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Aft with Amos Aug 12th Show

Amos with Perry Township Schools Supt. Dr. Thomas Little

The Afternoons with Amos PODCAST For Wednesday, August 12, 2015. (Interview With Perry Township School Officials Starts At 1:18 Mark On PODCAST Media Player). It’s been thirty-six years since some 6,000 Black students were bused from Indianapolis Public Schools neighborhoods into six Marion County townships.  For those decades, Indianapolis’ cross district busing involved tens of thousands of students, controversy, division, and racial tensions.  The busing also accelerated Blacks moving from inner city Indianapolis neighborhoods into the townships.  It created large minority student populations in four of those six school districts. And in many respects changed the character of Indianapolis. The 2015-2016 school year is the end of the business for racial balance Federal Court order.  Students are being bused from IPS areas to Decatur, Franklin and Perry Townships.

Aft with Amos Aug 12th Show

Amos with Perry Township School Board Member Ruby Alexander and Perry Schools Louis Norris

On Afternoons with Amos to talk about the 17th annual Back to School Carnival, Amos began the conversation with Perry Township Schools Supt. Dr. Thomas Little, Assoc. Director Student Services Louis Norris and School Board Member Ruby Alexander talked about the last students being bused to Perry – 27 seniors at Perry Meridian and Southport High Schools. Both Supt. Little and Norris said their goal is for all those 27 to graduate on time next June.  Ruby Alexander has served on the Perry Township school board for 13 years. She is the last remaining school board member representing the busing “sending area” left.  She may be one of the longest serving board members under the desegregation plan.  She talked about the impact of busing for her Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood and for Perry Township and its Black students.  Norris emphasized that this school year there’s over 900 Black students enrolled at in Perry, virtually all living in the township.  Dr. Little said that nearly 50% of Perry’s student body are racial minorities, including Blacks, Hispanics and Asians, especially Burmese refugees. Which goes against the perception that Perry Township is a racially homogeneous area.  Supt. Little also commented in the interview about how they’re using other test scores to compensate for not having ISTEP data test results available to provide students with the remediation help they need now. Since ISTEP results won’t be available until very late this year.

Aft with Amos Aug 12th Show

(L-R) Rickie Clark & Cheryl Wise With Back To School Carnival With Amos

Cheryl Wise the coordinator of the Back to School Carnival along with Rickie Clark talked about the details of this year’s event at Julian Coleman School on East 30th Street.  The purpose is to provide a positive reinforcement event for parents and students near the start of the school year. The even features entertainment, booths from governmental and community organizations, entertainment and free food!  Even though busing from the IPS area is ending, Supt. Little is confident Perry Township Schools will continue to support the event for years to come.

Aft with Amos Aug 12th Show

Kevin Whited Of INDYCOG

(Interview With IndyCog’s Kevin Whited Starts At 49:35 Mark). The Ballard Administration has been aggressive in pushing expansion of bicycle lanes on city streets. But has been virtually invisible in explaining and selling the benefits of that expansion to the African-American community.  INDYCOG is an organization of bicyclists who have lobbied, in a grassroots way, political leaders and the community about the benefits of bicycling.  INDYCOG supports the additional bike lanes and bike trails. And they are working to educate the community on the need for greater support for bicycling in a campaign they call I Like Bikes. They also support enhanced penalties if motor vehicles injure bike riders and pedestrians. Kevin Whited, Executive Director of INDYCOG appeared on Afternoons with Amos to explain the issues important to the bicycling community. And Whited got to hear the concerns about bike lanes from listeners.  And Kevin got an earful.  Kevin Whited also educated listeners on bicycle rules of the road, which the Mayor’s Office and the City have done nothing to provide that safety information.

Aft with Amos Aug 12th Show

Nadia Miller Of Pink-4-Ever

(Interview With Nadia Miller Begins At 26:02 Mark). Out of her experience as a breast cancer survivor and the experience of her brother and her losing an older sister, Nadia Miller and her brother formed Pink-4-Ever, a non-profit dedicated to address the needs of African-American breast cancer patients and survivors.  Nadia Miller appeared on Afternoons with Amos and in a frank, honest, poignant, interview talked about how Pink-4-Ever was started, its mission, the services it provides and the importance of Black women and men testing themselves and getting tested and treated for breast cancers which disproportionately impacts Black women. And among men who get breast cancer (it does happen) and impacts Black men disproportionately too. The Afternoons with Amos PODCAST for Wednesday, August 12, 2015 Runs 98 Minutes. ©2015 WTLC/Radfio One. PODCAST Starts After Brief Video Ad.