It seems like parenting is getting a whole lot tougher these days. Not only do you have to make sure the youngins’ are fed, clean and clothed properly but you also have to worry about going to jail over getting your child an education.  Glad I have pets.

First is the story of a homeless Black mother in Connecticut, who was found guilty of stealing $15,000 in educational services. Tanya McDowell, who was living between her van and homeless shelters, was charged with felony larceny last year after she lied about her address to make her six-year-old son eligible to attend kindergarten in a better district. McDowell pled guilty to the accusation and was sentenced to twelve years in prison. While the sentence also includes a seven year bid for four charges of drug possession McDowell is also required to pay a $6,200 fine in restitution.

McDowell’s case has attracted lots of support from education and civil rights advocates who argued for compassion for a homeless mother. However the school district, the prosecutor of the case and finally the juror believe that she should have been required to send him to school in the city of her last permanent address.  The case is also reminiscent of Kelley Williams-Bolar, who too was convicted last year of lying about her residency to get her daughters into a better school district in Ohio. Williams-Bolar was sentenced to two consecutive five-year prison bids. However after public pressure, that sentence was reduced and William-Bolar only spent 10 days in jail, five years of probation and was ordered to perform 80 hours of community service.

Both cases involved the so-called illegal falsification of residence in order to obtain thousands of dollars in educational benefits. However both stories also illustrate how increasingly hostile our public school system is, which presumably is supposed to be free for all American children (paid for by federal funds through our taxes dollars).

More and more, we are seeing stories about how Black and low income parents have been criminalized. Like how last year, more than 400 Baltimore parents had received notification that they would face a District Court judge as a result of charges filed by the school system’s Office of Attendance and Truancy.  And in my home state of Pennsylvania, where the NAACP and the Public Inter Law Center of Philadelphia filed a federal lawsuit against the Lebanon School District for imposing excessive and illegal fines of up to $300 per incident on truant children or their families. One parent in particular was ordered to pay $27,000 and a 17-year-old student was fined more than $12,000.

I don’t what’s more disturbing about this video of students at Brigham Young University being quized on black history—the terrible and unnecessary blackface the comedian asking the questions is in or the ridiculous answers that are being given.

BYU is one of the least diverse campuses in the US, with only 176 black students out of the 30,000 student population, so it’s not surprising Dave Ackerman thought this would be the place to get “hilarious” responses to questions about black history. The video experiment shows students have no idea when Black History Month is—including a black student (SMH), they can’t name historical figures besides Martin Luther King and Malcolm X—no Samuel L. Jackson does not count, and they celebrate the month by listening to Jay-Z.

Unfortunately, the interview doesn’t stop with questions, Ackerman also asks students to imitate how black guys and black girls act and gets their thoughts on interracial dating. In the end, Ackerman says he finds it disturbing that only three people commented that he wasn’t really black but I find it more disturbing that he thinks this experiment really achieved his goal of fighting ignorance with ignorance. Looks like another excuse to get away with wearing blackface.

Check out the video and tell us what you think. Does this serve any purpose as far as educating BYU students?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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There’s pretty much no reason for anyone to accidentally get pregnant these days, particularly on Pennsylvania University’s campus, unless students are just being totally reckless.

In case anyone on the campus passed up the condom aisle at Walgreens or decided to take a risk and go raw one night, they can now obtain Plan B, also known as the morning after pill, from a vending machine located in the campus health center.

According to NewsOne, Roger Serr, Vice President for Student Affairs, says the machine was installed after a request from the student association and a follow-up survey found that 85 percent of students supported it.

Plan B, which is already available without a prescription to girls 17 and older, isn’t covered or subsidized by the school. Students are charged $25 for the pill, which is the school’s cost to the pharmaceutical company, and less than what pharmacies off-campus charge. In addition to the emergency contraceptive, students can also purchase condoms, decongestant, and pregnancy tests from the machine.

I guess if access to preventive methods is a big issue in the Shippensburg, PA, area then the campus has that covered.

What do you think about this method? Is it progressive or too casual of a way to deal with something so serious?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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Freshman year of college I went to an open informational about the black Greek organizations on campus. As I sat listening to girls talk about their various sororities, all I could think was, how am I supposed to get beaten and degraded for 10 weeks all for the sake of calling someone my sister in the end? Granted, these organizations give you national connections and lifelong friendships and other benefits I’m not aware of as an outsider, I felt like there was no group I wanted to be a part of that badly.

Hazing discussions come up every so often when a big story makes the headlines and I often wonder what members of these sororities and fraternities think about what their potential sisters and brothers are going through: have things gotten worse or should pledges just suck it up and prove their loyalty? The latest of these victims is Britteny Starling, a former pledge of the UC Berkeley chapter of Zeta Phi Beta. She’s suing members for allegedly hazing her to the point that she took a medical leave from school, and when you look at a few of the allegations, it’s hard to imagine taking a chance on pledging. She says her “big sisters:”

•     Beat her and another pledge repeatedly on the head until a third pledge could finish reciting the sorority’s history.
•     Poured juice on the floor and made her clean it up with her back, then tore off her shirt.
•     Slammed her face into the wall, making her lip bleed profusely.
•     Made her stay awake all night.
•     Forbid her from going to the bathroom, causing her to pee her pants.

Again, as an outsider, I don’t know if that’s extreme behavior or typical of the pledging process, but I can’t help but question is it necessary. Brittney claimed that her sisters had a habit of offering love after pain, saying they “loved the pledges and their actions were intended to make the pledges better people” They also warned that if anyone quit, which Brittney said she planned to do, they would “become ‘eternals.’” According to the lawsuit, “Ms. Starling felt extreme pressure to remain as a pledge in ZPB because she was in fear that if she left the sorority, she would become an outcast, an ‘eternal,’ in the Greek system and the African-American community at UC Berkeley.” Now, she’s seeking punitive damages and money for lost future wages.

Obviously, on campus no one ever spoke about what they went through, but there were always rumors going around of why a certain frat was suspended or what sorts of things were going on. Even more so than the physical torment, I was concerned with why most of the people who had pledged were either in danger of failing or lost a scholarship during the process, and why some had to drop out after they crossed. What good is joining an organization if you forfeit a degree in the process?

Recently, my younger cousin called to ask my opinion on whether she should pledge a sorority or not and I didn’t know what to tell her other than make a decision based on the people in the organization and not the name of it or the popularity it might earn her. I would hate to see her endure treatment like this, but I also wouldn’t want her to miss out on something that might be greater than what it appears to be from the outside. Since I’ve only had female friends who pledged in grad chapters, I asked a male friend if he thought pledging was worth it. He said he didn’t have any regrets but if he had to do it again, knowing what he knows now, he probably wouldn’t have. I’m curious if more people than not feel that way.

If you’re in a sorority, do you think the pledging process was worth it? Did the fear of hazing prevent any of you from joining a sorority? Do you think hazing is necessary?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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Gene Marks, a self-professed “middle aged white guy who comes from a middle class white background” has drawn a bit of criticism for an article he wrote detailing his suggestions for what poor black kids should do in order to succeed academically and professionally.

It was a risky move and Marks gets points for using the widening income gap between the rich and the poor as a news hook and circling back to something he actually knows about—technology—in his “If I were a Poor Black Kid” column for Forbes. Technology is an area that is ripe for penetration and certainly one that could use more black faces, as the recent CNN Black in America special pointed out. But for every good point that Marks makes in terms of how to get ahead as a poor black kid, he neglects to mention the obstacles that halt many of those attempts. It’s not so much the suggestions that Marks puts forth that are the problem, it’s the oversimplified manner in which he assumes these things can be achieved.

For instance, if Marks, “a short, balding and mediocre certified public accountant” were in fact a black kid he would:

“first and most importantly work to make sure I got the best grades possible. I would make it my #1 priority to be able to read sufficiently. I wouldn’t care if I was a student at the worst public middle school in the worst inner city.  Even the worst have their best.  And the very best students, even at the worst schools, have more opportunities.  Getting good grades is the key to having more options.  With good grades you can choose different, better paths.  If you do poorly in school, particularly in a lousy school, you’re severely limiting the limited opportunities you have.”

After laying out his poor black kid master plan from grade school through college, Marks sums up the issue with this:

“The division between rich and poor is a national problem.  But the biggest challenge we face isn’t inequality. It’s ignorance.  So many kids from West Philadelphia don’t even know these opportunities exist for them. Many come from single-parent families whose mom or dad (or in many cases their grand mom) is working two jobs to survive and are just (understandably) too plain tired to do anything else in the few short hours they’re home.  Many have teachers who are overburdened and too stressed to find the time to help every kid that needs it.  Many of these kids don’t have the brains to figure this out themselves – like my kids.  Except that my kids are just lucky enough to have parents and a well-funded school system around to push them in the right direction.

“Technology can help these kids.  But only if the kids want to be helped.  Yes, there is much inequality.  But the opportunity is still there in this country for those that are smart enough to go for it.”

Essentially, what Marks has laid out in his go to a charter school, attempt to go to private school, study at the library article, is an against-all-odds approach that only addresses one odd—poverty. Yes, education is absolutely key to escaping poverty, but being poor isn’t a simplistic issue that can be fixed with a library card, as he suggests. Poverty is sometimes a mindset and it’s multi-layered, with race in this particular instance, and a host of other things.

On one hand, the idea of not letting any circumstances get in your way that Marks is proposing is a good one, but on the other, it speaks to the disconnect the majority of white America has when it comes to understanding the complexities of life as a poor black kid. It’s not that these children don’t want to be helped, it’s that they are vulnerable to less-than-desirable circumstances that have an influence on their lives that is often much greater than the seven hours or so they spend in school each day. And unfortunately, that negative influence wins in too many instances. When all is said and done, you could do everything Marks suggested and still not get anywhere because of a little thing called institutional racism, which he neglected to discuss. No, that’s not an excuse not to try in the first place but it is an obstacle that many black people succumb to when they attempt to go by the book and still have doors slammed in their faces. That’s a reality poor, black kids have to be prepared for in order to build perseverance and the answer can’t be mulled over in a mere 1,200 words essay for a non-poor-black-kid audience.

I think Marks could no doubt influence some underprivileged black children with this game plan, but if he wants the message to stick, he’s going to have to gain a greater understanding of life as a poor black kid, and build from there. His ignorance to poor black life shows, and at times overshadows his point.

You can read Marks’ column in its entirety on Forbes’ website. What do you think of what he suggested? Do you see any issues with his approach or is he right on the mark with what poor black kids should be doing?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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On Oct. 11, Michelle Obama hosted 400 local children on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the most people doing jumping jacks in a 24-hour period, and today the first lady announced that her effort succeeded.

Organized by National Geographic Kids magazine, the effort was held in conjunction with the first lady’s Let’s Move! initiative to promote physical fitness and healthy eating for children. The 300,265 people who participated in the event shattered the previous record set by 20,000 participants. Something tells me she’ll be holding this title for a while. Go first lady!

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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Right on the heels of the Amber Cole twitter situation, news has come out that one in ten sixth graders has already had sex by the age of 11 or 12 in the state of Texas. After that, the numbers jump to 22 percent of seventh graders having had sex, and for every year after that there is a 10 percent increase.

Before you assume this is an isolated situation, the United States as a whole isn’t doing so hot. Yes, Texas has a history of poor sex education and high teen pregnancy, but the good ol’ USA is a leader in sexually transmitted diseases among developing nations. What are we doing here?

Some people are citing Gov. Rick Perry’s executive order that female students receive the HPV vaccine before entering sixth grade as giving pre-teens a license to be promiscuous. I’d say that bridge has most likely already been crossed.

I’m going to sound quite naïve here, but where are these kids getting away with this stuff? I know kids, of which I have none, are sneaky and they lie about where they’re going, etcetera, etcetera, but we’re not talking about 15 and 16-year-olds who are in high school and drive and take themselves to and from extracurricular activities. These are 11-year-olds. Why doesn’t anyone know where they’re going and what they’re doing.

Better yet, where is the adult supervision?

Knox and her husband, Gene.

I’m sure you’ve had many career advisers tell you time and time again to watch the pictures you post on Facebook. Why? Because employers often use Facebook to check up on you in the hiring process. We all know ratchetness on Facebook could possibly keep you from getting a job, but it sucks to know that the opinions you share–and display on the site–could possibly cost you your job as well.

A teacher in New Jersey named Viki Knox is in the center of the debate on free speech on through social media, as many are calling for her job after she posted anti-gay comments on her Facebook page. Knox has been put on paid administrative leave while the matter is investigated (and has been since the beginning of the month), but during a school board meeting yesterday, protesters were in full force for both sides of the matter. On one side, individuals were holding up posters that said, “No Hate in Our State,” while on the other side, a large group of people standing by the teacher held up smaller signs that said, “Don’t Bully Viki.” Many argue that a woman who teaches around young people of all different backgrounds and orientations, and is open about her disapproval of the gay lifestyle, shouldn’t get to keep working in the school. However, others are saying that firing a person because of what they believe in based on their religious teachings would be a violation of their free speech and religious freedoms.

I know what you’re thinking: if she was just speaking her mind on her Facebook page on her own time, what’s the issue? Well, according to the Los Angeles Times, Knox, 49, was commenting on the school’s recognition of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender History Month. The special education teacher wrote that being of the LGBT community was a “sin” a sin that in her mind, “breeds like cancer.” She made it clear that celebrating the month in the school is like parading “unnatural, immoral behavior before the rest of us.”

Many gay advocates say that her opinions could cause her to not keep an eye out for those bullying students of the LGBT community, and that she may not fully enforce new anti-bullying legislation passed in New Jersey last spring. Not really sure how I feel about this one, because I think it’s sad that people’s religious opinions, which are expressed outside of school halls, can still get them axed. However, some people commenting on this story did bring up a really good point: remember the story we posted about the white supremacist principal in the Bronx who was fired after it came out that he wrote a string of books about minority inferiority? Well…this is somewhat similar. Not fully though, because racism isn’t something commonly taught (at least not out in the open), while Knox’s beliefs are a common view held by some Christians due to their personal interpretations of the Bible. But still, her known beliefs could possibly play a part in how she treats her students, or even worse, how they feel about being around her. As if there wasn’t enough as an adolescent teen to be uncomfortable about in school…But what do you think?

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By Charlotte Young

Columbia University’s Teacher College education experts know what it takes to provide educational equity to all students in New York State—more money. The amount that the state spends on its students is not enough, they declare. The Campaign for Educational Equity, an institute of the college, plans to voice its concerns at a conference on Tuesday. The group recommends that an additional $4,750 must be spent annually for each low-income child in order to see measureable change in public school system.

According to the New York Times, New York state is already well ahead in investing in its students. The state spends about $18,126 per student, but the advocates recommend that the state’s support should extend to include services outside of the classroom. These additional services would provide for low-income students starting with prenatal care for the mother until high school graduation. Early child care and after-school and summer programs would also be provided for a total cost of $13,900 per child. The difference in total cost between the current spending on these services, and the proposed initiative amounts to $4,750.

Michael A. Rebell, the executive director of the Campaign for Educational Equity acknowledges that “this is not going the cheap way.”

“What we’re saying is, if we’re really serious about overcoming the achievement gap, students need these services to have a meaningful opportunity,” he told the NY Times.

While the campaign may make valid points, state officials must also take into consideration the delicate balance between investing in education and protecting the taxpayer’s dollars. The plan would have to be approved in the state budget, a difficult move in the midst of tight financial times.

Manhattan Democrat Sheldon Silver suggests that the first step should be to increase spending on poorer school districts rather than additional outside support services.

But Rebell, whose past efforts have helped to bring in billions of additional funding for poor school districts, will lay out his five-year plan on Tuesday. He plans to suggest that some of the money for the increased services could be secured through private sector bond sales. As the economy improves, the funds could then be switched back to the state budget.

Rebell’s plan for increased educational funds don’t stop with New York alone. Eventually, he hopes his plan will see an increase of $4,230 annually for every low-income student around the nation.