4BB AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO THE SUN SENTINEL FRIDAY , FEBRUARY 10 , 2017
By : Robert W . Runcie
Robert W . Runcie Superintendent Broward County Public Schools
“… a tradi�on based on the simple idea that we have a stake in one another , and that what binds us together is greater than what drives us apart , and that if enough people believe in the truth of that proposi�on and act on it , then we might not solve every problem , but we can get something meaningful done .” ― Barack Obama , The Audacity of Hope : Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
As I reflect on where we are going , I asked myself ‘ what are some of the meaningful things that got done ?’
THE BAUGH REPORT
By : Germaine Smith-Baugh , Ed . D .
“ Yes , we can … yes , we did .”
These were the bookend pledges of Barack Obama -- the words he used to describe the start , and now the end , of an extraordinary eight-year presidency full of expecta�ons that he ' d deliver on hope and change for Americans , especially people of color .
Obama entered the White House as
Obama ’ s Legacy and Our Hope for the Future
President Obama is leaving an economy in much be�er shape than the one he inherited . The first order of business for President Obama , when he took office in January 2009 , was fixing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression . He leaves a�er a successful bailout of the auto industry and an unemployment rate that has been cut in half . In fact , employers have added more than 11 million jobs .
This reminds me of President Ronald Reagan ’ s litmus test of progress - " Are you be�er off than you were four years ago ? Is there more or less unemployment ... than there was four years ago ?” For Obama the answer is definitely yes .
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act ( ACA ), another 20 million American and more than 90 % of Americans have health insurance coverage . This has not only expanded insurance coverage but broadened protec�ons for those who were already insured or have pre-exis�ng condi�ons . However , ACA remains controversial and the incoming Trump administra�on has pledged to repeal it .
The NY Times recently reported that “ global temperatures have con�nued to rise , making 2016 the ho�est year on the
what ’ s been described as a “ living symbol ,” the first black man to lead the world ' s most powerful na�on and to break a color line that stood for 220 years . Yet , as he delivered those inspiring pledges in Chicago on that chilly elec�on eve in 2008 and then again back in his hometown this past January , the legacy of the Obama years has been a mix of successes , missed opportuni�es and disappointments .
To many , President Obama represented steps toward realizing the dream of a post-racial society in America , as he pushed through tremendous changes impac�ng minority communi�es , including here in Broward County .
He implemented criminal jus�ce reforms , protected hundreds of thousands of immigrants from deporta�on , and appoin�ng racially diverse leaders to key cabinet and administra�ve jobs , including the first two black a�orneys general . He helped bring our country back from the worst recession since the Great Depression ( the jobless rate has dropped from 7.6 % to 4.7 % -- and from 12.7 % to 7.8 % for African historical record and the third consecu�ve record-breaking year , scien�sts say .” There is probably no greater threat to our children , our planet than climate change . President Obama has a strong legacy here as he led interna�onal efforts to reduce carbon emissions resul�ng in the historic Paris Climate Agreement .
On educa�on , Obama increased Pell Grants and made it easier for many college graduates to repay student loans . But the rising cost of ge�ng a college educa�on con�nues to put higher educa�on out of reach for too many students and families , or requires them to take on a crushing debt burden .
Although , Obama never achieved comprehensive immigra�on reform , he did use his execu�ve powers to give young people , brought to the country illegally as children , temporary relief from deporta�on . Notwithstanding the substan�al accomplishments noted , there remain problems ( opportuni�es ) to solve . Our country must expand economic growth and jobs while reducing the most unequal distribu�on of income and wealth in the industrialized world .
We must relentlessly focus on educa�on to ensure that every child has
Americans ). He is also credited with a major expansion of health care that secured insurance for nearly 20 million Americans , including nearly three million African Americans . And his administra�on has helped boost educa�onal standards in many failing school districts ( the high school gradua�on rate for African Americans has increased from 66.1 % to 85 %).
Of course , let ’ s not forget his grace , eloquence and character , as well as that of First Lady Michelle Obama , at home and abroad , even in the face of Congressional opposi�on unprecedented in its intensity . The Obamas are a las�ng example to us all and excep�onal symbols of black success .
At the same �me , President Obama had shortcomings , such as the lack of significant economic development of urban centers , persistence of gun violence , and con�nua�on of high foreclosure and bank closure rates in communi�es of color and low-income neighborhoods .
And his presidency did not usher in access to a high-quality educa�on . Specifically , we must invest in :
• Providing universal preschool for low- and middle-income four-year-olds ;
• Reimagining learning based on a 21st century educa�on model ;
• Professionalizing teaching ;
• Reducing the emphasis on tes�ng and promo�ng student learning and development of cri�cal-thinking and life skills ;
• Alloca�ng more resources and supports for students with special needs , English language learners , those impacted by poverty , and others who need mental health services ; and
• Maintaining college affordability .
We must not only have the audacity of hope but must also advocate and press for a be�er future for our children and this na�on created through grass roots , community-based ac�vism and collabora�on .
Long Arc of History Will Judge President Obama Favorably
Germaine Smith-Baugh , Ed . D President and CEO Urban League of Broward County
Legacy Magazine apologizes for giving writing credit to Isheka Harrison for an article that was written by Supt . Runcie . This retraction refers to an article in the December 2016 Legacy South Florida Healthcare Issue .
racial harmony , as we had all hoped for . Unfortunately , both blacks and whites now believe , in latest polls , that race rela�ons have deteriorated . Growing tensions over police shoo�ngs of African Americans prompted protests in many ci�es and the emergence of the Black Lives Ma�er movement .
Nonetheless , our Na�onal Urban League , which has long rated the successes and failures of presiden�al administra�ons , has given the Obama administra�on an overall ra�ng of “ Excellent ,” our second-highest ra�ng . Read the full report here : beta . iamempowered . com / content / obama-scorecard I echo the words of Marc Morial , president and CEO of Na�onal Urban League , that I am confident the long arc of history will judge President Obama favorably .
The Baughtom Line : It took more than two centuries for our country to elect a black president . It will likely take many years after President Obama leaves office to appreciate and understand what he accomplished .