Pitt County Coalition for Educating Black Children

Welcome    The mission of Pitt County Coalition for Educating Black Children (PCCEBC) is to advocate for the constitutional and civil rights of Black students who attend Pitt County Schools and to offer solutions to the many problems that impact Black students who attend the public schools.  By advocating for the rights of Black students we advocate for the rights and interest of all students including Black, White, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, Mixed Race, Economically Disadvantaged, Limited English Speaking students, and other minority groups.  PCCEBC has adopted an action agenda. [ Please click on the following link to view the PCCEBC's Action Agenda: Adopted Action Agenda.pdf ]

COMING JULY 13, 2010 FROM 6-9 P.M. - A COMMUNITY DIALOGUE ON THE FUTURE OF EDUCATION IN PITT COUNTY (Facilitated by KIRWIN INSTITUTE) - AT THE CORNERSTONE BAPTIST CHURCH, FAMILY LIFE CENTER, 1095 ALLEN ROAD, GREENVILLE- FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW:         

                                          Kirwin Event July 13th.pdf                                          Forum Registration

PCCEBC v. Pitt County Schools: Litigation Update

     The PCCEBC is the Plaintiff, along with several of its members, in a civil rights action pending in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.  The PCCEBC entered that lawsuit to protect the interest of Black students that attend public schools in Pitt County.  Coalition members were concerned about the student achievement gap and reports of unfair treatment of Black children in the Pitt County Schools. [ Please click on the following link to read the Statement made by Rev. Oz Lee Hall, Jr., President of the PCCEBC to the Court: Statment from Rev OLHall.pdf ]. There is a pending federal court Order by the Honorable Malcolm Howard, U.S. District Judge requiring that the parties (PCCEBC, Greenville Parents Association, and Pitt County Board of Eduction) to file a report on the progress toward "Unitary Status" by December 31, 2012. 

     The PCCEBC has requested the Pitt County Board of Education and the Greenville Parents Association participate in a joint meeting to determine the current status, identify goals, and develop strategies for achieving "Unitary Status." Unitary Status is the elimination of all vestiges of de jure racial segregation to the extent practiable.  The U.S. Supreme Court has established several impact areas for an analysis of "Unitary Status."  These impact areas are known as the Green Factors.  They include facilities, transportation, staff, faculty, extra-curricular activities, student assignment, and curriculum and instruction. 

     Pitt County Board of Education and the Greenville Parents Association leaders have refused to meet with the PCCEBC leadership to attempt to work together in the interest of all children despite the existance of a federal court order.  This refusal to engage in reasonable discussion has prompted the PCCEBC to seek help from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights and the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division to address current civil rights violations against Black students.

     PCCEBC has gained the support of the Kirwin Institute who has agreed to act as a neutral facilitator to enable discussion between the groups.  [Please click on the following link to learn more about the Kirwin Institute:  education_integration_memo_feb2009(2)-3.pdf ]. 

Dress Code Complaint made to Office of Civil Rights

     The PCCEBC has filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights because the Pitt County Board of Education Dress Code Policy has disparately impacted Black students and their families.  Pitt County School's Superintendent Dr. Beverly Reep admits that 77 percent of the out of school suspension for dress code violations are of Black students with only 14 percent for White students.  Black, White, and Hispanic students have lost literally thousands of hours of classroom instructional time due to minor (subjective) dress code violations.  However, the Black students have been disproportionately impacted and targeted based upon their race. 

     The Dress Code Policy was initially adopted by the Pitt County Board of Education because of concerns over Black cultural fashions worn by Pitt County school students.  The Dress Code was designed to target Black students.  [ Please click on the following link to view the OCR Complaint: OCR Complaint.PDF ].

     The achievement gap between Black and White students has increased from 29.7 points in 2002 to 41.6 points in 2008.  About 80 percent of Pitt County School teachers are White females with limited or no training in diversity.  The school system seems to now place greater emphasis on subjective dress code violations than on academic instruction or teacher training.  The public school has lost its focus.  School official conduct roundups of students for minor dress code violations, remove them from class, and place them in in-school suspension, or out of school suspension.  Some Black students are removed from participation in Extra-Curricular Activities due to minor dress code violations. 

     Black children that are honors students and that have never been in any trouble in school in their entire school career are now being targeted.  The school policy bans logos like "Support our Troops," "ECU Pirates Football," and symbols of American patriotism.  Some students call it "facist."