As many of you know, the head of the RNC Michael Steele was once a Lt Governor in MD under Bob Ehrlich.
According to an article in the Baltimore Sun this morning, last night at a Townhall Meeting on at Douglass High School on Education and the Economy, Baltimore City Schools Chief Alonso asked Steele to apologize to the school and the city for his remarks on CNN.
In February 2006, Steele visited Douglass in West Baltimore, holding it up as an example of the failures of urban education and making a personal commitment to turn the school around. Though he has not returned to Douglass since - a spokesman said shortly thereafter that school officials were not receptive to his help - he again said Douglass isn't doing its job during an interview this week on D.L. Hughley Breaks the News on CNN.
According to a transcript of the D.L. Hughley show, Steele said: "You don't get anywhere without an education. I can take you right now to Frederick Douglass High School in Baltimore City, where the educational system that's supposedly training and teaching the future generation of black folks ain't doing that. It's not doing it at all. ... and Republicans aren't running the City of Baltimore. So the question then becomes, how do we as a community become self-empowered to make the system, whether it's run by Democrats or Republicans, work for us?"
Steele's 2006 visit to Douglass was widely criticized as a tactic to embarrass O'Malley, a Democrat who was then mayor and running for governor against Steele's boss, Republican Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. Steele did not follow through on a list of specific promises.
"Whatever happened to the new computers?" Alonso asked. "Whatever happened to the carpet for the library? Whatever happened to the new textbooks? Whatever happened to the new cafeteria tables? Whatever happened to just showing up ... before you go on national TV and cast aspersions on parents, teachers and students? Not acceptable."
Four months later, The Baltimore Sun quoted Douglass student Ebony Peacock as saying the school had not heard back from Steele: "We were really excited because he really made it seem like he was gonna help our school. We haven't heard anything since."
The Republican's always talk a good talk, but never follow through.
Education is not an important subject. In my opinion, the reason is simple, the more educated people become the more they will see what a failure the party is. Keep the people uneducated and they can fool them with their lies.
On a brighter note, Douglass High has improved since Steele's visit in 2006. There graduation rate increased 14 percentage points to 57%.
The school was highlighted on a documentary on HBO last summer.
These public schools need help not broken promises from our politicians.
Link to Baltimore Sun article http://www.baltimoresun.com/...
I am not holding my breath for an apology from Steele anytime soon.