1. Acknowledge that government action of the past that removed "talk of morality" (1960's) was and is a failure. Indicate that solving the problem of illegitimacy and the breakdown of the two-parent family is a primary goal of City-County and CMS government. Two- parent is "one man-one woman within the bonds of marriage" as stated by current NC law.

2. Set goals for several broad categories that will require regular monitoring and reporting to insure that we are making progress in each of these areas. Require quarterly public reports to the City Council, County Commission and School Board. Those areas where I think governmental goals should be established under City-County and School balanced scorecards are:

§         Illegitimate births and abortions each should be reduced by 10% a year with a goal of achieving parity with suburban white populations in 10 years.

§         A goal of reducing the arrests (e.g. incidents of crimes) of urban blacks of 10% a year with a goal of achieving parity with suburban white populations in 10 years.

§         A goal of reducing the jail population (e.g. incidents of convictions) of urban blacks of 10% a year with a goal of achieving parity with suburban white populations in 10 years

§         A goal of reducing the incident of urban black failure and dropout rates (already partially adopted by the High School Challenge which I voted for). 

 

3. Enter into a "resolves" agreement with urban black churches and their pastors to promote abstinence outside of marriage, to condemn illegitimate births (sex outside of marriage) and to promote healthy two-parent families. Have the County assist in paying for this campaign. Have churches document and follow up on illegitimate births occurring within their congregational area assisting them and the child with a positive male role model. Allow the sharing of non-confidential information as needed. Insure that the message is transmitted to the birth mother that having babies out of wedlock is unacceptable but raising the child is the most critical concern going forward. Special effort should be taken to counsel individuals who repeatedly engage in and have multiple illegitimate births and who repeatedly ignore the precepts of society.

 

4. Hold Town meetings with various church, civic and community leaders (those not normally invited to participate) to prepare a list of the best things that could be done to reduce illegitimate births and to promote healthy two parent families within the urban black community and in other racial and ethnic communities across Mecklenburg. The focus of this town hall should be centered on the urban black problem as that is where it is most severe in Mecklenburg. Develop both a rewards system and a punishment system that community leaders (not government) can use to reward positive action and to condemn negative activity. Have the county assist in funding this rewards system.

 

5. Develop a "resolves" agreement with suburban churches that will allow church staff a streamlined process for adoption and foster care by qualified members at an early age for those families who wish to assist. Streamline the process so that these suburban churches can access and assist with the placement of these children under a "faith based initiative" (as President Bush has encouraged) and eliminate the bureaucratic red tape for suburban families who wish to adopt abandoned children from the urban core. Assist church staff to have, if needed, the necessary County technology to assist with such adoptions and foster care in as efficient process as is possible. The larger the church the more staff and involvement. Develop lists of willing foster and adoptive parents at each of these churches so that children can be placed quickly.

 

6. Develop a boot camp to be run by the Sheriff's office to provide discipline and a 24/7 environment for CMS students who are routinely absent, get into trouble, have a weak or non-existent parental family life or where strong male supervision and direction is needed. Establish a fixed published process whereby a student is automatically transferred to the boot camp after a set number of absences or incidents. Any student who engages in a predatory violent act is automatically assigned to this boot camp which shall be run in a military style.  Students involved in petty crimes outside of school shall be automatically transferred to this boot camp. Have the county issue COPS to purchase the land (or select an existing site) and use County dollars to fund construction and operation in a non-threatening environment where these children can get both love, support and discipline from positive male role models. If there is enough demand for both a girls and a boys camps - build both.

 

7. Develop (through the CMS Foundation) a scholarship program to pay for full college tuition and room & board of Black male students who are willing to return to CMS and serve as a teacher-role model and mentor to urban black youth in an at-risk high school. Ask for $1 million from Bank of America, $1 million from Wachovia, $1 million from Duke, $1 million from the City and $1 million from the County to start this scholarship fund. Each Black male student WHO WISHES TO BE A TEACHER AT CMS will be required to commit to serve 8 years in an inner-city at-risk school (for standard pay) in exchange with tuition (as is done with the military for West Point). Set a goal and begin recruiting nationwide.

 

8. Increase the penalties under the state adoption or foster care code to require that individuals who serve as adoptive and foster parents must be married (or single individuals living alone) precluding "live in" partners or other sexual activity that will exhibit a disregard for the healthy moral environment that a child is to be raised in. 

 

9. Rework the curriculum of CMS for urban black students with an emphasis on Afro-centric educational models that highlight and present for these children the significant history and achievements of African-Americans throughout history. This does not include presenting curriculum that is not based on sound science or generally accepted history. Consider drafting Bill Cosby to help animate the curriculum for younger age children using cartoons and other creative methods similar to "after school specials" from the 1960's and have the County pay for it.

 

10. "Three Strikes and you are out" - In many communities and States, an individual gets three felony's before the third puts them away for life. In some communities this has results in the removal of criminals who leave the area to avoid "life" for a third felony. 

 

11. Develop a citizenship curriculum in predominantly urban black schools that challenges negative myths within the urban black community regarding "acting white" or the "cult of victimization" as documented in Dr. John McWhorter's book "Losing the Race".

 

12. Revise the City's police budget to develop pro-active 24/7 foot patrols in blighted urban neighborhoods. Purchase mobile command centers for each of these neighborhoods and place sufficient officers in them to insure that each one is guarded from illicit activity as recovery efforts are underway.

 

13. Change the penalties for various drug uses so that the penalties for drugs used by "whites" is the same as that for drugs used by "Blacks".

 

14. Review all current section 8 housing for drug activity and shut them down. Bulldoze empty and abandoned buildings being used for drug activity.