Tallahassee Democrat from Tallahassee, Florida • Page 15

Local Conversation Tallahassee Democrat Friday, August 15, 20083B We liCte Lorenzo is well-qualified HW.TALLUSSEE.COm Let's drop the Isaac; instead, well, simply, call him Ike. When you think of Isaac Editor's note: This is a rebuttal of the Democrat's endorsement for the District 4 seat on the Leon County School, Board. I appreciate the Democrat's editorial board for recognizing its oversight in stating "As the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA), a federal student loan guaranty agency. I have been director of the Policy and Regulatory Compliance and Institutional Review Program (which reviews lenders, state colleges and universities in Florida, and proprietary schools) and counsel for OSFA administering the State Scholarship and GrantsBright Futures Program; have served on the legal committee of the National Council of Higher Education Loan Program; and most recently, along with other contributors from the Board of Governors, State Board of Education, Attorney General's Office and state universities, helped to write Florida's Financial Aid Code of Conduct. All parents should also know of my commitment in the education as underscored with my educational experience, with a A.A., B.A., M.A., J.D., and Ph.D.

and of all of the above to consider. as president of the PTO at Hawks Rise Elementary (2007-08); vice president of the PTO at Hawks Rise (2006-07); volunteering more than 200 hours in both 2006-07 and 2007-08, and serving on the School Advisory Council since 2006 and the District Advisory Council since 2007. I also have served on the board of directors of "Innovation School of Excellence," a south-side through 10th grade private school attended by children who would have gone to other south-side, schools, if conditions in the Leon County schools were different. This commitment has continued into my research of education issues affecting our community, e.g., dropout rate, retention policy, third-grade progression, special-needs education, science standards, remediation, vocational training, and the list continues. For six of the last 10 years, I have served with the Florida Department of Education as counsel to ferociously funny and hardcore family man.

My thoughts are with his wife, Rhonda, and their family. Bernie Mac, you are already missed." CNN's "Larry King Live" even offered a special tribute to Big Mac on Tuesday night. Both Ike and Big Mac morphed from their core base of chosen endeavors; they were able to successfully cross over into other forms of entertainment, mainly becoming actors of note. But there is a larger lesson that emanates from the duo, especially for today's black youth. Though Ike and Big Mac were 15 years apart in age, they rose from difficult circumstances to lead productive lives.

Ike grew up in a tin shack in rural Tennessee and later worked as a shoeshine boy. Big Mac was more urban, grew up on the South Side of Chicago and once wrote of eating bologna as a staple for dinner. Both were raised by their grandparents after their mothers died. They showed that you can grow up in poverty and dire circumstances without poverty having to grow up in you. They found their wheel of fortune, without Pat Sajak and Vanna White.

Another amazing coincidence is that both were set to appear in the new heels of 1960s de facto segregation, Jim Crow and the civil rights movement, when many black folk entered the new decade of the 70s aiming to establish a base of dignified standing in U.S. society while trying, with uncommon effort, to shake the throes of inferiority complexes and second-class citizenship. One could argue that "Shaft" was the first black superhero on the silver screen. Yes, Sidney Poitier played police detective Virgil Tibbs in the 1967 classic "In the Heat of the Night," but John Shaft was cooler than cool. He had a suave side, too; just ask most women.

Shaft also taught us especially young cats in the black community how to wear mid-calf-length leather trench-coats in the '70s. No, it wasn't Michael Jordan. Ike, who died unexpectedly of a stroke on Sunday, helped bring that new style and swagger to the mainstream. As Ike influenced the 1970s, comedian Bernie Mac well call him "Big Mac" brought us laughter during our present decade. Big Mac, formerly known as Bernard Jeffrey McCullough, died Saturday of complications of pneumonia; he also had been afflicted with sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease.

Two stunning deaths within a 24-hour span. Perhaps actor George Clooney. in a statement aired on CNN, said it best, when he offered this tribute to "Big "The world just got a little less funny. He will be dearly missed." Clooney starred in the movie "Ocean's Eleven" with Big Mac, along with Brad Pitt, who also said in a CNN statement, "I lament the loss of a a parent of children attending District 4 schools, Ms. Ras-mussen Jose Lorenzo also brings Rebuttal what no other candidate in this race can claim: a direct connection and insight to the way current policy affects Leon County's schoolchildren." In that, I appreciate the Democrat 's recognition that I have two children in District 4 schools who will be in first and third grade this year, meaning they will be in the Leon County School System for the next 12 years.

My insight and involvement in schools and credentials in education are demonstrated by my service TWITTER From Page IB ers, via instant messaging, text messaging or right on the Twitter site. Twitter asks, "What are you doing?" and you type a short message into the box to let your friends know what you are up to. For example, last night I wrote "Making mahi mahi with pineapple mango salsa, black beans and cheese grits for dinner," because that's what I was doing fer "Btt punit tnyom at pnenptWe move te head MribubferSaiuG. i i 1 IE MllMMlfcrmfcS Had homes art a record Iw4m oortpge rata prowi any buwn to pM op. IDe ration of RmHoti reported outing-home nln totaled 6.1 tar itoeuwtojnmmjs BUiirawraaMttaai j.

ofanemtoujhooiero! ViWViui ich 1169,900. nermara Coma immuiemuMiere? ws boM and broke a- il prkf roM 12 percent uT" T-H-a. I TTOMOTfelfcdgsir! 2720 Farlngdon Dr. 1400 sqff 32, garage, WD, $110Dmo. 385-7408 3 BED2BA 1248 SQ.FT.

1 car gatqge off of call 850 284-6896 Near FSU.TCC.F AMU 2or3Brl Ba.2305 Jackson Bluff $690 MMi Cotidos Far Sai i Hartsfield Place 33 newly painted, new carpet, ready to move In $129,900. 727-460-7448 ewes port time bedding person. and knowledge Tallahassee prelerred. Bmesfle Housekeeper FuH-tlme, tiS Ca.l: 85074284 rwm tlPl mMd-- DELIVERY NEEDED MAYS-MUNROE. I mean, it's good to know I'm not the only one watching the Olympics and eating ice cream at 1 a.m.

and I wanted to let my circle of friends know that I can stand the heat in the kitchen. Yes, it can be pretty banal, like "I'm doing laundry," but that's OK. I kind of get a kick out of it when I realize that Holly and I are both doing laundry at the same time. I mean, it's ill 1 11 t. good to know I'm not the only one watching the Olympics and eating ice cream at 1 a.m.

So, why am I telling you all this? Well, I'm trying to get you to check out the new Democrat Twitterers. Julia Thompson will be sending out news Tweets and I'll be keeping you updated with cool calendar Tweets (http: I invite you all to follow me on Twitter just don't follow me to the store. IVl VI1UIIV banks, Tina William knows little "hat her bank doea with V- her penonal mformation. Ti I ami She etpedaUv doeant read the disclosure alatemenla whra rhe'i bankinf online. IProffwlMalBtlp Walcd Hayes, the first image is that of theme song, which begins with that trademark scratchy Gregory Clay McClatchy- Tribune News Service and searing guitar vibe, still ranks as GOAT (Greatest of All Time) for a movie score.

We don't need Denzel Washington and "The Great Debaters" to tell us that. I remember the only time I saw John Shaft's alter-ego, Richard Roundtree.That sighting was at the National Association of Black Journalists Convention in 1998, at the old convention center in Washington, 27 years after the release of the movie. We noticed Roundtree had aged well; Roundtree attended the convention as part of a panel discussion focusing on the then ground-breaking genre of movies featuring black stars in the 1970s. Fred "The Hammer" Williamson (remember him in Pam Grier (remember "Friday and Antonio Fargas (remember Huggy Bear from "Starsky and Hutch" on TV) also appeared. That's right, Shaft, the private detective, was milling around the convention.

Can you dig it? Memories abound from that hot week in August. I recall Williamson, during a one-on-one chat, complimenting the NAB convention on the abundance of beautiful women in our organization. I told the former pro football player-turned-actor, "That's the norm, man." Those movies showed a new norm, too. Ike was instrumental in conveying a new-age idea that black folk could be beautiful and sexy and heroic and confident, too. This new era was on the DEMH For the Finest in Fitmim Reuphotstay, Fabric Foam ISOs of rolls 1080s of yards First Quality In stock Discount Priced OPEN TUESDAY THRU FRIDAY 9-5 Cunrniings Upholstery Fabric Foam 656-3256 1706 Capital Circle NE BETWEEN MAHAN MICCOSUKEE New Family Medjcine Clinic Associates, LLC Filemon R.

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