No apology from Gwinnett superintendent

A meeting between the Gwinnett County Schools Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks and members of the Gwinnett branch of the NAACP apparently ended Monday in a stalemate.

Gwinnett NAACP branch president Jorge “JP” Portalatin said Wilbanks has refused to apologize for comments he made about the disproportionate discipline of minority students in Gwinnett.

“Mr. Wilbanks refuses to acknowledge that his comments were offensive,” Portalatin said Monday in a statement. “His behavior today was condescending and he was clearly not open to constructive feedback. … The inability to see from others perspective and apologize is unacceptable in a leader.”

Portalatin said he would take up the matter next with Carole Boyce, the chairperson of the Gwinnett Board of Education.

A spokesperson for Gwinnett’s schools said Wilbanks had no comment about the meeting with the NAACP.

During a discussion two weeks ago, an administrator said the disproportionate discipline of minorities is a problem for school districts nationwide except in Idaho, according to a study.

Wilbanks then asked: “Do they have any blacks in Idaho? They don’t have many.”

Wilbanks has said his statements were not meant to be “racist” or “insensitive.”

However, the NAACP has asked for Wilbanks to apologize.

The flap has made its way into cyberspace, where readers on Web sites and blogs, such as www.blackhandside.net and setxbayou.blogspot.com debate the issue.

“While the NAACP and parents get on Wilbanks case and colleagues jump to his defense, the Idaho Newsreader wonders — what about an apology to Idahoans, Alvin?” states a blog posting on the Web site of the Idaho Statesmen — a leading Idaho daily.

Portalatin has said that Wilbanks’ remarks at the meeting seemed to blame African-Americans for the disparity in discipline in Gwinnett instead of what could be the inconsistent application of the discipline penalties. Some Gwinnett parents have called for Wilbanks’ resignation.

Gwinnett school board members and colleagues of Wilbanks have defended him, citing his record of creating a diverse workplace at Gwinnett’s schools and his reputation as a visionary in education who serves all students regardless of race.

“I know Alvin Wilbanks to be a fine educational leader,” said Social Circle City Schools superintendent Bettye Ray, who is also serves as president of the Georgia School Superintendents Association. “He is an excellent role model for many superintendents as well as aspiring superintendents.”

Tim Callahan, a spokesman for the Professional Association of Georgia Educators, says he thinks Wilbanks did not intend to offend parents.

“I think the words were not well chosen,” Callahan said. “We all say things that if we had the chance to say them again, we would say them in a more diplomatic way. I don’t think he had any bad intent in his statement.”

Still, parent Marlyn Tillman, a community activist, says regardless of Wilbanks’ intent, many parents — black and white — were offended, and he should apologize.

“Where are the standards for him?” Tillman asked. “If we can hold a child accountable for their actions, why can’t we hold him accountable.” School board member Dr. Robert McClure has said Wilbanks was simply seeking more information about Idaho demographics during the presentation. Idaho had 272,058 students last school year and only 1.15 percent of them were black. School officials in Idaho, however, said race plays no role in discipline.

“Idaho strives to raise student achievement and create a safe school environment by meeting the needs of all students, no matter a student’s race or ethnicity,” said Melissa McGrath, Public Information Officer for Idaho State Department of Education. “We are pleased to see the schools and districts in Idaho are treating students fairly and equitably when it comes to disciplinary action, and we will continue to work toward this goal in the future through providing extensive guidance and professional development for districts in the areas of working with aggression, alternatives to suspension and expulsion, student assistance programs, recognizing and addressing early delinquent behaviors and dropout prevention.”