Ms. Hunter:
The Des Moines Register's coverage of the exploratory announcement of Sen. Jack Hatch and the exploratory announcement of Jonathan Narcisse for the Democratic Party nomination raises grave concerns about both The Des Moines Register's agenda and continued bias.
The Des Moines Register states in your December 21st article: "Narcisse is best known for his contentious two years on the Des Moines school board. He faced censure from his peers following his string of stinging public criticisms about fellow board and school leaders."
Before I ask you why Sen. Hatch's controversies, including his formal Statehouse Press conference apology for his n-word tirade, were not mentioned in his announcement article on May 28th I have some questions for you:
Why does your publication call Narcisse controversial?
As a member of the Des Moines School Board Jonathan Narcisse always backed up his concerns with hard data and facts beyond refutation. For years your publication has labeled him even while ignoring so many of the very important data driven issues he raised.
How was Narcisse contentious?
Des Moines School Board meetings exist on tape - audio and video. An examination of the archived record proves he did not initiate conflict as a board member.
Does The Des Moines Register call him contentious because he said things his fellow board members didn't approve of despite their inability to factually dispute his statements.
One of the more prominent challenges to Narcisse came when he raised questions about security in the Des Moines School District following the shooting at Cleveland Tech. The response from board officers was that they were tired of hearing about school violence every time a kid got shot in America.
Another challenge to Narcisse was frustration with articles he published and radio commentaries advocating an end to social promotion in the Des Moines School District. At a board meeting a frustrated member said to Narcisse she was tired of him bringing up social promotion, asked what it is and stated it should be discussed once and never again.
Are those the contentious actions you are referencing?
One thing that was identified as contentious was when Narcisse emailed staff and conducted a survey asking them for their top academic reform priorities. Despite more than 2,000 staff responding to the survey it was reported a misuse of the District's email system by Superintendent Nancy Sebring and board members who later covered up her use of the District's email system to engage in inappropriate sexual activity.
At the board meeting where a vote was taken to ban Narcisse from emailing staff in the future the chair of the board stated "Mr. Narcisse may understand this technology but the rest of us do not."
Even your own editorial board encouraged the board not to vote on this item.
Another thing Narcisse did that was called contentious was conduct public hearings to listen to the concerns and priorities of his constituents even though he invited other board members to attend and participate in the well-attended hearings.
Again, are these the type of contentious activities you are referencing?
If not please state what his contentious actions were based on your article's pronouncement.
Ms. Hunter, Narcisse why is a non-existent censure mentioned in the article announcing Narcisse is exploring a run for Governor?
Again, JONATHAN NARCISSE WAS NEVER CENSURED!
Why does The Des Moines Register make reference to a non-existent censure?
Finally, why do you state the controversy, contentiousness and censure are the things he is best known for?
This characterization of Narcisse ignores the local, state and national recognition he has earned through three decades of activism that began with his election as Co-chair of the Polk County Democratic Party in the early 1980s to the present.
Narcisse earned national recognition for his statewide advocacy on urban affairs and for leading groundbreaking education and health hearings. This recognition included national media reports and a weeklong profile of Narcisse and his work on BET.
Your characterization ignores Narcisse's longstanding impact on education that pre-dated his joining the Des Moines School Board. It also ignores his activism on education issues after he left the board including his presence last year representing Iowa at a national education conference in Washington, D.C., where he was elected Chair of the Small States Caucus.
Narcisse is the youngest member of the Iowa African American Hall of Fame, a fraternity of less than 75 members that includes the likes of George Washington Carver, Alexander G. Clark and Dr. Simon Estes. It was not his so-called controversy or contentiousness that earned him induction in 2009 to the prestigious hall his final year on the Des Moines School Board.
Narcisse was a weekly fixture on television and radio in Des Moines, including WHO 1040 AM and also hosted various weekly radio shows in Waterloo including the Weekly Legislative Wrap. He has published various periodicals statewide, not just the Iowa Bystander and El Comunicador but Cyclone Nation and Hawkeye Times.
Narcisse has received more than 400 awards and honors including being recognized by the Bush, Clinton and Bush administrations and the Branstad, Vilsack and Culver administrations. Two of his more prestigious national awards include The Washington Times Youth Service Award and The SBA Region VII Minority Business Advocate of the Year Award. He was also a national finalist for the SBA Minority Small Business Advocate of the Year award, nominated by the Greater Des Moines Chamber of Commerce.
Also in 2009, the time you describe as controversial and contentious, Narcisse received the Pinnacle Award for outstanding community service from the Culver Administration. Lt. Governor Patty Judge personally presented him the award.
Despite The Des Moines Register's misrepresentation Narcisse is clearly known at the local, state and national levels for many things beyond his so-called "controversy, contentiousness and non-existent censure."
Even before his election to the Des Moines School Board the Clinton Administration sought a collaboration with him, as did the Bush Administration, a fact your publication reported on. The Obama Administration's Department of Education also contacted Narcisse to tap into his insights and data regarding the state of education in Iowa.
Staff at the Register, including you, are aware of these facts yet the Des Moines Register not only went out of its way to dismiss his long list of accomplishments in its December 21st article it went out of its way to cast his time on the board in a negative light despite the evidence documenting the many positive changes that took place as a result of his service on the board.
Ms. Hunter please explain "controversial, contentious and the non-existent censure" and why they are part of this story.
The Des Moines Register's blatant attempts to diminish Narcisse, are not only unfair and unwarranted but they have the potential to detract from the very important points he is making about poverty, justice, education, and accountability.
Meanwhile The Des Moines Register is glowing in its coverage of Sen. Hatch's consideration of running in your May 28th article: "Why not Jack Hatch for governor...Bringing real business experience to Terrace Hill," "a governor who knows how to grow Iowa communities," "a nationally recognized leader in health care," "a leader who walks the walk in public service," "a leader with a distinguished legislative career," "a leader who fights for Democratic priorities."
What isn't in the article is mention of Hatch's controversies especially the Statehouse press conference he was forced to hold to apologize for his racist n-word rant. Senator Hatch did not spew his comments during a drunken rage, Mel Gibson style caught on a hidden smart phone. His n-word tirade took place during the legislative session, at the Statehouse, on the floor of the legislature. He was sober, he didn't hesitate, he wasn't remorseful, he meant every word he said when, out of frustration for stalled legislation he walked up to an African American legislator and said, as a part of his diatribe: "They are treating us like n-word up here, like masters and slaves..."
His comments were so vile and offensive an African American legislative staffer reported the incident to local community leadership whose subsequent outrage eventually forced Sen. Hatch to make his Statehouse Mea Culpa.
Ms. Hunter, please explain how a non-existent censure warrants mention in an exploratory announcement for Narcisse yet Sen. Hatch's official Statehouse press conference apology for his racist and incendiary rant didn't warrant a single mention?
Ms. Hunter, are we to believe had a Republican leader in the legislature, instead of a so-called liberal/progressive Des Moines Register favorite, gone into an n-word tirade he or she would have gotten off as easy as Jack Hatch?
Would Republican Senators such as Brad Zaun or Jack Whitver been pardoned so quickly by Des Moines Register editors and the editorial board had they flew into the rage Sen. Hatch did and started using the n-word and other racist imagery out of frustration? Or would they have been the subject of sustained editorial condemnation calling for a formal censure using such hateful language while in session?
Is your biased coverage confirmation of candidate preference? If The Des Moines Register is committed to Sen. Hatch winning the nomination just be upfront about it.
Or is an angry, racist rant in a formal setting such as the floor of the legislature by a so-called liberal/progressive favorite of your publication not considered "controversial and contentious" by the editors and editorial board at The Des Moines Register?
Please explain Ms. Hunter!
Bobby Young
President of the Iowa Urban Initiative
About Bobby Young
Bobby Young, President of the Iowa Urban Initiative, is also the President of the Pastor and Minister's Alliance of Greater Des Moines and Pastor of Mt. Hebron Missionary Baptist Church. He will also keynote the Annual MLK program on January 19th at Open Bible Church located at the corner of Beaver and Hickman in Des Moines.
About The Iowa Urban Initiative
The Iowa Urban Initiative is a grassroots organization focused on urban community empowerment focusing on voter education, political action, education, economics, health, family, faith, justice and leadership training and development.
Narcisse Article:
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20131222/NEWS09/312220060/Narcisse-sets-sights-on-another-run-for-governor?Frontpage
Hatch Article: http://blogs.desmoinesregister.com/dmr/index.php/2013/05/28/democrat-jack-hatch-on-running-for-governor-its-really-likely/article