Cosby has taken his crusade nationwide. You will notice that the quotes from educators in the audience are defensive, citing the old "racism" charge again.
Cosby takes parents to task
ACTOR-AUTHOR SAYS MANY FAIL LOW-INCOME KIDS
By Nicole C. Wong
Mercury News
Bill Cosby blamed parents for the shortcomings of students during a speech Sunday to educators at Stanford University, continuing a theme the comedian touched on last week when he linked the behavior of some low-income blacks with the community's school dropout rate.
``We need to stop fooling around,'' Cosby told a gathering of about 1,700 people at Stanford's Memorial Auditorium. ``The mother and the father born here didn't learn to speak standard English -- or math.''
Many parents are not doing their job, he told the group, which included 150 Bay Area educators honored for their work with low-income students. ``I don't know where we lost it, or how we lost it, but people are not parenting.''
Cosby, 66, also said students are falling short because their diets are not healthy, class sizes are too large and teachers lack resources.
After the speech, Cosby met with the honored educators in a more personal setting, telling them students were missing one other key ingredient.
``They don't know love,'' he said. ``Some of these children have been raised like pimps.''
The remarks came a week after Cosby stirred controversy at a Washington, D.C., gala commemorating the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision to desegregate public schools. Cosby reportedly said ``lower-economic people are not holding up their end in this deal.
``These people are not parenting. They are buying things for kids -- $500 sneakers for what? And won't spend $200 for `Hooked on Phonics.' ''
Cosby told the New York Times on Friday that he had made the comments out of concern and because of his belief that fighting racial injustice must also include accepting personal responsibility. He did not answer questions from the media Sunday.
For years, Cosby played one of television's most revered fathers, and his book ``Bill Cosby on Fatherhood'' was a bestseller. And many Sunday agreed with his message that parents need to play a bigger role.
``I really respect him for just speaking the truth,'' said Jeff Friedman, a teacher at Fiesta Gardens International School in San Mateo. ``For me, he's saying what I want to say, but he's saying it with a big megaphone.''
Others said while parents play a role in their children's success, teachers still have the power to make a difference.
``I'm not a blamer,'' said Debra Watkins, co-founder of the California Alliance of African American Educators. ``We know slavery happened. We know kids are poor. We know they come to us woefully unprepared. But when they are in the classroom with the teacher . . . they are absolutely all you have and it is your responsibility to rise to the challenge.''
Proceeds from Cosby's sold-out Stanford performance will help provide $20,000 Stanford fellowships to future teachers of low-income students.
Stanford raised more than $1 million from the fundraiser -- which, for $2,500 per person, included an exclusive mix-and-mingle with Cosby, an orchestra seat during his show, and an elaborate dinner emceed by TV news anchorman Tom Brokaw.
Dozens of educators also attended a seminar called ``Breaking the Silence: Courageous Conversations About the Impact of Race on Student Achievement.''
Among them was Steven Pinkston, director of community service at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose. He said black students, like his teenage son, face additional struggles because of their skin color.
``There was some truth in what he said,'' Pinkston said of Cosby's comments last week. ``Concurrent with that, racism is a real issue in this country.''
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