Black Is Not White

Rory J. Koopmans, B. Admin., #203, 8912-156 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T5R 5Z2

December IInd, MMXI

Hon. Thomas Lukaszuk, MLA, Minister of Education, Progressive Conservative, Edmonton-Castledowns

Dear Thomas;

So Dr. Julian White, the former band director of Florida A&M University's Marching Band was fired, IV days after a XXVI year old student & percussionist, Robert Champion. Dr. White did all he could to stop the hazing, writing memos of request & trying II clamp down on the perpetrators. Yet he was still fired, sounds like a damn fine man who was scapegoated IV no reason. It takes until yesterday II expel the IV students who launched the hazing attacks on Mr. Champion. Dr. White tried to help Mr. Champion & got him CPR on the school band bus. He sent many letters II administrators asking IV help for Mr. Champion, & yet he was constantly ignored & even belittled by them.

Now a fine young lad died unnecessarily & miserably on a sweltering hot bus. Having his stomach pumped. With only strangers around him, so his family couldn't even say goodbye. What a horrific way II go. Truly sad when all Mr. Champion was doing was trying II get an education & participate in exciting school extracurricular activity's. A basic right that all people should have, regardless of their race.

You can feel Dr. White's pain that he didn't have the physical power II stop the hazings & beatings. You can also see how crushed he was that a student died on his watch. Mr. Champion left this world too early & with so much promise. Next year he would have achieved the rank of head drum major of the band. Pity he never got II obtain that title & show his school, his family, his friends, as well as the percussion world what he could do.

And The Beat Goes On,

Rory

Source: "CBS Evening News With Scott Pelley." Correspondent: Mark Strassman.