Educational Genocide; Why Aren’t We Angry

Virginia Beach Branch Education Committee "Educational Forum"

A unique public Educational Forum to the address the Educational needs of Black students in both the state of Virginia and Virginia Beach City Public Schools, will be held at the campus of Norfolk State University Mills E. Godwin Student Union Building 3rd floor Ballroom Norfolk Virginia, October 22 2005 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00.


Panelists for the Virginia Beach NAACP Education Forum, will represent different prospective on the struggles around the education of African Americans. National renowned experts, state and local political activists include Cassandra Archie the founder of Advocates for Educational Equity & Excellence, Dr. Nicole Francis Williams, with the National NAACP Education Department; Nayo Watkins of the National Association for African American Children with Learning Disabilities (NAEAACLD),Mr. Jesse Frierson a Richmond Educational Activists, and Rodney Jordan the Commissioner of the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority and Board of Directors Urban League of Hampton Roads.

Panelists will have a discussion on a wide range of issues affecting the education of African Americans students and parents and considered ways in which participants can use positive interventions to contribute to the academic success of African American children and youth educational.

This forum will demonstrate a commitment by stakeholders and community organizations to close achievement gaps and stop the educational genocide of Black students. It will also bring the much needed attention, to understand the many dimensions of institutional racism that exist in Virginia Beach Public School and Public School across the state.

Our panelists will encourage community, political, and spiritual leaders, parents and educators to have an open dialogue examining the educational discrepancies facing African American students. The goals for this forum is to increase awareness of the issues facing African American parents and students; Educate the public about the solutions and the roles they can play in ensuring all children have access to an equal and quality educational opportunity.



Participants will have an opportunity to express their collective concerns over the stated issues from their perspective during a small group break out session which will be led by the panelists. Collectively, panelists and participants will engage in a large group interactive experience to brainstorm the implementation of idea’s shared during the panelist presentations.

This historic event will bring together a wide range of educators, teachers, administrators, parent activist, students, professors, advocates and community activists, all committed to creating a new vision for the education future of African American children and youth.

This Educational Forum will provided an opportunity for networking and sharing of knowledge about programs and practices that are showing success with African American children and youth and to consider how to support and sustain these efforts locally and across the state.