Parable of the Poor Righteous Teacher
for Haki Mahdubuti (Don L. Lee)
Sooner or later, they always come forthe teacher. After all, the more popular, the more dangerous. The more
serious and sincere, the more a threat to the bourgeoisie whose
philosophy is do nothing, say nothing, know nothing. Thus, the serious
teacher has no seat at the table. Yes, he is tolerated for a time, maybe
a long time, but the plot was hatched the first day he arrived to
teach, when the contract was signed, his doom was sealed.
Nomatter what chairs he established, no matter how many institutions he
created in the name of God. The bourgeoisie care nothing for God, only
as a cover for their filthy behavior in the dark, their winking and
blinking at the water hole.
The teacher must know absolutely ifhe is on his job he won't have a job, for no matter how many years he
gives of his soul, his mental genius, he is not wanted. No matter how
many students he is able to raise from the box, his services are not
wanted.
The bourgeoisie do not want Jack out of the box, thismust be understood. They prefer Jack and Jackie stay confined and
proscribed in the box of ignorance. They are mere pawns in the game of
chance the bourgeoisie play until they are removed from power, after
they steal all they can, when the coffers are empty, the institution
bankrupt and they are under indictment.
Now they will never putdown their butcher knives, never turn into Buddha heads. This is why
one must practice eternal vigilance with them. They are planning and
plotting the demise of the poor righteous teachers at every turn.
Sothe
teacher must teach his students about power, but when he does, his
exit papers are signed. He may not know this. He may believe he has
friends on the board of trustees, but he is only fooling himself. He is a
starry eyed idealist, a dreamer, who shall be awakened from his dream
one day for sure. And on that day he shall find his office door locked.
His classroom door secured by a guard. His students transferred to other
colleagues he thought were with him. But they will only say to him,
"Sorry, brother."
--Marvin X
4/5/10
www.parablesandfablesofmarvinx.blogspot.com
https://theblacklist.net/
Replies
It has come to my attention that professor Haki R. Madhubuti has resigned from his position at Chicago State University.
I understand that there are administrative decisions that can't be discussed with the public, however I think the public has the right to know the truth when a seemingly injustice has taken place.
Every university has their star professors (Molefi Kete Asante at Temple University, Cornell West at Princeton ...), and CSU should have theirs. But when they are pushed to the side after 26 years of service, it is wrong, and creates a public image of CSU as an unfriendly place for faculty, and others in the academy.
Therefore I recommend that you reconsider the exit of professor Madhubuti. I have known of his work since 1971, and I've had the opportunity to meet him, and in every meeting and reading of his work, I have found him to be of the best quality of a human being.
As you can see, I have no vested interest in this, I have a relative that is a member of your faculty, but besides that, I am on the outside looking in, and what I read does not sit well with me.
I respectfully request that professor Madhubuti be given his due respect, he is a nationally recognized icon in the African American community, and an institution builder in Chicago. I am sure he doesn't need the position to function, but he does need a little respect for all the hard work he has done in and outside Chicago.
In short, I hope this all becomes a thing of the past wherein we can meet someday, and discuss the process as friends.
Sincerely,
Itibari M. Zulu, Th.D.
Senior Editor, The Journal of Pan African Studies;
Vice President, The African Diaspora Foundation;
Facilitator, The Bennu Institute of Arizona
480-461-7404 office
602-315-3609 cell
----- Original Message ----
From: Abdul Alkalimat
To: H-AFRO-AM@H-NET.MSU.EDU
Sent: Mon, April 5, 2010 9:44:27 AM
Subject: Haki Madhubuti 'forced' out at CHICAGO STATE
From: University of Kansas
Civil Rights Icon, Professor Madhubuti 'Forced' Out at
CHICAGO STATE
Renowned professor resigns abruptly Friday, saying he was
targeted by university President Wayne Watson after pointed
criticism over his appointment
April 3, 2010
BY MAUDLYNE IHEJIRIKA Staff Reporter, suntimes.com
Citing vengefulness on the part of his new boss, Chicago
literary and civil rights icon Haki Madhubuti on Friday
resigned as an educator at Chicago State University after 26
years.
"This is a difficult time for me. Because of circumstances
beyond my control, I have been forced to seek early
retirement," Madhubuti said in a statement issued to
attendees of the Gwendolyn Brooks Conference for Black
Literature and Creative Writing.
"On June 22 , 2009, I issued an open letter to the
university community in regards to the appointment of our
current president, Dr. Wayne Watson," said the Third World
Press founder and Chicago Public Schools charter operator.
"I questioned in no uncertain language the flawed and
undemocratic process in which he was selected. I was as
fully aware when I issued the letter as I am now that all
actions have consequences."
First reported by Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell,
Madhubuti said his split from the university came after
Watson, who took the helm of the South Side institution last
year, demoted him.
Madhubuti said Watson demanded he teach four courses a
semester -- contrary to his contract -- removed him from the
paid staff of the Gwendolyn Brooks Center he founded, and
reduced him to volunteer status with the master's program in
creative writing that he co-founded.
"I am convinced that this move against me is personal and
vindictive," Madhubuti said. "Although I did agree to
increase my course load, I rejected the points that removed
me from the structures I founded and co-founded at the
university."
Many of the 200 attendees at Friday's induction ceremonies
for the center's International Literary Hall of Fame for
Writers of African Descent expressed regret that the
distinguished professor was leaving under such ugliness.
In her Thursday column, Mitchell reported Watson denied
Madhubuti was being forced out, although Watson declined to
discuss details of the departure.
"That is his decision. I am only asking him to teach,"
Watson told Mitchell.
Madhubuti has filed a grievance against the university.
Madhubuti rose to international fame as a fiery poet who
gave voice to the pain of the 1960s civil rights movement
and founded the renowned black publishing firm that
distributed black authors deemed untouchable by the
mainstream publishers in the early '60s.
The prolific poet and longtime educator also operates three
Chicago public charter schools and a private preschool he
founded with his wife.
"Haki Madhubuti, he is an institution," said acclaimed
author, biographer and researcher Maryemma Graham, a
university of Kansas English professor inducted into the
center's hall of fame Friday. "The Chicago State MFA program
and Gwendolyn Brooks Center has become as powerful and
renowned as it has in part because of his presence. That
will never change."