Judge Greg Mathis of TV’s Judge Mathis fame says he was honored and uniquely qualified to speak at this year’s symposium.
“Having been a street youth in and out of juvenile and tried for carrying a gun as an adult at age 17, I know the life that many of our young people are subjected to living in poverty and having their education system fail them.”
The Black Boys and Men National Symposium brings educators, faculty, staff and community leaders together to create equitable transformation for Black boys and men throughout the educational pipeline.
Judge Mathis, who grew up in Detroit, said it’s important to him to offer second chances to today’s youth as a judge, just as he was offered them growing up.
“We can’t let the child fall through the cracks, though. That’s one of the things I’ve always advocated for, and that is we must save the child even if we can’t save the household.”
Judge Mathis says he hopes symposium attendees take his message of investing in education instead of incarceration to heart.
“The incarceration budgets throughout the country have risen over an average of 30% while the education budget has always been a struggle to meet the basic needs of students.”
The symposium runs through Friday.
