JESSE JACKSON SPEAKS ON VOTING AT CENTRAL HIGH

Civil Rights Leader, County To Start Task Force To Help
African-American Males

Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson and Prince George's County
Executive Jack Johnson unveiled plans to use the county as a testing
ground to address a wide range of problems plaguing African-American
males.

The partnership would look to bring officials, teachers, parents and
local business owners to address problems throughout Prince George's,
including unemployment, poverty, illiteracy, high-school drop out
rates and crime.

Jim Keary, a spokesman for Johnson, said the task force would
identify at-risk African-American males as young as 12 and provide
them with access to conflict resolution centers and tutoring programs
located throughout the county. The task force's primary goal would
be to keep African-American males in school.

"If they don't graduate, they won't have the skills to compete in
the labor force, especially of the future," he said. "What there
needs to be is intervention."

Keary said the partnership with Jackson was "still in its
preliminary stages," but he expected a task force to be assembled
over the next month. Jackson's Rainbow PUSH coalition would provide
resources such as national experts on crime and truancy and
motivational speakers for groups of county students.

Education activists had mixed reaction about the Jackson-Johnson
partnership.

"Why do we have to go outside the state to get somebody to do what
we're supposed to be doing," said Zalee Harris, an education watchdog
from Temple Hills. "Jesse Jackson is no more a leader in Prince
George's County than he is in this country."

Harris said the county would need more than a panel of experts to
solve crime and truancy.

"This [county] needs an enema and a serious prayer vigil," she
said.

Stacey Baca, chair of College Park's Education Advisory Committee,
said she was encouraged by the county's efforts to curb problems that
plague Prince George's schools and communities.

"When you bring interested parties together, and the energy and
enthusiasm is there, I think great things can come of it," she said.
"This is a fantastic step in the right direction."

During a speech at Central High School in Capitol Heights March 23,
Jackson addressed topics ranging from drug use to education,
imploring students to stay away from negative influences.

Jackson visited the school and addressed more than 1,000 students a
week after 2006 Central High graduate Maurice Thomas Powell was shot
and killed in near the Capitol Heights Metro station while walking
home from a movie. He encouraged students to avoid guns and drugs
that can plague a community.

"All of us must join the struggle," Jackson said, dabbing his sweaty
forehead with a white handkerchief. "And anybody who exempts
themselves from that struggle endangers themselves."

Jackson said black male dropout rates threatened to reach "epidemic
proportions" if trends remained constant. He cited statistics showing
black male dropout rates were over 40 percent in Maryland, New York,
Pennsylvania and Michigan.

Jackson paused while speaking on the spread of AIDS in African
American communities when a female student interrupted him, drawing
laughs from some students.

"This is much too serious to joke around with," Jackson said, facing
the student.

Jackson encouraged students to fight back against neighbors who bring
drugs and guns into local communities.

"We must stop insurgents and terrorists," he said, " whether
they're in Baghdad or Capitol Heights."

After leading a chant of "Down with dope, up with hope," Jackson and
Central High student leaders led an impromptu voting drive after
Jackson's 50-minute speech. Close to 100 students spilled onto the
gym floor to fill out voter registration forms.

Capitol Heights Mayor Darrell Miller said Jackson's message of
youthful accountability rang true.

"He did a great job of trying to get kids to see the reality of it
is that you determine your path," Miller said. "It's good that he
tried to get them to believe in themselves."

V'Hesspa Glenn, a senior at Central, filled out a voter registration
form as she praised Jackson for his motivational words.

"He convinced us we were somebody," said Glenn, repeating a mantra
used by Jackson throughout his speech. "That was very encouraging to
me."

County Executive Jack B. Johnson, Superintendent of Schools John
Deasy and Seat Pleasant Mayor Eugene Grant were in attendance.