In the USA there are few sports stars bigger than basketball player LeBron James. James is a three-time NBA champion, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and two-time Olympic gold medalist, however, it’s not his actions on the court that have been drawing headlines and the attention of the President of the United States, Donald Trump.
Last week, James returned to his hometown Akron, Ohio to set up a new public school for at-risk students, the I PROMISE School (IPS). The LeBron James Foundation will work alongside Akron Public schools to bring to fruition over 10 years of work and planning to provide education for underprivileged children in the area.
IPS invited children in the area who were trailing their peers academically by over a year to join the new school. It opens this summer to students in grades 3 and 4 (aged 8-10) but aims to expand to grades 1-8 (aged 6-14) by 2020.
James grew up in Akron raised by a single mother and missed 83 days of school in the fourth grade while he and his mother were finding a place to live. Another family let James stay with them while his mother looked for stable work - James went on to have perfect attendance in fifth grade. Speaking at the opening of the school he said,
“I know the streets they walk. I know the trials and tribulations they go through. I know the ups and downs. I know everything that they dream about. I know all the nightmares that they have because I’ve been there. I know exactly what they’re going through. They’re the reason that this school is here today”
The focus of the school is to provide support for the students and their families. This support includes:
- Free tuition
- Free uniforms
- A free bicycle and helmet
- Free transportation within 2 miles
- Free breakfast, lunch and snacks
- Food pantry for families
- GEDs and job placement services for families
- Guaranteed tuition to the University of Akron for every student who graduates
IPS will have 43 staff, and classrooms will be 20 students per teacher. There will be a strong focus on hands-on STEM learning, and students will also have access to a “supportive circle” after lunch to help them refocus on work. The school also provides training for parents to help create a stable home environment for the students.
But the support isn’t just for the students and their families, IPS will also provide support for their teachers. The school will provide teachers with access to psychological services and every Wednesday afternoon will be reserved for career development. James even hired a personal trainer to work with teachers who want a guided workout.
Speaking in an interview to CNN James said,
“For kids in general, all they want to know is that someone cares. When they walk through that door I hope they know that someone cares”. In the interview, LeBron James is asked about his opinions of President Donald Trump. The pair have had frequent twitter spats, and the CNN interview even drew the ire of Trump and his tweets.
Earlier this year LeBron James drew criticism from Trump supporters for comments that Trump doesn’t “give a f*** about the people”, which led to Fox news pundit Laura Ingraham to suggest that James should “shut up and dribble”. When asked in the CNN interview what he would say to Trump if he was sitting across from him now James replied “I would never sit across from him”
In contradiction to her husband’s comments, Melania Trump released a statement through a spokesperson praising James and his new school.
“It looks like LeBron James is working to do good things on behalf of our next generation and just as she always has, the First Lady encourages everyone to have an open dialogue about issues facing children today”
“Her platform centres around visiting organizations, hospitals and schools, and she would be open to visiting the I Promise School in Akron.”
Whatever the reception, it seems obvious that the I PROMISE school is part of a statement from LeBron James that he will not just “shut up and dribble” anytime soon.
