EXCLUSIVE
REV. GATEWOOD, NAACP ,
MUM ON HIS HEARING DATE
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
The Rev. Curtis Gatewood, whose membership was suspended by the national NAACP office several weeks ago over allegations of sexual harassment while he was a supervisor with the NC NAACP, is expected to have a hearing on his appeal soon. How soon is in the hands the national NAACP Board of Directors, which is meeting in Atlantic City, N.J. this Friday and Saturday.
But it has also been learned exclusively that Gatewood is not the only one from the North Carolina conference who has had an Article X(10) complaint filed against him.
Sources say a long simmering power struggle has ensued in the NC NAACP, involving jealousies that have targeted current Pres. Rev. Dr. T. Anthony Spearman. Article 10 complaints regarding conference fiscal matters have been filed against him, sources say, thus, one of the reasons why an administrator from the national office has been put in place to oversee conference operations.
Though allegations have been made - one of Rev. Gatewood’s platforms during his candidacy for state NAACP president was that it was “rumored that theft and/or misappropriation” of NC NAACP funds took place over the past five years” - there is no evidence, sources say, of any fiscal mismanagement since Dr. Spearman took leadership, or even before, under former Pres. Rev. Dr. William Barber.
Gatewood has issued a “no comment” when recently asked for further details about his case, and the national office isn’t commenting either.
The suspension of Gatewood’s NAACP membership prevented him from running for state president of the NC NAACP during the recent Oct. 5th convention in Winston-Salem.
In a Sept. 27th email to his “Alamance Family and Justice Team,” Gatewood indicated that he would request a hearing be scheduled prior to the Oct. 5th elections - where he would have been the only challenger to current Pres. Rev. Spearman. Since that did not happen, Gatewood is hoping for a special election between him and Dr. Spearman,”…upon being cleared of the Article 10 allegations and membership restored.”
He has denied allegations that he sexually harassed former NCNAACP Youth Director, Jazmyne Childs, in 2017 while he supervised her. After her complaint to then NC NAACP Pres. Rev. Dr. William Barber, a five-month investigation ensued, during which Gatewood resigned. However, he remained a member because only the national office can revoke memberships, but failed to do so.
Since Ms. Child’s went public with her complaint, another female NAACP member, who alleges that she was a young intern when Rev. Gatewood sexually harassed her, has come forward.
Gatewood also denies her allegation, though adding that he was “deeply sorry.”
Per the NAACP Constitution and Bylaws, the Chief of National Field Operations should have sent Gatewood a copy of the Article 10 complaint against him within fifteen days of receipt. Gatewood, in turn would have 15 calendar days to file a written response by mail.
The National NAACP Office then has 60 days to then investigate the charges, and render it’s findings and recommendations to the Board of Directors. The Board, in turn, can order a hearing by an appointed hearing panel, which would convene within 60 days.
Ultimately, the national NAACP Board of Directors “…shall render its final decision with 180 days of receipt of the complaint….”
Within 15 days of the Board’s decision, it “…shall be published in the official organ of the NAACP and published in a newspaper of general circulation in the jurisdiction where the member is located.”
According to sources, the Board may decide this weekend in Atlantic City, N.J. what the next move in the Curtis Gatewood case will be.
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N.C. RANKS FOURTH IN
BLACK TEEN SUICIDES
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
“African Americans adolescents (13-19 years of age) have disproportionately higher rates of suicide,” according to a recent study, “The Changing Characteristics of African American Adolescent Suicides, 2001 - 2017” by Jagdish Khubchandani, professor of health sciences at Ball State University in Indiana.
Suicide is second only to accidents as a leading cause of death among teenagers of all racial backgrounds, data shows.
But according to the study, based on figures from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, between 2001 and 2017, the rate of suicide for black teens exploded - 60% for black males, and 182% for African American females.
And after Georgia, Texas and Florida, North Carolina logs in at fourth nationally for black teenage suicides.
Prof. Khubchandani’s research was confirmed this week when Pediatric, a national medical journal, reported that from 1991 to 2017 - ten years before the Ball State research period - black adolescent suicide attempts rose dramatically. In fact, according to the magazine, “…the rate for black youths grew even as the rate of suicide attempts by teens in other racial and ethnic groups fell.”
Black boys between the ages of 5 and 11, have experienced an increase in suicide deaths, and in black children overall between 5 and 12, the suicide rate was twice that of white children.
While this study did not determine what the cause factors were, other research has determined that bullying, mental health challenges like depression, and even family strife, figure into suicide attempts by black teens.
Even confusion over gender identity is seen as a possible factor for some.
Others have noted that 2001 through 2017 track with the emergence of the internet, and with it, black teens experiencing blatant forms of racism online that could affect their emotional well-being and feelings of self-worth.
In North Carolina, African American high school students reportedly attempted suicide more than twice the rate of their white counterparts, according to the NC Child Health Report Card.
“Because so much of this is newer, there isn't a lot of data about why, but some of the factors are stressors like discrimination and the experience people have with discrimination and microaggressions,” Amy Green, director of research for the Trevor Project - a suicide prevention group - told CNN.
She added that black teens don’t have equal access to mental health services.
If you think that someone you know is contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255
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STATE NEWS BRIEFS FOR 10-18-19
WAKE SCHOOLS LEDRRS PRAISE BLACK STUDENT FOR EXPOSING RACIST CHAT GROUP
[CARY] The superintendent and school board of the Wake Public School System lauded a 14-year-old black student for exposing a racist student chat group that pushed “#bringslaveryback.” Now the family of Cenayia Edwards, who attends East Wake High School, want the school’s principal held accountable for not doing anything when first told. Cenayia was able to infiltrate and expose two kids from her school, and five from Corinth Holders High in Johnson County. The Johnson County students were disciplined, according to the system there, but nothing happened to the two East Wake High Student. The Wake System said it could not say if anything happened to them at all because of federal law. Cenayia’s family say they fear for her life.
STAFF AT ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY SPONSORED FIGHT CLUB WITH DEMENTIA PATIENTS
[WINSTON-SALEM] Winston-Salem police have identified three female staffers at The Darby House assisted living facility, accusing them of running a ‘fight ring,” where patients suffering dementia were encouraged to physically assault one another. Video was taken, showing at least one patient being strangled until her face turned pale. The three staffers have been arrested. The staffers were fired after the incident was revealed last June.
SHAW BASKETBALL COACH QUITS RIGHT BEFORE SEASON STARTS
[RALEIGH] It’s just a few weeks before the start of the 2019-20 CIAA basketball season, and the Shaw University Men’s basketball team is already looking for a new coach. Joel Hopkins quit his position, after serving as head basketball coach twice, from 2000-02 and won a CIAA championship, and then 2015 until now, where he has led the Bears to three-straight CIAA Southern Division titles. Hopkins has an overall record of 126-76.
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