In April of 2017, the National Independent Black Parent Association (NIBPA) of South Los Angeles provisional chapter launched in the heart of Leimert Park.
“Basically we are demanding that the miseducation machine and the targetization of our African American youth – in particular – cease,” said NIBPA South L.A. acting president Monika Meikle. “Other community resources and businesses have received a lot of complaints about mothers constantly crying to them telling them ‘my son is being expelled.’ There is a very high rate of expulsion and suspension of our young men and it can be avoided. Once again, that is another mission that we deal with here at NIBPA.”
According to the association, their mission is to, ”create a national network of Black parent association chapters who can rely upon and support each other with regard to protecting their children, and guaranteeing a quality grade school education for all youth of Afrikan descent.”
NIBPA is the brain child of Dr. Umar Abdullah-Johnson, a certified school psychologist, lecturer, and a descendant of abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglas. Johnson has dedicated his practice to helping schools and parents reshape certain behaviors that have been said to lead to disruptive behavior disorder diagnosis in young Black males.
Currently, there are a total of 19 NIBPA chapters across the U.S. All of the chapters have made a pledge to the Black community to investigate, educate, and advocate for Black children in the education system.
“We demand an end to the excessive and unwarranted identification, evaluation, and placement of Black children in special education programs,” said NIBPA. “We demand an end to the racist practice of limiting a child’s learning options to their neighborhood school when such options are inferior. We demand an end to excessive and unwarranted criminalization via detentions, suspensions, and expulsions of Black children.”
Currently the association offers study groups, parent study and support groups, as well as community meetings.
The NIBPA South L.A. chapter has a total of 19 schools in their service area including; View Park Preparatory Accelerated High, ICEF Inglewood Elementary Charter Academy, ICEF Inglewood Middle Charter Academy, Century Academy for Excellence, and Audubon Middle School. For more information on schools covered in the NIBPA service area, please call (213) 538-2871, email [email protected] or visit their office at 4305 Degnan Blvd. Suite 105 Los Angeles, CA 90008.
