in high school math. Even worse, according to Rev. Jackson, 90% of the 1.1 million African Americans presently serving time in US prisons are high school drop-outs. Janice Hale, author of Learning While Black, says “For many black males public schools are a one way ticket from the school house to the jail house.”
Reverend Jackson attributes this malaise to a “crisis in effort.” He believes that there can be a virtuous circle created, starting with Attendance, then Attention in the classroom, Graduation then Employment. “The foundation of this must be the parent,” he contends. “I want parents to sign a pledge with teachers to do the following:
• Parents take their children to school at the beginning of the year to show the importance of education in the home
• Parents and teachers exchange home or cell phone numbers
• Television is off in the home for three hours a night
• Parents are involved with homework, making sure it is done and done well
• Parents pick up the report cards from school
• Parents take children to church or synagogue
What can be done by the PR community to reverse this dynamic?
Bob Herbert of the New York Times wrote on May 17, 2008 about a $100 million gift by the AT&T Foundation that aims to “address high school drop-out rates and improve the readiness of American teenagers for college and the real world of work.” The CEO of AT&T, Randall Stephenson, said he was having “trouble finding enough skilled workers to handle the 5,000 customer service jobs he had promised to bring back from overseas.” Whether initiated by the internal PR team or by our worthy competitor Fleishman Hillard, this program is a perfect example of PR leading through good purpose.
Another alternative, albeit at a lower price point, was when Edelman began offering paid after school internships for high school students through the Inner City Scholarship Fund in the early 1980s. Never have I been so proud as seeing Lazaro Benitez, who began his career in PR as one of those interns, running the communications office for NYC 2012, the city’s bid for the Olympics. Last year, more than 60% of Edelman’s summer interns were minorities. Whether through our creativity or our job creation, by tying in with Rev. Jackson’s fall initiative or initiating others, we have a responsibility to be part of the solution, not simply bystanders on the sidelines. I appreciate your suggestions on how we can help.
