Does Leadership Care?

Penns Grove, NJ: No matter whether you are a CEO of a fortune 500 company or a professional athletic team, you have to be well in-tune with what is going on within your establishment. Many people who live in the community of Penns Grove know that the Community Awareness Alliance and I, have been very forthright in bringing awareness to the way leadership practice their hiring procedures, when it come to the position of certified teacher and administration in the Penns Grove Carneys Point School District. That procedure is believed by the people of the community to have created a sense of disparity and disenfranchisement of minorities whom have applied. In fact, the Community Awareness Alliance has been vocal enough to composed and file a 10 page complaint letter with Philadelphia, Pennsylvania EEOC. The objective of the "movement" is bring awareness and exposure to the injustice in the Penns Grove Carneys Point Regional School System.

The Community Awareness Alliance will continue to forward the objective of bringing awareness and attention to what is seen as unfair hiring practice to every level of government in the community of Penns Grove. Last council meeting, I brought this matter to the attention of the leaders of Penns Grove, Mayor Washington and council members. I gave each council members, including the mayor, a copy of the ten (10) page complaint letter. Since 40% of the residents' tax dollars  goes toward the school district, in my opinion, I felt as the mayor needed to know about the issue. Mayor Washington has mention in previous council meetings that he is "concerned about the community". However, you cannot be concerned about the community and not become concerned of the education of the children that live in the community. The previous words of the mayor was tested when I brought the matter of an inequality in the hiring in the school district. The Mayor said, "Myself and the council will not take a position on this matter". I think that comment was very disappointing to the children, parents, and residents of the community. If leadership will not speak up for injustice that the people face, who will?

The mayor has been part of the council for over 25 years. The mayor already took a postion years ago.  In fact the mayor, as a councilman, was part of a diversity recruitement team that went out and recruited certified minority teachers.  If the problem of hiring practices existed then when mayor was a councilman and it still exist now, what is the difference? I believe that is contradictive to say that you are concerned about the community and not concerned about the education, which is part of the community. When the school district needs assistance with a defeated school budget, the Superintendent is in communication with the mayor(s) and what happens is that the mayor approves a certain amount of tax dollars to aide in helping the school budget. So as a result, I guess the mayor only takes a position when finances are concern but not when there is a climate of disparity.

Since we are upon another election year with the school board and council, the residents of the community should start attending more council and school board meetings. Also, the people should pay close attention to who is running for office. We should vote people in office that will be a true and stern force, as well as a voice for the community. The people that will not do what is right by the people and for the people, is an "enemy of progression." I like Mayor Washington, let me make that plain! I told the the mayor I am supportive of his efforts to bring about change in the community but if his politics compromise the cultivation of the people, which I represent, I do and will not support that. 

Consequentially, there will be some exposure and some critiquing on leadership. If the leaders of the community, that are in place place now, cannot get the job done, come November we must consider who is at the helm of the community. Next time the seat is up for mayor, the people should speak out by way of the power of their "vote", especially if the mayor is not delivering.

"Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership." Colin Powell