By ALEXANDRIA BORDAS | Reporter
David Johns represents the nation in Washington D.C. as the executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African-Americans and is an alumnus of Palisades Charter High School.
Johns will return to Pali High to address students and faculty on the best practices to improve African-American student achievement on Friday, Aug. 26 at Pali High.
President Barack Obama appointed Johns last year after rising criticism on low test scores and overall performance records of students of color was assessed by White House administrators.
Photo courtesy of David Johns
The position of executive director on Educational Excellence carries significant weight and a huge responsibility, given the achievement gap facing students of color, particularly African-American males.
When Johns’ appointment was first announced, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a statement, “David’s expertise will be critical in helping to address the academic challenges that many African American students face, and I am delighted to have him on our team. His wealth of knowledge and passion will help the Department move forward in its quest to ensure that all children are college-and career-ready.”
Johns has worked on issues affecting low-income and minority students, neglected youth and early childhood education, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
His research as an Andrew W. Mellon Fellow served as a catalyst to identify, disrupt and supplant negative perceptions of black males, both within academia and society.
Magic Johnson, who supported Johns with a scholarship early on, is on the invite list.
For more information, contact Wes Hall at Wesley.hall@lausd.net.
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