The recent firing of all the teachers at Central Falls High School in Rhode Island by the district superintendent was applauded by both President Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Both thought this was the right thing for the students being failed by the teachers and the school. But is it all the teacher’s fault? Should the principals also be held responsible? What about the parents? After all, it does take a village.

(NNPA)—Now we have the Coffee Party which I suppose is a liberal counterpart to the Tea Party that emerged in the Washington, D.C., area by folks led by Annabel Park, a documentary film maker who was horrified by the ugly, menacing and anti-government spirit of the Tea Party crowd that emerged to disrupt the flow of civil discussion about important issues. I’ve been asking, where are the folks who voted for Barack Obama, believing in hope and change and pinning for a new post-Bush, post-conservative America?

(NNPA)—There’s an old saying: “Don’t bring a slingshot to a gunfight.” But that’s just what the Congress appears to be doing with its timid approach to job creation. Last week, the House of Representatives joined the Senate in passing a $15 billion jobs bill that would hardly make a dent in the depression-era levels of unemployment afflicting all parts of the country, especially communities of color.

by Shannon Williams

Who are our real Black leaders?

While there are experts who offer insight in the area of leadership and programs designed to cultivate leaders, I don’t think the act of leading is so hard—it’s something we all can do.